Sake L3 Flashcards
What are the 2 main possible effects to sake when adding jozō alcohol?
- increased expression of aromas
- lighter palate profile
What does Nama-zake refer to on a sake label?
- sake that has not been pasteurized.
What are 2 nutrients very important to grow Sake rice successfully with large Shinpaku
- nitrogen and calcium
What does the term Genshu mean?
A Sake that has not had water added before bottling.
This is a legally defined term
What is the standard volume of a gō?
A gō is 180ml and is the size of a standard masu
What are two official Japanese terms for Sake seen on labels
Sei-Shu
&
Nihon-Shu
What is the Japanese word for traditional Sake cup
O-choko
Typical capacity of about 2 ounces
What is the Japanese term for polishing ratio?
Seimai-buai
What are three reasons special varieties of rice have been developed for Sake?
1- they contain less protein than table rice
2- most of the starch is in a well defined almost pure starch core
3- larger grained so therefore less likely to crack when polished.
What is Taru-zake sake?
- sake that has been matured in oak barrels. Typically made of Cedar.
What are two main sub species of Asian rice, and how would they be further divided?
Long grain (Indica) and short grain (Japonica)
Both categories are further divided into sticky (glutinous) and non-sticky (non-glutinous)
What is the Japanese term for distilled alcohol
Jōzō arukōru
What is the term for the rice powder removed during polishing?
Nuka
What is considered ‘warmer’ temperatures for Sake fermentation?
What flavor and aroma characteristics does it typically produce?
16–18c
Savory, earthy and cereal characteristics.
What is Gohyakuman-goku
One of three of the most popular, and highest in production, Sake-specific rices over the last decade
Why is it often said ‘Sake does not fight w food’?
Because Sake is low levels of the elements like acidity and bitterness which can cause problems when consuming other beverages alongside food.
Why is Sake rice rarely grown organically?
The rice plant’s demand for nitrogen is so high, synthetic, nitrogen-rich fertilizers are nearly always used.
Why polish rice before making Sake?
To remove the proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals that are concentrated in the outer part of the rice grain, leaving just the starchy core.
What does the term Tokubetsu mean and where would it be seen on a Sake label?
The term means ‘special’ and would be used along side the terms junmai or honjōzō
What type is rice varieties are used for Japanese sake?
Japanese sake is brewed from japonica rice varieties and are bread to be non sticky
Describe a Sake made from highly polished rice
Tends to have a purer, fruitier flavor and is lighter in body with lower acidity and umami.
What are two components of food that tend to make beverages ‘harder’
Sweetness and umami
More drying and bitter, more acidic, less sweet and less fruity
What is the size of a standard size sake bottle?
A standard sake bottle is 720ml or 4 x gō
What is the Japanese legal term for Sake?
Sei-shu
What is Koji mould
This is a mould that creates an enzyme which converts starch into sugar. It is purposely grown on rice prior to fermentation.
What Kijōshu sake?
- sake described as sweet or luscious
What are the four steps to making Koji
Cooling- steamed rice brought down to the right temperature
Inoculation - cooled steamed rice spread out thin and sprinkled w/ Koji mould
Initial mould growth - warm humid conditions encourage spore growth. Rice is mixed to ensure consistant growth
Controlling and stopping mould growth - controlled by temperature. Cooler temp will slow growth and ultimately stop growth when cold.
How would you characterize Sake made with warmer fermentation temperatures?
The Sake tends to be fuller bodied, with more rice /cereal and spice/earthy flavours
Premium Sake can only be made with what ingredients?
1- rice 2- water 3- koji 4- yeast 5- and in some cases, a small amount of high strength distilled alcohol
Discribe a Sake made from less highly polished rice
Tends to have more savory and less fruity flavors, with more body, more acidity, and more umami
When was the first Ginjo style Sake made possible and why?
1930 when the vertical rice polishing machine was developed. Prior to this, rice polishing was done by hand and it was not possible to get to such a low percentage.
What would be the measurement considered large grain for Sake rice
25-30 g/1000 grains
What does Muroka refer to on a sake label?
- a sake that has not been charcoal filtered to remove colour.
What does the term seimai-buai refer to?
It refers to the rate at which the rice was polished, or how much of the grain is left after polishing.
Eg- daiginjo level is polished to 50% seimai-buai
What is the Japanese term for small Sake carafe used for serving
Tokkuri
What is the Japanese name for the high-strength distilled alcohol added to some sake styles and what are those styles
- Jozō Arukōru
or - Jozō Alcohol
- daiginjo, ginjo, honjōzō, and futsū-shu
(all non-junmai styles)
What is the polishing rate for the term Daiginjō?
50% or less
How would you characterize Sake made with colder fermentation temperatures?
The resulting Sake is lighter-bodied, with more floral/fruity flavours.
What 2 components in food tend to make beverages taste ‘softer’?
Salt and acid
Less drying and bitter, less acidic, sweeter and more fruity
What would be considered cooler temperatures for Sake fermentation ?
And what flavor and aroma characteristics does that typically produce?
10-12c
Fruity characteristics
What is Koji
Koji is the rice, that koji mould has grown on.
What are the fermentation temperatures of Sake
Overall, Sake Fermentation temperatures are relatively cool.
6C - 18C
What are 5 components (simplified) of the structure of a grain or rice?
- husk
- bran
- germ
- endosperm
- shinpaku (starchy core)
Why does the Sake rice rest after polishing and for how long.
The rice goes through a resting period to cool and reabsorb the moisture lost during polishing
This is to avoid cracking when it goes to the washing step.
This process can can take between 3 to 4 weeks depending on climate.
What is the polishing rate for the term Ginjō?
60% or less
What is often found with umami in food that helps counter its effect.
3 examples
Salt is found with umami
- soy
- MSG
- miso
- cured or smoked fish
What are some components that kōji mould adds to affect style and quality of Sake?
- Amino acids and peptides
- vitamins
- lipids and proteins
- subtle aroma and flavor molecules
What does the term Muroka mean?
A Sake that has not been fined with active charcoal to remove colour.
Generally, why does foods high in umami rarely cause problems when pairing with sake?
Umami amplifies acidity and bitterness. Given Sake starts low in these qualities, umami does not amplify levels to extreme or out of balance.
What is the Japanese term for premium Sake
Tokutei-meishō-shu
What are the two purposes of steaming the rice prior to fermentation
It sterilizes the rice and alters the structure of the starch molecules
When the brewer is making the fermentation starter and wants to protect from other undesirable microbes (yeasts, mounds, and bacteria) what can they add?
They would add Lactic Acid.
What is the Japanese name and size of the standard ‘magnum’ like bottle of Sake
Sho
1.8L
What does the term Honjōzō refer to?
A Sake make with coarsely polished rice (70% or less) and has the addition of a small amount of high-strength distilled alcohol.
What is Nigori sake?
- a sake that has been roughly altered or a blend of clear sake and roughly filtered sake. the sake is cloudy because of the suspended particles of rice.
What is the steamed rice called that is added to a fermentation and not used to make kōji
Kake-mai
What are 3 challenges the specific yeast strains used in Sake production need to cope with?
1- keeping working at higher levels of alcohol. They can be as highly as 20%abv
2- the need to work in cold conditions. As low as 6*C
3- deal with a low level of sugar, this low level of food supply.
What is koshu sake?
- aged sake
What are the 3 purposes of the soaking and steaming process when making Sake?
1- raising the moisture level of the grain. Helps produce the best Koji and makes sure the rice breaks up during fermentation at the right speed.
2- changing the starch. Heat changes the structure allowing the koji enzymes to break it into fermentable sugars.
3- disinfecting the rice. Steaming kills undesirable microbes that would contaminate the fermentation.
List 4 items that are allowed to be added to all sake styles before filtration?
- Limited quantities of distilled alcohol
- More rice
- Water
- Koji
Rice does not have its own juice like grapes so water must be added.
For Sake, what percent of the final product is added water
80%
The name for the specific type of Sake cup, used by judges and brewers but rarely in hospitality.
Kiki-choko
It has blue concentric circles to help judge clarity and color of Sake
5 positive qualities of Sake-specific rice
- low protein content
- well defined shinpaku (starchy core)
- large grains
- resistant to cracking when polished
- good water absorbency and broken down easily by enzymes
Rice is cereal grain like wheat and barley and they start each year / crop from seed.
Does the framer growing Sake rice typical start from seed in the paddies or do they transplant seedlings?
Transplant seedlings.
What is the legally defining term for sakes that have had high-strength alcohol added?
There is no legally defining term.
If it has been added however it must be listed as an ingredient.
These sakes are general referred to as Aruten
What is the Japanese term for the white, opaque section of the rice kernel, made up of starch granules?
Shinpaku
What are examples of Japanese cuisine that are high in umami?
- dashi (broth)
- dried bonito flakes
- nori (seaweed)
- soy
- miso
- mushrooms (cooked shiitake)
- seafood
What is the standard mesurent of a koku?
A koku is 180L
It is the measure used by brewers when reporting production
It’s équivalant to 20 cases of 12 standard bottles.
What is the Japanese term for Sake-specific rice?
Shuzō kōteki mai
What is the main difference in rice cultivation between Japan and the rest of Asia and Europe?
All of Japanese rice is cultivated in irrigated rice paddies
The rest of Asia and Europe are typical dry farmed
What is name if the room where kōji rice is produced and what are it’s special conditions
The special kōji room is called
kōji-muro
and this room is temperature and humidity controlled to properly promote kōji growth.
For all sake, the only permitted additive after filtration is what?
Water
What does the term Nama mean?
A Sake that has not been pasteurized.
Often seen as nama-zake on the label.
This is a legally defined term.
What is the Japanese term for Basic Sake
Futsū-shu
This is rarely seen on a label.
What is Yamada-nishiki?
One of three of the most popular, and highest in production, Sake-specific rices over the last decade
What does the term Junmai refer to?
It means that no high-strength alcohol has been added.
What is the Japanese term for small box, usually made of Japanese cedar?
Masu
Not really a drinking vessel as the wood taints the Sake, it was traditionally used to measure rice
Standard size 180ml
Or some are 144ml
Name 4 points to consider when storing Sake
1- keep cool. For short term, below 12C and ideally refrigerated below 8C
2- drink it young. Most sakes are intended to be consumed within a year of shipment
3- store the bottle upright - to avoid prolonged contact between Sake and the closure.
4- avoid bright light - amino acids and vitamins degrade in exposure to light causing the Saje to discolor and squire unpleasant aromas.
for Futsu-shu sake only, what other additions are allowed before filtration
- Sweetness (adding glucose)
- Acidity (adding organic acid)
- Umami (adding amino acids)
What is Miyama-nishiki
One of three of the most popular Sake-specific rices over the last decade
What does Genshu refer to on a sake label?
a sake that has no water added before bottling.
this is legally defined term.
what does the term assakuki refer to in the production of sake?
an accordion-like machine used for filtration.
what is the most common procedure for a sake brewers to purchase rice?
they purchase rice from Prefectural Brewers Associations,
who source rice from Agricultural Co-operative Associations,
who in turn are supplied by rice growers.
What is the only part of Japan with a long enough and hot enough growing season to ripen two crops of rice a year?
Okinawa
Premium sake must, by law use rice that has passed inspection. What are the 5 grades?
- above special (toku-jo)
- special (toku)
- first grade
- second grade
- third grade
Written Japanese is made up of what symbolic system and two syllabaries
Kanji
And,
Hiragana & Katakana
What does the term Jōzō mean?
High strength alcohol, neutral in flavor, added to some sake styles before filtration
What does the term Sei-Shu mean?
A Japanese word for ‘sake’
What does the term Nihon-Shu mean?
A Japanese word for ‘sake’
What does the term Junmai refer to?
‘Pure rice’ sake that has not had any high-strength alcohol added
What does the term Daiginjō refer to?
Premium sake made with rice that is polished to 50% or less.
What does the term ‘Aruten’ mean?
It refers to a sake that has had distilled alcohol added.
from the phrase ‘Arukōru Tenka’ which means ‘Alcohol Addition’
What is a Kijoshu Sake
sweet style sake
what does the term Koshu Sake refer to?
A sake that has undergone an extended period of maturation.
What is a Genshu Sake
A Sake that has had no water added after fitration
