Sake

Question 1

What does “Sake” actually mean in Japanese?

Answer 1

A general term for all alcoholic beverages

Question 2

How is Sake commonly defined in English?

Answer 2

As an alcoholic beverage produced from fermented rice.

Question 3

In sake production, ___ is converted to fermentable ___

Answer 3

rice starch, sugars

Question 4

What is unique about the conversion of starch to sugar and sugar to alcohol in Sake?

Answer 4

It occurs simultaneously in the same vessel

Question 5

What is MPF?

Answer 5

Multiple Parallel Fermentation (MPF)

Question 6

What does MPF rely on?

Answer 6

The combined activities of yeast and a mold to undergo both crucial processes of fermentation at once.

Question 7

What is the mold in Sake-making called?

Answer 7

The koji-kin (Aspergillus oryzae)

Question 8

What chosen typce of rice is considered superior by many?

Answer 8

Yamada Nishiki

Question 9

What must the rice kernel undergo first?

Answer 9

Milling, or polishing, to remove some of the protein-laden outer husk of the rice grain

Question 10

What is the pure starchy heart of the rice grain called?

Answer 10

The shinpaku

Question 11

What does the Shinpaku produce?

Answer 11

The best sake

Question 12

What is Seimaibuai?

Answer 12

The degree to which sake has been milled, labled according to scale

Question 13

What is Tokutei Meishoshu?

Answer 13

Special Designation Sake (Junmai-Daiginjo)

Question 14

When may Junmai Sake’s milling percentage be higher than 70%?

Answer 14

ONLY IF the producer prints “semaibuai” on the label, and uses only water, rice and koji

Question 15

Junmai Sake has what % milled?

Answer 15

70% (prior to 2004) now may be higher

Question 16

Name the Tokutei Meishoshu in descending order of Maximum Percentage of Rice Grain Remaining

Answer 16

Junmai (70%), Honjozo(70%), Ginjo(60%), Daiginjo (50%)

Question 17

How is Honjozo a different style?

Answer 17

A slight amount of brewer’s alcohol (pure distillate) is added to the sake before pressing

Question 18

When a Sake is labeled “Ginjo” it is what it style?

Answer 18

Honjozo in style, with brewer’s alcohol added. 60% milled.

Question 19

When is a Sake labeled “Junmai Ginjo”?

Answer 19

When no distilled alcohol is added. 60% milled.

Question 20

If labeled Daiginjo, the sake will be___in style, with ____ added.

Answer 20

honjozo, brewer’s alcohol

Question 21

If no distilled alcohol is added, it will be labeled ___Daiginjo

Answer 21

Junmai

Question 22

What is a Namazake style Sake?

Answer 22

Unpasteurized

Question 23

What is a Nigori style Sake?

Answer 23

Unfiltered

Question 24

What is a Taruzake style Sake?

Answer 24

Sake aged in wooden barrels

Question 25

What is a Jizake style Sake?

Answer 25

Sake from a smaller kura (brewery)

Question 26

What is a Genshu style Sake?

Answer 26

Undiluted sake

Question 27

After milling, the rice is rinsed, soaked in water, and ___

Answer 27

steamed in successive stages

Question 28

A first batch of steamed rice is inoculated with the koji-kin, a ___.

Answer 28

green, powdery mold

Question 29

The mold grows on the steamed rice for about two days; the steamed rice upon which the mold is cultivated is the ___.

Answer 29

koji

Question 30

Yeast, additional rice and water are added to koji to create what?

Answer 30

The moto, or starter

Question 31

The moto develops for how long before it is moved to a larger vessel for fermentation?

Answer 31

Over a period of two weeks

Question 32

Koji, water, and steamed rice are added to the moto in three successive stages, creating what?

Answer 32

The moromi, or fermenting mash, which doubles in size with each addition.

Question 33

Once the final addition has been made, the sake will ferment for up to ____

Answer 33

45 days

Question 34

Sake reaches an alcohol content of approximately ...

Answer 34

20%, water is generally added back to lower the final alcohol level to around 17%

Question 35

What is the final steps of Sake making?

Answer 35

Sake is pressed, and is usually filtered and pasteurized.

Question 36

Sake may be bone dry to sweet; the level of residual sugar is often indicated on the label as a number on-

Answer 36

The Sake Value Meter (nihonshudo)

Question 37

What is The Nihonshudo scale a measure of?

Answer 37

The sake’s specific gravity, or density in contrast to that of water. (-) values indicate sweetness, with (+) values indicating dryness; 0 is neutral

Question 38

What are tokkuri?

Answer 38

Sake is traditionally decanted from the bottle into this ceramic, narrow-neck flask

Question 39

Once in a tokkuri, the sake is then poured in what traditionally?

Answer 39

ochoko (small cylindrical vessels) or, for the more ceremonial- sakazuki cups.

Question 40

Does Sake generally improve with age?

Answer 40

Nope!