Sake Terms Flashcards
What does Bijinshu mean?
“Beautiful Girl”. This improvement of the sake making process involves only using virgin girls to chew the rice in order to start fermentation.
What does Bodai Moto mean?
“Monk’s sake” A term used for the time period when temple-brewed sake was at its peak.
What does Chotei no sake mean?
“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.
What does Dai Ginjo mean?
A sake with added distilled alcohol and a milling rate of at least 50%, meaning that only 50% remains after being polished.
What does Futsushu mean?
Commonly known as “table sake”, futsushu typically means any non-premium brew
What does Genshu mean?
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.
What does Ginjo mean?
A sake with added distilled alcohol and a milling rate of at least 40% meaning 60% remains after the process.
What does Honjozo mean?
A category of sake with a milling rate of at least 30%. This type of sake also includes added brewers alcohol to the mix.
What does Izakaya mean?
A Japanese drinking restaurant that offers traditional fare accompanied with sake. Typically popular with the business crowd seeking that “much needed post-work drink”
What does Jizake mean?
Roughly translated into “Local sake” Equivalent, and as overused, as the term “micro-brewery” in the United States. Local artisan sake.
What does Junmai Ginjo mean?
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.
What does Junmai Dai Ginjo mean?
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.
What does Junmai mean?
A category of sake that has a milling rate of 30% for each rice grain, meaning that 70% of the exterior grain remains.
What does Kanpai mean?
Translated into “Empty Cup!” or “Cheers”!
What does Kan-zukuri mean?
The term used for the winter brewing season
What does Kimoto mean?
A method of creating a “moto” or yeast starter by following the traditional brewing steps. Still used today for certain brews.
What does Koji mean?
Blanket term used for the mold culture that is used in the fermentation process of sake.
What does “ Kuchikama no Sake” mean?
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.
What does Kura mean?
Simply means a sake brewery. Also known as a sakagura.
What does Kurabito mean?
One who works within a sake brewery
What does Masu mean?
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.
What does “Minzoku no sake” mean?
A reference to the communal period when sake making involved an entire village.
What does Moromi mean?
“The Main Mash”. A vital step in the brewing process of sake where all the ingredients are added tether and the fermentation begins.
What does “Moto” mean?
A way to “jump start” the fermentation process. The moto is a combination of yeast, rice, water, and lactic acid.
What does Nama mean?
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.
What does Nigori mean?
Sake that is unfiltered. Typically cloudy with a sediment that settles at the bottom of the bottle.
What does Nihonshu mean?
“Wine of Japan” The official name for what the Western world calls “sake”
What does Nihonshudo mean?
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.
What does Sakaya no Sake mean?
The formal term for a brewery
What does Sakaya mean?
A wide ranging term that can be used to describe either a shop that sells sake OR a brewery
What is Seishu?
the legal term for Nihonshu
What does Shizuku refer to?
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.
What is Schochu?
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.
What does SMV refer to?
The Sake Meter Value
a.k.a. Nihonshudo
What does the term “Toji” refer to?
The master brewer at any given kura
What is Tokubetsu?
A special designation for either Junmai or Honjozo brews.
What is Yamahai?
An updated method of the Kimoto process that creates yeast starters for brewing.
