Sake Production Flashcards
What is shinpaku?
“white heart” as is it often mistranslated… (it is literally “heart rate”)
The name for the core of starches in which the brewer is most interested
What is moromi?
fermenting mash
made from the moto and added to over 3 successive stages, doubling each time, and then fermented for about 45 days.
What is the name of the mold used in Sake production?
koji-kin (Aspergillus oryzae)
What is Sukoju-moto?
Faster and more industrial method for creating a yamahai style, with the early introduction of lactic acid to speed the process up.
What is Shizuku-shibori?
Shibori is the term for pressing the sake from its lees.
Shizuku refers to a “drip-pressing” method, essentially letting gravity push the liquid through a fine mesh. This produces a very fine and elegant style.
What is seimaibuai?
The milling of the rice kernel in Sake production
What is Nama-zake?
Unpasteurized sake
Also known colloquially as “Nama”
Much fresher, livelier and more zingy flavor than pasteurized sake
Requires greater care and constant refrigeration
What is moto?
The ‘starter’ made of Yeast, koji-infected rice, additional rice and water
What are the 2 traditional styles of Nama-zake?
Namachozo - Cellared without being pasteurized, but does receive pasteurization before bottling
Namazume - Pasteurized only once before cellaring, but never again
What is Kimoto-moto?
A kimoto yeast starter takes a bit longer than yamahai to create, but ironically, the sake that results from these two methods is similar in flavor profile
This is similar to batonnage, as the moto is stirred with a long, wooden pole. This process continues throughout fermentation (about 45 days)
A combination of yeast, koji mold and rice are crushed into a purée which serves as a starter
Traditionally this process was made via pole-ramming (yama-oroshi) which is depicted in much artwork
What is Taruzake?
Sake aged in wooden barrels
What is Yamahai-shikomi?
Leave the rice to begin fermenting naturally (about 30 days). Requires more water and higher temperature
The style involves a yeast starter which allows the growth of wild yeast and bacteria, leading to a much gamier style of sake (usually for consumers with a more ecclectic palate)
What is Yama-Oroshi?
Pole Ramming, think Batonnage
Name 3 strains of rice used in Sake production:
Yamada Nishiki - “King of Sake
Miyama Nishiki - More rice-like flavor and more sweet, but less fragrant
Hatta Nishiki - Very rich style with earthy nuances, but can vary in sweetness
Kame no O - Rich and aromatic, but drier and more acidic than Yamada Nishiki
