Sake Flashcards

1
Q

What is unique about sake fermentation?

A

Made by Multiple Parallel Fermentation: the conversion of starch to sugar and sugar to alcohol occurs simultaneously.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What enables MPF in sake, and what is it referred to as?

A

Aspergillus oryzae, a green, powdery mold. Commonly called koji-kin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the popular type of rice for sake?

A

Yamada Nishiki

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Why do they mill sake rice?

A

To remove the protein-rich outer shell, revealing the starchy heart of the rice.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is shinpaku?

A

The heart of the rice grain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is seimaibuai?

A

The degree to which the rice has been milled.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is required for junmai?

A

The producer must print seimaibuai on the label, and use only water, rice, and koji (no brewers alcohol).
THERE IS NO LONGER A REQUIRED SEMAIBUAI FOR JUNMAI.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is required for ginjo?

A

The grain is 40% polished.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is required for daiginjo?

A

The grain is 50% polished.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

If a sake is labeled ginjo or daiginjo without the modifier of junmai, what does that mean?

A

The sake is honjozo in style.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What does honjozo imply?

A

The addition of brewer’s alcohol (pure distillate).

Honjozo-shu does require a minimum semaibuai of 30%.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is koji?

A

Milled and steamed rice that has been inoculated with koji-kin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is moto?

A

The starter for sake: koji, yeast, additional rice, and water.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How long does the moto develop before fermentation?

A

Two weeks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How many times are koji, water, and steamed rice added to the moto?

A

Three times

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is moromi?

A

The fermenting mash: moto, with successive additions of water, rice, and koji, which ferments for up to 45 days.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

T/F: Sake is typically filtered and pasteurized.

A

TRUE

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is namazake?

A

Unpasteurized sake

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How is special designation or premium sake labeled?

A

Tokutei meisho-shu
This is the top six grades of sake: Honjozo-shu, ginjo-shu, daiginjo-shu, junmai-shu, junmai-ginjo-shu, junmai-daiginjo-shu

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is moruka?

A

Pressed sake that has been separated from the less, but not carbon-filtered.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is nigorizake?

A

Unfiltered sake (or sometimes filtered sake with the lees added back in)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is seishu?

A

Clear/Clean sake

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the name for aged sake?

A

Koshu

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is shiboritate?

A

Freshly pressed - sake shipped without the traditional six-month maturation period.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is Tobingakoi sake?

A

Brewers selection - the best of the batch.

26
Q

What is a sake brewer called?

A

Toji

27
Q

What is a sake brewery called?

A

Kura

28
Q

What is taruzake?

A

Sake matured in wooden cask

29
Q

What is genshu sake?

A

Undiluted sake

30
Q

Name two other types of sake rice than Yamada Nishiki

A
Gohyakumangoku (light, airy, clean)
Miyamanishiki (sweeter but less fragrant)
Omachi (rich, complex, nutty)
Hattannishiki (light, flavorful, earthy)
Dewasansan (sweeter, apple & pear)
Kame no O (rich and very dry)
Hanafabuki (mushroom/umami)
Haenuki (clean and dry)
Oseto (rare, from Kagawa, only used by one brewery)
31
Q

What do positive and negative numbers indicate on a bottle of sake?

A

The level of dryness: positive numbers are increasingly drier, and negative numbers are increasingly sweeter.

32
Q

What is the name for the measure of sweetness in sake?

A

Nihonshu-do

33
Q

Name three famous sources for sake water in Japan

A

Miyamizu, from Nada (a ward of Kobe) in Hyogo prefecture - hard, high in minerals
Fukuryusui, from Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka prefecture - balanced between hard & soft
Gokosui from Fushimi in Kyoto prefecture - soft, low in mineral content

34
Q

What is a muro?

A

The koji room (where koji is added to rice)

35
Q

What is karakuchi?

A

A traditional method of brewing at lower temperatures, fermenting fully dry.

36
Q

What is the difference between yamahai-shikomi and sokujo-moto?

A

Yamahai is a traditional method of brewing where lactic acied is not added to the moto; instead, the moto produces its own lactic acid. Produces a heartier, gamier style of sake, as the brewing process takes longer and wild yeasts are more likely to invade the ferment.
Sokujo is a modern (1911) method of brewing where in lactic acid is added to the moto, protecting it and speeding up the process of creating the moto to two weeks.

37
Q

What is futsu-shu?

A

“Table Sake.” Constitutes approximately 3/4 of the market. Distilled alcohol is added to increase yield.

38
Q

How do Honjozo styles compare to Junmai styles?

A

Honjozo styles are generally lighter and more fragrant than Junmai styles.

39
Q

What is Jizake Jizake?

A

Usually means sake from smaller breweries; in other words, artisanal v. mass produced.

40
Q

What are the types of namazake?

A
  • Nama-nama/hon-nama: totally unpasteurized
  • Nama-chozo: pasteurized only once, after the 6mo maturation period, before shipping
  • Nama-zume: pasteurized only once, before the 6mo maturation process. Also called Hiya-oroshi.

Sakes that have been pasteurized twice (99% of the market) are called hi-ire.

41
Q

What is Kimoto-moto?

A

The traditional method of working the moto, wherein the moto is continuously crushed and stirred with long wooden poles; the movement encourages the natural production of lactic acid to protect the moto.

42
Q

Seimai:

A

rice polishing

43
Q

Seimaibuai:

A

remainder left after polishing by weight

44
Q

Milling rate:

A

portion polished away

45
Q

Brewer’s Alcohol:

A

jozo

46
Q

Muroka:

A

Unfiltered sake

47
Q

Arabashiri:

A

free run from sake fune (press), first ⅓ of run

48
Q

Shizuku:

A

sake pressed by allowing it to drip from cotton bags

49
Q

Shin shu:

A

just released new sake

50
Q

Koshu:

A

aged sake

51
Q

Kasu:

A

sake lees

52
Q

SMV- Sake Meter Value- Known as Nihonshu-do in Japanese. Meter for What?

A

dryness to sweetness
(-20 to +20) + = dry - = sweet . Avg. AMV is + 3.

53
Q

Namazake:

A

unpasteurized sake

54
Q

Nama-chozo-shu:

A

Pasteurized once at bottling after maturation (stored then pasteurized)

55
Q

Namazume-shu:

A

Bottle sake pasteurized once before maturation (pasteurized then store)

56
Q

Hiya-Oroshi:

A

Namazume-shu that has been aged for 6 mo. fall release

57
Q
A
57
Q

Genshu:

A

cask strength, undiluted sake

58
Q

Taru (Taru Sake, Taruzake):

A

sake aged in cedar barrels, taking on a woody aroma/profile

59
Q

A ball of Japanese Cedar (Sugi or Cryptomeria Japonica) branches that is hung outside of a sake brewery signifies what?

A

The start of the brewing season.

60
Q

Addition of Lactic Acid in 3 Techniques:

A

Kimoto- ancient pole ramming method and creates a gamey sake. 4-6 week process

Yamahai- no pole ramming- yeast develops slowly and creates an earthier sake. 4 weeks

Sokujo- direct addition of lactic acid, most popular method. 2 weeks