Sake Terms

Question 1

What does Bijinshu mean?

Answer 1

“Beautiful Girl”. This improvement of the sake making process involves only using virgin girls to chew the rice in order to start fermentation.

Question 2

What does Bodai Moto mean?

Answer 2

“Monk’s sake” A term used for the time period when temple-brewed sake was at its peak.

Question 3

What does Chotei no sake mean?

Answer 3

“Court produced sake” A reference to the time period around 689 AD where the imperial court began to brew sake for consumption. Many technical advances came from this time period as the court’s endless resources allowed for extensive research into the art of brewing.

Question 4

What does Dai Ginjo mean?

Answer 4

A sake with added distilled alcohol and a milling rate of at least 50%, meaning that only 50% remains after being polished.

Question 5

What does Futsushu mean?

Answer 5

Commonly known as “table sake”, futsushu typically means any non-premium brew

Question 6

What does Genshu mean?

Answer 6

Normally brewers will dilute sake to bring its natural alcohol percentage of 18-20% down to a more manageable 14-16%. The term Genshu is used to label sakes that have not gone through this dilution process.

Question 7

What does Ginjo mean?

Answer 7

A sake with added distilled alcohol and a milling rate of at least 40% meaning 60% remains after the process.

Question 8

What does Honjozo mean?

Answer 8

A category of sake with a milling rate of at least 30%. This type of sake also includes added brewers alcohol to the mix.

Question 9

What does Izakaya mean?

Answer 9

A Japanese drinking restaurant that offers traditional fare accompanied with sake. Typically popular with the business crowd seeking that “much needed post-work drink”

Question 10

What does Jizake mean?

Answer 10

Roughly translated into “Local sake” Equivalent, and as overused, as the term “micro-brewery” in the United States. Local artisan sake.

Question 11

What does Junmai Ginjo mean?

Answer 11

A category of sake that has a milling rate of at least 40% for each rice grain, meaning that only 60% of the exterior grain remains.

Question 12

What does Junmai Dai Ginjo mean?

Answer 12

A category of sake that has a milling rate of at least 50% for each grain, meaning that only 50% of the exterior grain remains.

Question 13

What does Junmai mean?

Answer 13

A category of sake that has a milling rate of 30% for each rice grain, meaning that 70% of the exterior grain remains.

Question 14

What does Kanpai mean?

Answer 14

Translated into “Empty Cup!” or “Cheers”!

Question 15

What does Kan-zukuri mean?

Answer 15

The term used for the winter brewing season

Question 16

What does Kimoto mean?

Answer 16

A method of creating a “moto” or yeast starter by following the traditional brewing steps. Still used today for certain brews.

Question 17

What does Koji mean?

Answer 17

Blanket term used for the mold culture that is used in the fermentation process of sake.

Question 18

What does “ Kuchikama no Sake” mean?

Answer 18

A rudimentary form of sake brewing roughly translated to “mouth brewed sake”. One of the first methods of initiating the fermentation process in rices was to use the enzymes commonly found in the mouth.

Question 19

What does Kura mean?

Answer 19

Simply means a sake brewery. Also known as a sakagura.

Question 20

What does Kurabito mean?

Answer 20

One who works within a sake brewery

Question 21

What does Masu mean?

Answer 21

A traditional square wooden box used to drink sake. Now these are typically reserved for ceremonial purposes and no longer the preferred receptacle for drinking sake.

Question 22

What does “Minzoku no sake” mean?

Answer 22

A reference to the communal period when sake making involved an entire village.

Question 23

What does Moromi mean?

Answer 23

“The Main Mash”. A vital step in the brewing process of sake where all the ingredients are added tether and the fermentation begins.

Question 24

What does “Moto” mean?

Answer 24

A way to “jump start” the fermentation process. The moto is a combination of yeast, rice, water, and lactic acid.

Question 25

What does Nama mean?

Answer 25

Unpasteurized sake that contains live yeast cells and bacteria from the brewing process. These types must be refrigerated and like most “live” products, they are best consumed fresh.

Question 26

What does Nigori mean?

Answer 26

Sake that is unfiltered. Typically cloudy with a sediment that settles at the bottom of the bottle.

Question 27

What does Nihonshu mean?

Answer 27

“Wine of Japan” The official name for what the Western world calls “sake”

Question 28

What does Nihonshudo mean?

Answer 28

Sake Meter Value (SMV)

the index indicating the sweetness/dryness of each brew.

These values are determined via a Hydrometer that measures the density of the fluid and are given a negative or positive number based on the density of the sake.

The more positive, the dryer. The more negative, the sweeter the sake.

0 would indicate between semi-sweet and semi-dry.

Question 29

What does Sakaya no Sake mean?

Answer 29

The formal term for a brewery

Question 30

What does Sakaya mean?

Answer 30

A wide ranging term that can be used to describe either a shop that sells sake OR a brewery

Question 31

What is Seishu?

Answer 31

the legal term for Nihonshu

Question 32

What does Shizuku refer to?

Answer 32

The time consuming method of pressing sake that involved hanging the moroni in cloth bags and allowing gravity to separate the fluid form the rest of the mash. Results in very soft and refined brews.

Question 33

What is Schochu?

Answer 33

A Japanese distilled beverage similar to vodka made from potatoes, rice, corn, and a variety of other sources. Usually high in alcohol content and considered a hard alcohol.

Question 34

What does SMV refer to?

Answer 34

The Sake Meter Value

a.k.a. Nihonshudo

Question 35

What does the term “Toji” refer to?

Answer 35

The master brewer at any given kura

Question 36

What is Tokubetsu?

Answer 36

A special designation for either Junmai or Honjozo brews.

Question 37

What is Yamahai?

Answer 37

An updated method of the Kimoto process that creates yeast starters for brewing.