Sake Flashcards
Kura
Sake brewery
What were the first 2 GI’s awarded for sake production?
- Yamagata GI (the entire prefecture)
- Hakusan Kikusake GI (a town in the Ishikawa prefecture)
(2016)
*these are the only 2 internationally recognized GI’s. Nagano, Hiroshima, Saga, Hokkaido, Niigata, and Kochi are all domestically recognized with their respective standards
High quality sake is made from what 5 ingredients?
Water
Rice
Yeast
Koji Mold
Brewer’s spirit
“junmai” translation?
Pure Rice
What is the maximum ABV allowed for jozo-alcohol?
95%
Shinpaku
The heart of the sake rice
What is the maximum ABV allowed for sake?
22%
Kasu
Lees: unwanted residue left behind after the fermented sake mixture has been pressed
Kasubuai
a term referring to the percentage ratio of leftover sake “Kasu” (leftover pomace) to the original volume of polished rice used to create the sake
*cooler years = more soluble shinpaku which means less kasubuai and a more round, distinct rice flavor
**warmer years with more sunlight = less soluble shinpaku which means higher ratio of leftovers and a leaner profile
How does the warmth of a vintage affect the flavor of sake?
Cooler years with less sunlight produce more soluble rice grains with a higher kasubuai (ratio of leftover pomace to starting rice amount). The sake will have a rounder, more distinct rice flavor
Hot years with more sunlight = less soluble rice grain with a starchier shinpaku. Higher kasubuai = leaner flavor
**northern Sake are typically more delicate and lean. Southern are richer and mellower
Seimaiki
name of the machine used to mill sake rice
What variety of mold is most commonly used in production of sake?
Aspergillus Oryzae
(yellow koji)
Semaibuai
amount of rice remaining after polishing
**if the rice has a semaibuai or 70%, it means 30% of the outer proteins etc have been polished away
(Semai is the name of the actual milling process)
Honjozo
- definition
- semaibuia
- purpose
Brewers alcohol added
The semaibuia standard is 70%
A type of sake brewed with the addition of a small amount of distillered pure alcohol to lighten the body and add texture. It creates a more mineral driven beverage.
Junmai
Sake made with nothing but rice, water, koji-mold, and yeast. No added alcohol.
Semaibuia is required on the label.
Tokubetsu
“Special”: Honjozo or Junmai
* Semaibuia of 60% or less
* “divergent method”: semaibuia then can be up to 70%, but the method must diverge from usual practices and be noted on label
(ex: special bottling made via the Kimoto Method at semaibuia of 65%)
Ginjo
Denotes a Semaibuai of 60% or less.
If the Junmai prefix is missing, then you’ll know brewers alcohol is added
Junmai Ginjo would indicate it is undiluted with a Semaibuai or 60% or less
Junmai Ginjo
Semaibuai of 60% or less without brewers alcohol added
[ginjo roughly translates to special brew]
Daiginjo
Semaibuai of 50% or less with brewers alcohol added
(With Junmai prefix, it indicates that the sake has no brewers alcohol added)
[“Dai” means “big” or “great”; “ginjo” rougly translates to “special brew”]
Junmai Daiginjo
Semaibuai of 50% or less without brewers alcohol added
Kaori
the smell or fragrance of sake
Indicates an aromatic, fruity, floral style
Explain koji’s role in the process of sake production.
Aspergillus Oryzae
Koji is the catalyst for fermentation - the bacteria converts the rice grain’s starch into sugar.
Polished/steamed rice is sprinkled with koji in the koji muro. It is applied to 20 - 40% of the batch.
What is the Kimoto Method?
A step in the moto making process
*utilizes lactic bacteria from the environment to create lactic acid
- sterilizes the yeast, water, rice, and koji mixture
** Ambient bacteria is introduced through “yama-orishi” - a process of grinding the rice with a paddle. Basically a batonnage.
*** Lactic acid keeps unwanted bacteria away, helps the yeast do its thing, and encourages fermentation. Important since sake is an open top fermentation.
2 terms for the “yeast starter” in the production of sake?
Moto
Shubo
* mixture of rice, koji, yeast, and water in which an extremely high concentration of yeast cells is cultivated
Sokujo
the modern/commonly used method of introducing lactic bacteria to create lactic acid in sake production
(modern equivalent of the Kimoto method - uses artificial lactic acid)
- critical step in the moto making process (aka to prepare the yeast starter)
Yamahai vs Kimoto Method?
The Kimoto Method is centuries older. Both involve the moto making process/ introduce lactic bacteria to the process.
The Kimoto Method is very labor intensive, using paddles to grind the steamed + koji rice mixture.
The Yamahai Method omit the yama-oroshi step - in 1909 it was found that there was no discernible difference
Yamahai Sake
A step in the moto making process (yeast starter preparation)
- lactic bacteria is allowed develop spontaneously
[vs Kimoto method which involves grinding the steamed rice/koji to introduce lactic bacteria to create lactic acid]
Modern/most commonly used method to introduce lactic acid to sake production process?
Sokujo
Introduces lactic bacteria to the sake production process - uses artificial lactic acid as opposed to ambient bacteria introduced via the Yamahai or Kimoto Method
*lactic acid sterilizes the rice, water, yeast + koji mixture - it keeps unwanted bacteria out, promotes fermentation, and helps the yeast do its thing
Bodaimoto
The most ancient method of creating the moto in sake production. Dates to the 8th century - steamed rice is added to raw rice & water to create a starter mash that then ferments via yeast
Kakemai
Steamed rice which is added to fermenting moromi (70% of production rice)
Moromi
the fermentation mixture: steamed rice, water, koji and yeast/moto
Assakuki
most common method of pressing in sake production: mash is put in an accordion-looking balloon thing that inflates from the sides to squeeze sake out through a mesh surface
Yabata = modern automatic press
common press method for ginjo/daigiinjo level sake?
Fune - a box press. Fermented mash is hand loaded and pressure is applied to force it through porous cloth.
*More labor intensive, risk of oxidation
Shizuku
- name translation
- process
- names of things used
“Drops” - ultra premium free run sake
* fukurotsuri: unpressed moromi in bags hanging in a tank - only what drips out over the course of (usually) 2 days will be used. Is collected in a “Tobin”
**a 15L bag yields about 6L product
***the remaining moromi may then be pressed in a fune
word for the “hanging bag method”
fukurotsuri - refers to the actual bag
In sake production, a fune press would most commonly be used for what styles?
Ginjo/Daijingo
*more delicate than the common ball-press but not as delicate the hanging bag/gravity method
Sakabukoru
the name of the bag used in the traditional fune press
Typical yield for Shizuku sake
15L bag yields about 6L of sake
After press, how long is the typical settling/maturation period for sake?
60 days
Muroka
Non-charcoal filtered sake
Charcoal clarifies the greenish-yellow color and removes impurities that make it taste raw
**slows color change
** slows flavors that come from aging
Nihonshu
The name for sake in Japan.
- Nihon means japan, and shu means sake
- Geographical indications specify that only products made in Japan with ingredients produced in Japan are eligible
Namazume vs. Namachozo?
Namazume: Sake pasteurized in tank but not in bottle
Namachozo: transferred from tank into bottle and pasteurized only once in bottle
Namazake
Unpasteurized sake
*ideal storage temp 17 - 23ºF
Traditional vessels for consuming sake?
- Masu - a small wooden box, traditionally cedar
180ml (~6oz) - Ochoko - small white porcelain cup
- Sakazuki - traditional earthenware
Taruzake
Sake aged in barrel (taru)
What type of wood is typically used for taruzake? How long does it age?
Native cedar, which imparts peppery, woody aroma and light tannin.
There is no aging requirement or expectation - could be as short as a few hours or days
Koku
180L
*this is the official volume measurement recorded for tax purposes/to measure production of a brewery
Sake’s brewing year spans from when to when?
July 1 to June 30
Genshu
Not diluted with water
* or where the addition of water has affected alcohol by less than 1% ABV
Shibori/Shiboritate
Shibori= Squeezed
aka the sake press
“fresh squeezed”
Sake bottled right after press
sake nouveau
Shinshu meaning?
“new sake” - sake released from the current brewing year (which runs July 1 to June 30). So, between winter and spring is shinshu season.
shin = new
shu = spirit
[shiboritate is a similar term, meaning sake shipped right after it was brewed]
Hiyaoroshi
Seasonal sake released in the fall.
Style tends to be rounder, mellower. Often namachozo - pasteurized in tank then bottled and sold
Natsunama
Seasonal sake released in the summer. Often unpasteurized.
(Hiyaoroshi = fall sake)
Two terms that’d indicate a sake has been aged?
- Koshu - “old sake”; bottled in the next BY
- Ogoshu - more than 1 brewing year ago
*neither are regulated
Aside from sake intended for aging, what is the general timeframe in which sake is meant to be consumed?
6 to 18 months
3 most coveted prefectures for water for sake production?
Hyogo (Miyamizu from the Kobe District)
Hiroshima
Kyoto
Miyamizu
“Shrine water”: prized water in the Nada district of Kobe, Hyogo
* The most famous and coveted water for sake production - runs down Mount Rokko in the Hyogo Prefecture.
* used for 25% of all sake production
Ki-ippon
A term that can be used for Junmai level sake to note that the entire production came from a single place of origin
Best sake rice?
Yamada Nishiki
(Yamahado x Watari Bune cross developed in 1936; Hyogo is considered to be the best growing area)
What is the oldest official sake rice variety?
Omachi, used since 1859
*found in Okayama and Hiroshima
Nigorizake
‘cloudy sake’: some kasu are left in, or added back to the mixture, to impart a cloudy appearance
Nigori = unregulated term for cloudy sake.
technically not unfiltered
May use a coarse press / more kasu passes through during press or the sake is pressed and then kasu is added back to it.
*filtering to a sake brewer is passing the fermented moromi through activated charcoal
Kijoshu
Brewed by replacing part of the brewing water with sake
* rich sweet w a thick mouthfeel
SMV: what is it, how does it work? Downsides?
Sake Meter Value
- a measurement of the density of sake compared to the density of water. The value typically ranges from -4 to 14. The higher, the drier
Very specific measurement that doesn’t take into account…
* acids and chemicals that affect mouthfeel and flavor.
* Perception of dryness or sweetness
* isn’t legally regulated and doesn’t appear on many smaller breweries’ sake
Karakuchi and Amakuchi: what do these indicate?
Karakuchi = dry
Amakuchi = sweet
(ama= sweet, kuchi = mouth)
What term would indicate that a sake is textural and savory?
Aji
What is the typical bottle size for sake?
(Sake is portioned in terms of 90)
720ml (yongo) and 1800ml (issho-bin) are normal sizes
Jizake
“Local sake”
* often refers to sake produced in a small brewery with local ingredients
What two Japanese terms properly refer to sake?
Seishu
Nihonshu
Kasu
Pomace leftover after sake production
Japanese word for rice?
Mai
Toji
Brewmaster
What season is sake produced in?
Winter
*cool temps are necessary for a long, healthy fermentation. If made in warmer temps, air conditioning would be necessary
Kanzukuri: term that denotes the practice of only brewing during the winter months
Shikomi
Main fermentation mash in sake production - by now, the moto and koji have been combined with water added in the various stages.
This mash will ferment for 20 to 30 days
How long does sake fermentation run? Approximately how long does the entire process take?
20 to 30 days for the main fermentation
30 to 60 days total to make one batch of sake
Awa Sake Assoc. Rules
- atmospheres
- min abv
- allowed styles
Sparkling Sake
* 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo created incentive for brewers to create sparkling sake to toast/celebrate
*Japan Awasake Association est 2016:
- junmai styles only - no added alc
- natural CO2 only
- transparent
- min 10%
- 3.5 bars at 68F
- stable at room temp for at least 3 months. Pasteurization encouraged
Futsushu
“regular sake”
futsushu typically means any non-premium brew
How many times is sake pasteurized typically?
2x - once in tank, once in bottle
This stage of the process is called “hi-ire”
[pasteurization is necessary to stop the fermentation process and to eliminate any bacteria that might lend off flavors]
Ginjoshu
Sake made from rice polished to less than 60% of its original size, fermented at low temperatures.
[“shu” means alcohol. Don’t hear this and forget they are just asking about rice polishing]
Ichigo
A measure usually considered to be one serving of sake, equal to approximately 180 milliliters, roughly one masu’s worth of sake.
Izakaya
An informal drinking establishment, offers small Japanese dishes to accompany sake
Jozo
“brewing”
Nihonshudo
‘sake metre value’: a number used to indicate how sweet or dry
* calculated by measuring the density of a particular sake in relation to water
Most sake on sale has a nihonshudo of between -3 and +10, with a higher value indicating a dryer sake.
3 types of moto
kimoto (“live moto”)
yamahai
sokujo
What is the name of the machien used to mill sake rice?
Seimaiki
