Brewing with rice

Rice is pure starch and must be mashed before you can get any sugars from it. So, unless you are mashing (or mini-mashing) you can't use rice. ((Note the rice needs to be boiled before using too)). Look up "Classic American Pilsner" to see some good recipes using rice of how good beer was once brewed here.

That being said, you can get rice syrup that is converted rice. This could be used in an extract recipe.

Derric

I am assuming that you mashed as in the way corn is mashed before boiling to get alcohol from it? If I am assuming correctly does this mean I will need to add a bacteria to the rice?

Ray,

You did not say if you are a whole grain or extract brewer? If an extract brewer you cannot use rice. If you are a whole grain brewer then you know what was meant by mashing.

Have you got a good book on home brewing of beer?

Frank ATF Home Brew Club New Bern NC

You are right saying you cannot use rice as an extract brewer, but you can use rice syrup.

After looking up mashing on the internet I believe that I will become a whole grain brewer. I have been using extracts to this point, but I feel it is time to venture out.

like Beano.. the enzymes do the work

Sorry for the delay... didn't read news over the weekend... I see from a later post that you've read up on it some. The site

has all you need to know to get started mashing. You might also check out Denny Conn's description of how to easily make a mash tun, do batch sparging (rinsing), and get started all-grain brewing: (howtobrew.com focuses on fly sparging with just a mention to batch sparging... however batch sparging is easier and, for all practical purposes, just as good).

Regarding your comment about bacteria... I think that BACTERIA is used to convert starch to sugar for brewing saki. However, in beer, the ENZYMES in malted grain (barley usually) are used to convert the starch. This is done by mixing cooked rice with some barley malt and holding at certain hot temperatures (around 150F) until the starch is converted. Someone else mentioned beano... beano is just yet another enzyme to convert starch to sugar (but beano usually goes too far and can't be stopped! :).

By all means, try an all grain beer. The ONLY drawback from it is the extra time it takes. I think the extra "fun" makes up for the time.

Derric

Rice for sake is first steamed, then malted using a fungal culture called koji. I imagine that any amylase source or diastatically active grain would also convert the starch.

You may find the following useful:

Sam.

My favorite part of all sake recipes is: "It is possible for the beginner to grow a strange exotic mould"

Ben

Rice and corn is an additives that really does not improve the beer at all and in my option makes it worse . the real reason is corn and rice are a lot cheaper in bulk then real malt which is why Budweiser went with rice and miller went with corn. so I would avoid it unless you want to make a bud clone but would suggest you make a budvar clone which bud formula use to be similar to in the 60s to taste what bud really tasted like before it cheapened out it beer.