Just a quick update on the rice and raisin.  I followed the recipe and realised it wanted a starter.  A starter?  A quick flick through the book said I should have set this up the day before too.  Rather than exhibit patience, I knocked one up with yeast, nutrient and sugar, waited until it was frothing, then bunged it in with some warm water.

I mucked up again, because I had assumed that I could just top up to 1 gallon.  But as I sloshed in the water I realised I was already pretty much there because of the displacement from the rice and raisins.  <sigh>.

So I judged it by eye and measured the specific gravity, which was an OG of 1090.  That looked about right so I didn’t fiddle any more and just left it to ferment.