Sake COPY COPY COPY Flashcards
shinpaku
The pure starchy heart of the rice grain
seimaibuai
The degree to which the rice has been milled
Yamada Nishiki
the preferred type of rice for sake
koji-kin
the green powdery mold used to inoculate steamed rice
Junmai
he seimaibuai of Junmai must be stated on the label, but by law, there is no minimum. Seimaibuai of 70% or less is typical. This sake is usually more robust, structured, and umami driven; it is often referred to as aji (flavorful). The sake is made with nothing but rice, water, yeast, and koji mold
Honjozo
This type of sake is brewed using a small amount of distilled pure alcohol to add texture and lighten the sake. This was originally a way to compensate for the shortage of rice after World War II. Today, the addition of alcohol doesn’t necessarily lessen sake’s quality; rather, it changes sake’s characteristics and often creates a more mineral-driven, cleaner beverage.
Ginjo
Rice milled to 60%
Junmai Ginjo
This sake, with a seimaibuai of 60% or less, is the perfect harmony of kaori (aromatic, fruity, floral style) and aji (textured, savory, taste-driven style). When spirit is added, the sake loses its Junmai prefix.
Daiginjo
Rice milled to 50%
Junmai Daigingo
this style must have a seimaibuai of 50% or less. Some Daiginjo are polished so much that only 9% of the original rice grain remains—these examples tend to be delicate and vibrant, with many exotic fruit and floral characteristics. They are often referred to as kaori. When spirit is added, the sake loses its Junmai prefix, and the final product gains roundness and texture by way of viscosity from the brewer’s spirit.
Namazake
Unpasteurized Sake
Nigori Sake
Unfiltered Sake
Taruzake
Sake aged in wooden barrels
Jizake
Sake from a smaller kura (brewery)
Genshu Sake
Undiluted sake