Rice Vinegar vs Rice Wine Vinegar: What's the Difference?

If we compare rice vinegar vs rice wine vinegar, it can be confusing whether we should use rice wine, rice vinegar, or seasoned rice vinegar in cooking.

These three condiments are popular in Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. Fermented rice products are quite common in Asian cooking and have recently gained popularity in western countries.

In this article, we will give a comparative overview of rice vinegar vs rice wine vinegar and how to use fermented rice condiments in Asian cooking.

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What Is Rice Wine Vinegar?

Rice wine vinegar is a flavorful condiment used in Asian cooking (Image via Unsplash/CA Creative)

It's made by fermenting the naturally occurring starches and sugars in rice to convert them into alcohol, which is converted to acetic acid by microbes.

Rice wine vinegar can be made with white rice, brown rice, or black rice. The kind of rice used can impact the strength of the flavor up to an extent. The acidic flavor is essential to Asian cooking and imparts an attractive flavor to stir-fry, sushi, soups, and salads.

It's also used to prepare vinaigrettes, marinades, and dipping sauces. Now we will talk about the composition of rice wine to compare rice vinegar with rice wine vinegar.

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What Is Rice Wine?

Huangjiu (Chinese rice wine), mirin (Japanese cooking wine), and sake (Japanese drinking wine) are the most popular varieties of rice wine.

It's an alcoholic beverage obtained after fermentation using a brewer's yeast. Rice wine is a popular drink in Asian countries and enjoyed by many. It can be used in cooking for a strong flavor. When comparing rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar, it can be observed that the former has a sour smell compared to rice wine.

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Is Rice Wine Vinegar Same as Rice Vinegar?

Comparing rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar can be really confusing. People often consider rice wine vinegar to be the same as rice wine. However, that's not the case.

Rice wine vinegar is the same as rice vinegar, as rice vinegar is made from rice wine by the process of double fermentation. The two names are interchangeably used for the same product in the food industry, leading to the rice vinegar vs rice wine vinegar debate.

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Does Rice Vinegar Go Bad?

Rice wine vinegar adds flavor to soups, stews, and stir-fry (Image via Unsplash/Bluebird Provisions)

Due to the presence of acetic acid, rice vinegar has a long shelf life. Acids can prevent food from going bad due to their natural preservative properties.

For hundreds of years, vinegar and similar acidic agents have been used to preserve food without the use of refrigerators. Vinegar prevents the growth of harmful microbes that can spoil food.

It has to be kept in mind that the microbes used in the production of rice vinegar are not harmful and are known as friendly bacteria. In rice vinegar vs rice wine vinegar, we already know that they are the same product, and they share the same properties.

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Rice Vinegar vs Rice Wine Vinegar: The Same Thing?

It can be concluded that rice vinegar and wine vinegar are the same thing. The confusion regarding this product is due to different name labels used in bottled rice vinegar available in the market. That triggered a debate about rice vinegar vs rice wine vinegar.

It must be kept in mind that rice is a completely different thing and is preferred as an alcoholic beverage. If you're looking for rice vinegar, try to buy one that's certified organic.

If you can't get rice vinegar for cooking, you can find various rice vinegar substitutes for Asian dishes. It has to be kept in mind that vinegar is acidic and might affect tooth enamel if consumed in excess.

Use the recommended amount of rice wine vinegar in your cooking for the best results. So, the next time you hear the debate about rice vinegar vs rice wine vinegar, remember to share this knowledge with your friends and family.