6. Categories and Grades of Sake Flashcards
What is Premium sake?
Premium sake can only be made using rice, kōji, water and yeast. Jōzō alcohol is also permitted but in small amounts. kōji must account of 15% of the rice that is used.
Premium sake is also divided into eight grades and the grade of the sake will be prominently displayed on the label.
What is Basic sake?
Two thirds of sake is basic sake. This is called futsū-shu. This is less tightly regulated and brewers can add sugar, distilled alcohol, amino acids (for umami), and other acids to the sake before filtration.
The term futsū-shu is rarely used on the labels. These sakes are typically sold using brand names.
A sake this is fizzy due to the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide
Sparkling Sake
This is a kind of sweet sake, produced using a particular method.
Kijōshu
This is a sake that has been stored for a few weeks in barrels made of Japanese cedar.
Taru-zake
These sakes typically have cereal and lactic aromas. They have higher levels of acidity and umami and they are fuller in body.
Polishing ratio of 70% or less and 100%
Junmai and Honjozo
These sakes typically have very fruity aromas. They have lower levels of acidity, umami and body.
Polishing ratio of 50% or less - Junmai Daiginjō and Daiginjō
60% or less - Junmai Ginjō and Ginjō
Key character of Ginjō
Ginjō sakes are made with highly polished rice and they are fermented at low temperatures. Combined these two factors ensure that all of these sakes share common aromatic and structural features.
These sakes all share a very distinct set of fruity aromas that are called ginjō-ka. They are also typically lighter in body that the other grades of premium sake and have lower levels of acidity and umami.
Key character of Junmai
Junmai is a labelling term that is used to indicate that no high-strength distilled alcohol has been added prior to filtration. This is a labelling term and it can be used on its own, or in conjunction with ginjō or daiginjō.
The differences between a junmai ginjō and a ginjō are relatively modest and hard to detect consistently. Very loosely speaking a junmai version can be slightly fuller and richer in style, and the aruten version might seem leaner and more dry. The difference can be very dependent on the approach taken by the brewer.
