Sake Flashcards
What is unique about sake fermentation?
Made by Multiple Parallel Fermentation: the conversion of starch to sugar and sugar to alcohol occurs simultaneously.
What enables MPF in sake, and what is it referred to as?
Aspergillus oryzae, a green, powdery mold. Commonly called koji-kin.
What is the popular type of rice for sake?
Yamada Nishiki
Why do they mill sake rice?
To remove the protein-rich outer shell, revealing the starchy heart of the rice.
What is shinpaku?
The heart of the rice grain.
What is seimaibuai?
The degree to which the rice has been milled.
What is required for junmai?
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.
What is required for ginjo?
The grain is 40% polished.
What is required for daiginjo?
The grain is 50% polished.
If a sake is labeled ginjo or daiginjo without the modifier of junmai, what does that mean?
The sake is honjozo in style.
What does honjozo imply?
The addition of brewer’s alcohol (pure distillate).
Honjozo-shu does require a minimum semaibuai of 30%.
What is koji?
Milled and steamed rice that has been inoculated with koji-kin.
What is moto?
The starter for sake: koji, yeast, additional rice, and water.
How long does the moto develop before fermentation?
Two weeks
How many times are koji, water, and steamed rice added to the moto?
Three times
What is moromi?
The fermenting mash: moto, with successive additions of water, rice, and koji, which ferments for up to 45 days.
T/F: Sake is typically filtered and pasteurized.
TRUE
What is namazake?
Unpasteurized sake
How is special designation or premium sake labeled?
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
What is moruka?
Pressed sake that has been separated from the less, but not carbon-filtered.
What is nigorizake?
Unfiltered sake (or sometimes filtered sake with the lees added back in)
What is seishu?
Clear/Clean sake
What is the name for aged sake?
Koshu
What is shiboritate?
Freshly pressed - sake shipped without the traditional six-month maturation period.