Sake

Question 1

Is sake fermented or distilled?

Answer 1

Fermented

Question 2

Sake is made from what grain?

Answer 2

Rice

Question 3

Define what sake is.

Answer 3

A Japanese alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.

Question 4

How many sake breweries exist today in Japan?

Answer 4

~1400

Question 5

How far back does sake’s history go?

Answer 5

~2500 years

Question 6

What are the 5 main ingredients of sake?

Answer 6

1. Water
2. Rice
3. Koji-Kin
4. Yeast
5. Brewer’s Alcohol (not always used)

Question 7

Finish this analogy:

Terroir is to wine as _____ is to sake.

Answer 7

Water

Water has specific qualities (salinity, minerality, etc.) in different parts of Japan, and it’s the water a brewery uses that helps define its sake’s sense of place.

Question 8

How many types of sake rice exist?

How many are used for premium-quality sake?

Answer 8

• >50 types of rice exist in Japan
• 8-10 types used for premium sake

Question 9

Premium-quality rice used for sake in Japan can be specific to a _____ or a _____.

Answer 9

Region or village

Question 10

What is Koji-Kin?

What does it do?

Answer 10

• A fungus native to Asia
• Converts starches found in rice into fermentable sugars

Question 11

What is the role of yeast in sake production?

Answer 11

Metabolizes fermentable sugars into alcohol

Question 12

Besides converting sugar into alcohol, what else does yeast impart in sake production?

Answer 12

Adds unique flavors and aromas

Question 13

What is the abv range for sake?

Answer 13

15% - 22% abv

Question 14

What is Brewer’s Alcohol?

Answer 14

A neutral, distilled alcohol that can be added to sake

Question 15

Why is Brewer’s Alcohol added to cheap sake?

Answer 15

• Increase yield
• Stablize the sake to give it a longer shelf life

Question 16

Why is Brewer’s Alcohol added to premium sake?

Answer 16

• To draw more flavor out of the product (the alcohol, or ethanol, is an effective solvent)
• Add richness
• Stablize the sake so it has a longer shelf life

The amount of Brewer’s Alcohol allowed to be added to premium sake is much less than what is allowed for cheap sake.

Question 17

What are the first two steps in making sake (what do you have to do to the rice first)?

Answer 17

1. Rice grains milled
2. Resulting rice kernels are further polished so the starchy heart can be accessed (those starches in the center of the grain will be converted into fermentable sugars by the Koji-Kin)

Question 18

What are the overarching classifications of sake?

Answer 18

1. How polished the rice grains used to make the sake are;
2. Whether a tiny amount of Brewer’s Alcohol has been added.

Question 19

The degree of polishing determines the _____ of sake.

Answer 19

Quality grade

Question 20

When rice is polished to make sake, what is being polished away?

Answer 20

Unwanted impurities, fats and proteins

Question 21

Generally speaking:

The higher the rate of milling and polishing, the _____ the resulting sake quality.

The lower the rate of milling and polishing, the _____ the resulting sake quality.

Answer 21

• Higher polishing = more premium
• Lower polishing = less premium (cheaper)

Question 22

What are the sake quality grades in order from good to premium?

Answer 22

1. Junmai
2. Honjozo
3. Ginjo
4. Daiginjo

For good explanations and sake chart visualizations, click here and here.

Question 23

What does the term Junmai indicate?

Answer 23

That no Brewer’s Alcohol has been added to the sake.

Which means that the only ingredients in a Junmai sake are water, rice, Koji-Kin, and yeast.

Question 24

How much of the rice is polished away for a Junmai sake?

Answer 24

30% polished away

Or, 70% or the rice grain remains

Question 25

How much of the rice is polished away for a Honjozo sake?

Answer 25

30% polished away ## Footnote *Or, 70% or the rice grain remains -- the same as Junmai!*

Question 26

Is Brewer's Alcohol added to Honjozo?

Answer 26

YES, **Brewer's Alcohol is added to Honjozo**. ## Footnote *Honjozo and Junmai share the same rate of polishing (30%), but one has Brewer's Alcohol added to it (Honjozo) and the other (Junmai) does not.*

Question 27

How much of the rice is polished away for a Ginjo sake?

Answer 27

40% is polished away ## Footnote *Or, 60% of the rice grain remains*

Question 28

How much of the rice is polished away for a Daiginjo sake?

Answer 28

50% is polished away ## Footnote *Or, 50% of the rice grain remains*

Question 29

What is the tippy top premium sake made? ## Footnote *Consider the polishing percent and whether Brewer's Alcohol has been added.*

Answer 29

**Junmai Daiginjo** ## Footnote *No Brewer's Alcohol added + highest rate of polishing = the most pure, clean and refined.*

Question 30

Define Namazake.

Answer 30

**Unpasteurized** sake ## Footnote *Namazake will always need to be refrigerated.*

Question 31

Define Nigori.

Answer 31

**Unfiltered** sake ## Footnote *Nigori sake looks milky and it's typically off-dry.*