Module 6. Categories and Grades of Sake Flashcards
Describe 2 categories of sake
(1) Premium sake - The sake only made from rice, water, koji, yeast and a small amount of jozo alcohol. Koji must account for 15% of the rice used
(2) Basic Sake (Futsu-shu). 2/3 of sake is basic sake. Less tightly regulated and brewers can add sugar, distilled alcohol, amino acids and other acids before filtration.
What is Kimoto?
This is a sake made using traditional methods for the fermentation starter
What is Yamahai?
This is a sake made using traditional methods for fermentation starter similar to kimoto, but without the work of Yamaoroshi to crush the rice grains by using the wood stick Kai.
What is Nigori?
This is a sake that has been lightly filtered and contains lees.
What is muroka?
This is a sake that has not been charcoal fined.
What is nama-zake?
This is a sake that has not been pasteurised
What is genshu
This is a sake that has not been diluted with water.
What is Koshu?
This is a sake that has been undergone an extended period of maturation.
Describe ginjo style sake
Ginjo sake are made with highly polished rice and fermented at low temperature to ensure that all of these sakes share common aromatic structural features. These sakes have a very distinct set of fruity aromas that are called ginjo-ka. They are also typically light in body and lower level of acidity and umami
Describe non-ginjo sake
Non-ginjo sale are made with rice that are less polished rice with more protein, lipids, vitamines around shinpaku. The higher fermentation temperature produces sakes that has less fruity aromas, but more cereal and grain aromas as well as lactic acid especially when the shubo is prepared in traditional methods called kimoto/yamahai. They are also typically fuller bodies and higher in acidity and umami compared to ginjo sakes.
