Terminology Flashcards
all things saké
Arabashiri
The first one third of sake to come out of the press. Typically free run sake from a fune box press.
Happo-shu or Awazake
Sparkling sake. Awake is also a term used to refer to bottle-fermented sparkling sake.
Kijoshu
A sweet sake made by replacing a percentage of the brewing water with already-brewed sake.
Kimoto
A very old labor intensive fermentation starter using ambient lactic acid bacteria and wooden poles to mash the rice into a paste.
Ambient Yeast
This is one of the reasons why sake is the highest naturally fermenting beverage in the world. In the past, brewers relied on wild yeasts (yasei-kobo), often referred to as ambient (yane-tsuki, ie-tsuki), such as those naturally present in the air or clinging to machinery.
Koshu
Aged sake, usually at least a year old. The aging can be done intentionally by the newer or refer to old sake that has not been consumed.
Muroka
Not charcoal filtered. The sake is clear but you can expect a greater flavor intensity.
Nama-chozo
Sake that is stored as Nama, matured and then pasteurized only once before shipping.
Namazake
Unpasteurized sake.
Namazume
Single pasteurized sake that is then stored and matured. The usual second pasteurization is omitted and the sake is bottled. Hiyaoroshi is an example of this.
Nigori
Cloudy sake. A sake that has been roughly filtered. Note “unfiltered” is incorrect.
Shiboritate
Fresh, just-pressed sake.
Taruzake
Sake that has been matured in cedar barrels (taru), which give a woody and spicy fragrance to the sake.
Yamahai
A type of fermentation starter where ambient lactic acid bacteria is encouraged to propagate. The sakes are often layered, savory or gamey.
Propagate
To spread.
Futsu-shu
Table sake, no milling rate, addition of brewers alcohol, approximately 60% of sake production in Japan.
Junmai (Pure Rice)
Any milling rate historically associated with 70% no brewers alcohol added.
Tokubetsu Junmai
“Special” junmai (pure rice) 60% milling rate or made by special processes.
Junmai Ginjo
60% milling rate fruity, light, refined no brewers alcohol added.
Junmai Daiginjo
50% milling rate similar to JG but with more finesse no brewers alcohol added.
Aruten-Shu
Alcohol added to sake not to dilute the sake but make it lighter on the palette and slightly more aromatic.
Honjozo
70% milling rate addition of jozo alcohol added.
Tokubetsu Honjozo
60% milling rate or made by special processes w alcohol added.
Ginjo
60% milling rate fruity light refined with alcohol added.
Daiginjo
50% milling rate similar to ginjo but with more finesse and alcohol added.
Yamada Nishiki
The king of sake rice. Sake made with Yamada Nishiki rice tends to be fragrant, fruity, elegant, and complex. It also polishes extremely well making it adapt at making light and fruity ginjo-shu. 60% of sake production.
Omachi
Sake made with omachi rice tends to be mildly aromatic, earthy, mellow rich and complex. An herbal quality is typically present. Omachi is a very old heirloom sake rice strain. It has been used to cultivate many of the sake world’s most famous rice types. But in its original form, it has attained a god like status.
Gohyakumangoku
Gohyakumangoku generally produces compact, clean, and light sake. Aromatics are often subdued, though yeast largely determines this feature. Gohyakumangoku is a relatively cold hardy sake rice type. Its widespread use is a testament to its toji-friendly nature.
Miyama Nishiki
Sake made with Myama Nishki tends to have a rice, grainy profile with muted aromatics, and often a mild sweetness. The rice like textured profile can be attributed somewhat to the grains moderate shinpaku levels.
Dewasansan
Sake made from dewa san san is typically moderately fragrant, often more sweet than dry, and typically complex. Can range from fruity to earthy. This Yamagata-only sake rice varietal was originally crossed from Hanafubuki and Myama Nishki.
Genshu
Undiluted sake that is often higher in alcohol and more concentrated in flavor and texture
Genshu
Undiluted sake that is often higher in alcohol and more concentrated in flavor and texture
Ginjo
Premium sake. Indicates a special painstaking brewing process that produces a sake that is layered and complex, light and fragrant. Most have a seimaibuai (milling rate) of atleast 60%.
Kimoto
Traditional type of yeast starter with no lactic acid added. The yeast is activated by mashing the rice and koji into a paste with long poles. It takes around a month, resulting in savory gamey flavors.
Kura
Sake brewery.
Moto
Yeast starter, also known as “shubo”. An extremely high concentration of yeast cells is cultivated in a mixture of rice, koji, yeast and water.
Seimaibuai
Rice polishing ratio.
Shinpaku
The hard white center of sake rice comprised from starch.
Tokubestsu
Special. Any sake labeled as “tokubetsu” has been brewed in some special way. This may mean a high milling rate, a very low temperature fermentation, or a very special rice strain.
Yamahai
Yeast starter with no lactic acid added; yet instead of mashing the rice and koji together (kimoto), the koji enzymes work to dissolve all rice so that the sake yeast can activate. Similar flavor profile to kimoto.
