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How to make Barley SHOCHU

 

                                                             

 

Materials

3 Lb barley (6 cups)

1/8 teaspoon koji spore for sake,

      1 gal water

Turbo or Champaign yeast 

0.5 teaspoon citric acid

Fermenting vessel (2 gal capacity)

 

Barley koji making

·                     Soak 2 cups (1 Lb) of  barley in water for 40 minutes, and steam cook for 60 minutes.

·                     Transfer barley to a flat plastic container.

·                     When the temperature becomes at the room temperature, inoculate the barley with koji spore. Shake the koji spore wrapped in a small square of gauze from 6 inches above the steamed barley from the side to side uniformly. Turn over the barley so the spores are mixed with barley as uniformly as possible.

·                     Put paper towel on the top of barley, and close the lid with small holes.  Place the containment in a incubator to keep the temperature of 28 to 30C for two days. Look into the plastic container every 12 hours.

·                     In 48 hours, the barley grains are covered by thick white fungus. If not, leave for another 12 to 24 hours.

 

Barley koji finished

 

·                     Use the koji as soon as possible. If it is left for another 24 or 48 hours, koji spores will grow, which is white if white koji spores are used, but green if yellow koji is used. The koji is useable even after spores grow, but the quality becomes lower.

·                     If koji is not used immediately, dry it or freeze for later use.

 

 

Fermentation

·                     Soak the rest of barley (4 cups) in water for 30 minutes, and boil cook for 30 minutes.  Cool the barley to 104 F (40 C).

·                     In the fermentation vessel (2 gallons),  add 1 gal water of 104 F (40 C), koji, and yeast.

 

                                                

·                     Within 24 hours, carbon dioxide bubbles will start rising. Fermentation will continue for 15 to 30 days.

·                     Filter the fermented fluid in a brew mesh bag.

 

Distillation

·                     Distillation may be done with a pot still.

 

                          

 

·                     Discard the head (first 5 % of distillate).  Collect all alcohol thereafter until alcohol content becomes 20% (or when the boiler temperature becomes 98 C).

·                     The alcohol content will be high. Before serving, dilute to 50%  by adding distilled water. This is barley shochu.

 

The taste of the barley shochu will be better if yellow koji is used with sake yeast (#7 or #11). But, even with white koji and Champaign yeast as used in this recipe, it tastes good with a unique flavor and is very enjoyable.