Sake Basics

Question 1

What is Sake?

Answer 1

-Sake is essential rice wine. Sake is produced by the multiple parallel fermentation of rice. The rice is polished down to remove the protein and oils from the rice grain. The more polished the rice, the more cleaner and smooth the finished sake will be.

Question 2

What the FOUR key ingredients of Sake?

Answer 2

Water, Rice, Yeast, & Koji.

• Hard Water=Dry, crisp sake
• Soft Water=smoother, luscious sake
• Koji
• Yeast

Question 3

What is a Junmai Sake?

Answer 3

• Pure rice sake, made with only water, rice, koji and yeast.
• 80% polish rate
• Lowest quality of sake(least polished) i.e hot sake

Question 4

What is Junmai Ginjo sake?

Answer 4

• Mid-range quality sake
• 70% polish rate
• Fermentation is slower and takes place at a lower temperature

Question 5

What is Junmai Daiginjo sake?

Answer 5

• Highest quality of sake.
• 50% polish rate
• Fermentation is slower and takes place at a lower temperature.

Question 6

What is Koji?

Answer 6

–The spore that produces a variety of enzymes while growing on steamed rice. Denaturalizes starches in the rice to make fermentable sugars.

Question 7

What is Yeast?

Answer 7

–A fungi that turns sugar into alcohol. Sake brewing yeast is very strong and can produce alcohol contents of up to 20%.

Question 8

What are some examples of Junmai sake?

Answer 8

--Gyu Examples:
\+Kurosawa
\+Otokoyama
\+Nanbu Bijin
\+Hakkaisan
\+Katana

Question 9

What are some examples of Junmai Ginjo sake?

Answer 9

–Gyu Examples:
+Kawacho,
+Okunumatsu,
+Narutotai(sorta. Genshu as well)

Question 10

What are some examples of Junami Daiginjo sake?

Answer 10

–Gyu Examples:
+Dassai
+Mizbasho
+Wakatake Onigorshi

Question 11

What is Nigori sake?

Answer 11

–Unfiltered or coarse filtered. Sake with some rice solids and lees left behind from fermentation, creating a cloudy liquid.

Question 12

What is Genshu sake?

Answer 12

–Sake with a higher alcohol content because it has not been diluted with added water. Alcohol content of 17-20% also known as “casks strength”

Question 13

What is a prefecture and what are the main prefectures of Japan?

Answer 13

• A prefecture is an administratively controlled region or territory. [geographically based]
• The main Japanese prefectures are:
• -Kagoshima
• -Iwate
• -Hokkaido
• -Tokushima