What is sake? Flashcards
What are the effects of global warming to Yamada Nishiki cultivation?
- The ripening period has become early (Yamada Nishiki is a slow growing rice that ripens late and is best suited for regions that have a long autumn)
- Ripening period falls in the high temperature months and the grains do not fill sufficiently
In the sake making, what is the fermenting mixture of rice (steamed rice), rice-koji and water ?
Moromi(main mash 醪)
During the Taisho period, the main stream sake was dry sake with high acidity. State the possible reasons
- proliferation of lactic acid in the moromi
- the rice polishing ratio was at most 90% which caused the yeast become overly active=>the amount of acid in the moromi increased
- When the rice-polishing ratio is high, the steamed rice is not readily soluable=>the moromi ended up dry with little sugar
In what year the Food Agency categorized Hyogo into two districts (A and B) according to regional differences?
1951 (the following year the districts were changed into three categories A, B and C)
In what year “Washoku: traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese” was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage?
December 2013 (believe this is contributing to the increase of sake exports)
What year recorded the highest production of sake and what quantity?
- 1973
- 1,766 thousand kiloliters
In what year the Hyogo Brewing Rice Special District Promotion Association changed the existing “A-Districts” to “Toku-A-Districts”?
1964
(Toku-A-Districts were further divided into Toku A-a, Toku A-b and Toku A-c Districts)
From then on, Yamada Nishiki was no longer cultivated in B and C-ranking districts.
Explain Mura-mai seido (village-rice system 村米制度）
- Said to have been established in Hyogo prefecture in 1887
- The practice continues still today
- A farming contraact between a specific sake brewery and a specific colony (a community small than a village)
- Motivated the farmers to work consistently to improve the quality of brewing rice that would appeal to the sake brewers
- Topography, physical soil characterstics and other factors affect the terroir were assessed to determine which areas were best suited for cultivation
- The colonies were ranked reflecting in the differences in transaction price
List the method of making ginjo-zukuri (吟醸造り）(3)
- Using highly polished white rice
- Slowly fermenting at a low temperature
- Increasing the ratio of sake cake
Three sake-brewing rice, Yamada Nishiki, Gohyakumangoku and Miyama Nishiki, what are the three varieties account for in percentage of overall inspeiction volume?
Approximately 60.6%
What are the requirements of brewing water(5)?
- Tasteless
- Odorless
- Colorless
- Transparent
- Not contain organic substances or harmful microorganisms
List the largest export destination (country) (4)
- People’s Republic of China
- U.S.
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
What was the most prominent strain of kaori-kobo developed in the mid 1990s?
“Alps yeast”
developed by the Nagano State Laboratory of Food Technology
Name the parent strain common to the followings:
* Dewasansan (Yamagata)
* Koshi-no-shizuku (Fukui)
* Aki-no-sei (Akita)
Miyama Nishiki
What land formations are best suited for sake-brewing rice cultivation?
Nice breezy areas:
* low mountains in the inlands
* foothills in between mountains
* areas at the foot of mountains or basins
* Hilly and mountainous land that expands in the east-west direction rather than the norht-south direction is especially preferrable
What is the process of pressing the moromi is called?
“joso” (上槽）
Name an ancient Chinese book mentioning sake
In “Gishi Toiden”, there is an account of “Wakoku’s Sake” (Chinese rullers used to call Japan “Wakoku”)
For sake brewing, rice used is Japonica, non-sticky paddy rice but in what process some breweries use glutinous rice?
The fourth stage mashing as the mochi-gome-yondan (fourth stage mashing)
In the mid-1990s, what type of kobo quickly became known?
Kaori-kobo (fragrant yeast 香り酵母）or Cerulenin-resistant yeast
Which brewing rice is the cross breeding of “Yamada Nishiki” and “Gohyakumangoku”?
Koshitanrei (越淡麗）
When brown rice has been milled, what is called?
Hakumai (white rice 白米) or
sei-hakumai (polished white rice 精白米）
Top 5 varieties by production volume (2020)
- Yamada Nishiki 28,342t
- Gohyakumangoku 17,561t
- MiyamaNishiki 5,710t
- Akita-sake-komachi 2,343t
- Omachi 1,987t
Which rice variety ranks as the No. 1 in production of sake-brewing rice?
Yamada Nishiki
Which brewing sake was developed specifically for cold regions and early-growing and is hard and does not dissolves easily?
Gohyakumangoku
What are the minerals considered to be active ingredients in sake making (source of nutrition of microorganisms and promote the proliferation of koji-kin and yeast) (4)?
- Potassium
- Phosphorous
- Magnesium
- Calcium
In the Showa period under kyu-betsu-seido, what was the most common sake called and how was it bottled in?
- “regular” sake currently known as futsu-shu(ordinary sake 普通酒)
- Issho bin(1.8-liter bottle 一升瓶)
Asian rice consumed in Japan can be classified into two subspecies(2)
- Japonica (Japanese shorty grain variety)
- Indica (Indian long grain variety)
In the Showa period, what was a classification system in which sake was categorized into three grades - “special”, “first” and “second”?
kyu-betsu-seido 級別制度 (each grade was subject to different liquor tax rates)
What are the two well-known fragrant yeasts in the past decade?
- Kyokai yeast No. 1801
- Meiri M-310 yeast
What was the main brewing rice variety Hyogo breweries were using as their koji prior to the World War II?
“Chugami-mai” from Ibaraki, Osaka
What materials are abundant in the germ and outer layers of rice(5)?
- proteins
- fats
- minerals
- vitamins
- other nutrients
Name the three men who either developed or found Yamadabo, the mother of Yamada Nishiki
- Seizaburo Yamada who found a rice plant growing well in his field and developed it around 1870s in Taka-gun Hyogo
- **Shinzaburo Tanaka **who found a rice plant in Ise City, Mie and brought it back to his home in Yokawa-cho, Miki City, Hyogo
- Kanbei Higashida who brought it from Ibaraki City, Osaka to Yamada-cho.Kita-ku, Hyogo to produce it locally
What year recorded the lowest production of sake and what quantity?
- 1948
- 105 thousand kiloliters
How are the portions which have been grounded off from the brown rice used
- Fertillizers and animal feed (outer layer)
- Ingredients for nukazuke (pickles commonly consumed by the Japanese) (middle layer)
- Rice flour to make snacks like crackers and sweet dumplings, rice noodles and breads (inner portions)
In which time period themometers became widely available?
Taisho period
Which rice strain was created in 1978 at Nagano Agricultural Experimental Station by mutation breeding using gamma ray on “Takane Nishiki” rice seeds?
Miyama Nishiki (美山錦）
What were the number of licensed breweries in 1980 and 2020?
- 1980: 2,947
- 2020: 1,550
Name the shinpaku shapes (2) that are prone to cracking during polishing and must be handled with care but has superior absorbendy and saccharification properties
- Eye-shaped
- Spherical
What are the characteristics of Akita-sake-komachi sake?(3)
- Little zatsumi
- fine umami
- light aftertaste
What is soil type of many Yamada Nishiki-producing areas called?
Claying soil mainly comprised of montmorillionite
What are two cultivation methods of rice called?
- Paddy rice (rice grown in paddy fields)
- Upland rice (rice grown in farmland)
Name the two classifications of “sake making water (shuzo yosui 酒造用水)?
- Brewing water (jozo yosui 醸造用水）: Directly influences the substance of sake
- Bottling water (binzume yosui 瓶詰用水）: used for bottling
What is “mixed culture”?
Using a mixture of fragrant yeasts with traditional yeasts
What rice grade or higher can be used for specially designated sake?
Restricted to Grade 3 or higher
In which breweries Iwai mainly used?
Fushimi area and Kyoto
Which brewing rice was developed by cross-breeding “Shinko sake No. 437 (later named Shirotae Nishiki)” as mother and “Shinko No. 444” as father in 1987 and registered in 1997?
Hitogogochi
In what year so-called “winter era” happened when the taxable volume sake plummet suddenly?
Around 1996
According to the Yamagata Sake Brewers Association this brewing sake produces sake “(that) is soft and has HABA or breadth, the way the sake’s flavor grows and expands on the tongue
Dewasansan
Name the seeds of rice plant?
Unhulled rice
What is a term used to describe the shinpaku too big or displaced to the side where the germ is?
“White belly” (it will easily crack when polished and the target rice-polishing ratio will not be achieved)
The Liquor Tax Act in Japan refers to sake as?
“seishu”(clear sake 清酒)
In what year and month, “sake” was designated as a geographical indication, and only seishu that has been made in Japan using rice produced in Japan may be called “sake”?
December 2015
What effects in moromi occured in the days when there were no cooling facilities?
As it was difficult to control the temperature of moromi, the moromi using hard water tended to end up dry becauce the abundant minerals quickened fermentation and sugar absorption
True/False: the quality of the koji has little effect on the resulting ginjo aroma properties
True
In which period Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples and private brewewers began producing sake?
Heian period (794-1185)
Until the Taisho period the quality of sake was unstable and and a contamination trouble occured during production. Name the term used to describe it
Fuzo (rotting of the moromi, similar to acidic spoilage 腐造)
What names given to rice that is suited for sake brewing?
- Shuzo koteki mai (sake-brewing rice 酒造好適米）
- Koteki mai (brewer’s rice 好適米)
- Saka mai (sake rice 酒米）
- Shuzo mai (sake-brewing rice 酒造米）
How does high temperature during toujuku-ki affect the rice?
Higher temperature, longer the chains of amylopectin, faster the beta-formation and the steamed rice tends to remain undissolved, meaning more sake cake, less sake obtained and a lighter quality sake.
What are the requirements for Sake making water for Manganese compared to tap water
- Sake making Water: 0.02 ppm or below
- Tap Water: 0.05 ppm or below
Describe the structure of Shinpaku
A random cluster of miniscule starch grains (starch crystals) that are loosely bonded with wide gaps in between (which gives a cloudy appearance due to irregular reflection of light)
Name Akita-sake-komachi’s mother and father strains
- Aki-kei shu 251 (mother)
- Aki-kei shu 306 (father)
What koji type is used for futsu-shu and for ginjo-shu?
- futsu-shu: so-haze (overall propagation 総ハゼ）
- ginjo-shu: tsuki-haze (spotted propagation 突きハゼ)
What are the characteristics Kobe Group stratum that is said to produce good brewing rice?
Abundant is plant fossils and comprise alternative layers of clay and sandy-soil
Two species that rice plants can be broadly divided
- Asian rice
- African rice
Name the year and place Aiyama (愛山) was created, and the year designated as “brand variety of the growing district”
- 1941
- The brewing testing areas of Hyogo
- 1980
How much the outer-layer of the brown rice has been removed for a rice-polishing ratio of 60%?
40%
In Edo period what was used instead of brewer’s alcohol?
A shochu (焼酎）called “hashira-jochu”
What is the percentage of total weight. of brewer’s alcohol, saccharides, acidifiers, etc for futsu-shu to the weight of polished rice used?
Must not exceed 50%
What milling method was used before water-mills developed at the end of Edo period and what was it called?
- Man-powered milling
- Ashibumi seimai (feet-stamping milling 足踏み精米)
List the breakdown of the grades of the sake-brewing rice
- Extra fine: 0.9%
- Fine: 17.6%
- Grade 1: 57%
- Grade 2: 14.2%
- Grade 3: 7.4%
- Below standard: 2.8%
Which brewing rice was created by cross-breeding of “Hokuriku No. 12” and “Tohoku No. 25 (Norin No. 17) at the Nagano Agricutural Experimental Staion in 1939 and and currently is mainly produced in Niigata Prefecture?
Takane Nishiki
Aside from Sasa Nishiki from Miyagi, which varieties show good properties for sake brewing (up to 8)?
- Akitsuho (mainly produced in Kochi)
- Asahi and Akebono (Okayama)
- Oseto (Kagawa)
- Nakate-shinsenbon (Hiroshima, Yamaguchi)
- Nihonbare (Shiga, Yamaguchi, Fukui)
- Matsuyama-mii (Ehime)
- Yukihikari (Hokkaido)
- Reiho (Saga, Nagasaki)
In what year Yamada Nishiki marked the largest cropping area acreage?
1963
(7,840ha: 2019 harvest was 5,435ha)
What was polishing rate by ashibumi seimai (foot-stamping milling)?
Around 90%
What is the term used to refer to the ripening period?
Toujuku-ki (ripening period 登熟期）
Why shinpaku rice is suited to sake brewing
- Good absorbency properties
- Good solubility in moromi
- Soft allowing koji-kin mycelium to penetrate into the gaps of the shinpaku, promoting koji with high enzymatic activity to be produced
- Absorb water quickly when steamed, the ideal property of becoming hard on the outside and soft on the inside
What are the types of special designated sake restricted to use brewer’s alcohol? (4)
- honjozo-shu
- tokubetsu honjozo-shu
- ginjo-shu
- daiginjozo-shu
When was the Sake Brewing Quality Label standards established?
November 1989
What year was the National Research Institute of Brewing (国立醸造試験所）(the present National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB) 酒造総合研究所）founded?
1904
What is Nihon-shu?
A fermented alcoholic beverage like beer and wine tradtional to Japan
What triggered the expansion of cultivation of Yamada Nishiki by Hyogo breweries after the World War II?
In 1940, Enforcement of temporary rice-rationing regulative forced the breweries to use locally produced rice. Up to then they considered “Chugami-mai” mainly cultivated in Ibaraki, Osaka to be the best rice for making rice and were reluctant to try new varieties. This led to research on making koji with Hyogo produced rice including Yamada Nishiki
How was Miyamizu of Nada discovered?
A sake brewer Tazaemon Yamamura compared sake made from his Uozaki (Kobe City) and Nishinomiya (Nishinomiya City) and found that the sake made from Nishinomiya had superior quality and traced the reason to the water from Nishinomiya which contained abundant favorable minerals for sake making. Nishinomiya water is considered to be hard water while most of Japan has soft water.
What makes Miyamizu suited for sake making?
Miyamizu is rich in phosphorous, potassium, and chorine. These three minerals are vital compounds that promote the fermentation of the yeast. The minerals play an important role during the initial stages of the fermentation process.
Which prefectures are considered to be the northern limits of Yamada Nishiki in recent years (2)?
- Miyagi
- Yamagata
How does the percentage of rice grains that contain shinpaku?
Shinpaku appearance index (%) =
Number of grains containing shinpaku / total grain number X 100
What charactizes the rice containing an extremely high amount of amylose such as Indica rice?
Flaky without much stickness
Who discovered Omachi while a pilgrimage to Daisan Tottori and then planted once returned home and cultivated it in 1859?
Jinzo Kishimoto
Which strains were created by cross breeding Hattan No. 35 and Akitsuho?
- Hattan Nishiki No. 1
- Hattan Nishiki No. 2
List the top five prefectures of production of brown rice for brewing in 2020
- Hyogo 22,338t
- Niigata 11,223t
- Nagano 4,982t
- Akita 4,613t
- Okayama 4,029t
In the 1980s a new sake boom started. What was it?
Ginjo-shu (as well as nama-zake to certain extent)
What are the requirements for Sake making water for Iron compared to tap water?
- Sake making Water: 0.02 ppm or below (preferable nil)
- Tap Water: 0.3 ppm or below
In which period, extremely sweet and strong flavored sake became commonly produced and enjoyed?
From the late Taisho period to around 1940 => the drinking population increased significantly
What sake quality Gohyakumangoku is said to have realized?
“Tanrei-Karakuchi” (light, crisp and dry 淡麗辛口）
List weight of the senryuju of brown rice of a typical table rice and many of the large-grain brewing rice such as Omachi, Yamada Nishiki and Tamasakae
- About 20~22g
- Over 26g
What is the formulae to calculate True Rice Polishing Ratio(%)?
senryuju of white rice after polishing (g)/ senryuju of original brown rice(g) X 100
What are the properties required for sake-brewing rice?(5)
- Rice resistant to breakage during rice polishing
- Large-grained rice
- Rice wtih shinpaku
- Rice with low protein content
- Soft textured rice
What will be the result of original shape polishing?
The amount removed from the thicker portion will be 2/5(40%) of the of the longer portion. The amount of the bran layer that is removed will differ slightly depending on the portion of the brown rice. In terms of protein removed, this method is not satisfactory
What time period water-wheel mills were developed in Nada?
At the end of Edo period (1603-1868)
What is the grain remaining called after the hull has been removed?
Genmai (brown rice 玄米)
Which rice strain developed by a local breeder in 1875 originated the Hattan variety?
Hattan-so (Hattan grass 八反草）
In what year the words “ginjo-mono” and “ginjo-ka” can be first found in the literature?
1909
Name the parental strains of Aiyama（愛山）
- Aifune No. 117 (mother)
- Yamao No.67 (father)
What led to popularity of jizake from Niigata Prefecture?
Launch of the Joestu Shinkansen (bullet train) in 1982
According to the Tax Liquor Act, what are ingredients other than rice, rice-koji, water and sake cake? (5)
- brewer’s alcohol (weight calculated at 95% alcohol content)
- saccharides
- organic acids (acidifiers)
- amino acids salts
- sake
What are requirements to produce tsuki-haze koji?(2)
- Reduce the amount of tane-koji (seed koji 種麹)
- Process of kyusui (water absorption 吸水), mushi (steaming 蒸し）、ho-rei (cooling 放冷）is strictly controlled
What is the sake made from gokosui of Fushimi called?
- Onna-zake (feminine sake 女酒)
Of Hattan variety, which ones are designated as Hiroshima’s “brand variety of the growing district”(2)?
- Hattan (formally Hattan No. 35)
- Hattan Nishiki No.1
Comparing 2021 and 2001, exports in volume and in value increased to what level (how much more)?
- 4.5 times n volume
- 12.6 times in value
In what year Yamada Nishiki production reached an all time-high volume?
1962 (Inspection volume 29,451t)
Formulae of Seimai-buai (%)
weight of white rice after polishing (kg) / weight of brown rice before polishing (kg) X 100
What were the goals of creating Akita-sake-komachi?
- Adapt well to the weather conditions of Akita
- Good sake brewing qualities of Yamada Nishiki
- Good or even better brewing properties of Miyama Nishiki
What are master brewers called in Japanese?
Toji
Which brewing rice produces sake with tanrei (light, crisp and dry flavor 淡麗）and a distinct aroma in Fushimi area?
Iwai
What time period was believed to have liquor made from rice existed?
Yayoi period (ca. 300 BC to AD 300)
Name one rice brand that have a senryuju under 26g but still produce good quality sake according to the JSA Sake Study Book
Hattan
What is the most undesirable mineral for sake-brewing?
Iron
Name the sub-classification of the bottling water (3)
- Diluting water (warimizu yosui 割水用水）for adjusting the alcohol level of the produced sake
- bottle-washing water (senbin yosui 洗瓶用水）for washing the bottles
- chore water (zatsuyo yousui 雑用水）for cleaning equipment and machines and for boilers use, etc
List of Voluntary Information
- Rice variety
- Production Areas
- Aging Period
- Genshu (undiluted sake)
- Nama-zake
- Nama-chozo-shu
- Ki-ippon (for junmai-shu, brewed solely at. a single prodution facility)
- Taruzake (Cask Sake) (for sake acquired Kiga, cedar-like aromaa 木香）
- Terms such as “gokujo”, “yuryo” or “kokyu”
- Date of production
What term is used to describe giving the sake a rough and unpleasant flavor due to too much protein (increasing the amino acidity)?
Zatsumi (unpleasant “extraneous” taste 雑味)
How is sake made from Hitogokochi described?
Light, its flavor having “haba” (breadth 幅）
List prohibited labelling items (3)
- Terms such as “saiko (best 最高), “dai-ichi” (number one 第一) or “daihyo” (representing or leading 代表) which imply that the production method, quality etc is the finest in the industry
- Terms that mislead consumers into believing that the product has won the national sake competitions etc or has been endorsed by government agencies
- Terms that are similar to the names of specially designated sake when the sake is not a specially designated sake
In what year the National Sake Competition (全国清酒品評会) started and what type of sake was featured?
- 1907
- Junryo-shu (pure and good sake 醇良酒）(had body and umami, not highly polished)
Which process is said to be the most difficult stage of making ginjo-shu?
- Koji-making process
Name the shape suitable for high polishing and rice variety(2)
- Linear shinpaku
- Yamada Nishiki
- Goriki
List rice shape polishing methods(3)
- Round shaped polishing (conventional method)
- Original shape polishing
- Flat shape rice-polishing
Sake defined by the Liquor Tax Act(2):
- that which is fermented from the raw materials: rice, rice-koji(kome-koji 米麹) and water, and has been strained (with an alchol conted of less than 22%)
- that which is fermented from the raw materials: rice, rice-koji, water, sake-kasu (sake cake 清酒かす) and **other permitted material **as stipulated by government ordinance, and has been strained (with an alchol content of less than 22%)
How were the prices of brewing rice under the village-mai system?
Every year from the the end of November to the beginning of December,the Kaimikume Colony rice committee, the Yama Nakatsugi, Hama Nakatsugi and client breweries all gathered to discuss the benchmark price and then other prices were according to a set of rules.
Which brewing rice has Niigata accounting for nearly 50% of the gross production volume?
Gohyakumangoku
Name the “mother” and ‘father” of Dewasansan
- Miyama Nishiki (mother)
- Aokei sake No.97 (later named Hana-fubuki as father)
Nada Sake made from Miyamizu (Miya water from the water from NishinoMIYA) is called otoko-zake (masuculine sake 男酒). Why?
Miyamizu is hard water and and Nada sake made from hard water is relatively acidic and has a sharp and dry taste.
When was Akita-sake-komachi was adopted as a variety recommended for cultivation in Akita?
2003
How would the rice used for sake brewing characterized?
- Japonica
- non-glutinous
- paddy rice
What is the third largest component of rice following starch and water?
Protein (roughly 7~8% of brown rice)
Name three brewing rice in Hokkaido are designated as “brand variety of the growing district”
- Ginpu (the largest production volume)
- Suisei
- Kita-shizuku
Which pure-line selection Iwai was obtained from and in what year?
Where was it born?
- “Nojoho”
- 1933
- Kyoto
For glutinous rice, which starch component contains 100%?
100% Amylopectin
True/False: the rate at which protein is removed during milling is more moderate compared to that of fat and minerals
True
Protein still constitues 4~6% even in rice with a rice-polishing rate of 70%
What is the percentage of the gross national production of Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo?
Approximately 60%
What is a term used to measure the size of the rice grain
Senryuju
(thousand-grain weight 千粒重）
In the latter half of Nara period (ca. mid-late 700), what was set up to produce sake for the Imperial court?
“Zo-Shushi”, “Sake-no-Tsukasa” or “Miki-no-Tsukasa”
Which prefecture developed the following sake-brewing rice?
* Hatsushizuku (2000)
* Ginpu (2000)
* Suisei (2006)
* Kita-shizuku (2014)
Hokkaido
According to a record dating back to 1933 in Yoshii, Kato City, Hyogo, what were the top three brewing rice?
- Benkei
- Yamadabo
- Nojoho
Which brewing rice is featured in the Okayama Sake Brewery Association as producing sake with “having substantial umami” and has characteristics of “mild and has aki-agari qualities (quality of becoming more balanced and rounded by autumn due to maturation 秋上がり）？
Omachi
What is the main component of rice and accounts for 70% of the weight of brown rice?
Starch
What is one element that gives ginjo-aroma of a ripe apple aroma?
Ethyl caproate
What is the water used for sake making called?
“Sake making water” (shuzo yosui 酒造用水）
By mid 1970s, what type of sake people started to taking notice and became interested?
Jizake (local sake 地酒)
How many types specially designated sake can be classified according to differences in raw materials and manufacturing processes, and may be labelled by the type name by meeting its requirements?
Eight
Name three compounds that are abundant in the germ and outer layers of rice
- Proteins
- Fats
- Minerals
What is genshu?
Undiluted sake 原酒
What is ginjo-aroma (吟醸香）？
Mainly banana-like isoamyl acetate
Since the kyu-betsu-seido was abolished, sake has been categorized into two main categories. Name them.
- “sake with special designation” referred to as **tokutei-meisho-shu **or **specially designated sake **特定名称酒)
- “sake without special designation”
Which brewing rice is a medium-speed growing rice and reaches its maturation period in its production area (Yamagata City) about two days later than Miyama Nishiki?
Dewasansan
In “Harimanokuni Fudoki”, an ancient record of the regional history of Harima Province, what term was mentioned to rerfer to sake?
Sumi-sake (purifying sake)
How is the Ineffective rice-polishing ratio (%) calculated?
True rice-polishing ratio Minus (-) Apparent rice-polishing ratio
List characteristics of Aiyama(3)
- Delicate strain
- Difficult to handle
- Produce mellow and deep with a delicate and soft flavor sake
What is brewer’s alcohol (jozo alcohol 醸造アルコール)?
Distilled alcohol made from fermented starchy substances and materials containing sugars or saccharides.
This variety is a group of brewing rice of the same familythat represents sake brewing in Hiroshima. Name the variety
Hattan-kei (八反系）
What two components compose starch in most non-glutinous rice?
- Amylopectin (80%)
- Amylose (20%)
Which prefecture started a promotion in 1986 for junmai-shu and using which brand of rice?
- Miyagi prefecture
- 100% Sasa Nishiki (a variety of table rice)
What are eight types of Specially Designated Sake?
- Ginjo-shu
- Daiginjo-shu
- Junmai-shu
- Junmai ginjo-shu
- Junmai daiginjo-shu
- Tokubetsu Junmai-shu
- Honjozo-shui
- Tokubestu honjo-shu
Why has the Nagano Agricultural Experimental Station developed Hitogokochi?
Improve on Miyama Nishiki of:
* small grains
* low shinpaku appearance rate depending on cultivation conditions
What is the result of flat shaped rice polishing?
Can enhance the rice-polishing process but requires careful adjustment of schedule as well as electricity consumption. High rate of cracking and a high rate of germ (embryo) residue that remained even when the rice was polished to 70%
What sake brewing techniques were developed in the late 16th century? (4)
- Polishing the rice used as the ingredient
- Straining the moromi to separate it into sake-kasu (sake cake 酒粕)
- Sterilizing the sake by a heating method called hi-ire (heat sterilization 火入れ)
- Wooden vats for production and storage and made mass-production of sake possible
List the number of colonies under Toku A-a Districts, Toku A-b Districts
- Toku A-a: 91 colonies
- Toku A-b: 56 colonies
Which prefecture produced the most extra-fine grade rice and which prefecture came second ?
- Hyogo
- Yamaguchi
What will be the result of using round shaped polishing (2)?
- Protein, undesirable element in sake brewing is distributed in all parts of the rice grain virtually in an even density from outer layer toward the center
- Still be unwanted elements in the thickness portion while those that are beneficial have been grounded off
Who was Chikashi Kanomata?
Kanomata establshed the concept of ginjo-shu in a 1927 article
In what year the ranking system for brown brewing rice set from Grade 1 to Grade 3?
1950 (revised in 1991 to six levels from extra fine to Grade 3 and “below standard)
What climatic condition enhances good rice ripening and appearance of shinpaku?
Wide range of temperature within a day
What brewing rice was a product of cross breeding by Kikusui and Shin No. 200?
Gohyakumangoku
What is the process after the rice is polished?
It is stored in a bag for at least two weeks, called karashi (cooling/conditioning period 枯らし）
How many grades are the quality of brown rice for sake brewing classified?
Six grades
(the Agricultural Standard Regulations of Japan)
What is generally polishing ratio of table rice and most rice used for sake?
- 92% for table rice
- 75% or less for sake rice
Gohaykumangoko does not get sticky when steamed? What is this quality expressed as?
“Sabaki-ga-yoi”
(さばきが良い）
（becomes hard on the outside and soft on the inside, the ideal steamed rice for making koji)
At what time period horizontal rice-polishing machines were invented?
In 1920s
What practice was established in the Muromachi period, nearly 300 years before Louis Pasteur discovered the principles of pasteurization?
Hi-ire
Shapes shinpaku comes in (4)
- Linear
- Spherical
- Dotted
- Eye-shaped
During Taisho period which brewering area was unrivalled in their brewing skills and set the standards for the quality of sake?
Nada
What can result when proteins, fats and minerals are in excess in rice
Accelerate the growth of koji-kin and yeast growth and can disturb the balance of sake quality, resulting in spoilage and color tone
According to the 1938 village-rice rating list, which area was set as the benchmark and the others were priced relative to it?
Kamikume, Yoneda village (presently Kamikume, Kato City)
List required information on the sake labelling(9)
- Raw ingredients (the place of production: domestic, prefecture or country name in the case of oversea production) For specially designated sake, the rice-polishing ratio must be shown adjacent to the ingredient listing for ricem rice-koji
- Precautions for Storage and Consumption (for nama-zake (unpasterized sake 生酒)
- Country of Origin (for import)
- Labelling of products containing sake produced overseas
- Name of brewery or brewer
- Brewery location
- Volume of contents
- Word “Seishu” or “Nihonshu” if the prouct can use the term
- Alcohol content
What were the parents (cross-breeding) of Yamada Nishiki?
“Yamadaho”
“Tankan Wataribune”
Name two benefits resulting from adding brewer’s alcohol to the moromi
- Enhances aroma and gives the sake a “crisp mouth-feel”
- Suppress the proliferation of a lactic acide bacteria called “hi-ochi-kin” (火落菌） that spoils the flavor and aroma of the sake
When did full-scale sake breweries appear?
By the Muromachi period (1336-1573)
According to its starchy structure, Japonica and Indica varieties can be categorized into two (2)
- Uruchi-mai (non-glutinous rice 粳米)
- mochi-gome (glutinous rice 糯米)
What is a factor that determines the stickness of steamed rice?
- The ratio of amylopectin to amylose
- Rice with low amylose and high amylopectin is highly sticky
How is the gokosui of Fushimi characterized?
- Moderately soft water that is softer than the miyamizu of Nada
- “Kimega komakai (fine-texture きめが細かい) and smooth
In which year the vertical rice-polishing machine was invented?
1933
(refrigerators were also developed to control the moromi at lower temperatures around this time)<= Ginjo-shu became possible
Generally how many hours will it take to polish 600 kg of brown rice to a polishing rate of 70%?
How many hours for a polishing rate of 50%?
- 10 hours
- 50 hours
Why is karashi (cooling/conditioning period) is required?
If the rice is washed/soaked immediately after the polishing it will quickly absorb water and will become sticky when steamed.
Karashi allows it to absorb moisture from the air and balance its moisture content.
In what year Gohyakumangoku was created and and then named?
- 1938
- 1957 (to commemorate the volume of Niigata rice production reached 5 million koku)
When was ranking-by-grade(kyu-betsu-seido) abolished?
March 1992 (“special grade” ranking was abolished in March 1989)
Which period did the technique of adding high strength alcohol was used to help adjust and enhance the flavor and prevent acidic spoilage?
Edo Period (1603-1868)
List the six grades of the quality of brown rice for sake-brewing according to the ratio of whole grain (ratio of good-shaped rice grains)
- Extra-Fine (90% and above)
- Fine (80% and above)
- Grade 1 (70% and above)
- Grade 2 (60% and above)
- Grade 3 (45% and above)
- Below Standard (less than 45%)
According to the 1938 village-rice rating list, how many rank was set based on the benchmark?
- 12 ranks
- From 1 yen above the benchmark to 3 yen lower than the benchmark by 50 sen
What is the 80% of sake comprised of?
Water
What is wari mizu?
- Dilution 割水
- Genshu has a high alcohol content. Water is generally added to descrease the alcohol content to an easy-to-drink level around 15% without losing sake quality
Why was Koshitanrei developed in Niigata?
In Niigata, daiginjo was brewed using Yamada Nishiki produced mainly outside the prefecture and there was increasing demand to develop a local rice variety that could be used for daiginjo
In what year Yamada Nishiki was named and designated as the recommended variety of Hyogo Prefecture?
1936
Which brewing rice was initially called Nihongusa (two plants 二本草）?
Omachi
Which brewing rice was actively promoted by the village chief of Karube-mura Akaiwa-gun (present Akaiwa City) in the Taisho period (1912-1926)?
Omachi
Name the parental strains of Aiyama’s father Yamao No. 67
- Yamada Nishiki
- Omachi
What yeast starters are characterized by sake with high levels of acids and amino acids?
Kimoto/Yamahai yeast starters
After the fermentation of the moromi is complete, what must be done to be acknowledged as sake by the Liquor Tax Act of Japan?
the moromi is strained and separated into sake and sake-kasu
How is Hitogogochi categorized compared to Miyamanishiki on growing season?
Early middle growing rice as Miyama Nishiki but has a higher yield
Name altitude cultivation in regions of Hiroshima suited for Hattan Nishiki No. 1 and No. 2
- Hattan Nishiki No.1 200-400 meters
- Hattan Nishiki No .2 a higher altitude at or above 400 meters
What is Koji-rice ratio of Specially Designated Sake?
15% or more
What results if sake is made with water having a high content of minerals?
- The proliferation of yeast is activated, and fermentation is promoted
- As fermentation progresses vigorously, the amount of acid produced by the yeast increases
How many rice varieties were qualified as “2022 Harvest brand variety of the growing region for sake-brewing brown rice”?
125 varieties from 45 prefectures excluding Tokyo and Okinawa
Requirement of the labeling letters of sake
Using Japanese characters that no smaller than font size of 8 points
Name the benefits of soft-textured rice(3)
- Less time to polish than hard-textured rice
- Good absorbency during washing
- Dissolves well in the yeast and moromi
What predominantly controls the shinpaku apperance rate?(3)
- genetic factors
- climate
- cultivation conditions (diurnal temperature)
When and where did the gokosui(go water 御香水） of Fushimi discovered?
Spring water with wonderful ko (aroma 香) emerged from Gokonoimiya Shrine in Fushimi, Kyoto on September 9, 862 and was named goko (fine aroma 御香) by Emperor Seiwa. There are six other famous waters in Fushimi known collectively as “Seven wells of Fushimi”
Name the white opaque portion found at the center of a rice grain
Shinpaku
What was sanbai-zojo-shu (triple brewing 三倍増醸法）and what led to this brewing method?
- Increased the amount of sake that could be produced
- Rice shortage and lack of liquor after World War II led to illicit manufacturing and the smuggling of moonshine
What were two types of brokers under the village-rice system?
- Yama Nakatsugi (Mountain Agency 山仲次）: negotiated with the farmers
- Hama Nakatsugi (Shore Agency 浜仲次）: negotiated with the brewers
What name was given to specialized workers who stamped their feet to do “ashibumi seimai?
Usuya (grain pounder 碓屋）
In which periods rice polishing techniques still relied on water mills and horizonatal rice polishing machines?
During the Meiji period (1868-1912) to Taisho period (1912-1926)
Why is Iron considered to be the most undesirable mineral for sake-making?
Iron ions lock into the holes of a doughnut-shaped cyclic petides called deferriferrichrysin which is secreted by the koji-kin ande creates a substance called ferrichrsin that causes the sake to to turn brown in color
What is “bin hi-ire”?
Pasteurization in bottle (瓶火入れ)
What is koji-rice (koji-mai 麹米)?
The white rice used to produce rice-koji (sake mold cultivated on white rice to convert the starch in white rice to sugar)
What is regular table rice consumed in Japan called?
- Ippan-mai (一般米）
- Han-mai (飯米）
What is sake that does not qualify as specially designated sake collectively called?
Futsu-shu or ippan-shu (普通酒・一般酒)
Name the sub-classification of the brewing water (4)
- Mashing water (shikomi-mizu/shikomi yosui 仕込み水・仕込み用水）becomes part of sake
- Rice-washing water (senmai yosui 洗米用水）for washing rice
- Soaking water (shinseki yosui 浸漬用水）for soaking rice etc
- Chore water (zatsuyo yosui 雑用水）for cleaning equipment and machines and for boilers use, etc
What is the ratio of the weight of white reice to the original brown rice (genmai 玄米) called?
**Seimai-buai **(rice polishing ratio 精米歩合)
Under the Agricultural Produce Inspection Act, how is the white rice used for specially designated sake restricted?
The rice polised from brown rice that has been graded 3rd rank or higher
What is a stratum the Toku-A Districts said to be on?
The Kobe Group
What are the requirements to be awarded as “DEWA33” and “Pure Yamagata sake examination board approved” for junmai ginjoshu?
- 100% Dewasansan
- Polished to a rice-polishing ration of 55% or lower
- Made with Yamagata yeast
- Koji-kin unique to Yamagata called “Oryzae Yamagata:”
Of overall inspection volume of sake-brewing rice what does Yamada Nishiki account for (%)?
33.3%
How Omachi-kei sake andHattan-kei sake are described by the Hiroshima Sake Brewers Association?
- Omachi-kei: glamorous full-figured beauties
- Hattan-kei: contemporary slender-type beauties
What is the main characteristic of Miyama Nishiki and where is mainly grown?
- Cold resistant
- Widely produced In Nagano, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima and MIyagi prefectures
Briefly state the history of Wataribune (the roots of Tankan Wataribune)
- Believed to be a selected line of Omachi
- Around 1895 Shiga Prefecture obtained Omachi being cultivated in Fukuoka Prefecture named it Wataribune
- From 1916 to the Show period(1926-1989) Wataribune was developed to become Shiga Wataribune No. 6, designated as the brand variety of the growing district
- Shiga Wataribune No. 2 to be considered to be nearly equivalent to the variety that was called Tankan Wataribune in Hyogo
What is the production ranking of Miyama Nishiki?
3rd highest in Japan
following Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku
In what year the taxable volume of shochu exceeded that of sake?
2004
Why is the concept of “vintage” is not so much considered in sake as it is in wine?
The production process is devised according to the characteristics of the rice to get closer to the target quality
Wine depends on the “vineyard”, whereas sake depends on the?
“skill”
In what year taxable volume of sake reached a peak and declined thereafter?
1973
A late-growing rice (Okute 晩生）heading in early September and maturing in late October with the longest history and many of the varieties that were developed and bred after its creation including Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoko are derived
Omachi
What is the gross total inspection volume of sake-brewing rice(2020)?
85,179t
In what year kyu-betsu-seido was introduced?
1943
What was “YK35”?
Before the early 1990s, breweries used what stood for “YK35” as requirements to earn a gold prize in awards
Y: Yamadanishiki sake rice
K: Kumamoto yeast
35: 30 to 40% polishing ratio
Which variety was developed in 1985 and registered as a rcie variety in 1997 in Yamagata?
Dewasansan (出羽燦々）
Who officially announces “Brand variety of the growing district:” every year?
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
