Speciality Styles of Sake

Question 1

Is nigori-zake filtered?

Answer 1

Yes - legal requirement.

A very coarse filter is used

Question 2

When was nigori-zake first made?

Answer 2

1960s in Kyoto (Fushimi)

Question 3

What styles of nigori-zake can be made?

Answer 3

Almost anything!
Daiginjō to futsū-shu, sparkling, nama etc.

Usu-nigori - light lees
Heavy lees - this style has thick texture and usually high acidity

Question 4

When was sparkling sake first made?

Answer 4

First commercialised in 1990s

Question 5

How is sake made sparkling?

Answer 5

• carbonation
• bottle fermentation
• live nigori (still fermenting)

Question 6

What is live nigori?

Answer 6

The most traditional style of sparkling sake.
Seasonal style released around Christmas.
Highly unstable as it is still fermenting.
Generally cannot be exported as alcohol level changes day to day.

Question 7

What is koshu?

Answer 7

Aged sake.
Deeper colour - gold through amber and brown.
Richness and complexity - typically caramel, toffee, nuts, soy, pickled vegetables

Question 8

How does the production method impact koshu?

Answer 8

• Coarser polishing, warm temperatures and large vessel aging with oxygen leads to faster and more distinctive ageing.
• Fine polishing, cooler temperatures, smaller essels with less or no oxygen leads to slow and subtle ageing

Question 9

Is there a minimum ageing requirement for koshu?

Answer 9

No.
Generally 2 years in practise.
The Long-term Matured Sake Research Group requires members to age for minimum 3 years

Question 10

What is the ageing requirement for age dated koshu?

Answer 10

The date must be the youngest component in the sake

Question 11

What is kijōshu?

Answer 11

Sweet sake - full bodied and complex
A portion of the water added to the moromi is replaced by sake. The alcohol-tolerant yeast continues to ferment, but as it reaches the upper limit there will still be unfermented sugar.

Question 12

What can koshu be aged in? What impact does this have?

Answer 12

Anything - stainless steel, bottle, ceramic, ex-wine cask, and more.
The smaller the vessel and cooler the temperature, the slower the ageing. Less oxygen retains freshness. More oxygen develops koshu character and colour.

Question 13

When was kijōshu developed?

Answer 13

1973, first released 1974

Question 14

Which speciality sake has higher levels of malic and lactic acid than regular sake?

Answer 14

Kijōshu

Question 15

What is the ratio used for kijōshu moromi?

Answer 15

80 parts steamed rice
20 parts kōji
And instead of the usual 130 parts water, 
60 parts water
70 parts sake