Sake Labelling Terms & Tasting Flashcards
Understanding Sake: Explaining Style & Quality Chapters 3 & 4
How much of Japanese sake production is classed as ‘premium’?
Approximately one third - and this percentage is increasing.
What is premium sake?
Only made with rice, water, yeast, kōji and possibly jōzoō alcohol.
Kōji must account for minimum 15% of the total rice used
In which style of sake must kōji account for a minimum of 15% of the total rice used?
Premium, or tokutei-meishō-shu
How many grades of premium sake are there?
Eight
Defined by the polishing of the rice, if jōzō is used, or special ingredients and processes
How many grades of premium sake are called tokubetsu?
Two
The use of a particular polishing rate
The use of certain production processes.
What is the Japanese word for premium sake?
Tokutei-meishō-shu
What is tokutei-meishō-shu?
Premium sake
One third of Japanese production
What is futsū-shu?
Basic sake
Two thirds of Japanese production
What is the Japanese word for basic sake?
Futsū-shu
Does the term futsū-shu usually appear on a sake label?
No - brewers will usually use a brand name instead
What might be added to a futsū-shu, in addition to the rice, water, yeast, kōji and jōzō?
Amino acids (for umami)
Sugar
Acid
Less tightly regulated
How does futsū-shu differ from tokutei-meishō-shu?
Less tightly regulated. Brewers can add:
Amino acids (for umami)
Sugar
Acid
What is ginjō?
Sake brewed from rice polished to 60% or less.
All of the protein, lipids, vitamins and minerals are polished away, leaving almost pure starch.
Light in body, lower in acidity and umami.
Long, very cold fermentation puts yeast under stress due to lack of nutrition and causes aromas of green apple and banana
What is daiginjō?
Sake brewed from rice polished to 50% or less. Very pure and delicate.
As for ginjō:
All of the protein, lipids, vitamins and minerals are polished away, leaving almost pure starch.
Light in body, lower in acidity and umami.
Long, very cold fermentation puts yeast under stress due to lack of nutrition and causes aromas of green apple and banana
What must all eight categories of premium sake show on the label?
The polishing rate
What are the eight grades of premium sake?
Daiginjō
Ginjō
Honjōzō
Tokubetsu honjōzo
Junmai daiginjō
Junmai ginjō
Junmai
Tokubetsu junmai
What effect does the addition of distilled alcohol have on the sake?
Very little for honjōzō:
- Subtly enhances aromas
- Can make the sake slightly lighter in body
For futsū-shu, it increases volume and decreases price
What is the Japanese term for distilled alcohol?
Jōzō arukōru
True or false?
If distilled alcohol is used, it does not need to be listed on the label.
False.
Distilled alcohol must be listed in the ingredients on the label
What is arukorū-tenka?
Alcohol addition - often abbreviated to aruten
What is aruten?
An abbreviation for arukorū-tenka - alcohol addition.
Aruten is the term used to describe sake make with the addition of jōzō, and as opposed to junmai.
What is junmai?
Premium sake made without the addition of distilled alcohol
Why doesn’t the addition of distillers alcohol increase the alcoholic volume?
Because the sake is watered back after the alcohol addition.
What is honjōzō?
Premium sake made from relatively coarsely polished rice (70% or less) with a small addition of distilled alcohol
How does honjōzō taste in comparison to junmai?
Similar earthy, cereal flavours, but honjōzō is slightly lighter in body
What does tokubetsu translate to?
Special
How can sake qualify for the labelling term tokubetsu?
Three ways:
- Be polished to less than 60%
- Be made only from sake-specific rice
- Include some other process that the brewer has arranged to be legally recognised.
True or false:
Sake made from rice with a polishing rate of 71% or more and the addition of distilled alcohol cannot be called honjōzō.
True.
Honjōzō must be polished to 70% or less.
True or false:
Sake made from rice with a polishing rate of 71% or more cannot be called junmai.
False.
There is no stipulated polishing ratio for junmai, although unpolished rice is rarely used.
True or false:
Tokubetsu sake can only be labelled as such if it has a polishing rate of 60% or less.
False.
A polishing rate of 60% can be one way to qualify for use of the term tokubetsu, but there are also other factors that can qualify the sake to use the term.
- sake specific rice
- a legally recognised production process
What is the required polishing rate for honjōzō?
70% or less
What is the required polishing rate for junmai?
There is no minimum polishing rate for junmai
What does the labelling term kimoto mean?
An older, slower method for the fermentation starter. A sake with higher acidity, and more depth and complexity.
What does the labelling term yamahai mean?
A sake made with a simplified version of kimoto. Like kimoto, it produces a sake with higher acidity, and more depth and complexity.
What does the labelling term muroka mean?
A sake that has not been fined with active charcoal to remove colour.
Muroka sake is typically pale lemon-green or lemon in appearance
What does the labelling term nama mean?
A sake that has not been pasteurised.
Nama-chozō is a sake that is stored unpasteurised but is pasteurised at the time of shipment.
What does the labelling term nama-chozō mean?
Nama-chozō is a sake that is stored unpasteurised but is pasteurised at the time of shipment.
What does the labelling term genshu mean?
A sake that has not had water added before bottling. These sakes can be a little higher in alcohol but the brewer can also manage the ferment so that it finishes in the normal range of 15-17% abv.
Of the terms nama, nama-chozō, genshu, muroka, kimoto and yamahai, which are legally defined?
Nama
Nama-chozō
Genshu
Is yamahai a legally defined term?
No
Is kimoto a legally defined term?
No
Is nama a legally defined term?
Yes