Heating a Makgeolli mash?

[Silverfishstix]

I'm making makgeolli, and every recipe I've seen asks that you cool the rice down completely before continuing (i.e. the mash is room temp). Wouldn't the conversion from starch to sugar be more efficient if I don't cool the rice down?

Of course, it's best to not deviate from the recipe (if it ain't broke, don't fix it), but I would think that it would help with the brew.

Anyone got any tips?

Recipe:
5 cups uncooked rice (however much that is when it's cooked)
1+1/2 cup nuruk
1 Tbsp baker's yeast
5 cups water initially, 5-15 cups after fermentation to dilute to taste

 

[jtratcliff]

Maangchi actually dries hers in dehydrator at 160F... Traditional Korean rice liquor (Makgeolli) recipe - Maangchi.com. The boiling will gelatinize the starches, but also denature any enzymes... So not sure what the point of drying and/or cooling the rice is other than to get it down to temps where the nuruk will work... The Nuruk adds amylase, and other stuff to break down the rice... So maybe lower temps are needed for the Aspergillus and Rhizopus to do their thing before the Lacto and Saccharo get to work?

Seems like the "mash" and "ferment" are simultaneous in her recipe...

Dunno... Never heard of makgeolli before... but I might have to try it...