Breakthrough: Right formula for ‘tapuy’ developed

Quality "tapuy" (rice wine) can now be produced for commercialization.

And researchers of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-Phil) believe that they have developed the right formula for it.

Moreover, for the easy transfer of the new process for interested entrepreneurs, PhilRice has produced a bulletin outlining the preparation of the starter culture and the fermentation process itself.

PhilRice said the rice wine is not entirely its own. Reason is that its procedure research adopts two approaches: one is the development of products new to the market (e.g., rice nougat and shangrice) and the other is the improvement of existing products (e.g., PhilRice wine).

For the second approach, PhilRice stated: "We study how the appearance, shelf life, and taste can be improved."

"Tapuy" is an indigenous alcoholic drink popular in the Cordillera region and adjacent provinces. It is an important beverage for traditional occasions such as birthdays, weddings, fiestas, cultural fairs, and in honoring dead relatives.

"Tapuy" is considered as a safe and healthful beverage. As such, it is now becoming in demand among rice-based cottage industry.

In the Cordilleras, rice wine is kept for short periods (three to five days) because producers do not have a standard procedure of producing and packaging their wine.

Thus, PhilRice researchers studied the standardization of the process to make the rice wine a certified value-added product. With the help of the original makers of the rice wine, this beverage can now be kept for three to six months.

Those who stand to benefit from this scientific headway are rice-based cottage industry owners and wine producers. – Rudy Fernandez