Sake Glossary Terms

Question 1

Assaku-ki

Answer 1

Automatic sake press. The purpose of this machine is to separate the alcohol from the unfermented rice solids that are left over in the sake mash. Abuta is a well known brand of sake pressing machine, so this type of machine is often colloquially referred to as a Yabuta despite the manufacturer.

Question 2

Amazake

Answer 2

Literally translated, amazake means “sweet sake”. It is a thick, white sweet beverage often served by Shinto shrines around new years. It has little to no alcohol content.

Question 3

Arabashiri

Answer 3

When the sake mash is set up in a Yabuta or Fune for pressing (to separate unfermented rice solids from alcohol), there is a certain amount that runs though the mesh by force of gravity alone before any pressure is applied. this sake is known as “arabashiri” and this translates to “first run” or “rough run”.

Question 4

Aspergillus Oryzae

Answer 4

Scientific name for Koji mold spores. These mold spores are propagated onto steamed sake rice grains to create Koji Rice (aka kojimai).

Question 5

Atoaji

Answer 5

The Japanese term for Aftertaste.

Question 6

Awa

Answer 6

Foam or bubbles. This can refer to the foam on the surface of shubo or sake mash, or the bubbles in sparkling sake.

Question 7

Akiagari

Answer 7

Akiagari refers to sake that is produced in the spring, mellowed and aged over the summer an then released in the fall. The sentiment of this term is that the sake improved or rose in quality during the aging period.

Question 8

Amakuchi

Answer 8

Word to describe sweet flavor in Sake

Question 9

Amino Sando

Answer 9

Level of Amino acids measured in sake

Question 10

Aruten

Answer 10

Sake that has been fortified with Brewer’s Alcohol. Aruten is sake that is not Junmaishu.
95% alcohol

Question 11

Atsukan

Answer 11

Very hot sake. Generally served around 122°F (50°C).

Question 12

Terms that end in “Kan”

Answer 12

Having to do with warm or hot sake

Question 13

Awanashi Kobo

Answer 13

In short, Awanashi Kobo means “foamless Yeast”. When making the fermentation/yeast starter during sake production, traditional sake yeast produces a lot of foam along with Alcohol and C02. If not beaten down, this sticky foam can overflow and create a big mess. Some strains of awanashi kobo (foamless yeast), that produce a comparatively small amount of foam, were discovered and are now quite popular in sake production. For sake yeast with a numeric name, such as sake yeast #7 or sake yeast #9, a “01” suffix indicates the foamless variant of a given type of sake yeast. For example, Yeast #701 or Yeast #901.

Question 14

Chozo

Answer 14

Sake storage

Question 15

Bunji

Answer 15

Bunji is a flat wooden spade used for breaking up the hardened mound of koji rice into more manageable chunks during the kirikaeshi process of koji making.

Question 16

Bodai-Moto

Answer 16

Bodai-moto is an ancient and complex fermentation starter method. You can consider it a pre-cursor to the Kimoto method which was invented in the Edo period. Nowadays, it is very rare, but some sake is still made using this method.

To create Bodai-moto, raw rice and a bit of steamed rice are left to soak in a small tub with water. While soaking, this water becomes rich in natural lactic acids given off by latic acid bacteria. After about three days, the rice is removed from the water and steamed.

Next, in the Moto tank, the Latic acid rich water is mixed with the steamed rice, some koji rice and yeast to create the moto. The latic acid in the water kills wild yeast and stray bacteria in the moto and allows the sake yeast to propagate without much microbial competition.

Question 17

Brewer’s alcohol

Answer 17

A neutral distilled spirit added to sake. In the case of premium sake, brewer’s alcohol is added in small quantities to enhance the aroma, taste and texture of sake, not to increase the overall alcohol percentage. In the case of inexpensive futushu or table sake, brewer’s alcohol can be added in larger quantities to increase yields. Brewer’s Alchohol is called Jozo Arukoru in Japanese.

Question 18

Daiginjo

Answer 18

Classification name for sake made from water, yeast, koji and rice milled down to 50% or less remaining of it’s original size as well as the addition of some distilled brewers alcohol (Jozo Arukoru). These types of sake with a small amount of distilled brewer’s alcohol added are collectively called “aruten“

Question 19

Dakidaru

Answer 19

This is a sealed bucket with a large handle on top. Modern version are made of metal, and historial styles were made of wood. Filled with either ice water or boiling hot water, this type of bucket would then be placed into the yeast starter tank to quickly bring the mash temperature up or down. These temperature variations stress the sake yeast and ensure that only the most vibrant specimens survive to become part of the moromi (main fermentation mash). The large handle at the top can be used to move the dakidaru around the tank and is also used to pull it out of the yeast starter tank.

Question 20

Doburoku

Answer 20

Next next level Nigori.
A completely unfiltered style of sake that is cloudy and chunky. Often a “home brewed” style of sake. Considered rough, rustic this is a type of sake you may see served at festivals in Japan.

Question 21

Edaoke

Answer 21

For smaller or delicate batches of sake, the Edaoke is a small vat that is used to begin the mashing process of building up the moromi. The mash is then moved to a larger “parent” tank on day 3 of the moromi creation process.

Question 22

Funaba

Answer 22

Room in the brewery in which the pressing of the sake mash is done

Question 23

Futsushu

Answer 23

Sake that does not qualify as a premium “special designation sake” (Tokutei Meishoshu). It literally means “regular sake” or “ordinary sake” but could also be called “table sake.” About 75% of all sake made in Japan is considered non-premium futusushu.

Question 24

Fukurozuri

Answer 24

This is a way of separating the rice solids from the sake. The finished sake mash is placed in bags and hung up which allows the sake to literally drip out with the bags holding the rice solids behind. No pressure is applied. This method creates an elegant and expensive sake known as Shizuku.

Question 25

Fune

Answer 25

Fune is a pice of equipment used for pressing sake. It is a large regctangular box made of wood or metal used to press bags filled with sake mash. The downward pressure of a board placed on top of the bags forces the liquid sake out and the bags act as a filter to hold back the rice solids. In Japanese “fune” literally means boat and this is a nod to the boat-like shape of the box.

Question 26

Guinomi

Answer 26

Guinomi is a type of sake cup. It is usually made out of ceramic or earthenware and is generally larger in size.

Question 27

Ichigo or Go

Answer 27

A “go” is a liquid unit of measure equal to 180ml or about 6 fluid ounces. Often in Japan, sake is ordered in a restaurant by the “go”. The go is also the amount that will fit inside a standard masu box or single serving tokkuri sake carafe.

Question 28

Ginjo

Answer 28

Classification name for sake made from water, yeast, koji and rice milled down to 60% or less remaining of it’s original size as well as the addition of some distilled brewers alcohol (Jozo Arukoru). These types of sake with a small amount of distilled brewer’s alcohol added are collectively called “aruten“

Question 29

Gaikonainon

Answer 29

This described the ideal state of steamed sake rice: firm on the outside of the grain, soft on the inside.

Question 30

Genmai

Answer 30

Whole grain brown rice that has not been milled.

Question 31

Genshu

Answer 31

**Undiluted Sake** Hot off the presses, sake can be as high as 20% alcohol. Brewmasters usually add pure water to dilute the strength down to 15-16%. Genshu skips this step and give you full-on high octane sake. It’s strong! Also referred to as “cask strength” sake, it’s sometimes served on the rocks.

Question 32

Ginjoka

Answer 32

The aroma typical in Ginjo grade sakes. Usually fruity with apple and banana aroma esters.

Question 33

Gohyakumangoku

Answer 33

Rice grown specifically for sake making. It ranks second in terms of volume for sake specific rice grown in Japan. Known to produce sakes that are cleaner and generally lighter.

Question 34

Hakko

Answer 34

Japanese word for fermentation

Question 35

Hatsuzoe

Answer 35

In the sake production process, hatsuzoe is day one of building the Moromi mash. It is the first addition of ingredients on the first day of the moromi main mash fermentation period.

Question 36

Hi-ire

Answer 36

Hi-ire literally means “put into the fire” but in the case of sake refers to sake pasteurization. This is the process of heating sake to roughly 144-154°F.

Question 37

Hineka

Answer 37

An unpleasant aged smell that comes from sake that is beyond its prime or improperly aged.

Question 38

Honjozo

Answer 38

Classification name for sake made from water, yeast, koji and rice milled down to 70% or less remaining of it’s original size as well as the addition of some distilled brewers alcohol

Question 39

Hanahie

Answer 39

A term for sake temperature of around 51 °F (10 °C). Translated as ‘Blooming Spring Flower’ or ‘Flower chilled’.

Question 40

Happo-shu

Answer 40

General term for sparkling sake

Question 41

Heikofukuhakko (MPF)

Answer 41

**Multiple Parallel Fermentation**. Starch to Sugar and Sugar to Alcohol conversion occurring simultaneously in the same vessel

Question 42

Hinatakan

Answer 42

A term for sake temperature of around 86°F (30°C

Question 43

Hiochikin

Answer 43

Hiochikin is a harmful lactic acid bacteria that can cause sake to spoil. Spoilage happens through excessive lactic acid fermentation in the finished sake.

Question 44

Hitohadakan

Answer 44

A term for sake temperature of around 95°F (35°C). Translated as ‘body temperature’ or ‘as warm as a person’s skin

Question 45

Hiyaoroshi

Answer 45

This is a type of once-pasteurized sake that is typically available in the Autumn. It has been pasteurized only once before cellaring over the summer, but not a second time before bottling and shipping out in the fall season. this is also known as “namazume”. Sometimes referred to as a “fall nama”.

Question 46

Horeiki

Answer 46

Steamed rice cooling machine. Horeiki literally means “cold emitting machine”. Usually a stainless steel mesh conveyer that blows cooler air on the rice to bring down the temperature immediately after steaming.

Question 47

Izakaya

Answer 47

A relaxed and casual Japanese sake pub that sells small appetizers to pair with sake.

Question 48

Isshobin

Answer 48

This literally means a “one ‘sho’ bottle” or a bottle that measures one ‘sho’. A ‘sho‘ is a unit of sake volume measurement equal to 1.8 liters. An “isshobin” is therefore a 1.8L bottle of sake, which is a very common bottle size in Japan for sake.

Question 49

Jizake

Answer 49

Sake from a local small or artisanal producer.

Question 50

Jokan

Answer 50

Slightly hot sake. Generally served around 113°F

Question 51

Jukusei

Answer 51

Sake maturing or aging

Question 52

Junmai Daiginjo

Answer 52

Classification name for sake made from rice milled down to 50% or less remaining of the original grain. Also this sake is made using only Rice, water, yeast and Koji – no additives or added alcohol.

Question 53

Jikagumi

Answer 53

Sake that goes from the press directly to bottle.

Question 54

Jo-on

Answer 54

Room temp sake

Question 55

Joso or Shibori

Answer 55

Pressing of the sake mash.

Question 56

Jozo Arukoru

Answer 56

Japanese term for brewers alcohol

Question 57

Junmai

Answer 57

Classification name for sake made using only rice, water, yeast and koji – no additives or added alcohol. There is no minimum rice milling requirement for Junmai grade sake.

Question 58

Junmai Ginjo

Answer 58

Classification name for sake made from rice milled down to 60% or less remaining. Also this sake is made using only Rice, water, yeast and Koji – no additives or added alcohol.

Question 59

Kasu

Answer 59

Kasu is the unfermented rice solids or “lees” left over when sake is separated from the main fermentation mash after brewing. The leftover sake kasu can have up to 8% alcohol content. Kasu is often sold in Japanese supermarkets and comes in “cakes”, or thin sheets.

Question 60

Kijoshu

Answer 60

A complex sake that is made by replacing some of the water with sake in the brewing process.

Question 61

Kimoto

Answer 61

Kimoto describes a style of sake that uses the original yeast starter method. The yeast starter for Kimoto sake is rhythmically mixed using long paddles to combine yeast, water rice and koji into a starter mash that naturally promotes lactic acid development. Known for robust and sometimes funky flavors.

Question 62

Kobo

Answer 62

Japanese word for yeast

Question 63

Koji

Answer 63

It is a molded Rice that has been inoculated with Koji-kin mold

Question 64

Kojikin

Answer 64

Kojikin are the spores of the mold whose scientific name is Aspergillus Oryzae. These mold spores are propagated onto steamed sake rice grains to create Koji Rice

Question 65

Kojiya

Answer 65

Kojiya. This is a senior brewer who is in charge of the koji making process. Along with the Toji and Kashira, it is viewed as one of the most important jobs in the brewery.

Question 66

Koshu

Answer 66

Aged Sake

Question 67

Kura

Answer 67

Sake brewery

Question 68

Kuramoto

Answer 68

Sake brewery president

Question 69

Kakemai

Answer 69

Steamed sake rice that is added to the main mash (moromi). It is considered the “starch component” of the rice added to the main mash. Usually the kakemai makes up about 80% of the rice used in a batch of sake. The remaining 20% would be the kojimai, or the rice that has the koji mold grown on it.

Question 70

Karashi

Answer 70

After the rice milling process, rice sits for a period of 2-4 weeks. This resting period, known as “karashi” allows the rice to cool from milling and adjust to local humidity and ambient moisture.

Question 71

Kantsukuri

Answer 71

This means “sake brewing in cold weather”. Hundreds of years ago, it was discovered that brewing sake in the cold weather months produced better outcomes in fermentation.

Question 72

Kassei Nigori

Answer 72

Literally*“active nigori”* this refers to a coarsely filtered style sake that has not been pasteurized and is allowed to ferment further in the bottle creating a cloudy effervescent sake.

Question 73

Kikizakeshi

Answer 73

Sake Sommelier

Question 74

Kojibuta

Answer 74

Shallow rectangular wooden tray-like box used for making koji. The koji making method that uses a kojibuta is the most labor intensive and hands on production method.

Question 75

Masu

Answer 75

Square box used as a sake cup. Traditionally made from cedar, but also now made from plastic, lacquer or even glass. This square shape was originally used as a measure of rice. A standard masu size has a fluid volume of 180ml/6oz, known as one “go” or ichigo

Question 76

Mizore-zake

Answer 76

Literally means “sleety” sake, or a sake slushie. It is serving sake at a below freezing temperature. The sake will freeze into a slush when poured forcefully into a glass. This type of ice cold sake slushie is popular in the hot and humid summer months.

Question 77

Mokkiri

Answer 77

Style of sake service where the sake glass is overflowed into a masu or shallow dish. This overflow is meant to symbolize generosity from the host.

Question 78

Moromi

Answer 78

Refers to the main fermentation mash during the sake production process.

Question 79

Mushi

Answer 79

Mushi refers to the step of steaming rice in sake production.

Question 80

Motosuri

Answer 80

Process of mixing water, rice and rice koji using long poles, in the beginning stages of making a Kimoto style yeast starter

Question 81

Muroka

Answer 81

Sake that skips the step of charcoal filtering.

Question 82

Namachozo

Answer 82

This is a type of sake that is cellared without being pasteurized, but does receive pasteurization before being bottled.

Question 83

Namazume

Answer 83

This is a type of sake that is pasteurized only once before cellaring but not a second time before bottling and shipping

Question 84

Nihonshu

Answer 84

**True meaning of Sake. In the west, what we understand as “sake” (alcohol fermented from rice) is known as “Nihonshu” in Japan**. It literally means Japanese Alcohol. In Japan, the word “Sake” means Alcohol in general, not just alcohol fermented from rice.

Question 85

Nihonshudo

Answer 85

A scale of measurement of the “specific gravity” of sake. higher positive numbers indicate generally drier sake, lower negative numbers represent generally sweeter sake. In English, we call this the SMV or “Sake Meter Value”.

Question 86

Nyusankin

Answer 86

Lacitic acid bacteria

Question 87

Ochoko

Answer 87

Small sake cup

Question 88

Okan

Answer 88

Refers to warm/hot sake in general. If you wanted to order warm sake in general (not at a specific temperature) you can order Okan.

Question 89

Oshaku

Answer 89

Oshaku is the term used to describe the custom, etiquette, or even some would say, the mini ritual – of pouring sake for others while not pouring for yourself.

Question 90

Pasteurization

Answer 90

Process of quickly heating sake to a high temperature to kill off all bacteria, yeast and enzymatic action to make sake shelf stable without refrigeration.

Question 91

Reishu

Answer 91

Term for sake served cold or chilled. If you want to ensure you get chilled sake in Japan (vs. heated sake) ask for Reishu.

Question 92

Renzoku Jomaiki

Answer 92

Continuous rice steaming machine

Question 93

Sandan Jikomi

Answer 93

**"Three step preparation” brewing method.** The practice of adding three additions of ingredients to the main moromi tank, over the first four days of the moromi fermentation period.

Question 94

Seimai

Answer 94

Refers to the step of rice polishing or rice milling during sake production. The goal of Seimai is to remove the outer layers and expose the starch in the core of each rice grain

Question 95

Senmai

Answer 95

Senmai is the rice washing step of sake brewing after milling

Question 96

Shibori

Answer 96

Shibori is the pressing stage of sake production. The sake mash is pressed to separate the rice solids from the alcohol.

Question 97

Shinseki

Answer 97

After washing (senmai) but before steaming (mushi), sake rice must be soaked. This step, called shinseki, introduces moisture into the grain and prepares the rice grain for steaming.

Question 98

Sokujo

Answer 98

This is the modern or “fast” yeast starter method. Lactic acid is added directly to the yeast starter allowing the process to finish in 2 weeks vs. 4 weeks with the Kimoto or Yamahai methods, which develop lactic acid naturally.

Question 99

Sake Meter Value SMV

Answer 99

A scale that indicates the relative sweetness or dryness of a sake. Positive number are Dryer, negative numbers are sweeter.

Question 100

Sando

Answer 100

Level of acidity in sake.

Question 101

Semaibuai

Answer 101

Also known as Rice Milling Percentage. Indicates the precentage of the rice grain remaining after milling away the outer layers of each rice grain prior to brewing.

Question 102

Shiboritate

Answer 102

Freshly pressed sake. The sake is not aged or cellared, but shipped directly after pressing.

Question 103

Shinpaku

Answer 103

"White heart” and it is the starchy center core of each sake rice grain.

Question 104

Shinsu

Answer 104

This means “new sake” and refers to sake that was just freshly released by a brewery.

Question 105

Sugi

Answer 105

Sugi is a fragrant type of wood from the Japanese Cedar or Cryptomeria Japonica tree. This wood is commonly used in the Japanese sake industry for making sake barrels

Question 106

Suppon-Jikomi

Answer 106

Brewing method where the Shubo/Moto and Moromi mash are fermented in the same tank. If space is tight in a small brewery, they may forego a separate small shubo tank and do both shubo step and moromi step in the larger moromi tank.

Question 107

Taruzake

Answer 107

Sake that has been stored or aged for a period of time in a cedar caks, so that the woody flavor of the keg is imparted to the sake.

Question 108

To

Answer 108

The “TO” (pronounced “toe” like the toe on your foot) is a measurement of sake volume equal to 18 Liters.

Question 109

Tokkuri

Answer 109

Carafe for serving and heating sake. Traditionally made from ceramic or earthenware. The neck of the carafe is narrow to help retain heat.

Question 110

Tokujo

Answer 110

All sake rice (shuzokotekimai) must be graded before it can be sold and used in sake production. “Tokujo” is the highest or “best” quality grade of sake rice, also known as “above special” grade.

Question 111

Tobikirikan

Answer 111

Extremely hot sake

Question 112

Toji

Answer 112

The Toji is the Master Brewer

Question 113

Tokubetsu

Answer 113

Tokubetsu means “special”. It is a designation that a special production process was applied to a Junmai or Honjozo grade sake. Usually, it means that a lower milling rate than required was used.

Question 114

Tokutei Meishoshu

Answer 114

Special designation Sake”, what you could consider premium sake, including Honjozo, Junmai, Ginjo, Dainginjo, Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo sake classification grades.

Question 115

Umeshu

Answer 115

Plum sake

Question 116

Yamahai

Answer 116

Yeast starter method that was developed after Kimoto, but before Sokujo. Yamahai allows for natural lactic acid production, but does away with the need for “Yamaoroshi” or the labor intensive macerating/mashing of the yeast starter using long wooden poles as done for centuries in the kimoto method

Question 117

Yamadanishiki

Answer 117

Often called the “king of sake rice”, this strain of sakamai is highly prized for it’s properties that make it well suited for making premium sake.

Question 118

Yongobin

Answer 118

Standard sake bottle containing 720ml or four “go” servings of 180ml each.

Question 119

Assaku-ki

Answer 119

Automatic sake press. The purpose of this machine is to separate the alcohol from the unfermented rice solids that are left over in the sake mash. *Abuta* is a well known brand of sake pressing machine, so this type of machine is often colloquially referred to as a **Yabuta** despite the manufacturer.