Elwood 5566

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

For an in-depth account of the process go here: Making Makgeolli – Recipe 1.

(1 cup = 180ml. T = tablespoon 15ml, d = dessert spoon 10ml and t = teaspoon 5ml)

6 cups of rice (glutenous Korean or sushi rice)

2 liters of water for post inoculation plus 1 liter if you want to dilute. You will also need water for cooking the rice.

1 cup of wheat yeast (nu-ruk – 누룩). I cup amounts to 100g.

1t of yeast (효모). I’ve found instant dried yeast works best

2 cups of sugar (or honey or corn syrup) and depending on taste, you may want to add more as fermentation continues.

Milton’s Solution or some other form of baby utensil sterilizing liquid.

EQUIPMENT

Rice cooker or pan, large glass jar (though plastic is useable), large rubber band, a spatula, a small bowl, a spoon, a cloth for covering mash and a muslin bag.

For decanting –  a funnel, about four 2  liter bottles (Coke bottles are the best), a ladle, a large plastic bowl into which you are going to squeeze the mash.

PREPARING THE RICE

Wash the rice and cook as normal. When cooked, allow the rice to cool to temperature where it won’t scold your hand. Now, if you are cooking the rice the European way, in a pot on the cooker, you will need to drain off any excess water before letting it cool.

STERILIZING EQUIPMENT – sterilise and boil utensils.

PREPARING THE AMAZING MICRO-ORGANIC INOCULATE

If your nu-ruk is in a block, you will need to break shards off and soak it in luke warm water for an hour and then either mush it up or put it in a blender. Do not soak it in hot water as you will kill the enzymes! Put the nu-ruk in a small, sterilized bowl, add a little water and thoroughly mix it into a paste.

Now fill you jar with 2 liters of water and add the rice to this and then add the inoculate. Mix it thoroughly. Put the cloth and elastic band over the mouth of the jar and store.

AFTERCARE

Stir the mash with a sterilized ladle once in the morning and again in the evening.

DECANTING

Equipment etc – a large bowl, a muslin bag, anti insect cover if needed, a funnel, sugar (or honey, corn syrup) and optional water (l liter)

Pour the mash into a sterilised muslin bag and then proceed to squeeze liquid out of the rice into a clean bowl. Sugar (honey, corn syrup) can now be added plus additional water if you wish to lower the ABV.

BOTTLING

Put the filtered makgeolli into plastic bottles used for carbonated drink. Keep in a cool place just to make sure no spillage is going to occur, before refrigerating.

The makgeolli is actually ready to drink but leaving it a few days at room temperature will allow some further fermentation and maturation. After a few days you may want to add extra sugar or even dilute with more water – it depends on your individual preferences.

Prior to serving, shake the bottle as it contains sediment. Be careful opening the bottle! On more than one occasion I’ve received an invigorating makgeolli shower!

©Amongst Other Things –  努江虎 – 노강호 2012 Creative Commons Licence.