Home-made red rice wine

I still have a special hobby for home-made red rice wine because of my familiarity and intimacy with the brewing process. When I was a kid, I always had a special desire to make red wine.

After the autumn harvest, the family’s granary was finally full, and there was no longer any fear of hunger. My father would spend his evenings brewing new wine. Before going to work in the afternoon, soak the glutinous rice in a large bucket. Wash the wine jar that is going to be used for making wine, put it upside down in a pot of boiling water, fumigate and sterilize it and set aside. After finishing the meal in the evening and cleaning up the stove, light up the fire, take out the rice steamer, drain the soaked glutinous rice, pour it into the rice steamer and steam it over high heat. Children who usually go to bed early will be very excited this night. They gather around the stove and take the initiative to help chop wood and light the fire to please their father and kill the unbearable waiting. After steaming, pour it into a large bamboo basket and spread it out to cool. On the night of brewing wine, my father was in a particularly good mood and showed his rare kindness. The children, who didn't know the hardship of life, would take this opportunity to have a hearty meal, and even secretly knead a ball and hide it to eat tomorrow (this often affected their health). My father judged the amount of glutinous rice and added too much water and spoiled the wine). This fragrant glutinous rice is really too tempting for me who has been eating dark sweet potato rice for many years! I think it is a good choice for home brewing. The long-lasting love for red wine may have been cultivated here.

Using this time, my father poured an appropriate amount of spring water and red rice into the wine jar. The quality of water and the ratio of water to glutinous rice are key factors that determine the quality of wine. Good spring water is usually used for brewing; the ratio of rice and water is usually "pair plus (1:1)" or "plus one (1:1.1). )", "plus two (1:1.2)", "plus three (1:1.3)". According to 1:1, if there is more water, the wine will be "mature" (fermented and mature) easily, but the wine taste will be "thin" (thin); on the contrary, the fermentation speed will be slow and the wine will be strong; the most important thing is "wine making", that is, using already brewed wine Made wine instead of water. After the glutinous rice has cooled naturally, put it into the jar and seal the mouth of the jar tightly. After about 12 hours, use special bamboo chips to stir it once or twice every morning or evening.

If the temperature is too high when making wine, the wine will easily become sour; if the temperature is too low, it will freeze and deteriorate. The best time is around the winter solstice and the first and second months of the lunar calendar. The wine brewed before and after the winter solstice is called winter solstice wine. At this time, the temperature is suitable for brewing. Wait until spring starts before opening the jar to get the wine. After a winter of careful brewing, the wine will be warm and pure. During the first month and February, the spring breeze is warm and the peach blossoms bloom. Romance is the best time to make wine. The wine brewed at this time is called peach blossom wine, which is warm and fragrant. After the wine is ripe, put the exposed wine basket (cylindrical bamboo basket) into the wine jar to separate the wine from the grains, scoop out the wine, and seal it in a dense and fine pottery for storage. The freshly brewed wine is red in color and tastes sweet; after being stored for a long time, the red color gradually turns to brown or amber. The longer it is stored, especially under low temperature conditions, the content of amino acids will increase significantly, making the wine more fragrant and rich in flavor.

According to testing, home-made red rice wine contains a large amount of protein, vitamins B1, B2, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and small amounts of zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium and other trace elements necessary for the human body. Red wine is hot in nature and sweet in taste. It has the functions of promoting blood circulation, strengthening spleen, promoting metabolism, nourishing blood and beauty, relaxing muscles and joints, strengthening body and prolonging life. Therefore, it is best to drink in winter. Local mothers must drink red wine during confinement.

In addition, red wine can also react with the fat in meat to produce aromatic substances, which can enhance the flavor of dishes and remove fishy and muttony. Therefore, people usually use some red wine when cooking dishes, especially meat and fish.