Sake Flashcards
What is sake?
“The drink of the gods”
Sake is a unique Japanese alcoholic beverage that is brewed using
rice,
koji (a type of mold),
water
and yeast
4 ingredients of Sake
rice
koji (a type of mold)
water
yeast
Masu
Wooden box for sake service
7oz. Pour (one ounce overflow)
720ml = 4 masu
1.8l = 10 masu
Masu means “growth”
Wood is Japanese Cyprus
Carafe
Ceramic vessels for warm sake
“Tokkuri”
6oz. & 12oz.
Chirori
Small – 6 oz. Large – 12 oz.
Chirori comes from the word Irori
Irori is a traditional fire pit in Japan
Chirori translates into “sake pot”
The Nobu Chirori is made from nickel silver with a pure silver coating
Used for serving cold sake
Sake BTG pour
4 oz.
NOBU TK4O
‘THE PREMIUM SAKE’
SERVING SIZES:
Glass 4 oz.,
Masu 7oz.,
Bottle 10 oz.,
Bottle 16 oz.,
Bottle 50 oz.
Served Chilled.
CHARACTERISTICS: Medium-bodied, delicate and creamy
For our TK40, 60% of the grain is polished away.
Daiginjo style is classified as having added brewers alcohol.
Daijingo Style
Added brewers alcohol
What does TK40 stand for?
T: Represents the rice used
“T” stands for Koshi Tanrei rice variety.
K: Kumamoto Kobo yeast # 9
(“K” stands for Kumamoto)
originated in Kumamoto Prefecture
Known to impart fruity and aromatic types of sake.
40: Represents the percentage of grain remaining
Hokusetsu YK35
SERVING SIZES:
Glass 4 oz., Masu 7oz., Small 6oz., Large 120z.,
Bottle 24 oz., Bottle 60 oz.
Served Chilled.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Daigingo
Medium bodied, rare, luxurious, silky & smooth.
65% of the rice grain is polished off to create this rare and very special sake.
This sake uses the best ingredients and is very labor intensive.
The name represents the ingredients used to create it:
Y = Yamada Nishiki (rice variety).
K= Kumamoto Kobo Yeast No. 9 (known to impart fruit and aromatic sake).
35 = % of how much of each rice grain remains.
What does YK35 stand for?
Y: Yamada Nishiki (rice variety).
K: Kumamoto Yeast No. 9 (originated in Kumamoto
Prefecture)
Known to impart fruity and aromatic types of sake.
35: Represents 35%, the percentage of grain remaining.
Hokosetsu (Brewery)
Translates to: Northern Snow
Sado Island 1872
Nigori (meaning)
Nigori means “cloudy sake” or impure sake.
Many Nigori are sweet, but Hokusetsu nigori is made in a drier style.
Nigori is commonly thought of as ‘unfiltered’, however, it is filtered, just in a different way than clear sake.
This sake is filtered with open weave sacks that leave some solid particles of the rice suspended in the liquid, giving it a cloudy appearance and pungent floral quality.
What is Seimaibuai?
(Say-my-boo-eye)
Rice milling rate
(How much is left over aka: Japanese rice polish ratio or RPR)
Seimaibuai is the actual term for how much a grain of brewing rice is polished or milled
What mold is used to ferment sake?
Koji.
Considered the “heart” of sake brewing.
It’s a yellow mold responsible for the conversion of starch into
fermentable sugar within the grain.
What is the best sake rice?
Yamada Nishiki
Found in:
YK35,
Daiginjo YK 35 Shizuku,
Daiginjo Jukusei Koshu
What is the function of yeast in sake?
The yeast converts the glucose (sugar) and minerals into alcohol.
The bacteria is responsible for the conversion of sugar from the Koji cultivated rice into Alcohol, with Carbon Dioxide as a by-
product.
Different Yeasts produce different flavor profiles.
What component of water affects sake fermentation?
Minerality
Classification:
Brewed using Rice, Water and Koji mold only (no added alcohol)
Junmai.
Junmai Daiginjo (50% polished away, 50% left)
Junmai Ginjo (40% polished away, 60% left)
Junmai (30% polished away, 70% left)
Classification:
Brewed using rice, water, Koji mold, and distilled alcohol
Daiginjo (50% away, 50% remaining)
Ginjo (40% away, 60% remaining)
Honjozo (30% away, 70% remaining)
No alcohol added
50% Polished away
50% Left over
Junmai Daiginjo
No alcohol added
40% polished away
60% left over
Junmai Ginjo
No alcohol added
30% polished away
70% left over
Junmai
Alcohol added
50% polished away
50% left over
Daiginjo
Alcohol added
40% polished away
60% left over
Ginjo
Alcohol added
30% polished away
70% left over
Honjozo
Undiluted Sake
Genshu
Driest Sake
Honjozo Onigoroshi, “Devil Killer”
Light body
30% Polish
70% Left over
The “original” Nobu sake
(Medium bodied, nutty)
Daigingo Black Label
“The Original”
48% Polished away
52% Left over
Medium bodied
Nutty character
“Cloudy sake” or “impure sake”
Nigori
What does the “T” in
TK40 stand for?
Koshi Tanrei rice
What does the “K” in
TK40 stand for?
Kumamoto Kobo yeast #9
From prefecture of Kumamoto
(known to impart fruit and aromatic sake).
What’s the “40” in TK40
40% is the remaining grain after 60% polished off
What is the “Y” in YK35?
Yamada Nishiki rice
The “best” rice
What is the “K” in YK35
Kumamoto Kobo yeast #9
From prefecture of Kumamoto
(known to impart fruit and aromatic sake)
What is the “35” in YK35
35% left over grain after
65% polishing rate
Aged 10 years
Full bodied
Rich & earthy
Honjozo Ongakushu
“Music Sake”
30% polish rate
70% remaining
YK35 Shizuku, but aged
3 years
Daiginjo Jukusei Koshu
Bottle only
Nashi Pear flavor, deep richness not found in young sake
Premium sake made from Yamada Nishiki rice
Slow drip procedure
Daiginjo YK35 Shizuku
24oz bottle only
Genshu (undiluted)
Floral flavors of Orange Blossom, Elderflower, and White Tea
Junmai Daiginjo Koshitanrei ‘Hikari’
60% polished
40% remaining
Unfiltered, dry and creamy
Ginjo Nigori
40% polished away
60% remaining
Served hot
Junmai
“Sado No shu”
35% polished
65% remaining
What classification of sake are YK35 & TK40
Daiginjo
Table Sake (80% of all sake)
Futsu-shu
Aged
Kushu
“Special”; vague definition made with either special rice or highly milled rice
Tokubetsu
