Pressing

Question 1

Pressing accomplishes what?

Answer 1

It removes the undissolved rice and yeast from the new sake.

Question 2

Why is it important to drop the moromi temperature to 3-5C for pressing?

Answer 2

To stabilise the yeast activity. The sake could retain sour smells.

Question 3

What is the cake left over after pressing?

Answer 3

Sake-kasu

Question 4

Arabashiri is often sold un-matured and un-pasteurized at what time of year?

Answer 4

The beginning of the year.

Question 5

What are the three pressings?

Answer 5

Arabashiri - First run

Nakadori (or Nakagumi) - middle press

Seme - final press

Question 6

Which two pressings are often blended together?

Answer 6

Arabashiri and Seme

Question 7

Which pressing is frequently bottled by itself and sold at a higher price?

Answer 7

Nakadori / Nakagumi

Question 8

What is the most widely used filter method?

Answer 8

Yabuta shibori

Question 9

Describe what happens in Yabuta Shibori

Answer 9

The sake mash is poured into the vertical pocket panels of an accordion-like machine called an assaku-ki (or yabuta). Pressed sake runs out the bottom and the the meshes in the panel hold the sake-kasu.

Question 10

Describe what happens in Fune Shibori

Answer 10

Also a mechanical method of pressing, this is gentler than Yabuta Shibori. The mash is poured into long, individual cloth bags made of chemical fiber or cotton and these bags are laid in a large tub called a Fune. The sake is released by using a machine to apply pressure from above. This method is most frequently used for Ginjo.

Question 11

Describe what happens in Fukuro Shibori

Answer 11

The mash is put into 6 litre cloth bags and hung from a pole. The sake is allowed to drip out under its own weight into 18-litre glass bottles called Tobin.

Primariy used for super premium sake.

Question 12

What is this?

Answer 12

An Assaku-ki (or Yabuta)

Question 13

What method is this?

Answer 13

Fukuro-Shibori

Question 14

What is kasu-buai?

Answer 14

The ratio fo sakekasu to the less remaining after the sake has been pressed from the moromi.

Question 15

Daigingo typically has what percentage kasubuai?

Answer 15

40%-50%

Question 16

What colour is sake that has just been filtered?

Answer 16

Pale lemon-green or lemon.

Question 17

What is shizuku?

1. A method of pressing sake in a large accordion press.
2. A method of pressing sake by stacking bags of the main mash in a large box and applying pressure on the top.
3. “Free-run” sake made by hanging bags of the main mash and only bottling what drips out.
4. An unpleasant diacetyl aroma from microbial damage in sake.

Answer 17

3. “Free-run” sake made by hanging bags of the main mash and only bottling what drips out.

Question 18

Also known as joso, what is the term for wringing the moromi from its lees?

1. shizuku
2. shibori
3. sokujo
4. shikomi

Answer 18

2. shibori

Question 19

Is tobin-gakai (tobin-dori) shizuku?

Answer 19

No. Sake separated off into tobin are not necessarily shizuku or a higher quality, but the implication is there.