Ilocano Rice Wine, Binubodan and Tapey

binubodan

Rice wine comes in two things: the liquid extract which is called 'tapey'; the solid rice which is called binubodan. Both are wine; both went to the same process of fermentation to become the traditional wine of Igorots and Ilocano.

Binubodan and tapey are still widely produced in Ilocandia. Both purposes for special occasions like fiesta or festivals and business purposes being sold during trade fairs and One Town One Product of some towns or municipalities.

Both can make you drunk, either you consume it as an appetizer after or before meal or as drinking pleasure in the evening.

How To Make?

There are different ways of making rice according to tribe, culture or tradition with the two common ingredients which is the regular rice and the fermenting ingredients which we call 'bubod'. The most common processing is this: cooking the regular rice grains. Once cook, place it in a flat platter  or preferably in banana leaves, laying the cooked rice very thin. Sprinkle the pulverized bubod evenly and wait for three days.

tapey

Other ways of making it is mixing the bubod powder and then mash it. Put in a glass jar, secure tightly and wait for three days or more.

The extract or the juice from the fermentation process is the wine called tapey while the fermented rice is the binubodan. Either of them can make you drunk.

Some Tradition

There some superstition belief in making rice wine: some of this include the putting of salt beside the maker (usually old woman) and let it there through the whole process. Another one is not disturbing the maker during the whole process of making. The reason, so the rice spoil don't spoil hard and got the perfect taste of rice wine.