Sake Flashcards
Hakusan GI
-Hakusan City
- Japanese rice, first grade or higher, 50%RPR or less
- Water must be from Hakusan City
- No sugar added
- Liquefaction not allowed, must use shubo
- Koji must be 20%+
What are the 4 key nutrients for rice growing? What do they do?
- Nitrogen - general
- Potassium - large shinpaku
- Phosphoric Acid - large shinpaku
- Calcium Silicate - large shinpaku
Which styles of sake are most commonly taruzake?
Honjozo, junmai, futsu-shu. Ginjo would lose its delicate flavors
What style of koji is used for futsu-shu and umami-heavy styles? Why?
So-haze. Creates high levels of enzymes, vitamins, sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, and peptides. Tons of nutrients for a fast, hard fermentation. Ideal for futsu-shu (boost intensity to compensate for jozo) and intense, full body, high acidity, high-umami sakes.
Nanbu Toji Guild qualities/region
- Pre-eminent guild, membership has not dropped. 1/3 of all toji and kurabito
- Iwate
When pairing, what does salty food do to the sake?
Softer beverages. Less drying, less bitter, less acidic. More sweet, more fruity, more body
What are the 4 benefits of a sokujo moto?
1 - Much faster - 14 days vs 28
2 - Can be controlled very precisely
3 - Less risk of variation/going wrong
4 - Purer flavor profile, less acidity and complexity
Five essential qualities of shuzo-koteki-mai? Why are those important?
- Large, well-defined Shinpaku that is flat and disc-shaped (Improves water absorbancy)
- Large grains (Prevents cracking, better polishing)
- Absorbs water well
- Dissolves well from enzymes
- Lower protein content (Ensures rice is easily digestible by koji. Contains lower amino acids/peptides, which cause undesirable flavors).
Why is making the moto/shubo acidic important?
Protects the starter from spoilage microorganisms and allows the acid-tolerant yeast to thrive. Shubo is attractive to a ton of bacteria because it is low acid, rice starch, and sugars are created slowly (so less yeast growth and not enough to be hostile to bacteria)
Kijoshu
Sweet sake, made by using sake instead of water in the brewing process
What are 4 potential ways of “subtraction” after filtering but before bottling?
1-Sedimentation (ori-biki)
2-Protein Fining
3-Activated Charcoal/Earth Filtration
4-Very very fine filters
Yamahai - what does the name mean? History?
Started in 1909 to see if kimoto could be done without yamaorochi. Yamahai means “yama-oroshi haishi” or “the end of yamaoroshi”
When are seedlings grown indoors?
March to April
Describe the steps for a sokujo moto in detail
1-Extract enzymes from koji by soaking in water for several hours
2-Lactic acid (.5-.7% of water by mass), yeast, rice are added.
3-Mash is kept at 68-77F
4-Brewer pumps liquid from the bottom of the tank to the top. Continues for half a day
5 - Day 2 - Mash is stirred several times a day and chilled down to 50F to slow alcohol fermentation and deter microorganisms
6 - Day 3-4 - Daki is used to warm shubo. Accelerates koji saccharification and yeast multiplication. Zig-zag pattern as it cools overnight, allowing saccharification to catch up
7 - Day 7 - CO2/Foam, rise in heat up to 68-73
8 - Day 14 - chilled to 45*
When are rice seeds sown?
March-May
What two stylistic trends in the late 1980s resulted in a change to the taxation/grading system?
The ginjo boom and the tanrei karakuchi Niigata style
What percent of the main volume is the shubo/moto?
6-10%
醸
Jo
What are the 3 aims of the brewer during moromi?
1-Avoid contamination or fermentation stopping early
2-Achieve correct balance between the two parallel processes
3-Achieve the desired aromas and textures for the particular style of sake
What is the common design for a fully automated koji machine?
Large drum with circular base. It has a rotating roller that moves the rice, and a temperature and humidity controller
What is the process that is usually used to process/store jozo prior to adding?
Re-distilled by the Japanese supplier to around 95%. Diluted to 30-40%, then sold to the brewer.
Bed Koji (Japanese, amount, benefits/drawbacks, styles used in)
- Toko-koji
- 100-300kg
- Benefits - big batches
- Cannot control koji perfectly
- Good for futsu-shu, honjozo, junmai, but not daiginjo
Describe the timing, process, and goal of the “Re-breaking up” (Kirikaeshi) step of the koji process
- Carried out about 10-12 hours after inoculation
- Temp of the rice has risen to 92F. Reduced to 88F. Rises back up to 92F after a few hours
- Goal is to ensure even growth of mold and remove hot spots
- Done by unwrapping the rice, spreading it out and separating grains, then wrapped up again.
What is the term for distilled alcohol added? What is it short for?
Aruten - arukoku tenka
What percent of all sake do the top 8 breweries produce? What percent is premium?
About half. 10% premium
Box koji (Japanese, amount, benefits/drawbacks, styles used in)
- Hako-koji
- 15-40kg
- Benefits - Accurate control of temperature
- Very labor intensive
- All styles, but especially daiginjo. Too labor intensive for futsu-shu
Yeast no 9:
- Origin Brewery
- Year Isolated
- Qualities/styles
- Kumamoto
- 1968
- Early Ginjo Yeast. Release especially for competition, it’s now the standard for competition and ginjo sakes
At what temperatures do sake yeast stop to function?
37-41
What aromas can be generated from black koji?
smokiness
What is the average range for sake on the Nihonshu-do? Average value?
-2 to +8. +4 is the average
What is the rice from the lower steaming layers used for? Why?
Either the moto or the main fermentation. They have a higher moisture level, which can be too high for koji.
List the three filtration fraction in order of which they come off
1 - Arabashiri
2 - Naka-dori/Naka-gumi
3 - Seme
What are the 2 parts of a starch molecule?
Amylose, amylopectin
What are the 4 key parts of sake storage?
- Keep Cool
- Keep away from direct light
- Store upright
- Drink fresh
What would happen if brewers filter too early after stopping fermentation?
It can develop diacetyl (butter) or acetaldehyde (woodiness) from pyruvic acid
At what point in production does any additions aside from water have to be added? For futsushu?
After filtration
What are the outputs of yeast? (6)
CO2, Alcohol, Heat, Malic acid, succinic acid, aroma compounds
What can futsu-shu add to their sake?
Amino acids, acids, and sugar
Describe the process and reasons for draining and re-flooding the soil
Drained once for 2-3 weeks, then re-flooded for the growing season until 10 days before harvest.
If dead organic matter is not exposed to oxygen, it will create poisonous gases and acids. Exposing it to oxygen allows it to decompose into nutrients for the rice plant.
It also stops the plant from growing vertically, moving it to focus on rice-size production
It also forces the plant to develop its roots deeper and stronger
What is the only permitted additive after filtration?
Water
What determines if the rice if glutinous or non-glutinous? Percent?
At least 20% amylose means it is non-sticky. 80% amylopectin = sticky
How long is a typical moto?
14-28 days
So-haze produces high levels of what? (6)
Enzymes, vitamins, sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, peptides
Describe dried yeast - advantages? shelf life? Other considerations?
-Cost-effective
- Can skip the shubo altogether
- 1 year expiration date
- Only option for non-Japanese brewers
What are the 2 formats that breweries by koji in? Who/why are they used?
1-Powdered - mold spores mainly used for automated koji processes. Just spores so needs to be precise, hence automation
2-Granulated - rice that has koji mold with spores growing on it and used for hand-shaking methods. Less spores, so can be more sparse and more easily adjusted by hand. Used more often for ginjo, as less spores = less koji growth
Yeast no 7:
- Origin Brewery
- Year Isolated
- Qualities/styles
- Miyasaka
- 1946
- Reliable fermentor
- Beat out 6 for being more fruity and floral. Industry standard for futsu-shu, honjozo, and junmai
East-coast brewery style. Why?
Light, clean, pure sakes to pair with seafood
What does a high value on the Nihonshu-do mean?
Drier sake
What affects the ratio of alcohol to sugar in sake?
How complete the fermentation is. This is dependent on time and temp.
SMV in Japanese
Nihonshu-do
How would a brewer, going for a delicate daiginjo brew, alter his choices in all 4 rice preparation steps?
- Polishing - Lower seimaibuai. It is necessary to remove the proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals otherwise the koji and yeast would ferment too quickly and aggressively. Also, too much protein would cause too much umami.
- Washing -
- Soaking -
- Steaming -
本
Hon
What was annual production of sake in 2020?
2.33 million koku. 1/3 of the peak of sake in the 1970s
How is koji for the moto/first stage different than koji for later stages?
It needs more enzymes. Brewers control this by adding more koji in the moto, and some will customize koji styles for each stage
Describe the seedling transplant process. Weather?
Paddy is flooded to suppress weeds. Warm sunny days and cool nights are ideal
What stage in koji production does koji make the most heat?
Right after mounding (middle work/naka-shigoto)
What are the 3 largest sake breweries?
Takara, Hakutsuru, Gekkeikan
Shimai-shigoto in koji production
“Final work” in koji production
Why don’t brewers just use micron filters instead of pasteurizing?
It doesn’t block the enzymes from continuing their work
Describe tsuki-haze, how it is achieved, and the result on the sake
Koji grows in a lightly spotted pattern over the grain, and only penetrates in some spots.
To achieve this, the brewer uses less spores, the moisture in the rice is controlled at a low level, and the koji room is relatively warm and less humid.
It is used for ginjo, daiginjo, and crisp/clean honjozos. Fatty acids from proteases can inhibit isoamyl acetate (key to ginjo). Still needs enough glucoamylase to ensure the yeast do not starve. Cold brewing ensures the yeast take their time, coinciding with low enzyme levels. High temps and dry conditions minimize protease production.
Which types of sake reduce the fishiness of fish dishes?
Honjozo and Junmai
純
Jun
How does strain and amount of koji affect acidity?
Yellow is the lead. Black/white make a lot of citric acid. Higher proportion of koji is more acidity
山
Yama
Seme
Last filtration fraction. Coarse texture, less aroma, more bitterness and astringency from oxidation and more pressure forcing out other compounds.
Hiroshima Prefecture Style/Qualities
- Ginjo first developed
- High-acid, jucy, fruity style
- A lot of variation however
- Kochi prefecture makes dry, light sakes
Nama-hine
Degradation of nama-zake - aromas range from malt and bacon to rancid cheese
Ginjo serving temperatures
Cold, room temp (personal preference), NOT warm
Describe the 3 methods brewers have for procuring rice
- Purchasing from the JA (Place order through sake brewers association, then through JA, who buy from farmers)
- Buy directly from farmers
- Grow their own
Cedar-aged sake
Taruzake
Honjozo
Distilled alcohol (jozo) added. 70% Seimaibuai or lower
What is the 2nd phase of yeast at the Brewing Society of Japan? Why? Examples?
Early Ginjo Yeast. Started to gain popularity to compete in the Annual Japan Sake Awards, where YK35 (yamadanishiki, kumamoto yeast, and 35%RPR) was the formula to win. No9 and No10 are key examples.
When is the rice harvested?
Late August to November
How can a brewer reduce the quantity of water droplets in steam? Why?
They use a pressure heater to blow dry steam just before finishing. It leads to rice that does not absorb too much moisture.
Describe the plastic bottles of yeast - Pitch rate?
500mL plastic bottles. 1 per 150kg rice.
Name 6 Organizations critical to sake in Japan
- National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB)
- New National Sake Contest
- Brewing Society of Japan
- Japan Sake and Shochu Association (JSS)
- Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council/Sake Samurai Association
- Japan Agriculture (JA)
How does a high seimaibuai affect soaking? Why?
The rice starts with more moisture, absorbs water more slowly, and the rate of absorption slows. Timing does not need to be specific at all
What are the three types of amylase produced by koji?
Alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, and alpha-glucosidase
What are the 4 main contributing factors to ginjo aromas?
- Yeast
- Low temp fermentation
- Low nutrient fermentation
- Low semimaibuai
What happens between soaking and steaming?
Rice is left to drain for several hours or overnight
How many giant, medium, and small producers are there about?
3%, a few, are giant/big. 200 medium. 1,000 small/tiny
Describe sake in Taiwan
Dates back to 1901, as Japan ruled Taiwan. Monopoly law makes Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Bureau the sole producer, although now abolished, they’re still the main player
What does protease do?
Converts protein into amino acids and peptides. The first protease breaks protein into peptides, then the 2nd breaks peptides into individual amino acids
What are the parts of the rice grain?
Husk, bran, endosperm, shinpaku
Serving vessel shaped like a flat bowl. Usually metal, earthenware, glass, or lacquered wood
Sakazuki
What are the 3 main methods of filtration?
- Yabuta-shibori (assakuki)
- Funa/fune-Shibori
- Fukuro-zuri/shizuku-dori
What does dilution affect aroma?
Reduces total concentration, but may release alcohol-soluble aromas into the air, making them seem more intense
What type of rice is most sake made from?
Table rice
Hikikomi - koji production
“Bringing in” step in koji production
What happens if fermentation speed lags behind starch conversation rate?
Too sweet, higher concentration of sugar can cause volatile acidity. Ferment might completely stop. May prevent further starch conversion
What percent of sake brewers buy their rice through the Japan Agriculture (JA)?
50%
When is the paddy drained and re-flooded?
June-September
Mounding step in koji production Japanese name
Mori
Does the type of water have a large influence on finished sake? How so?
No, mostly just texture. Yeast and koji are insanely expressive and now have the strongest flavor
De-koji in koji production
“Sending out” step in koji production
Shuzo-koteki-mai
Sake-specific rice
Describe the small glass ampoules for yeast - how many per 100k of rice? Expiration Date?
2-5 per 100kg of rice. Can also multiple it themselves in a starter. Shelf life of 50 days
本醸造
Honjozo
Junmai serving temperatures
Cold, room temperature, and warm
Awa
Sparkling
Nuka
Powder left over after rice fermentation
What 3 things are brewers allowed to add to futsu-shu?
- Sweetness (glucose or other sugars)
-Acidity (organic acids) - Umami (amino acids)
What are 3 sake qualities that would work well if served warm?
- High umami levels
- Yamahai-Kimoto (high succinic/lactic acid)
- Koshu
When does ripening occur?
August to October
To-bin Gakoi
Middle filtration fraction from fukuro-zuri. Highest quality sake, silkiest texture.
Is the percent of koji in the moto different than the moromi?
Yes - 30-33% in moto, 20-23% moromi
Yamahai
Established in the early 90s, protects the moto through natural LAB production instead of added Lactic Acid. The kimoto method minus the constant stirring/mashing
What are the 2 requirements for enzymatic hydrolysis?
Water and amylase
Roka
Activated charcoal fining/earth filtration
What are 3 methods for avoiding a moto/shubo altogether?
1-Use white/black koji, which create high levels of citric acid to prevent contamination
2- Dried yeast has a large enough population
3-Liquefaction brewing process
What are the 2 extremes of koji styles?
So-haze and Tsuki-haze
What happens when a brewer uses black or white koji?
Higher citric acid. Makes for a more white wine-like sake.
Describe the history of sake in the USA
Arrived at the end of the 19th century with Japanese immigrants in Hawaii. Sake imports dropped in 1898 due to a tax. Honolulu Sake Brewery established around that time, closed in 1992. Prohibition destroyed the industry, then WW2 did the same. In 1948, it got on track again. 1979 had Ozeki set up in CA, followed by other large brewers. 1997 - craft brewing with SakeOne, since then, a bunch of other microbreweries. Mostly use Californian Calrose rice
What are the rice grades?
Toku-jo (Above special)
Toku-to (Special)
First
Second
Third
Below standard
Why is using ambient yeast rare?
Much more risky than wine because there is much less acid to protect it from contamination. Also many production choices are towards a style to complement the yeast, so don’t know what will happen.
What 3 minerals in water are important for yeast health?
Magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous
What do yeast need as inputs? (9)
Sugar, amino acids, peptides, vitamins, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, warmth, acidic environment
What can happen if you add the jozo too early or wait too long?
It can cause autolysis
What is the industry mean production? Average tokuteimeishoshu vs futsushu?
2000 koku, 65% futsushu
Describe sake in Brazil
Brazil has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Tozen was established in 1934 in Sao Paulo, and others exist to serve the local market
What are the 5 broad categories of things a brewer can do post-filtration but before bottling?
1-Subtraction
2-Pastuerization
3-Storage/Maturation
4-Additions
5-Blending
What are the 3 filtration fractions?
- Arabashiri
- Naka-dori/naka-gumi/to-bin gakoi
- Seme
What is the ideal batch size for ginjo sakes?
600-1500kg of rice, plus 800-2000L water. Creates a total of 720-1800L sake
What 2 factors affect how much/quickly color changes in aged sake?
- How much sugar/amino acids
- Temperature of storage
Describe the typical pasteurization process
Sake undergoes pasteurization twice Sake is heated to 140-149 for half an hour. It is done after filtration (before storage) and a second time before shipping (after storage)
Yeast no 14:
- Origin Brewery
- Year Isolated
- Qualities/styles
- Kanazawa
- 1995
- Low Acid Ginjo Yeast
- Competition style daiginjo/ginjo yeast. Produces pear/banana esters (isoamyl acetate)
What are qualities of bodaimoto sakes?
Pronounced lactic character with cheese, sour milk, and yogurt flavors with high acidity
How does rice varietal affect umami levels? Examples?
Rice varietals contain varying amounts of protein, but also how well they can be polished. Yamadanishiki/gohyakumangoku have low protein and can be polished, omachi is the opposite
Describe yabuta-shibori (assakuki). Benefits?
Modern industry standard filtration method. Machine is called assakuki but the major brand name is Yabuta. Sake is pumped into vertical panels, and next to each is a pocket that can be filled with air. Air is pumped into it, pressing the sake through the fabric. It can have different pressures, so can be low pressure for high quality sake. It is good at minimizing oxidation
Gohyakuman-goku
- Translation
- Growing Region/Production there vs other areas
- Total production % of shuzo-koteki-mai
- Grain qualities
- Harvest Time
- Sake qualities
- Other
- 5 million koku - celebrate time when Niigata reached that level of rice production
- Niigata/neighboring areas on west coast
- 21%
- Smaller than yamadanishiki, well-defined shinpaku, doesn’t break under polishing
- Early Harvest
- Light in aroma, flavor, and texture (ideal for Niigata style)
- Makes ideal steamed rice, so great for koji
What 3 variables greatly affect koshu differences?
- Base style of sake
- Vessel
- Temperature
What ABV can sake yeast tolerate up to?
20-22%
When and why did toji guilds start?
- Edo Period, 1603-1868
- Seasonal brewing system, so farmers would travel to sake in one season then return home. Share techniques, cred, employment ajency
別
Betsu (different)
Powder left over after rice polishing
Nuka
Tane-kiri - koji production
“Spread the spores” step in koji production
Describe sake in Australia
Sun Masamune was established in 1980s by Japanese trying to take advantage of exports to Japan
Kasu-buai
Ratio of the mass of sake-kasu as a percentage of the mass of polished rice used in the sake
Describe the differences between high-temperature saccharification moto (ko-on toka) and regular sokujo. History? Why would a brewer choose it? What are the risks?
- Invented in 1940 in Hiroshima for warm climate areas
- Shubo starts at 131-140 instead of 68-77. This sterilizes the mixture and accelerates starch breakdown. After 6-8 hours, chilled to 104 and lactic acid/water added. Cooling continues, yeast added at 77-86, then lowered to 64 by day 7.
- Very efficient, produces an extremely pure clean sake.
- Moto at risk of spoilage during the temp fall. The yeast also ferments more weakly
生酛
Kimoto
What is bodaimoto? Where is it from/when?
Oldest shubo method - 15th century Shoryakuji Buddhist temple in Nara. They claim it must be made at that template, otherwise it is called mizu-moto
What does koji need to produce successfully?
Heat, moisture
When is the rice field drained and re-flooded?
June-September
Non-charcoal filtered
Muroka
What are the advantages of buying rice directly from individual farmers as opposed to the JA?
Can obtain exact specifications, such as local varietals and organic. Can also monitor quality, be involved in cultivation, and be aware of conditions the rice has been grown in
Brewing Society of Japan
Established in 1906 to support development of brewers, publish knowledge, and distribute yeast. Publish a monthly bulletin. Researches, stockpiles yeast, honors technicians, sells sake treating materials, inspecting sake materials, requesting research
What percent of tokutei-meisho-shu is ginjo?
40%
Describe the differences between Yamahai and Kimoto
Yamahai does not include the yamaorochi step. Therefore, it mixes koji and water first to extract enzymes, then adds the rice. Water ratio is higher, temp is higher
What 5 factors can affect the finish of a sake?
- Anything that affects aroma/intensity
- Sugar = more aromatic persistence
- Rice varietals
- Maturation - more finish
- Jozo/charcoal = kire
Why does kimoto involve pounding the rice/koji?
Puts more rich starch in contact with the koji enzymes, speeding the conversion process.
What three things are done to prepare the soil for rice seedlings?
Autumn - Rice stalks and organic materials are mixed into the soil to fertilize it
Spring - Soil broken up into fine particles to soften the texture and increase water absorbency. Silicate fertilizer added
Few weeks before transplanting - Water is added to flood the field to prevent weeds. It slowly drains away
How much bigger is a batch of futshu-shu than junmai?
20-30 times bigger
What are the main 3 types of koji?
Yellow, white, black
Describe how low, high, and too-high moisture levels affect koji growth
Low results in tsuki-haze (small growth), high results in so-haze (high growth), too high results in nuri-haze (uneven, patchy, bad growth)
What are 2 methods of warming sake? Describe the process in details
1-Water bath. Water bath at 176*, leave for 2-4 minutes
2- Microwave for 20-40 seconds
What 3 techniques are available to the brewer during the Filtration step?
-Temperature control
- Adding jozo
- Using a filter
Rough, unbalanced flavors name
Zatsumi
Describe the New National Sake Contest
Established in 1911 by the NRIB to get feedback from NRIB experts. Can only enter once per license, and it’s a special sake.
Why are live unpasteurized nigori sparkling sakes not exported?
They are very unstable, alcohol level can change by the day, so they cannot comply with labelling requirements
When is fertilizer added in the rice growing process?
- When seeds are sown
- When seedlings are transplanted
- Right before ears show up, after draining/re-flooding
How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 70%
10 hours
Rice Polishing Ratio name?
Seimaibuai
Rei-shu
Sake served cold
For small and medium producers, what percent is tokutei meisho shu?
60%
What are the 5 priorities/categories of yeast at the Brewing Society of Japan?
1-Reliable Fermentors (1-8)
2-Early Ginjo (9-10)
3-Low Acid Ginjo (14,1801)
4 - Further Developments
5 - Low Foaming Yeast
What three choices surrounding rice affect the finished sake?
- Rice varietal
- Polishing ratio
- Moisture level
How does starter affect the acidity level
Sokujo means less acid as it’s predictable, yamahai/kimoto is higher acidity
Harima GI
- 22 towns in Hyogo
- Yamadanishiki grown in Hyogo
- Harima water
- No added ingredients
- Brewed/stored/bottled in Harima
What is the most problematic microorganism in sake that may produce spoilage? What does it do?
Hi-ochi kin. Becomes cloudy, oxidized, and has an unpleasant odor
Atsu-kan
122* serving temp, or “hot enough to warm body and soul”
Conidia
Asexual reproductive spores of koji
How does charcoal fining affect aromas?
Reduces all aromas
Aged sake
Koshu
In what 2 main ways are sake yeasts different from beer/wine yeasts?
Tolerate higher alcohol and lower temperatures
Describe bottle pastuerization. Benefits? Drawbacks?
Sake is bottled, then raised to 149 on a conveyor belt (on in a big trough/bucket), then showered in cold water, down to 86F. It is more labor intensive, but it is quick and gentle, exposing the sake to heat for the shorted amount of time.
What 6 choices can affect texture other than body and co2? Bitterness, astringency, outhfeel, etc
- Time for koji and fermentation affects astringency and bitterness
- High pressure during filtration
- Water hardness
- Rice varieties
- Maturation
- Nama vs pastuerized
Which of the sake ingredients makes the biggest impact on the finished product?
Yeast
What are the three goals of steaming rice?
- Gelatinize the starch
- Sterilize the rice
- Increase the moisture content to 40%
Describe the “fourth addition”
Used to control the final balance of a sake and add more sweetness if desired. Koji is allowed to work on rice/water, then adds some near the end of fermentation
Nuri-haze
Uneven mold growth that fails to penetrate into the grain. Caused by too much moisture, so the hyphase doesn’t need to dig deep into the center
What are the 3 reasons a brewer may blend sake before bottling?
1-Reach target production volume
2-Ensure stylistic consistency
3-Combine characteristics that cannot be easily achieved in a single batch
Sakazuki
Serving vessel shaped like a flat bowl. Usually metal, earthenware, glass, or lacquered wood
What are the 2 main contributing factors to cereal and lactic aromas?
- High seimaibuai
- Higher temp ferment
Mori - koji production
“Mounding” step in koji production
How would a brewer, going for a strong, umami-forward brew, alter his choices in all 4 rice preparation steps?
- Polishing - Higher Seimaibuai. It is not necessary to remove all the proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals, as we need it for the koji and yeast for a fast, hard fermentation. The added protein adds more umami.
- Washing -
- Soaking -
- Steaming -
How much more expensive is toku-jo Yamadanishiki compared to other shuzo-koteki-mai?
3x
How much production does shuzo-koteki-mai account for in all rice production in Japan?
2-3%
What is the purpose of a shubo/moto?
To create an acidic environment using lactic acid so that a sufficiently concentrated population of yeast can develop safely and spoilage from other microorganisms can be avoided.
Tokkuri
Small 5-10 oz serving vessel, or for heating sake
What are the 3 methods for sparkling sake?
Carbonated, bottle-fermented, and live (unpasteurized)
Generally, is Japanese water harder or softer than most water?
Softer
Describe the timing, process, and goal of the “Middle work” (naka-shigoto) step of the koji process
- Hours 30-33
- Temp of the rice is reduced from 97F to 92F, then it will rise up to 100F
- Goal is to remove heat and increase drying
- If making koji for ginjo style, they do this as quick as possible, as it passes through the heavy protease temp range
- Done by flattening the koji with grooves. Increases surface area, removing moisture and heat.
What happens if rice is harvested too early?
Too many green/unripe grains, leading to undesirable flavors
Karashi in koji production
“Drying” step in koji production
酒
Shu
造
Zo
Main fermentation
Moromi
Aruten
Distilled alcohol added
What makes koshu brown?
Amino acids and sugars maillard reacting
“Bringing in” step in koji production Japanese name
Hikikomi
What qualifies as nihonshu?
GI for made in Japan using Japanese rice only
What are the 2 processes that take place to convert starch to sugar?
Gelatinization and enzymatic hydrolysis
What is brewing by liquefaction? Why is it sometimes used?
Polished rice, or rice powder, is pre-mixed with enzymes. It gets completely broken down before added to the ferment. It accelerates the fermentation and creates higher yields.
Ratio of the mass of sake-kasu as a percentage of the mass of polished rice used in the sake
Kasu-buai
Describe the traditional and modern koji-muro
Used to be made from Japanese red cedar (sugi), but now mostly stainless steel because sugi is expensive and hard to maintain. Therefore, they need precise temp and humidity control because steel doesn’t have the buffering capability of wood
Unpastuerized
Nama
What are the legal requirements for tokutei-meisho-shu?
Contain only rice, yeast, water, and koji, optionally jozo alcohol.
Have 15%+ koji ratio
What are the benefits of kimoto/yamahai?
- Microbial populations create interesting flavors, adding complexity
- Rich flavors
- Higher acidity
- Yeast has higher heat and ethanol tolerance
- Can have nutty/caramel flavors from oxygenation. Optional
Arabashiri
First filtration fraction. Livelier, fresh, more c02, course, cloudy. Can be sold directly
Nagano GI
- Nagano
- Nagano rice grade 3+
- Water from Nagano
- No added ingredients other than jozo
- Brewed/bottled/stored in Nagano
Daki
Bucket-like tool, traditionally wooden, but now metal, filled with hot water or ice and submerged into the moto to control temperature
Describe why brewers have a storage and maturation phase. What does it entail?
Pasteurization leaves unrefind, rough flavors, and fresh sake is rough in texture. They rest to balance out flavor and texture, usually for 6 months to a year in 50-68 (but brewers can vary).
How is the sake affected by large amount of protease from koji?
More umami
Mie GI
- Mie
- Japanese rice grade 3+
- Water from Mie
- No added ingredients
- Brewed/stored/bottled in Mie
What is the trend of exporting Japanese sake?
Double the volume exported 10 years ago, and increasing even more
Describe the rice seedling transplant process and why it is done that way
Transplanted by machines into even rows. This allows for easy weeding. Too close and they’d be crowded, making small grains. Too far and they’d be inconsistent
Genshu
Undiluted
What has been the trend of premium sake since 2000s?
It has been increasing over time
How much influence does koji have on aroma?
Very little
Sweet sake, made by using sake instead of water
Kijoshu
On what qualities are rice graded?
- Moisture content should be 15% or less
- Percent broken, cracked, dead, or under-ripe
What are the 3 main starter methods?
Sokujo, Yamahai, Kimoto
Describe the process for sowing seeds
Usually not done by the brewery. Farmers select seeds from previous years crop based on performance. Seeds are washed, soaked, grown until they’re 15-20cm
Yeast no 6:
- Origin Brewery
- Year Isolated
- Qualities/styles
- Aramasa
- 1935
- Less fruity/floral, so lost out to 7
- Reliable fermentor
“Sending out” step in koji production Japanese name
De-koji
Describe flat rice polishing
Polishes in the shape of a shinpaku instead of a sphere. More efficient, so less rice needs to be removed, and it’s more accurate
Miyama-nishiki
- Translation
- Growing Region/Production there vs other areas
- Total production % of shuzo-koteki-mai
- Grain qualities
- Harvest Time
- Sake qualities
- Other
- Miyama tapestry (beautiful peaks)
- Nagano, cold, mountainous north-east
- 7%
- Smaller than yamadanishiki, well-defined shinpaku, doesn’t break under polishing
- Medium Harvest
- Rich, robust, graininess. Hard to determine if it’s the rice or the style. Can be elegant.
- Adapted to the cold mountainous climates
How long is sake stored in barrels for taruzake?
1-2 weeks
Why don’t brewers malt the rice instead of using koji?
The gelatinization of rice temperature (70-80C) would destroy the enzymes. The germ, containing the enzymes, is also polished off.
Describe sake in Europe
- Norway - Nogne O but they stopped
- Spain - Kensho and Seda Liquida
- France - larmes du levant in Loire, Wakaze in Paris
- Kanpai in London
What does glucoamylase do?
Removes the glucose from the dextrins
Describe the method for making bottle-conditioned sparkling sake
Sake is produced like usual, but the fermentation is stopped at 5-10%. It is then bottled, and fermentation continues to add CO2 and 1-2% ABV. Sediment can be removed (disgorge or tank) or left in bottle
Nagano Prefecture Style/Qualities
- Intense, rich, slightly sweet junmai. Opposite of Niigata
- Miyamanishiki
Kan-zake
Warm sake
How do brewers stop fermentation?
Drop temp to 37-41F
Muroka
Non-charcoal filtered
Describe how “Date Produced” is managed on a sake label
Japanese calendar, based on the current emperor. Also may use the brewing calendar, which is from July 1st to June 30th
Describe the qualities of carbonated sparkling sake
Clear, water-white, colorless. Most pasteurized.
Zatsumi
Rough, unbalanced flavors in sake
How does long fermentation/low temps of ginjo effect enzymatic digestion?
Way less, leaving more solids. That means less other flavors/amino acids/organic acids