Sake Terms

Question 1

Shikomi

Answer 1

Important sake production process – brewer combines a yeast starter, steamed rice, koji culture and water in a tank

Question 2

Moromi

Answer 2

The main fermentation – the bubbling mash that results from fermentation of ingredients

Question 3

Futsuu-shu普通酒

Answer 3

• Normal sake that does not qualify under Tokutei Meishou-shu classifications below
• Constitutes 80% of total sake production in Japan

Question 4

Honjozo-shu本醸造酒

Answer 4

• Made with rice, water, koji & pure distilled alcohol to elevate flavors
• Usually 70% Semaibuai
• Tokubetsu 特別 designates a more highly polished rice (see Seimaibuai 精米歩合 below) or a special bottling (this actually falls below in the ginjo level since rice is polished to 60% or less)

Question 5

Junmai-shu純米酒

Answer 5

There is no longer required seimaibuai for this classification

Question 6

Junmai Ginjo-shu 純米吟醸酒

Answer 6

• Made using rice with 40% milled away (60% remaining).
• Fermented at colder temperatures to elicit more complex aromatics

Question 7

Junmai Daiginjo-shu 純米大吟醸酒

Answer 7

• Made utilizing very highly polished rice (50%).
• Highest quality level of sake available.
• Alcohol levels can be 17+%

Question 8

Kimoto-moto 生酛

Answer 8

traditional orthodox way of Yama-oroshi – stirred with a long, wooden pole

Question 9

Yamahai-shikomi 山廃仕込生貯蔵酒

Answer 9

traditional way without yama-oroshi

Question 10

Sokujo-moto 速醸元

Answer 10

new way of early introduction of lactic acid to speed the process up.

Question 11

Fune Shibori - “Boat Press”

Answer 11

This method places the sake into filter bags and lays them in a rectangular box [fune or ‘ship’] and utilizes a mechanical press down on the bags.

Question 12

Shizuku-shibori雫しぼり

Answer 12

“drip-pressing” method, essentially letting gravity push the liquid through a fine mesh.

Question 13

Nigori-zake 濁り酒

Answer 13

Cloudy - coarsely filtered though mesh or net (all Japanese sake must be filtered to legally be defined as seishu/Nihon-shu)

Question 14

Nama-zake

Answer 14

Unpasteurized sake

Question 15

Namachozo生貯蔵

Answer 15

pasteurized once after bulk storage - either before OR after bottling Unpasteurized sake

Question 16

Namazume生詰

Answer 16

Sake pasteurized in tank but not in bottle

Question 17

Genshu原酒

Answer 17

not diluted sake

Question 18

Taruzake樽酒

Answer 18

sake aged in japanese cedar wooden barrels

Question 19

Kuroshu (黒酒)

Answer 19

Sake made with no polishing

Question 20

Teiseihaku-shu (低精白酒)

Answer 20

A specialty sake that was been purposely overmilled sake, 80% Seimaibuai

Question 21

tokkuri

Answer 21

a ceramic, narrow-neck flask

Question 22

masu

Answer 22

square wooden cup

Question 23

Jizake地酒

Answer 23

Artisan sake, sake from a smaller kura (brewery)

Question 24

Shubo

Answer 24

• Shubo is the fundamental liquid which is essential for facilitating the alcohol fermentation. Shubo literally means the mother of sake, and it’s also called moto (the base) since it’s the basis of sake brewing.
• Shubo making is the stage to increase the pure cultured kobo (yeast) massively prior to fermentation

Question 25

Tokutei Meisho-shu (Special Designation Sake)

Answer 25