Sake

Question 1

What is sake?

Answer 1

Japanese term for alcoholic beverages. English usually refers to fermented rice beverage.

Question 2

What is Multiple Parallel Fermentation?

Answer 2

Simultaneous fermentation of starch into sugar, and sugar into alcohol.

Question 3

What is “koji”?

Answer 3

Steamed rice that has been inoculated with Koji-kin (aspergillus oryzae).

Question 4

What is the commonly preferred rice strain for sake production?

Answer 4

Yamada Nishiki

Question 5

Why is Yamada Nishiki preferred for sake production?

Answer 5

Large grains, centralized starch pocket, less protein.

Question 6

Which prefecture in Japan is best know for sake rice production?

Answer 6

Hyogo prefecture

Question 7

How is sake rice processed for fermentation?

Answer 7

The protein is milled away to reveal the starchy center.

Question 8

Shinpaku

Answer 8

Starchy heart of a rice grain.

Question 9

Sei-mai buai

Answer 9

Sei-mai “polished rice” buai “ratio”

Sei-mai buai - Rice polishing ratio.

Question 10

Junmai

Answer 10

Max 70% of rice grain remaining. Only water, rice, and koji permitted. Translates to “pure rice”.

Question 11

Honjozo

Answer 11

Max 70% rice grain remaining, small amount of brewer’s alcohol is added to sake before pressing.

Question 12

Ginjo

Answer 12

Max 60% of rice grain remaining. In the honjozo style (brewer’s alchol added).

Question 13

Junmai Ginjo

Answer 13

Max 60% rice grain remaining. Made in the junmai style (only rice, water, and koji permitted - no brewers alcohol).

Question 14

Daiginjo

Answer 14

Max 50% rice grain remaining. In the honjozo style (brewer’s alcohol added).

Question 15

Junmai Daiginjo

Answer 15

Max 50% rice grain remaining. In the junmai style (only rice, water, and koji permited - no brewer’s alcohol).

Question 16

What are the percentages of polishing in sake production?

Answer 16

max 70% (base level - includes junmai and honjozo), max 60% (ginjo), max 50% (daiginjo)

Question 17

What is the difference between koji and koji-kin?

Answer 17

Koji-kin is the mold, koji is the rice that has been inoculated.

Question 18

What is the process of sake production?

Answer 18

Polishing
Steaming
Inoculation with koji-kin
Harvesting of koji
Inoculation with yeast and water to create moto
Moto is fermented
Addition of rice, water, and koji to moto in stages to create moromi
Dilution to 17% ABV
Pressing
(filtration and pasteurization optional)

Question 19

Moto

Answer 19

Sake starter (made from koji, rice, and water)

Question 20

Moromi

Answer 20

Moto with additional steamed rice, water and koji added (this ferments into sake)

Question 21

What is the approximate ABV that moromi ferments to?

Answer 21

~20% ABV

Question 22

Nihonshudo

Answer 22

Sake Meter Value (SMV). Measure of specific gravity to indicate sweetness. Negative values are sweet, positive values are dry.

Question 23

Tokkuri

Answer 23

Traditional ceramic flask

Question 24

Service temperature for sake.

Answer 24

Slightly chilled or room temperature. Warming is traditional, but disrupts flavor.

Question 25

Namazake

Answer 25

Unpasteurized sake

Question 26

Nigori Sake

Answer 26

Unfiltered (cloudy) sake

Question 27

Taruzake

Answer 27

Sake aged in wooden barrels

Question 28

Jizake

Answer 28

Sake from smaller kura

Question 29

Kura

Answer 29

Brewery

Question 30

Genshu Sake

Answer 30

Undiluted sake

Question 31

Tokubetsu

Answer 31

Sake with a special characteristic.

Question 32

Yamahai????

Answer 32

Taru

Question 33

Kimoto

Question 34

Shizuku