Rice wine, anyone?

PhilRice is now engaged in the commercial manufacture of tapuy or rice wine after having been given a license to operate by the Bureau of Food and Drugs. BFAD personnel who inspected the institute’s tapuy production area strongly recommended that PhilRice deserves a license to operate.

Likewise, BFAD has given PhilRice an application number for its tapuy production process as a utility model, as well as a trademark application number.

Unlike in the past when tapuy production at PhilRice was in the laboratory of the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division, it is now in a renovated building with rooms for the storage of raw materials, a well ventilated cooling area, a separate and more aseptic inoculation and pre-fermentation room, an air-conditioned fermentation room, and much bigger rooms for washing, cooking, harvesting, and filtration.

A totally new label design for the PhilRice tapuy is now also being used. The design depicts the PhilRice tower against a backdrop of black, gold and red color combinations, giving it an elegant appearance. To complement the new label, a black glossy bag was also designed, giving a classic package comparable to imported wines.

PhilRice tapuy can be easily distinguished from other brands. At the upper portion of its label is a replica of the PhilRice research building and towering water tank printed in gold. Below this is the trademark, Tapuy, in large letters printed also in gold with its English version (rice wine) immediately below in small letters printed in white.

"Made from the finest glutinous rice grown in the Philippine rice granary," the label states in white letters. All over the background are the words "RICE WINE" printed diagonally.

PhilRice tapuy is a clear, full-bodied wine with sweet alcoholic taste and roasted almond aroma. On the palate, it is sweet and suave with mild nutty after taste. It is colorless to dark yellow, packaged with classic overall appearance and retailed in 350-ml frosted bottles with bags. It may also be bought on a wholesale basis in boxes containing 24 bottles weighing 16.4 kg each.

It does not contain methanol and has a pH of "4" TSS (total soluble solids) of 16 to 19 degrees Brix, and 14-percent alcohol. It does not contain any Staphylococcus aureus or coliform.

Chilled PhilRice tapuy is recommended over unchilled tapuy as it is significantly superior in terms of appearance, body, aroma, taste, and alcohol input. Likewise, chilled tapuy has higher aroma or bouquet, as well as lower acidity and after taste.

PhilRice researchers led by MJC Ablaza reported that in 2005 alone, the institute produced 6,225 bottles of tapuy, 350 ml each. They cooked 2,280 kg of glutinous rice and inoculated it with bubod, yielding 3,384 liters of fresh tapuy.

Tapuy production at PhilRice is highest in December because the institute usually buys its own produce to be given as corporate gift during the Christmas season.

The institute’s tapuy production and sales have been increasing since 2003 when only 1,617 bottles, 350 ml each, were produced. The following year saw an increase in the volume of production by 71 percent, resulting in 2,768 bottles. Total sales in 2003 amounted to 142,940 but this increased by 51 percent in 2004. In 2005, total sales (582,448) exceeded that in 2003 by three times.

Net income grew with sales. Net income from 2003 to 2005 grew 67 percent annually. In 2005, income exceeded expenses by six percent or 40,000, indicating that PhilRice is now in business.

Rigorous marketing efforts resulted in a tremendous increase in production in 2005. PhilRice tapuy was presented to various market outlets and distributors like supermarkets, restaurants, canteens, and coffee shops among others.