Unit 1: Learning Outcome 1: Range 1 Main Sake Ingredients Flashcards
What type of Asian rice is used for making sake?
Short-grained (Japonica) non-glutinous rice
Why do sake brewers use non-glutinous rice?
It is easier to handle, and easier for koji enzymes to break its starch into sugar
What are the two types of starch found in rice?
Straight chains of glucose called amylose and complex (branched) chains of glucose called amylopectin. Both rolled up into extremely tight balls.
Non-glutinous rice has what percentage of amylose and amylopectin?
Amylose is 20%, amylopectin 80%
What are dextrins?
Branching sections of amylopectin which koji cannot break down and are not fermented by yeast, thus remain in the final product. Have no flavour, but give sake unique mouthcoating texture.
In comparison to wine, how much colour, flavour, tannin and acid does sake have?
No colour, very little flavor, no tannin, very little acid.
What are 5 advantages of shuzokotekimai or sake-specific rice?
1) low protein content
2) well-defined shinpaku that’s ideally flat and disc-shaped
3) large grain size (25-30 g per 1000 grains)
4) resistant to cracking when polished
5) good water absorbency and broken down easily by enzymes
Name 5 main varieties of shuzokotekimai and areas where they’re grown.
1) Yamada-nishiki - Hyogo, south-west
2) Gohyakuman-goku- Niigata, neighboring prefectures on the west coast
3) Miyama-nishiki - Nagano, Tohoku
4) Dewasanzan - Yamagata
5) Omachi - Okayama, Hiroshima
Name main characteristics of Yamada-nishiki.
1) King of sake rice around since 1930s
2) 30% of total
3) Exceptionally large grains and well-defined shinpaku, ideal for extremely low polishing ratios
4) Full, soft texture, purity and precision
5) Light in aromas, allowing yeasts to express themselves
Name main characteristics of Gohyakuman-goku
1) 25% of total
2) Slightly smaller grains than Yamada-nishiki, but also easy to polish
3) Light aromas, textures and flavors, perfect for tanrei-karakuchi Niigata-style sake (simple, delicate, dry with a kire)
Name main characteristics of Miyama-nishiki
1) 10 % of total
2) Grain size similar to Gohyakuman-goku
3) Rich, robust, sometimes with grip and graininess, restrained aromas
Name main characteristics of Dewa-sansan
1) Yamagata only, 2% of total
2) Pure, deep, subtle herbal aromas
Name main characteristics of Omachi
1) 2% of total, one of the oldest varieties since 18th century
2) Very large grains, but fat and soft shinpaku makes it difficult to polish
3) Rich texture, earthy and spicy, higher umami, less purity
Name 5 quality grades of sake rice
Toku-jo, toku, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade
Which two grades are used for sake rice only?
Toku-jo (above special) and toku (special)
Can uninspected and ungraded rice be used for premium sake?
No, it can only be used for futsushu.
What criteria is used by the government to grade sake rice?
1) Moisture content
2) Percentage of broken, cracked, under-ripened grains
What are the 3 major tasks of koji mold?
1) Convert starch into sugar
2) Convert protein into amino acids and peptides
3) Make food for yeast
What subtle flavor and aroma components does koji mold add to sake?
Umami and little acidity from protein to amino acid conversion, subtle aroma/flavour of chestnut
What are the 3 important tasks of sake yeast?
1) convert sugar into alcohol
2) create aroma compounds
3) create organic compounds such as acid
Name 2 acids created by sake yeast
Malic and succinic
At what temperature do yeast stop fermenting?
3-5 degree Celsius
What makes sake yeast different from yeast strains used for beer and wine?
They continue to work at alcohol levels up to 22%, whereas beer and wine yeasts become dormant at 15-16%
Why do the vast majority of brewers buy isolated yeast strains instead of using ambient brewery yeast?
To ensure consistency and avoid problems related to mutation and macrobial contamination
