wine for dit da jao

[deeperthantao]

hey

I'm in the process of making a large container of jao, wondering what a good alcohol base might be? , the recipe suggests vodka, but I would prefer to use chinese wine, or something along those lines.

cheers

[herb ox]

Shaoxing wine is a good yellow rice wine that makes a good brew. It has a distinct aroma when you make the jow with it. This wine is available at just about any Chinese market and is fairly inexpensive.

good luck

herb ox

[TenTigers]

shaoxing is weak, however. Most Chinese herbalists use Sam Jing Jow-'triple distilled liquor" it is about 80 proof,like vodka.

[lhommedieu]

My personal preference is to use cheap "American Whiskey" that comes in at about 80 proof. It typically contains about 20% of rye or bourbon type whiskey and about 80% mass-produced, corn-based spirit.

Some herbs are said to disolve better in alcohol, some better in water, and some better in each solvent at different stages - so I assume that a higher proof will accelerate the process.

Glass bottles are standard due to the issue of the herb/alcohol liquid disolving petroleum-based products over time. I use 1 gallon carboys available from home-brewery suppliers and natural cork stoppers.

If you are looking for a stronger, more neutral solvent, then the sorghum-based liquors to be found in Chinese-owned liquor stores are excellent - although they are hard to find. They come in at about 100 - 110 proof. I have also used this to make "Tiger Bone" wine (internal) with excellent results.

Just an aside: for internal formulas that call for rice-based Chinese wines, I find that bai jiu (white wine) produces a smoother liquor than huang jiu (yellow wine).

Best,

Steve Lamade

[Royal Dragon]

I just started fermenting 10 gallons of rice wine. in 6 weeks I will distill it down to about 3 at 50% alcohol.

It's really easy to do. Just order a 5 gallon glass barrel ($30.00) off the internet.

Boil a good high quality rice untill it is goo, and put it in the fermentation barrell.

Do not strain the water out.

Mix in a good amount of pure honey (as a nutritional supplement for the alcohal making yeast)

Leave it uncovered for a few days untill it starts bubbling good.

Once it does, fill the barrel up 3/4 of the way to the top with water between 90-100 degrees F, and cap it for 6 weeks.

After 6 weeks, strain out the mash and then freez the wine in plastic ice mountian jugs to seperate out the pure alcohal. You have about a 2 gallons of Chinese white lightning to make all the jow you can handle.

Aftert the first batch, the rest of them will cost you whatever the cost of a bag of rice, and a bottle of honey...whic is under $3.00 a batch if you buy the honey bulk at Costco.

[Indestructible]

I'd like to try this sometime. Can you be a little more specific on the amount of rice for a five gallon carboy? "good amount of pure honey" like a cup or 2 cups? Do you add yeast or will it ferment on its own?
Thanks,
Inde

I just started fermenting 10 gallons of rice wine. in 6 weeks I will distill it down to about 3 at 50% alcohol.

It's really easy to do. Just order a 5 gallon glass barrel ($30.00) off the internet.

Boil a good high quality rice untill it is goo, and put it in the fermentation barrell.

Do not strain the water out.

Mix in a good amount of pure honey (as a nutritional supplement for the alcohal making yeast)

Leave it uncovered for a few days untill it starts bubbling good.

Once it does, fill the barrel up 3/4 of the way to the top with water between 90-100 degrees F, and cap it for 6 weeks.

After 6 weeks, strain out the mash and then freez the wine in plastic ice mountian jugs to seperate out the pure alcohal. You have about a 2 gallons of Chinese white lightning to make all the jow you can handle.

Aftert the first batch, the rest of them will cost you whatever the cost of a bag of rice, and a bottle of honey...whic is under $3.00 a batch if you buy the honey bulk at Costco.

[lhommedieu]

I just started fermenting 10 gallons of rice wine. in 6 weeks I will distill it down to about 3 at 50% alcohol....

...After 6 weeks, strain out the mash and then freez the wine in plastic ice mountian jugs to seperate out the pure alcohal. You have about a 2 gallons of Chinese white lightning to make all the jow you can handle.

Thanks for sharing the recipe. So it comes out to about 100 proof?

It reminds me a story that my Dad told me about how they made apple jack back in the '30's: they'd take fresh apple cider and add some raisins and let it ferment for several weeks. Then they'd freeze the water and wait for the alcohol to collect in the center of the container.

Best,

Steve Lamade

[TenTigers]

Hey Steve,
I think our Dads hung out together! My Dad used to do the same thing!
I "discovered" hard cider my first year in college. We bought a few gallons from the local cider mill, which we kept in the fridge. What I didn't realize is that cider turns.So one day, before going to class, I poured myself a large glass of cider. I did notice that it was slightly "off" and mildly effervescent. Well, by the time I got to class, it had hit me, and I was a bit tipsy! Well, as you can guess, we made alot of purchases of cider after that!

[lhommedieu]

Hey Steve,
I think our Dads hung out together! My Dad used to do the same thing!
I "discovered" hard cider my first year in college. We bought a few gallons from the local cider mill, which we kept in the fridge. What I didn't realize is that cider turns.So one day, before going to class, I poured myself a large glass of cider. I did notice that it was slightly "off" and mildly effervescent. Well, by the time I got to class, it had hit me, and I was a bit tipsy! Well, as you can guess, we made alot of purchases of cider after that!

http://www.leeners.com/cider.html

I don't think I need to spend $500 for an apple press just yet - at least not until my taste for hard cider grows. The URL states that most apple cider is available in the stores today is treated and will rot before it ferments. I should be able to get a good unprocessed wine cider from a supplier or make the apple juice with my "Juiceman" and soak the skins for a day or two for color. I'll let you know how it goes (the proof will be in the pour).

Best,

Steve

[TenTigers]

Hey Steve, you might want to check out Jericho Cider Mill, and there is also a cider mill on Jericho Tpke. They would probably have fresh unpasteurized cider.
Rik

[lhommedieu]

Hey Steve, you might want to check out Jericho Cider Mill, and there is also a cider mill on Jericho Tpke. They would probably have fresh unpasteurized cider.
Rik

That's funny - I stop there all the time on my way home from work if I take the Northern State to Rt. 106 N. I've been meaning to check out the mill on Rt. 25 for a while now, as well. There's also Richter's on Pulaski out by Old Bridge road (near Commack( that's more local to me.

Best,

Steve

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Is all Dit Da Jow made using drinking alchol or can it be made with something else like Bay Rum?

In Jamaica, Bay Rum is used to reduce fever by rubbing it on and massaging into the skin. Sometimes also used as a topical rub, and some use it as an aftershave.

While part of the process to make it contains alcohol, the resultant product is NOT for drinking. Since it is forbidden for me as a muslim to drink or purchase drinking alcohol, I'm wondering if this would be useable to make Jow with.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Hot jows are usualy done with vinegar and contain no alcohol. You could look into those rather than the cold jows that are made with wines etc.. . The hot stuff works better anyway.

Thanks for the info!

[deeperthantao]

thanks for the info guy's, now the fun part...

[Dale Dugas]

Hot jows are usualy done with vinegar and contain no alcohol. You could look into those rather than the cold jows that are made with wines etc.. . The hot stuff works better anyway.

Do NOT make a jow with vinegar as this will break down into acetone over time and that is a no no. Also using vinegar over time will make the bones soften. Another strike against it.

Sorry to hear your religion is getting in the way of training.

Be well, train hard