Rice

Question 1

When does newly harvested rice arrive at the brewery?

Answer 1

October to early spring, roughly 7 months.

Question 2

What is the one big advantage of rice over grapes?

Answer 2

Rice can be stored for weeks or even months without rotting or severely degrading which means the rice harvest can be processed in small batches throughout the season.

Question 3

What happens during the rice harvest once underdeveloped grains are removed?

Answer 3

The rice is separated by size in to different categories.

Question 4

All five catgegories of rice can be found within a single paddy.

T or F

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Name the five categories of rice.

Answer 5

Santoh (grade 3)

Nittoh (grade 2)

Ittoh (grade 1)

Tokuto (special grade)

Tokujo (higher special grade)

Question 6

Broadly, there are what two type of rice?

Answer 6

Japonica (short)

Indica (long)

Question 7

Name four features specific to sake rice:

Answer 7

1. large grains
2. low protein content and the presence of a well-defined, large Shinpaku. Ideally linear in shape.
3. Good water absorbency and high solubility during the brewing process.
4. Low ratio of rice cracking.

Question 8

Why is rice cracking undesirable?

Answer 8

It leads to a less effective separation of starch from undesirable components.

Question 9

The features specific to sake rice make what three things possible?

Answer 9

1. The separation of a large proportion of desirable starch away from undesirable impurities.
2. Help the water penetrate deep into the grain during washing, soaking, and steaming.
3. Water penetrability also helps the rice ‘melt’ easily, making its starch available for conversion to sugar and then fermentation into alcohol.

Question 10

How many Shuzo-koteki-mai varieties in Japan were registered as of 2011?

Answer 10

96

Question 11

What are the two most important varieties of Shuzo-koteki-mai?

Answer 11

Yamada-nishiki

Gohyaku-mangoku

Question 12

Yamada-nishiki and Gohyaku-mangoku make up what percentage of sake-specific rice production?

Answer 12

Over 60%

Question 13

How much of Japan’s rice production is used for sake, and of that, how much is sakspecific rice?

Answer 13

5% of Japan’s rice production is used for sake, and of that one quarter is Shuzo-koteki-mai

Question 14

Yamada-nishiki

1. Main grower
2. Production
3. Character
4. Common influence in style of sake
5. Popular in what style

Answer 14

1. Hyogo, but also Tohoku to Kyushu
2. 21,838 (21,000+) tonnes
3. Known as the king of sake rice, it has a particularly large shinpaku and is especially resistant to cracking during polishing.
4. Fragrant, well-integrated, complete and soft flavours
5. Popular for Daiginjo

Question 15

Gohayku-mangoku

1. Main grower:
2. Production:
3. Character:
4. Common influence in style of sake:

Answer 15

1. Niigata, southern area of Tohoku, northern Kyushu
2. 19,645 (19,000+) tonnes
3. Was the most grown until 2001. Easier for koji. Named after the anniversary of Niigatas rice production exceeding over 5 million koku (900 million litres) in 1957.
4. Soft, smooth, clean, dry and slightly aromatic

Question 16

Miyama-Nishiki

1. Main grower
2. Production
3. Character
4. Common Influence

Answer 16

1. Nagano
2. 6.540 tonnes
3. Widely grown in Tohoku, Hokuriku, and Kanto region.
4. Less dry and steamed rice flavour, very subtle on the nose. Pure and clean type of sake.

Question 17

Dewa Sansan

1. Main Grower
2. Production
3. Character

Answer 17

1. Yamagata, also Niigata
2. 1.436 tonnes
3. Complex, not so dry, midly fragrant. Can range from fruity to earthy.

Extra: first cultivated in Yamagata in 1985– a cross of Hanafubuki (華吹雪) and Miyama Nishiki (美山錦).

Question 18

Omachi

1. Main grower:
2. Production:
3. Character:
4. Common influence in style of sake:
5. Extra:

Answer 18

1. Okayama prefecture
2. 1.625 tonnes
3. One of the oldest varieties. It has a large shinpaku, but the rice is softer and difficult to polish much.
4. Generally less fragrant, used to express firmly defined, earthy, rich and deeply spiced flavours.
5. Makes good sake to serve warm

Question 19

How many stages of drying rice are there?

Answer 19

Three

Question 20

The bran and outer layers of unpolished rice contain large amounts of what?

Answer 20

Fats, proteins, vitamins, lipids, and minerals.

Question 21

What happens if there is an overabundance of fats, proteins, vitamins, lipids, and minerals?

Answer 21

It can accelerate the fermentation and kōji propagation and could cause problems with the fermentation. It also makes it more difficult to achieve the precise and elegant flavours that arise from a long, slow fermentation.

Question 22

Why must rice polishing be done slowly and gently?

Answer 22

The grains can become heated, dry out, or crack from the heat and friction.

Question 23

To polish 600kg of brown rice to semibuai of 70% takes how long?

And what level is this?

Answer 23

10 hours

Junmai

Question 24

To polish 600kg of brown rice to reach 50% semibuai takes how long?

And what level is this?

Answer 24

45 hours

Daiginjo

Question 25

A course emery is used for how much of the rice polishing?

Answer 25

85% semibuai

Question 26

What happens immediatly after milling?

Answer 26

Polished rice is rested to cool down and restore moisture level in order to avoid the risk of cracks caused by an immediate temperature change in water.

Question 27

How long is polished rice rested?

Answer 27

Three to four weeks depending on climate.

Question 28

Which of the following sake rice varieties is only grown in Yamagata? ## Footnote A. Kura-no-Hana B. Kame-no-O C. Dewasansan D. Gin-no-sei

Answer 28

C. Dewasansan

Question 29

Which describes Kame-no-O? A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant B. Opulent and complex C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Answer 29

C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki

Question 30

Which describes Dewasansan? A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant B. Opulent and complex C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Answer 30

A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant

Question 31

Which describes Hidahomare? A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant B. Opulent and complex C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Answer 31

D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Question 32

Which describes Tamazakae? A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant B. Opulent and complex C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Answer 32

B. Opulent and complex

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT a true statement about sake rice cultivation? ## Footnote A. Sake rice is cultivated in wet mud which prevents oxygen access so that weeds cannot grow. B. Sake rice is cultivated in greenhouse until it reaches a suitable height to transfer to rice paddy. C. Gohyakumangoku is the most prolific sake rice. D. Harvesting of sake rice is late September to early October.

Answer 33

C. Gohyakumangoku is the most prolific sake rice.

Question 34

Identify the germ

Answer 34

B

Question 35

Identify the Shinpaku

Answer 35

C

Question 36

Identify the bran

Answer 36

A

Question 37

How can weather conditions impact rice growth?

Answer 37

Low temperatures and insufficient sunlight during panicle and grain formation can result in smaller grains that are more soluable and result in heavier-tasting sake. Higher-than-normal temperatures result in grains that are less soluable, boosting the amount of sakekasu and resulting in weaker sake.

Question 38

Sake-specific varieties of rice are preferred by brewers because they: a. have small grains b. are high in protein c. are resistant to cracking d. produce large amounts of enzymes

Answer 38

c. are resistant to cracking

Question 39

Seven stages of rice growth and harvest

Answer 39

1. Seedlings - March to May 2. Transplanting seedlings - late April to mid-June 3. Draining and re-flooding the paddy - late-June to late-September 4. Appearance of the Ears - August to early September 5. Ripening - Late September to October 6. Harvest - late September to October 7. Drying and husk removal - late September to October

Question 40

Name five important varieties of rice

Answer 40

* Yamada-nishiki * Gohyakuman-goku * Miyama-nishiki * Dewa-sansan * Omachi

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT a true statement about sake rice compared to table rice? ## Footnote A. Sake rice grows to be about 25% taller than table rice. B. Sake rice is lighter in weight than table rice. C. The width of a grain of sake rice is 20% larger than table rice. D. Sake rice has more starch and less fat than table rice.

Answer 41

B. Sake rice is lighter in weight than table rice.

Question 42

Which description matches sake produced from Dewasansan rice? A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant B. Opulent and complex C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Answer 42

C

Question 43

Which description matches sake produced from Hidahomare rice? A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant B. Opulent and complex C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Answer 43

D

Question 44

Which description matches sake produced from Kame-no-O rice? A. Complex, sweeter than Kame-no-O and more fragrant B. Opulent and complex C. Rich and aromatic, drier and more acidic than Yamada-Nishiki D. Elegant and firm, soft acidity, dry, tropical fruit notes

Answer 44

C

Question 45

What are the three main reasons sake brewers prefer sake-specific rice?

Answer 45

1. They contain less protein than table rice. 2. Most of the starch granules lie in a well-defined almost pure starch core at the centre of the rice. 3. They are larger-grained, and therefore less likely to crack when polished.

Question 46

What are the top three varieties of sake rice?

Answer 46

Yamada-nishiki Gohyakuman-goku Miyama-nishiki

Question 47

Which sake-specific rice is rising rapidly in popularity after being registered in 1997?

Answer 47

Dewa-sansan