(Sweet) Apple Makkoli #2

I still had some apples leftover so I felt it’s a good thing to use them up so here’s a new recipe for Apple Makkoli with sweet rice.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked sweet rice

5 apples

1 chunk of Nuruk

Step 1: Cooking - Mixing

Very simple.  Cook the rice with a little extra water, I put enough water in for 2.4 cups of rice.  Allow it to cool so it is warm to the touch and mix in the Nuruk.  Chop the apples small enough to fit in the fermenter, and when its near room temperature put it all in the fermenter.  This time I did not add any yeast to see how it would react.

This time I also sanitized the fermenter, lid, cloth, and stirrer with a bleach mixture of about 20 to 1.  I want this one to be nice and sweet with the high sugar and don’t want any bugs making it sour.

Step 2: Fermenting

Biscute, my girls little doggie standing guard for lactobacilli

I have a new fermenter, a Kimichi jar. I like it because it has a very wide mouth and it will be easy to clean.  It cost me about 5,000 won. I can also keep the seal a little better with the lid half screwed on over the cloth.

I’m in the middle of this step and it is starting slower without the yeast.  I’m also trying a cooler ferment, average temperature of about 65 degrees. After the first day I can see a slow bubble at the bottom in the rice and a nicer ferment at the top with the floaters and apples.

The aroma is very nice and really smells of apples. (and a little bleach smell from the rag.)

Fermented for 4 days and the taste is great, but it has a little sour taste again.  I ate some sweet cookies with it and didn’t notice a thing.  Part was from the full ferment, a little was from a sneaky lactobacilli.  It was nice and squeaky clean, but I think a secondary non yeast ferment starts after 3 days, it might even be in the Nuruk and a natural process.

The most fun of this batch was watching the rice dance up and down from top to bottom fermenting zones.  On the 2nd day it was fast enough to watch outright.
My recommendation is to take it out and bottle it as soon as the dance slows down, or stops for no sour taste.

I guess Makkoli is kinda like microwave popcorn?

Also, it’s very high in alcohol.  One normal glass left me feeling very happy.
Going to let it cool down all proper and mix a litte water in tomorrow and try it again.  Pretty sure that will help the little dry - sour taste.

First Two Batches: Lessons and Lightbulbs

After finishing off my first two batches I thought I would take a moment to share some of the things I noticed in the process.  Mistakes I made, things I learned, and insights or things I might do different in the future.


The first thing is that cleanliness is most important to brewing.  Even very forgiving mashes can turn out with a sour tint with just a little of the wrong bug getting in.  Make sure everything is clean, and you are in a clean area when you mix and load the fermenters.  It’s not that you have to worry about making the product undrinkable, but it cuts back on enjoyment quite a bit.
I was quite disappointed in myself when I tasted the sour bottle, but everyone makes mistakes.  Wasn’t my first one brewing, and won’t be my last.


The next thing is that it is possible to make Makkoli with nothing more than a will to do it.  When I made my batch I just used stuff lying around the kitchen, and old plastic bottles.  It turned out just like Makkoli, although more dry than what you get in the store.
-Bought the sweet pearl rice this time, the one they make Dok and other sweets from.  Extra insurance is good.

I have found a pretty reliable source for the Nuruk.  Apparently someone my girlfriend knows at college has family that makes their own Dwenjang and she can get some Nuruk.  At least she should be able to get us some.  So anyone nearby who can’t find it on their own I can probably get it for you.


I also learned that the alcohol content and time thing is very dependant on the conditions where it ferments.  I should have bottled and drank it when it was still going and smelled like fruity Makkoli rather than waiting for it to slow down.  My batches really ate sugar that last day.  So although that day to percentage guide isn’t far off, it is certainly just an estimate.


An interesting thing is that the plastic and glass containers were indistinguishable from each other.  So the kind of fermentation container makes little difference in the short term.
Mixing fruit and other vegetables will change the Makkoli taste and it is possible to mix just about anything into Makkoli as you ferment it.  My recipes are for a light taste.  You really smell the apples and they are in the finish, but it’s still all Makkoli in flavor.


As for what’s next, I have a couple ideas.
I want to start mixing more grains into the Makkoli and see how a hybrid beer would work out.
If I can find one cheaply I want to see if a traditional clay container makes any kind of difference in the end product.
Attempting to use a bubbler instead of cloth to ensure that no outside infection can enter the fermentation.  I have read that rice and corn mashes need more oxygen while they ferment so I left it open to the air.  I also didn’t have the hose or stoppers required to make a poor mans bubbler.


So that’s the first two batches.  I made Makkoli, with a little of it going sour on me, yet I'm very happy that it worked out this well.  Anyone who wants to try can do it at home with little trouble.
Just make sure you clean everything well.  Don’t be afraid to filter it and toss it in the fridge when it smells really good even if it is bubbling away.  The refrigeration stops most of the fermentation and pressure shouldn't be a big issue.

This setup worked for me, it can work for you.