Sake

Question 1

What is another name for moto?

Answer 1

Shubo - literally translated to “mother of saké”

Question 2

What are the two additional styles of Namazake?

Answer 2

•Namachozo - cellared without being pasteurized, but does not receive pasteurization before bottling•Namazume - pasteurized only once before cellaring but never again

Question 3

What are the ranges for warm sake service?

Answer 3

•”Human skin warm” 95-104ºF•”Lukewarm” 104-113ºF•”Good Hot” 113-122ºF•”Hot Enough” 122-131ºF

Question 4

Define nihonshudo.

Answer 4

saké Value Meter - measure of specific gravity–the level of residual sugar; bone dry to sweet•-5 (sweet) – 0 (Neutral) – +15 (Drier)

Question 5

What is required for a saké labeled ‘Ginjo’?

Answer 5

Max 60% rice grain remaining•If labeled ‘Ginjo’, the saké will be honjozo in style, with brewer’s alcohol added•If no distilled alcohol is added, it will be labeled Junmai Ginjo

Question 6

Define Namazake.

Answer 6

Unpasteurized saké

Question 7

Define Nigori

Answer 7

Unfiltered saké

Question 8

What are the traditional service ware for saké?

Answer 8

Tokkuri - ceramic, narrow-neck flask•Ochoko - small cup•Sakazuki - ceremonial cups

Question 9

Define shinpaku.

Answer 9

The pure starchy heart of the rice grain

Question 10

What is the green powdery mold used for saké production?

Answer 10

Koji-kin***The steamed rice upon which the mold is cultivated is the koji

Question 11

Define seimaibuai.

Answer 11

rice-polishing ratio (milled); expressed as the ratio remaining

Question 12

Define Jizake

Answer 12

Saké from a smaller kura (brewery)

Question 13

What is Sokujo-moto?

Answer 13

Faster and more industrial method for creating a yamahai style, with the early introduction of lactic acid to speed the process up.

Question 14

What does adding a bit of distiller’s alcohol to saké do?•When it is usually added?

Answer 14

It helps to extract more fragrant flavorful components in the moromi that are soluble in alcohol•After fermentation has completed, but before pressing to extract the saké from the lees•It lightens the flavor of the saké, making them more approachable•They are typically watered back down to 15-16% abv

Question 15

Describe the steps of saké production once the moto has been created.

Answer 15

Koji, water and steamed rice are added to the moto in three successive stages to create the MOROMI (fermenting mash)•The moto/moromi double in size with each addition•Once the final addition has been made, the saké will ferment for up to 45 days–to 20% abv (generally water is added to drop it to 15-16%)•The saké is then pressed, and is usually filtered and pasteurized

Question 16

What is required for a saké labeled ‘Junmai’?

Answer 16

Prior to 2004, the maximum percentage of rice grain remaining could be 70%•If the producer prints “semaibuai” on the label, and uses only water, rice and koji, the milling percentage may not be higher than 70%

Question 17

What is the japanese term for ‘Special Designation saké’?•What are the styles?

Answer 17

Tokutei Meisho-shu•Futsuu-shu•Junmai-shu•Honjozo-shu•Junmai ginjo-shu•Ginjo-shu•Junmai daiginjo-shu•Daiginjo-shu**Typically the “-shu” suffix is dropped in conversation

Question 18

What are the five brewing regions for saké?

Answer 18

•Hokkadio and Tohoku•Kanto and Koshinetsu•Hokuriku and Tokai•Kinki and Chugoku•Shikoku and Kyushu

Question 19

What is required for a saké labeled ‘Daiginjo’?

Answer 19

Max 50% rice grain remaining•If labeled ‘Daiginjo’, the saké will be honjozo in style, with brewer’s alcohol added•If no distilled alcohol is added, it will be labeled Junmai Daiginjo

Question 20

What is the most common type of rice chosen for saké production?•Name 2 others.

Answer 20

Yamada Nishiki•Hatta Nishiki•Miyami Nishiki•Omachi•Oseto

Question 21

Describe the steps of saké production to create the moto.

Answer 21

•Rice is milled•Rinsed, soaked in water•Steamed in successive stages•A first batch of steamed rice is inoculated with the koji-kin•Mold grows on the steamed rice for about two days–this creates the koji (moldy steamed rice)•Yeast, additional rice and water are added to the koji to create the moto (starter)*The moto develops over a period of two weeks before it is moved to a larger vessel for fermentation

Question 22

Koji-kin vs. koji

Answer 22

Koji-kin is the green, powdery moldKoji is the steamed rice the mold is cultivated upon

Question 23

What is required for a saké labeled ‘Honjozo’?

Answer 23

Max 70% rice grain remaining•A slight amount of brewer’s alcohol (pure distillate) is added to the saké before pressing

Question 24

Define Shizuku-shibori.

Answer 24

Pressing the sake from its lees•”drip-pressing” method, essentially letting gravity push the liquid throught a fine mesh.•Produces a very fine and elegant style

Question 25

What is “Nama”?

Answer 25

Namazake saké – unpasteurized saké

Question 26

Define sakamai

Answer 26

Good saké rice (differes from “table” rice

Question 27

Describe the fermentation of saké.

Answer 27

Multiple Parallel Fermentation (MPF): rice starch is converted to fermentable sugars and then to alcohol simultaneously in the same vessel•Mold: koji-kin (Aspergillus oryzae) converts the rice starch to sugar•Yeast: converts the sugar to alcohol

Question 28

Define saké.

Answer 28

saké in Japanese is a general term for all alcoholic beverages, in English it is commonly used to describe an alcoholic beverage produced from fermented rice.

Question 29

Define Futsushu

Answer 29

“Regular” saké - served hot; the largest production saké•Most are polished to 70%

Question 30

What is Yamahai-shikomi?•What other style produces saké of similar results?•Describe the end result.

Answer 30

A less laborious process of saké production•The pole-ramming for the mashing process was ommitted.•Kimoto-moto: similar to batonnage; continues throughout fermentation (about 45 days)•Both have a higher sweetness and acidity, with richer, deeper, significantly more pronounced flavors

Question 31

Define Taruzake

Answer 31

Saké aged in wooden barrels

Question 32

What is the japanese term for what we refer to as saké?

Answer 32

Nihon-shu

Question 33

Define Genshu

Answer 33

Undiluted saké