I like Recipe 1 despite it being a blend between makgeolli and a dongdong-ju. The drink is refreshing, has a zing, is frothy and slightly thick though it loses the froth and thickness rapidly. As a result, it is a very light drink that dances over your tongue. All scores of 8 and above contain: zing, froth and thickness and are subsequently very light on the palate.
Batch 8, December 2011
Initially, I think my recipe was too sweet and may have been too strong for what Koreans associate with makgeolli. However, Koreans often have no idea about the differences between makgeolli and dongdong-ju and the two terms are almost interchangeable. Traditionally, dongdong-ju is a much stronger drink approaching 14-16% ABV, as this recipe does, if the ratio of 3 cups of rice to 1 litre of water (at inoculation) is adhered to and no water subsequently added.
Recipe 2, dongdong-ju, and Recipe 4, makgeolli, are both based on this recipe.
R – rice. 1 cup = 180ml
N – nu-ruk. 1 cup = 180ml / 100g
Y- yeast. Teaspoon (5ml)
W – Water added at inoculation and at bottling. (liters)
S – sugar. 1 cup = 180ml
G – Glutinous rice (R), SH – Short Grain. N – new season’s rice. All rice is Korean.
TEM/DAYS – temperature in degrees Celsius.
Note – Bolded annotations mark a point of experimentation.
| NO. | DATE2011 | R180 | N180 | Yt | W | S180 | TEM/DAYS | YIELD/ABV | VER0-10 |
| 1 | 11/11 | G3 | 0.5 | 1 | 1/0 | ? | 40/3 | ? | 0 |
| 2 | 16/11 | G3 | 0.5 | 1 | 1/0 | ? | 32/5 | ? | 5 |
| 3 | 17/11 | G5 | 1 | 1.5 | 1/0 | ? | 21/4 | ?/14% | 5 |
| 4 | 25/11 | G6 | 1 | 1.5 | 1/0 | ? | 21/3 | ?/15% | 5 |
| 5 | 26/11 | G6 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5/0 | ? | 21/4 | ?/15% | |
| 6 | 03/12 | G5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1.5/0 | ? | 21/5 | ?/14% | 7 |
| 7 | 05/12 | G3 | 0.5 | 1 | 1/0 | ? | 21/3 | ?/? | 8 |
| 8 | 16/12 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 1.5/0 | ? | 21/4 | ?/? | 8 |
| 9 | 23/12 | G5 | 1 | 1 | 2/0 | ? | 21/5 | ?/? | 9 |
| 10 | 27/12 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/5 | ?/12% | 10 |
| 11 | 30/12 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/4 | 4/12% | 10 |
| 12 | 02/01/2012 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/4 | 4/12% | 10 |
| 13 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/4 | 4/12% | 10 | |
| 14 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/4 | 4/12% | 10 | |
| 15 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/4 | 4/12% | 10 | |
| 16 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/4 | 4/12% | 10 | |
| 17 | G6 | 1 | 1 | 2/ | 4 | 21/4 | 4/12% | 10 | |
| 18 | 04/04 | G3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2/0 | 1 | 21/3 | 2.75/5% | 10 |
Rationale
18. I’m told my makgeolli is too sweet and that it is too much like soda! This batch sought to reduce both sugar levels and reduce alcohol down to approx 6%ABV. After 36 hours of post-peak fermentation, there is a marginal sweetness (in my opinion), and the alcohol has increased. The matured makgeolli is much better given time to mature. At 48 hours there is little sweetness at all. Conclusion, use 1-2 cups of sugar at bottling and allow maturing for 2 days.
Link: Recipe 1
Nice website, very helpful. I have started making makgeolli here in the U.S., with the help of my Korean wife. It tastes pretty good, too. I have two questions: (1) When do you decide that it is time to bottle? It seems to me that if you want fermentation to stop completely, you are in for a VERY long wait. (2) Do you have to stir the mash while it is fermenting? Most of the information that I’ve found advises stirring once a day, although at least one artice recommended twice a day. I’ve also found guidance that recommends stirring for about three days, and then no more after that. What do you recommend?
Steve, I usually stir it once in the morning and once in the evening. Bottling depends on temperature. If it’s cooler it can take up to five or six days but in warmer weather I’ve bottled after 3 days though 4 would probably have been better. You can usually see a change in the rice as it becomes mushy – but basically, I bottle when it tastes right and it makes your tongue ‘zing.’ It continues to ferment when you bottle so be careful of ‘bottle bombs.’ Good luck.