Rice wine slow fermentation

[niles]

Hi
Started a rice wine yesterday.

1 Kg rice
1 Kg raisins (690g sugar)
1 Kg sugar
1 cinammon stick (chopped)
1 heaped tsp Youngs super yeast
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp citric acid
ingredients into a fermenting bin and topped to 5.5 ltrs water

Took a hydro reading and it floated off the scale 1.130,40 maybe, I didn't think it would be that high, with the amount of sugar possible 1.115.
Problem is it's struggling to ferment, bubbling through the airlock about every 2 mins.
Not sure whether to:
1. Add some more Youngs yeast.
2. Purchase some high alcohol yeast (not sure if it will mix with the yeast already present).
3. Leave it a while longer and see if gets going.
Any help would be appreciated.

cheers

 

[Moley]

Your hydrometer reading is probably correct, although you might have 5.5 litres in the bucket at the moment, you haven't got 5.5 litres of fluid as quite a bit is being displaced by the rice, so if you've got 1,690g sugar in 4.5 litres of liquid that's 375g/litre. Don't worry about that, your yeast will cope. When you strain the must and top up, I would suggest using a 5 litre PET giving a net OG of 1.125

What was the temperature when you pitched your yeast? Did you use hot or cold water and, if hot, did you allow it to cool? If it was hot, pitch some more Young's yeast compound. Otherwise, give it another 24 hours.

If it's in a bin, your lid probably isn't gas tight, so that would account for low airlock activity. Put your ear against the bucket, can you hear it fizzing?

 

[niles]

Thanks Moley,

Pitched yeast at 22°c, yes it's fizzing and also more activity from the airlock now about every 30 secs.
Wasn't sure how much to leave for the bulk guessed at 5.5 ltrs.
Doing this again I think I'll invest in a fermenting bucket and lid (about a fiver from my local HB shop).
Recipe says strain after 14 days then leave to ferment out so I'll use one of my 5 ltr PET's and top up if required.

Again many thanks

 

[Moley]

For smaller batches it's worth getting one or two smaller buckets from your HBS, I have a couple of 3 gallon buckets. The lids are rarely gas tight and airlocks are usually pointless, use your nose and ears to tell you what's going on inside.

When you strain off the liquor, don't discard the rice & raisins, add another kilo of sugar and go again for a second, lighter wine.

 

[queues likely]

When you strain off the liquor, don't discard the rice & raisins, add another kilo of sugar and go again for a second, lighter wine.

Liking this, :thumb: one for the next project :party:

 

[niles]

Thanks Moley,
Hadn't thought of doing a second batch, would this be how I go about it.
Syphon off first batch of liquid after 2 weeks into PET, top up and leave to ferment out. Add 1 Kg sugar, 1 tsp yeast, yeast nutrient and citric acid to the fermenting bin top up to 5.5 ltrs and ferment as before.

 

[Moley]

Just add sugar and cold water, there shouldn't be any need to add more yeast or nutrient. Add citric if you like, I would prefer to thinly slice a couple of oranges, float them on top and stir twice daily.