Sake - GuildSomm Extended Flashcards
(123 cards)
1
Q
How long has sake been produced for?
A
Over 2000 years
2
Q
What are Jizake?
A
Microbreweries
3
Q
In sake, what is multiple parallel fermentation?
A
Sake is entirely unique: in a single tank, starch converts to sugar and yeast consumes sugar to produce alcohol (and CO2) simultaneously in what is called multiple parallel fermentation.
4
Q
How many sake producers were there during the Meiji era (1868-1912)?
A
Around 30,000
5
Q
How many sake producers were there after WWII?
A
Around 4,000
6
Q
How many sake producers are there today?
A
There are 1500 breweries with licenses but only 3/4 of those are in production today.
7
Q
Which is the only prefecture to have a dedicated GI (geographical indication)?
A
Yamagata in the north (Yamagata GI)
8
Q
Outside of Yamagata, in which prefecture and which city are the other breweries with GI designation? What are the names of the breweries?
A
Prefecture: Ishikawa
City: Hakusan
GI Name: Hakusan Kikusake GI
Breweries:
Tengumai Kikuhime Tedorigawa Manzairaku Takasago
9
Q
How many breweries are in the Yamagata GI?
What are the rules for materials used in production?
A
51
The Yamagata GI rules state that the 51 breweries of the prefecture must use rice and koji grown in Japan, use only Yamagata water, and bottle and store their sake in Yamagata.
The sake must pass a panel judgment from the Yamagata Prefecture Sake Brewery Association, which will test the product and ensure it has an identifying “Silky and Clear Texture.”
10
Q
What is doburoku?
A
A rustic, unrefined homebrew sake made in millennia past
11
Q
What does the Japanese word for sake (酒) refer to?
What words are used to specify Japanese sake?
A
All alcohol (Beer, sake, wine, etc)
Nihonshu (日本酒), meaning “Japanese alcohol”
Seishu (清酒), or “clear alcohol,” is often used for legal and taxation purposes.
12
Q
In Nara, Japan, in 689 AD the first imperial sake brewing department was established. Who consumed the sake?
A
At that time, production was usually reserved for the budding nation’s imperial court, its temples, and its shrines—not unlike how churches in Europe were managing winemaking
13
Q
What is Arukouru Tenka or Aruten? What are the styles produced from this type of sake?
A
Sake with spirit added, so it contains five ingredients instead of 4: rice, water, yeast, koji mold, and brewer’s spirit (distilled alcohol)
Styles: Honjozo, Ginjo, and Daiginjo
14
Q
What does Junmai translate to?
A
Pure rice
15
Q
What are the styles of Junmai sake?
A
Junmai, Junmai Ginjo, Junmai Daginjo,
16
Q
The brewer’s spirit was once used to dilute sake while fortifying it and masking impurities, what does it add today?
A
Today it is added for minerality and texture. Known as jozo-alcohol, it is normally made from distilled rice or sugar beet and is unaged, colorless, and often flavorless
17
Q
How many types of sakamai (sake rice) are recognized for sake production in Japan?
A
Over 80
18
Q
How is sakamai (sake rice) different from table rice?
A
Sakamai varieties tend to be heavier and about a quarter taller than table rice, or kakomai. With a spongier texture, sakamai has a unique ratio of fat and protein on the outside, with a particularly starchy center concentrated on the inside. This white heart, or shinpaku, is key to sake production.
19
Q
What is shinpaku
A
The heart of the rice grain.
20
Q
What ABV does sake generally ferment to?
A
Sake ferments to about 8 to 20% natural alcohol. However, to avoid additional taxes, the final product is often diluted to around 15%
21
Q
On a sake label, will you ever see, “ ichiban and daihyo, “number one” and “leading”?
A
No. A sake label can never have a vague indication of high quality. For example, ichiban and daihyo, “number one” and “leading,” respectively, are not permitted on labels.
22
Q
Is sake rice or table rice more expensive?
A
Sake rice.
Cultivating sake rice is more challenging than growing table rice due to wind and top-heavy crops. Table rice tends to be less top heavy, less prone to wind damage, and easier to work with throughout the growing process. As a result, sake rice is more expensive than table rice.
A sake producer will place high value on a variety of sake rice that can absorb the right amount of moisture, cooperate with and be penetrated by koji mold, and interact with various types of yeast. These traits are generally more important than the actual flavor of the rice. It’s not uncommon for producers to pay upwards of three times the price of table rice on high quality sake rice.
23
Q
Do sake producers generally grow their own rice?
A
While some producers grow their own rice, they usually don’t grow enough to sustain their entire sake production, so they work with farmers and cooperatives. Producers typically contract a rice paddy and have it managed by experienced farmers.
24
Q
For sake to be certified organic, what are the requirements for the rice paddy?
A
Certification for organically produced sake is tied to agriculture, not methods employed inside the brewery. Certified organic sake must come from a rice paddy that has been free from synthetic products for a minimum of three years.
25
What effect do strong diurnal shifts have on sake rice?
Sake rice likes strong diurnal shifts, with hot days and cold nights. These temperature changes cause starch from the outside of a grain of rice to be collected into its center to make a good shinpaku with a high concentration of starch. Rice also loves sunlight. In years with lower average temperatures and less sunlight, the grains are smaller and more soluble, resulting in a rounder, more definitive rice flavor. This will also result in a lower kasubuai, a term referring to the percentage ratio of sake kasu (pomacebo left over after production) to the original volume of polished rice used to create the sake. In hot years with more sunlight, the starch becomes less soluble at its shinpaku. The resulting sake will be leaner, with a higher kasubuai.
26
When is rice harvested in Japan?
In the north of Japan, rice is harvested starting in early September; harvest is significantly later in the south. On the southern island of Kyushu, it begins as late as mid-October. These varying temperatures and harvest dates contribute to the typically leaner northern styles versus the richer and mellower styles of the south.
27
What are concerns during the growing season?
Weeds, over nourished stalks that are heavy and buckle under the weight and tall stalks prone to wind damage.
Weeds are a primary concern throughout the growing season. They can sprout at any time, including during the draining of the rice paddy and at harvest. Steps are taken to minimize damage of the paddies, but weeds can also be taken in by the harvest machine. As a result, in potentially troublesome areas of the paddy, hand harvesting may be necessary.
28
In which season does the sake making process begin?
The production cycle of sake takes roughly a year. Rice is planted in the spring and ready for sale by the end of autumn. In winter, the sake-making process begins.
29
What are the five grades of size for classifying rice?
```
Santoh (Grade 3)
Nittoh (Grade 2)
Ittoh (Grade 1)
Tokuto (Special Grade)
Tokujo (Higher Special Grade)
```
Tokutei meisho-shu, meaning “special designation” or “premium” sake, must be made from rice that has been given one of these five grades. This is the high quality sake typically seen in restaurants; it makes up about 26% of all sake produced in Japan. Along with following the guidelines for rice size, sake at this level cannot have any preservatives, coloring agents, flavors, or fragrances added during or after production, a regulation enforced by law.
30
What is a seimaiki?
A mill.
After being harvested, prepared, and sold, sake rice is milled using a machine called a seimaiki. Housed in a large building, it operates 24 hours a day, staffed by three kurabito, or brewery workers, on rotating shifts. Most breweries do not have their own milling machines, so they will use offsite machines. Breweries that do have machines will sometimes provide milling services to smaller breweries.
31
Describe the milling process.
The milling process, called seimai, begins with brown rice (genmai). Inside the machine, the dry rice grains are slowly milled in a polishing chamber with a roll made from an extremely hard material, then fall vertically through the mill. The machine removes the outer layers, at which point the rice is considered hakumai, or white rice. Further polishing gently removes the fat and protein outer layers of the hakumai, contributors to rustic, fatty, and earthy flavors. Once the polished rice grains leave the chamber, a series of perforated plates separate the resulting flour (nuka) and the adequately polished grains. A calibrated hole will reject rice that is insufficiently polished, moving it back to the top with a bucket conveyer to go through the process again. The nuka will be used for cattle feed, fertilizer, rice crackers, and more.
32
What does seimaibuai refer to?
The term seimaibuai refers to the amount of rice that remains after polishing. For example, if a sake has a seimaibuai of 68%, 32% of the outer fat and protein has been polished away, with 68% left. The more a grain of rice is polished, the longer the process, the greater the risk of damage, and the more rice that will be required for the final product. It takes 50 hours to polish a grain of rice to 50% of its original size (seimaibuai 50%) and 50 more to remove another 15% (seimaibuai 35%).
33
What is Hakurakusei's Super 7 Junmai Daiginjo?
One producer from Miyagi in northern Japan, Hakurakusei, uses a rice polishing machine whose milling roll is made with diamond crystals and purportedly cost three million USD. Using the ultra-hard diamond surface, they released their Super 7 Junmai Daiginjo with a seimaibuai of 7%. This release, with several variations, is the most widely available bottle made with highly polished rice. Yet even this is extremely rare, and bottles are very expensive.
34
What are the typical attributes of a lower semaibuai and a higher semaibaui sake?
Typically, lower seimaibuai (more fat and protein removed) leads to more elegance, delicate flavors, and vibrant aromatics, while a higher seimaibuai (less fat and protein removed) produces more rustic and savory styles of sake. Later, a producer will decide to add brewer’s alcohol if more texture, body, and minerality are desired; this can also soften any overwhelming aromatic components and flavors.
35
In Junmai-shu, what does the "shu" refer to.
"shu" translates to alcohol, so Junmai-shu has the same meaning as Junmai.
36
What is the Futsushu category of sake?
This lower category comprises roughly 75% of all sake produced in Japan. It has no seimaibuai rules, and additives are less prohibited.
37
What are the seimaibuai requirements for futsushu sake?
There are no seimaibuai requirements for fusushu sake.
38
What type of sake is honjozo sake?
Honjozo sake includes the addition of brewers alcohol. Historically this addition was used to cover flaws of a lower grade sake. Now 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.
39
What is Junmai sake?
Junmai is sake without the addition of brewers alcohol (or any other additives) the only ingredients permitted are water, Koji mold, yeast and rice.
40
What is the seimaibuai requirement for Junmai sake?
Legally, there is not seimaibuai requirement for Junmai sake though it is generally 70% or lower.
41
What are the characteristic differences between Junmai and Honjozo?
Junmai is generally more robust and flavorful (referred to as "aji"). It's more robust, structured, and umami driven than Honjozo which has a cleaner, more mineral-driven palate.
42
When spirit is added to Junmai Ginjo, what is the name classification of the sake?
Ginjo
43
What does Junmai Ginjo indicate on a label.
A seimaibuai of 60% or less and no spirit added.
44
What do "kaori" and "aji" mean?
kaori - aromatic, fruity, floral style
aji - textured, savory, taste-driven style
45
What's a Kura?
A brewery
46
What is Junmai Daiginjo?
A sake with a seimaibuai of 50% and no spirit added. The semaibuai can reach levels as low as 9% or so.
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.
47
What is a Toji?
A Brewmaster
48
What happens first in sake making? Koji inoculation, steaming or soaking the rice?
Soaking the rice to increase weight by 30%, then steamed for 45-60 minutes to break up the starch molecules in the rice, adding additional 12% moisture to each grain of rice.
After steaming and a cooling period called karashi kikan, batches are separated for their intended purpose. Most will be used for the day’s yeast starter, which is known as moto or shubo, and the rest (ranging from 20 to 40%) will be moved to the koji room, or koji muro.
49
What is the kakemai?
The non-koji inoculated rice
50
What is the Koji Muro?
The Koji Muro is the room where rice is inoculated with koji mold.
It is in the koji muro that the starches locked up in the middle of the grains of sake rice are converted to sugars. In this room, usually resembling a sauna lined with wood or metal (the latter is arguably more sanitary), the rice is spread out on a large table and koji mold spores are delicately sprinkled over top in an almost ritualistic fashion. Each brewery has a technique for this process, which has an impact on the success of each batch of sake. “Koji mold” is the name of the product sprinkled on the rice, and the resulting product is simply called “koji.”
51
What is amazake?
When sake is produced using non- or low-alcohol producing yeast, the resulting sweet, often fruity, congee-textured beverage is called amazake. Centuries old, it is a favorite served to kids and often praised for its health benefits.
52
How long does the rice spend in the Koji Muro?
2 days
The koji rests for about 24 hours and is then moved to a more precise temperature-control system of wooden trays and boxes for further propagation and mixing to maximize even distribution of the koji mold. After two days, it is moved out of the koji muro to stop the spread of the spore and prepare it for the yeast starter. The rice at this point looks like it has frosting on it (the koji mold) and has a sweet taste reminiscent of frosted flakes.
53
What is the difference between koji mold and koji?
Koji mold is the mold that will inoculate the rice. Koji is the rice after mold has been applied and it has been inoculated in the Koji Muro for two days.
54
What is the process for beginning sake fermentation?
The koji and kakemai (non-koji rice) will be combined at a ratio of roughly 25 kilograms koji to 37 kilograms kakemai, and are then combined in a tank with yeast and 80 liters of water. The seimaibuai of the steamed rice and koji do not have to be the same, but if they are different, this must be stated on the label. This mash will ferment until it has a high enough concentration of yeast cells to support further addition of rice and water (with a little help from some extra koji).
55
What is the Kimoto method and what is its purpose?
The purpose of the Kimoto method is to encourage the fermenting mash (koji/kakemai/water mixture) to produce lactic acid. In the Kimoto method (a traditional method) this is done by workers pounding the mash with large wooden poles for hours at a time, cultivating naturally occurring lactic bacteria from the air. Natural nitrous bacteria exist in water and create a nitrous-reducing acid, which kills unwanted bacteria.
56
What is the Moto in sake making?
The Moto (also known as Shubo, Fermentation Starter or Yeast Starter) is a small starter batch of sake that is used to grow a vibrant yeast colony, before the fermentation is moved to the main and larger fermentation tank.
57
What is the Yamahai method?
Instead of pounding the mash like the Kimoto method, in 1909, it was discovered that even without this bâtonnage (mash pounding), natural lactic acid could still form on top of the moto and protect the sake through its fermentation. The resulting flavors are more vibrant, gamier, and higher in both acid and fruit characteristics. This is the Yamahai method.
58
What is the sokujo method?
The Sokujo method introduces lactic acid to the moto and is by far the most efficient method of lactic acid production and is the most widely used method today, withh moto production taking roughly two weeks. With the Yamahai and Kimoto methods, the process takes about one month. Sohomare in Tochigi Prefecture is one of the breweries credited for keeping the longer processes alive—and perhaps even making them trendy again.
59
What is sandan shikomi?
After the addition or cultivation of lactic acid, koji, kakemai, and water will be added in three stages over the following six days in a process called sandan shikomi
60
What are the three stages of sandan shikomi?
The stages, in order, are known as hatsu-zoe, naka-zoe, and tome-zoe. Between the first and second stages comes odori: the “dancing ferment” where bubbles form as yeast interacts with sugar and starch is converted to sugar. Temperature, pH, sugar content, and alcohol are closely monitored and can be manipulated if necessary. One method for temperature control is to use jackets around the fermentation tank that contain running cold or hot water.
61
What is Moromi?
Moromi is the industry standard term for the fermenting mixture, the run up to the final product, the sum of all the ingredients: the yeast, koji, steamed rice, and water-for-brewing, all mixed together in one big tank
The main fermentation mixture
62
What's the next step after fermentation?
Pressing (Kasu).
After fermentation, rice must be separated from its kasu, or solids. The most common method is to use a balloon-press air compressor (assakuki); the most popular brand is Yabuta. It looks like a giant sealed accordion and, once full of fermented sake mash, inflates from the sides to gently squeeze sake through a mesh surface.
63
Which kind of presses are used for more delicate sake's such as Junmai Ginjo or Junmai Daiginjo?
A fune, or box press, is often employed. The box contains porous cloth filter bags (shibori fukuro) and is slowly hand-filled with sake from above before pressure is applied. Though certainly more delicate, this traditional method is more labor intensive than a assakuki and the risk of oxidation is higher.
Another option for the most delicate sake's and is used almost exclusively for Junmai Daiginjo sake that is often reserved for Japan’s national sake competitions. The shizuku (tear drop or gravity press) or fukuro-tsuri (hanging bag) method employs a bag (called sakabukuro) comprised of special materials and mesh not used for the normal pressing. The bag is hung inside a tank and only what drops out of the bag makes it into the bottle. One bag will usually hold 15 liters of fermented moromi, and the two-day process will yield roughly six liters of free-run sake. After the sake has dropped out of the bag, the rest may be pressed using a fune.
64
Sake can be categorized into three types of pressings, what are they?
Arabashiri (“first run”) is barely cloudy. Though it can be rough in texture, its flavors and aromas are delicate. It is occasionally sold on its own.
Nakagumi (or nakadori, meaning “taken from the middle”) is usually considered the best of the three stages, with the greatest balance and structure. When separated, it is often reserved for competitions.
Seme (“final run”) may be included in a batch of sake but never separated or sold on its own.
65
What is muroka sake?
Sake not filtered through charcoal filters
66
What is the term for sake pasteurized in tank but not in bottle?
Namazume
67
What is the name for unpasteurized sake?
Namazake.
Unpasteurized sake is called nama (“raw” or “fresh”), hon-nama, or namazake and tastes distinctively vivacious and complex. It must be stored at constant cool temperatures of negative eight to negative five degrees Celsius, the latter considered optimal.
68
In accordance with Japanese law, is sake labeled by production date or date of bottling?
Bottling date.
Japanese law dictates that sake labels must state the date of bottling but not the production date. This means producers can theoretically store sake for a year and then bottle it right before shipping
69
What unit is used to measure the volume of production for tax purposes?
Koku = 180 liters.
Volumes of production are recorded for tax purposes using the measurement koku, equivalent to 180 liters.
70
What is the name for the barrel sake is aged in? What's it made out of?
Taru or Taruzake
| Made out of cedar
71
What is the Moto?
The moto is the "Starter" fermentation to be fed into the main fermentation, or Miromi mixture, to then ferment together.
72
What is multiple parallel fermentation?
Multiple parallel fermentation is the conversion of starch to sugar and sugar to alcohol in the same tank.
73
When does the sake brewing year start and end?
Begins July 1, ends June 30
74
What is the name for aged sake?
Koshu - Aged sake made in one brewing year and bottles in the next. It may be released after one year or several.
75
What does the term "ogoshu" indicate?
Extra aged sake - anything produced more than one brewing year ago
76
Is cellaring sake at home recommended?
No. Most sake is made to be consumed within 6 to 19 months after release.
77
In the south and west parts of Japan (Hyogo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc) the climate is warmer and water is softer than the norther parts of Japan. How does this effect the final sake product?
In the south and west of Japan the sake is rounder and richer.
In the north (Niigata, Yamagata, Akita, and others) the climate is much cooler for a longer period of time and the water is harder. Here the sake tends to be more delicate, lean and even drier.
78
What is the primary component of sake?
Water at 80% of the finished product.
Breweries historically have situated themselves next to a high quality water source - whether ground water, mountain runoff, or a river.
Some of the most coveted locations for water in Japan are in Hyog, Kyoto and Hiroshima.
79
What is the most famous water in Japan?
Miamizu "shrine water" that runs down Mount Rock in Hyogo Prefecture into the historical Nada area.
80
Which water is used for 25% of the sake in all of Japan?
Miamizu that runs down Mount Rock in the Hyogo Prefecture. Giant breweries such as Hakutsuru, Ozeki, shochikubai and kikumasamune are all located in this prefecture.
81
What are the traits of ideal water for sake?
Water that is low in iron (to avoid oxidation and adverse reactions with amino acid) and low in manganese (to avoid discoloration).
Higher levels of potassium and magnesium are also preferable as they contribute to the stabilization and flavor of sake.
82
What does Genshu indicate on a sake label?
"Undiluted" When no additional water is added or if the volume of water added alters the original alcohol level by less than 1%, the sake is called Genshu.
83
Which yeast do more of half of the breweries in Japan use?
Yeast No. 7 or Nanago, by Miyasaka Brewing Company
It has subtle tree fruit aromas.
84
What does the suffix "01" indicate to any yeast's name?
It indicates that Yeast type is a non-foaming yeast.
This type of yeast is preferable because tanks can be filled to the top without putting quality at risk or the ferment spilling over. A yeast like the common No. 1801 will be expressive and aromatic , with exotic flower and field berry characteristics.
85
Which yeast does well in Japans cold norther temperature of the Tohoku region?
Yeast no. 15 or AK-1. This yeast keeps acidity low and survives in the particularly low ambientt temperatures of Japan's northern region of Tohoku
86
What does Ki-ippon indicate?
Breweries may append Ki-ippon to any of their Junmai level sake to denote the entire production came from a single place of origin, with no ingredients outsourced.
87
What type of rice is considered to gold standard for sake production?
Yamada Nishiki
88
What is Nigorizake?
Nigori (にごり酒) sake, or nigorizake, is named for its cloudy appearance. Essentially, this is sake bottled with its lees. A looser mesh is used during the pressing process, which allows more kasu to pass through during pressing. As there is no official regulation for this process, some brewers will press the sake normally and add the kasu back to the bottle afterwards.
89
What is Akazake?
Akazake (“red sake”) can be made in a variety of ways. One is using unapproved red rice varieties, letting their pigment bleed into the moromi. In Kumamoto, ash is added during production. In Niigata, a rare red koji is used. There are also yeast strains that give the finished product a red tint. Some sake is left to oxidize until it takes on an amber or reddish color. All of these are acceptable forms of red sake, though the term is unregulated.
90
At what temperature should unpasteurized sake be served?
It is best to serve unpasteurized, fruit-forward, delicate, and/or aromatic sake cold and to serve savory, earthy, and/or aged sake at room temperature or warmer. To warm sake, it is poured into a copper vessel called a Chirori and placed in a warming apparatus called an okanban (a term also used for the person responsible for warming the sake).
91
How many sake breweries are in Japan?
1500. 75% of the 1500 are in production
Pre WWII there were 30,000 breweries. The war took a huge toll on sake production. The producers that did continue producing during that time added distillate to stretch the sake.
92
Which are the two sake GI's?
- Yamagata prefecture GI
- Hakusan Kikusake GI (not full prefecture)
- Prefecture: Ishikawa
- City: Hakusan
93
What type of ingredient is Yamada Nishiki
Rice!
The king of sake rice
94
What is a Kura?
Sake brewery
95
Are iron and manganese in sake water good for Sake?
No - these will lead to off flavors and colors
96
Potassium, magnesium and phosphoric acid are good for sake, true or false?
True
97
Which are the three common strains of sake yeast?
#7, #9, #10
#7 used the most - very robust and good in different environments
98
What is a toji?
Brewer/Brewmaster
Average age of a toji 65 years old
Young people aren't as interested - it's seasonal work (winter) and very hard work
99
When did Brewer's alcohol first begin being added to sake?
1603-1868 Edo Period
| Then again at/after WWII
100
What does Junmai indicate on a bottle of sake?
Made without brewers alcohol "pure"
101
What is a synonym for Shubo?
Moto - the fermentation starter
102
What is multiple parallel fermentation?
The starch is being converted to sugar and sugar is being converted to alcohol.
Koji converts starches to fermentable sugars. Yeast helps the fermentation (not the Koji, but Koji makes the sugar available to the yeast).
103
What is shiboritate sake?
Freshly squeezed sake. Squeezed then bottled (not filtered)
104
What is shiboritate sake?
Freshly squeezed sake. Squeezed then bottled (no storage phase)
105
How is sake filtered?
With the use of charcoal.
This corrects the color (clears the color)
106
When did pasteurization begin in Japan?
16th century (far before Louis Pasteur in France)
107
Traditionally, how many times is sake pasteurized?
Twice
108
After pasteurization, what happens with the sake?
Stored for about 6month to rest before bottled
109
Is sake often diluted with water?
yes. After fermentation the ABV is 20-22% and is diluted down to 15-17%
110
What does genshu indicate on a label?
Undiluted sake.
111
What is futsushu?
"Table" sake - inexpensive generally low grade sake
112
What does "Tokubetsu" mean?
Translates to "special" - can be "special" because of higher percentage polished rice, special kind of sake rice or made in a special style (like Kimoto.)
Also refers to 60% rice remaining after polish
113
What does brewers alcohol add to sake?
It makes the sake slightly less acidic.
It also can bring out some of the fruity, floral flavors of sake and effects the texture - making it lighter and more delicate
114
What does Kimoto and Yamahai indicate?
Originally, they referred to how the sake was made by pole ramming the fermentation mash, the idea being you need to put the pole into the fermentation mash to get the starches to convert to sugar, creating lactic acid.
Now, instead of adding lactic acid in directly to the moto (like most Kura's do), they're letting it happen naturally. With this method you need to be really careful with hygiene.
The end results are earthy, rich, gamey, "wild" styles of sake
115
What is namazake?
```
Unpasteurzied sake.
Nama -> raw
Released in the spring
Must remain refrigerated at all times
Can go bad: yeasty, sweet, funky, cloudy
```
116
What is Hiyaroshi?
A namesake that is stored a bid and released in the fall
117
What is a namachozo?
A namazake, pasteurized once before shipping
118
What is Shizuku?
A method of pressing sake - instead of putting mash into accordion press or otherwise, mash goes into bags to hang and is dripped out.
This is usually reserved for Daiginjo grade sake
119
What does Nigori mean?
Not filtered but coarsely pressed, in bags with larger pores.
Cloudy: light to very cloudy
Typically slightly sweet and creamy, best served chilled
120
What is a taru?
Cedar wood vessel traditionally used to age sake
121
What does nihonshu or seishu indicate on a sake label?
Either Nihonshu or Seishu needs to be on a sake label because it indicates that the beverage in the bottle is indeed sake.
Seishu "clear liquid" Nihonshu "traditional Japanese beverage"
122
What is the standard sake bottle size?
720 ml (or 24 oz)
123
What doe the +/- scale indicate on sake?
A measure of the density of sake to water, indicating if a sake will be sweet or dry. A lower number is sweeter (-22 is sweet) positive numbers are dry
