RE: Why do we steam the rice when making sake?

[rtogio]

Does anyone know why rice is steamed when it's used for sake making? Why not cook it in a rice cooker (which essentially boils THEN steams the grains) or cook it on a countertop in a pot (which does the same thing mentioned above). Is there some scientific/practical reasoning behind why rice meant for sake is steamed (usually)?

 

[CanadianJesus]

IDK, I'm 33 pages into the rice wine thread and I still haven't figured that out. Apparently most people use a rice cooker. Myself, I plan on steaming my rice on tinfoil because I don't own a rice cooker. My yeast balls will be here tomorrow or the day after. I'll probably post my results in the rice wine thread.

 

[zheol]

no clue but I used my brew kettle biab bag plus 2 tamale steam inserts I bolted together with 3" bolts I can now steam 40+ lbs of rice at a time lol

 

[Jim_Holmes]

this is taken from the thread by arpolis in this section:
It is very important to Steam the rice and not boil it. If you boil it you will get a sticky glob of rice or it will be too crunchy and the Koji will not properly take hold and not produce the enzymes you want causing bad flavors or worse no amalyse produced at all.

the post is here

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=373347

 

[pdxal]

I've never had any problems with rice that was cooked in a rice cooker. I see no need to steam the rice.