sake Flashcards
What is ‘Junmai’ sake?
Pure rice sake brewed without the addition of distilled alcohol.
What defines ‘Ginjo’ grade sake?
Sake brewed from rice polished down to at least 60% of its original size
What characterizes ‘Daiginjo’ sake?
Sake brewed from highly polished rice (minimum 50% remaining)
What is ‘Koji’?
Mold (Aspergillus oryzae) used to convert rice starches into fermentable sugars.
What is the significance of ‘Yamada Nishiki’?
A premium sake rice variety prized for its large
Define ‘Namazake’.
Unpasteurized sake
What is ‘Nigori’ sake?
Cloudy sake
What does ‘Genshu’ indicate on a sake label?
Undiluted sake with a higher alcohol content
What is ‘Kimoto’ brewing method?
A traditional sake brewing method involving natural lactic acid bacteria
Define ‘Yamahai’ sake.
Similar to Kimoto
What are ‘Hyogo’
‘Niigata’
Explain ‘Seimaibuai’.
The rice polishing ratio indicating the percentage of rice grain remaining after milling; crucial for determining sake grade.
What does ‘Honjozo’ sake involve?
Sake brewed with rice polished to at least 70%
What are the primary flavor notes of sake brewed with Omachi rice?
Rich
Define ‘Toji’.
The master brewer responsible for overseeing sake production.
What is ‘Moromi’?
The main fermentation mash consisting of rice
What does ‘Shizuku’ sake mean?
“Drip” sake extracted solely by gravity without pressing
Explain ‘Taruzake’.
Sake aged or stored in cedar barrels
What is ‘Koshu’ sake?
Aged sake
Define ‘Futsushu’.
Ordinary sake
What does ‘BY’ represent on a sake label?
“Brew Year,” indicating the year the sake was brewed.
What are typical characteristics of Niigata sake?
Known for clean
Explain the role of yeast in sake brewing.
Yeast ferments sugars into alcohol and CO2
What is ‘Amino Acid Degree’ in sake?
Measurement indicating the level of amino acids
What makes sake ‘Tokubetsu’?
“Special” sake often due to unique brewing methods or exceptional rice quality.
Describe ‘Kijoshu’.
A luxurious sake brewed by adding finished sake instead of water during fermentation
What is ‘Sokujo’ method in sake brewing?
Modern quick-start method using added lactic acid to speed fermentation
Define ‘Sake Meter Value (SMV)’.
“Nihonshu-do,” a numerical indicator of dryness or sweetness; higher positive values are drier.
What is the ‘San-do’?
Acidity level in sake
Explain ‘Aruten’ sake.
Sake with brewer’s alcohol added to enhance aromas and flavors.
Name the rice variety most associated with Hyogo prefecture.
Yamada Nishiki
What characterizes sake from Akita prefecture?
Balanced sake with refined sweetness
Define ‘Hiyaoroshi’.
Seasonal sake pasteurized once
What does ‘Shubo’ refer to?
Yeast starter culture
Describe ‘Sparkling Sake’.
Effervescent sake created through secondary fermentation or carbonation
What is the term for sake made without added distilled alcohol?
Junmai (純米). Junmai sake is produced solely from rice, water, koji, and yeast, with no added brewer’s alcohol.
What is the prefecture most famous for Yamada Nishiki rice?
Hyogo. Yamada Nishiki, regarded as the finest sake rice, is predominantly cultivated in Hyogo prefecture.
What does ‘Namazake’ indicate on a sake label?
Namazake (生酒) refers to unpasteurized sake, requiring refrigeration to prevent spoilage.
What does the polishing ratio (seimaibuai) indicate in sake production?
It indicates the percentage of rice grain remaining after polishing; lower percentages typically lead to higher quality sake.
What does ‘Tokubetsu’ mean when used on a sake label, as in Tokubetsu Junmai?
Tokubetsu (特別) means ‘special’, indicating a special brewing method, rice variety, or polishing ratio.
What is the significance of ‘Gohyakumangoku’ in sake production?
Gohyakumangoku is a famous sake rice variety, known for its clean taste and predominantly grown in Niigata prefecture.
What is the difference between ‘Nigori’ and ‘Clear’ sake?
Nigori sake is cloudy and unfiltered or coarsely filtered, containing rice solids; clear sake is filtered and transparent.
What is the meaning of ‘Ginjo-ka’?
Ginjo-ka (吟醸香) refers to the fruity, floral aroma typically associated with Ginjo and Daiginjo sake.
What is ‘Shubo’ in sake brewing?
Shubo (酒母), also known as moto, is the yeast starter that initiates fermentation.
What defines a sake as ‘Koshu’?
Koshu (古酒) is aged sake, typically matured for at least three years, often developing richer, deeper flavors.
What is ‘Kimoto’ method sake?
Kimoto (生酛) is a traditional brewing method involving labor-intensive manual processes to naturally cultivate lactic acid bacteria.
What is ‘Sokujo-moto’?
Sokujo-moto (速醸酛) is a modern yeast starter method, adding lactic acid directly to speed up fermentation.
What is the significance of Nada district in Hyogo?
Nada (灘) is Japan’s largest sake production district, famous for high-quality water (Miyamizu) and premium sake breweries.
What is Miyamizu water?
Miyamizu (宮水) is famous mineral-rich brewing water from Nada district in Hyogo, enhancing fermentation and sake quality.
What is ‘Jozo alcohol’?
Jozo alcohol (醸造アルコール) is distilled brewer’s alcohol, often added in Ginjo and Honjozo sake production.
What is a ‘toji’?
A Toji (杜氏) is the master brewer responsible for sake production, quality, and overall management.
What is meant by ‘Moromi’?
Moromi (醪) is the main fermentation mash of rice, koji, yeast, and water from which sake is fermented and later pressed.
What is the highest sake classification by polishing ratio?
Daiginjo (大吟醸) and Junmai Daiginjo, requiring a polishing ratio of 50% or less remaining.
What rice variety is famously associated with Niigata prefecture?
Gohyakumangoku, renowned for its clean and crisp sake style.
What is ‘Kijoshu’?
Kijoshu (貴醸酒) is sake brewed by replacing some brewing water with finished sake, resulting in a sweeter, richer style.
What does ‘Taruzake’ mean?
Taruzake (樽酒) is sake aged briefly in wooden barrels (often cedar), imparting distinctive woody aromas.
What does ‘Hiyaoroshi’ indicate on a label?
Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし) indicates sake pasteurized once before aging, bottled in autumn without a second pasteurization.
What is ‘Shinpaku’?
Shinpaku (心白) refers to the opaque starchy core in premium sake rice, ideal for koji growth and sake brewing.
What does ‘Futsu-shu’ mean?
Futsu-shu (普通酒) is ordinary table sake with fewer quality regulations and usually higher alcohol addition allowances.
What is ‘Yamahai’?
Yamahai (山廃) is a traditional brewing method allowing natural lactic acid bacteria to develop without manual mixing, producing a richer, earthy sake.
What is a ‘Masu’?
A Masu (枡) is a traditional wooden box (often cedar) historically used for measuring and drinking sake.
What does ‘SMV’ (Sake Meter Value) indicate?
SMV (日本酒度) measures dryness or sweetness; positive numbers indicate dry, negative numbers indicate sweet sake.
What rice variety is associated with Okayama prefecture?
Omachi rice, valued for its rich, robust flavor profile.
What does ‘BY’ stand for on a sake label?
BY (醸造年度, Brewing Year) indicates the production year, starting from July 1st to June 30th of the following year.
What is ‘Doburoku’?
Doburoku (どぶろく) is a traditional unfiltered, cloudy sake with rice solids remaining after fermentation, not officially recognized as refined sake.
