Ch.1 - What is Sake? Flashcards
(132 cards)
1
Q
What is the minimum koji-rice ratio for tokutei-meisho shu?
A
15%
2
Q
What nine items must be included on a sake label?
A
- Name of brewer or brewery
- Brewery location
- Volume of contents
- The word ‘seishu’
- Alcohol content
- Raw ingredients (with seimai buai in premium sake)
- Precautions for storage or consumption
- Country of origin
- Labelling of products containing sake produced overseas
3
Q
What ten items are noted as voluntary information on a sake label?
A
- Rice variety (only where >50%)
- Production area
- Ageing period (where 1 year or longer)
- Genshu (adjusting abv by less than 1%)
- Namazake
- Nama-chozo-shu
- Ki-ippon (junmai-shu that is produced in a single production facility)
- Taruzake
- Date of production
- Terms such as goku-jo, yu-ryo, ko-kyu to give an impression of good quality
4
Q
When was rice paddy cultivation introduced to Japan?
A
Yayoi period
5
Q
When did ancient records such as weizhi dongyi zhuan mention ‘Wakoku’s sake’?
A
Yayoi period
6
Q
When did Harima-no-kuni Fudoki mention sumisake?
A
Early Nara period
7
Q
When did ‘Sake no Tsukasa’ start to produce sake for the Imperial Courts?
A
Late Nara period
8
Q
When did Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, and private brewers start to produce sake?
A
Heian period
9
Q
When did full-scale breweries appear?
A
Muromachi period
10
Q
When were techniques such as straining and hi-ire developed?
A
Late 16th century
11
Q
When was the technique of adding hashira-jochu (high strength alcohol) developed?
A
Edo period
12
Q
In what year was the National Brewery Laboratory (now the NRIB) opened?
A
1904
13
Q
When did the National Sake Competition start?
A
1907
14
Q
What was the main type of sake at the first National Sake Competition?
A
Junryo-shu - a full bodied sake with umami
15
Q
When were the terms ginjo-mono and ginjo-ka first found in literature?
A
1909
16
Q
When was the concept of ginjo established?
A
1927
17
Q
Who established the concept of ginjo?
A
Chikashi Kanomata
18
Q
When was the thermometer popularised?
A
Taisho period
19
Q
In what year was the vertical rice polishing machine invented?
Also concurrent with the spread of refrigeration technology for moromi
A
1933
20
Q
When was the ranking by grade system introduced?
A
1943
21
Q
What was the rank by grade system called?
A
Kyubetsu Seido
22
Q
When was the record low taxable volume of sake? How much was it?
A
1948 / 105,000 kL
23
Q
When was the record high taxable volume of sake? How much was it?
A
1973 / 1,766,000 kL
24
Q
When did the jizake boom start?
A
Mid-1970s
25
In what year was the Joetsu Shinkansen launched? What impact did it have?
1982
Jizake from Niigata prefecture became widely popular as word spread of its excellent quality, and crisp, dry, and elegant flavour
26
When was the ginjo boom and the namazake boom?
1980s
27
When was the kyu-betsu-seido abolished?
End of March 1992
28
In what year did the winter era of sake being, when the taxable volume of sake plummeted?
Which boom followed a few years after the winter era began?
1996
Shochu boom
29
In which year did the taxable volume of shochu exceed that of sake?
2004
30
When did the popularisation of cerulenin-resistant yeast take place? Which was the most prominent yeast popularised at the time?
Mid-1990s
Alps Yeast
31
When was the 'formula' YK35 popularised for award-winning sake?
Mid-1990s
32
What does YK35 stand for?
Yamadanishiki
Kumamoto (or kyu=no.9) Yeast
35% polishing ratio
33
When was sanzo-shu banned?
2006
34
What is sanzo-shu?
Sake made by adding a large amount of brewing alcohol (or sugar) to unrefined sake in order to increase its volume.
35
When was washoku added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage?
December 2013
36
How many licensed breweries were there in 1980, and in 2020?
2,947 breweries in 1980
declining to
1,550 breweries in 2020
37
Where are the largest four export markets for Japanese sake as of 2021?
1. China
2. United States
3. Hong Kong
4. Singapore
38
What are the five rice properties which determine suitability for brewing?
1. Rice resistant to breakage during rice polishing
2. Large grained rice
3. Rice with well-defined shinpaku
4. Rice with low protein content
5. Soft-textured rice
39
What is the seimai-buai of most table rice sold for eating?
92%
40
Define senryuju
Senryuju is the "thousand-grain weight", the total weight of 1000 whole grains of rice
41
What is the typical senryuju for rice in grams?
20-30g
42
What is a typical senryuju for brown rice of a typical table rice?
20-22g
43
What is the typical senryuju of large grain brewing rice, such as Omachi, Yamada Nishiki, and Tamasakae?
Over 26g
44
Which sake rice - despite having a senryuju under 26g - can still produce good quality sake?
Hattan
45
Describe 'shinpaku'
A white opaque portion of rice, composed of miniscule starch grains with wide gaps in between.
These wide gaps lead to an irregular reflection of light rays, giving the shinpaku its cloudy/opaque appearance
46
Why is a well-defined shinpaku desirable for sake rice?
Shinpaku offers a good level of absorbency, and therefore a good level of solubility in the moromi.
Shinpaku are also soft, allowing the koji to penetrate easily, producing koji with high enzyamtic activity
Shinpaku allow for 'gaiko nainan' rice after steaming
47
What does gaiko nainan mean with respect to rice after it has been steamed?
Hard outside, soft inside
48
Which rice varieties are noted as having linear shinpaku?
What is a linear shinpaku suitable for?
Yamada Nishiki and Goriki
Linear shinpaku rice is suitable for a high degree of polishing
49
Which rice variety is noted as having a spherical, soft shinpaku?
Omachi
50
What is a white belly in rice?
A large shinpaku displaced to one side
51
What is the protein content of brown rice?
7-8%
52
What might too much protein in the rice used lead to in the final sake?
Zatsumi - rough and unpleasant extraneous taste
Can also degrade sake's aroma and colour
53
How much protein content does rice with a seimai-buai have?
4-6%
54
What three properties does soft-textured rice lend to sake brewing?
1. Less time to polish (so cheaper)
2. Good absorbency during washing
3. Dissolves well in moromi
55
Approximately how much of brown rice's weight is starch?
70%
56
What is amylopectin?
Starch with highly-branched structure
57
What is amylose?
Starch with a linear structure
58
What is the starch composition of non-glutinous Japonica rice?
80% amylopectin, 20% amylose
59
What is the starch composition of glutinous rice?
100% amylopectin
60
Which species of rice contains an extremely high level of amylose?
Indica
61
According to the Rice Traceability act, how many varieties of shuzo-koteki-mai are there?
What prefectures are these rice grown in?
Shuzo-koteki-mai = sake brewing rice
125 varieties, harvested in all prefectures except Tokyo and Okinawa
62
How many quality grades are applied to brown rice with respect to sake brewing?
6 grades (Extra Fine, Fine, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Below Standard)
63
Rice that can be used for specially designated sake is restricted to rice that is ____ or higher.
Rice that can be used for specially designated sake is restricted to rice that is **Grade 3** or higher.
64
Which rice quality grade accounts for the largest proportion?
Grade 1 (57% of total)
65
How many tonnes of rice inspected was designated Extra Fine?
Of this amount, which prefecture produced the most? And how much did this prefecture produce?
**733t** of 85,179t
Hyogo produced 686t of the 733t
## Footnote
Yamaguchi (Dassai) followed Hyogo in the production of Extra Fine rice
66
How many grades are there for table rice?
Four (1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, below standard)
67
What was the earliest milling technique for rice?
What sort of seimai-buai could be achieved?
Who did this work?
Feet-stamping milling (ashibumi seimai)
90% rice polishing ratio could be achieved
Specialised workers called usuya
68
When and where were water wheels first used for rice milling?
What sort of seimai-buai could be achieved with this method, and how long did this take?
Nada, at the end of the Edo Period
82% polishing ratio achievable, taking 2 days
69
When was the horizontal rice -polishing machine developed?
What sort of seimai-buai could be achieved with this method, and how long did this take?
End of Taisho period
70% polishing ratio achievable, taking 10 hours.
70
1933 marked the advent of which milling technology?
What sort of seimai-buai could be achieved with this method, and how long did this take?
Vertical rice polishing machine
50% rice polishing ratio achievable, taking 50 hours.
71
Describe round shape (conventional) polishing
The length of the elongated rice grain is ground first, followed by the grinding of its thickness and width
72
Describe original shape polished
Length, width, and thickness of the rice grains are all polished to x%, by manipulating the rotation axis of the rice grain and grinding method.
73
Describe flat shaped polishing
An equal amount is milled off from the surface of all parts of the rice
74
What is karashi, after rice polishing?
What is the aim of karashi?
Where the polished rice is stored in a bag for at least two weeks
Karashi is done so that the rice has a chance to absorb moisture from the air and balance its moisture content. This is because immediately after rice has been polished, it loses moisture and needs to disperse heat from the polishing process.
75
Rank the top 10 Production Areas of Sake-Brewing Rice.
Include production volume where possible.
1. Hyogo – 22,338t
2. Niigata – 11,223t
3. Nagano – 4,982t
4. Akita – 4,613t
5. Okayama – 4,092t
6. Toyama – 4,017t
7. Hiroshima – 3,533t
8. Yamagata – 3,378t
9. Fukui – 3,204t
10. Hokkaido – 2,769t
## Footnote
Order: **Hy**per **Nii**njas **Na**ughtily **A**ttack **O**ld **To**wnspeople **Hi**ding **Yam**s **F**ermenting **Ho**pelessly.
76
Rank the top five sake brewing rice by production volume.
Include production volumes.
1. Yamada Nishiki – 28,342t
2. Gohyakumangoku – 17,561t
3. Miyama Nishiki – 5,710t
4. Akita Sake Komachi – 2,343t
5. Omachi – 1,987t
## Footnote
Order: **Ya**cking **Go**ats **Mi**ght **Ak**tivate **Om**ens.
77
How much do the top three sake rice varieties account for by volume of total production of sake rice?
**60.6%
**Yamada Nishiki - 33.3%
Gohyakumangoku - 20.6%
Miyama Nishiki - 6.7%
78
Name the three (arguably) most important table rice varieties used in sake brewing, and their producing region(s)
Sasa Nishiki (Miyagi)
Nihonbare (Shiga, Yamaguchi, Fukui)
Nakate Shinsenbon (Hiroshima, Yamaguchi)
79
Tell me about Aiyama
**Produces a sake that is mellow and deep with a delicate and soft flavour**
Official Name: Aiyama no. 11
Delicate strain and hard to handle
Parents: **Aifune no. 117** (♀) and **Yamao no. 67** (♂)
80
Tell me about Akita Sake Komachi
**Produces sake that has little zatsumi, a fine umami, and a light aftertaste**
Medium heading and maturing time
More resistant to lodging that Miyama Nishiki
Large grains suitable for high polishing; low in protein
Parents: **Aki-kei shu 251** (♀) and **Aki-kei shu 306** (♂)
Grandparents:
Aki-kei shu 251 parentage: **Gohyakumangoku** (♀) and **Yoneshiro** (♂)
Aki-kei shu 306 parentage: **Akita Sake no. 40** (♀) and **Hana-fubuki** (♂)
81
Tell me about Iwai
Obtained from a **p****ure-line selection of Nojoho in 1933**
Easy to polish and low in protein ( --> suitable for ginjo-shu)
Used in breweries in Fushimi, Kyoto to produce sake with tanrei and a distinct aroma
82
Tell me about Omachi
Most historic sake-brewing rice in use for brewing (**heirloom** variety)
**Okute** (late harvest)
Stalk discovered by **Jinzo Kishimoto** who then carried out selection, first named **Nihongusa** in **1866**
9,000ha planted in Okayama in 1917
**Aki-agari** properties seen (more balanced and rounded by autumn due to maturation)
Akaiwa Omachi is a branded sake-brewing rice
83
Tell me about Ginpu
**Sake-brewing rice with the largest production volume in Hokkaido**
Distinct shinpaku with a high shinpaku appearance rate
Resistant to rice blast disease
84
Tell me about Koshi Tanrei
**Developed for making daiginjo**, replacing Yamada Nishiki in Niigata
Breeding completed in 2004
**Okute** (late harvest)
**Large grains** and **low protein** content
Tolerant of polishing to RPR of **below 40%**
85
Tell me about Gohyakumangoku
**Wase** (early harvest), specifically developed for cold regions
Large grains with shinpaku
**Cultivated widely, in 21 prefectures**
**Niigata accounts for almost 50% of production volume** (Good for tanrei karakuchi style)
Hokuriku region (e.g. Toyama, Fukui, Ishikawa) is a major producing region
86
What are the requirements for the DEWA 33 designation?
1. 100% Dewasansan rice
2. Rice polishing ratio 55% or lower
3. Made with Yamagata yeast
4. Made with koji-kin unique to Yamagata, called Oryzae Yamagata
5. Water from Yamagata
87
Tell me about Hattan-kei
There are two main varieties in the Hattan family:
Hattan Nishiki No.1 & Hattan Nishiki No.2
Hattan Nishiki No.2 is **more suitable for sake brewing**:
- shorter stalk and spike
- larger senryuju
- larger shinpaku and shinpaku occurence rate
**Hattan Nishiki No.2** is suitable for cultivation at altitudes of above **400m**
**Hattan Nishiki No.1** is suitable for cultivation at atitudes of **200-400m**
**Hattan-so** is the origin of the Hattan variety; resumed full cultivation in 2004
88
Tell me about Hitogokochi
**Sake made from Hitogokochi is light and with breadth**
Developed to improve the shortcomings of Miyama Nishiki
- Has a **heavier senryuju** than Miyama Nishiki
- Good shinpaku that is **higher in rate and appearance** than Miyama Nishiki
Low occurrence of white belly and grains with cracks
Parents: **Shinko sake no. 437** (♀) and **Shinko sake no. 444** (♂)
89
Tell me about Miyama Nishiki
Developed by **mutation** through application of **gamma rays** on **Takane Nishiki** rice seeds in 1978
Large grains with good shinpaku appearance rate
**Resistant to cold weather** (name means beautiful mountain brocade)
90
Tell me about Yamada Nishiki
Popular among sake brewers because it produces a sake that has a **deep and rich flavour**
**Okute** (late harvest)
Suitable for making good-quality koji and for high degree of polishing
Widely cultivated, in 39 prefectures
**Hyogo accounts for 60% of gross production** volume
Parents: **Yamadabo** (♀) and **Tankan Wataribune** (♂)
91
Tell me about Gin no Yume
Sake-brewing rice associated with Kochi prefecture
Higher shinpaku occurence rate than Yamada Nishiki
More resistant to lodging than Yamada Nishiki
--> has surpassed Yamada Nishiki in cultivation area in Kochi
Parents: **Yamada Nishiki** (♀) and **Hi no Hikari** (♂)
92
What is the parentage of Yamada Nishiki?
**Yamadabo** (♀)
x
**Wataribune** (♂)
Crossbred: 1923
Named: 1936
## Footnote
Producing Region: Hyogo
93
What is the parentage of Yamao no. 67?
**Yamadanishiki** (♀)
x
**Omachi** (♂)
94
What is the parentage of Aifune no. 117?
**Aichi Mikawa Nishiki no. 4** (♀)
x
**Funaki Omachi** (♂)
95
What is the parentage of Aiyama?
**Aifune no. 177** (♀)
x
**Yamao no. 67** (♂)
Crossbred: 1941
Designated: 1980
## Footnote
Producing Region: Hyogo
96
What is the parentage of Gohyakumangoku?
**Kikusui** (♀)
x
**Shin no. 200** (♂)
Crossbred: 1938
Named: 1957
## Footnote
Producing Region: Niigata
97
What is the parentage of Koshitanrei?
**Yamada Nishiki** (♀)
x
**Gohyakumangoku** (♂)
Crossbred: 1989
98
What is the parentage and grandparentage of Akita Sake Komachi?
Parents: **Aki-kei shu 251** (♀) and **Aki-kei shu 306** (♂)
Grandparents:
Aki-kei shu 251 parentage: **Gohyakumangoku** (♀) and **Yoneshiro** (♂)
Aki-kei shu 306 parentage: **Akita Sake no. 40** (♀) and **Hana-fubuki** (♂)
First Crossbred: 1992
Cultivation Recommended: 2003
## Footnote
Producing Region: Akita
99
What is the parentage of Misato Nishiki?
**Yamada Nishiki** (♀)
x
**Miyama Nishiki** (♂)
## Footnote
Producing Region: Akita
100
What is the parentage of Yume no Kaori?
**Hattan no. 1** (♀)
x
**Dewasansan** (♂)
## Footnote
Producing Region: Fukushima
101
What is the parentage of Homare Fuji?
Yamada Nishiki + gamma rays
## Footnote
Producing Region: Shizuoka
102
What is the parentage of Tsuyu Hakaze?
**Shiratsuyu** (♀)
x
**Futaba** (♂)
## Footnote
Producing Region: Nara
103
What is the parentage of Saito no Shizuku?
**Kokuryo Miyako** (♀)
x
**Saikai no. 222** (♂)
104
What is the name of the village rice system in Japanese?
Muramai seido
105
When was the muramai seido said to have been established?
The system is said to have been established in **1887**, in Hyogo prefecture.
106
When did colonies in Ichinose, Okuyokawa Village begin trade with brewer Etsuzo Tastuuma?
1893
107
In what year was Yamawatari 50-7 renamed to Yamada Nishiki?
1936
108
How many generation lines of Yamada Nishiki are presently in breeder stock?
14
109
Who was the yama-nakatsugi in the village rice system?
The person in charge of negotiation with farmers
110
Who was the hama-nakatsugi in the village rice system?
The person in charge of negotiation with breweries
111
What was the most expensive price for 1 koku of rice in the 1938 village rice rating, and where was it from?
44 yen and 10 sen (1 yen more than benchmark)
From **Mino**, Nakayokawa Yoneda
111
What was the standard benchmark price for 1 koku of rice in the 1938 village rice rating, and where was it from?
43 yen and 10 sen
From **Kato**, Yonedamura Kamikume
112
What land formations are suited for sake brewing rice cultivation?
Nice breezy areas
> low mountains in inlands
> foothills inbetween mountains
> areas at foot of mountains or basins
Hilly and mountainous land extending in the east-west direction is especially preferable, giving a large diurnal range --> enhancing good ripening and appearance of shinpaku
113
What three climatic factors impact rice growing of Yamada Nishiki in Hyogo prefecture?
- Warm sea winds from the Seto Inland sea
- Chilly valley winds from Chugoku Mountains
- Elevation differences (50-200m, between Chugoku Mountains and Rokko Mountains)
114
What soil type is found in many Yamada Nishiki producing areas in Hyogo?
**Clayish** soil
Mainly comprised of **Montmorillonite** (a type of smectite clay with expansive properties)
This soil has high cation exchange capacity, meaning that it is a high fertility soil that has a good ability to absorb and retain base substances (nutrients)
115
What is the approximate chemical composition of sake?
80% water
20% alcohol, sugars, amino acids
116
What pH should Sake Making Water be?
Neutral to Slightly Alkaline
## Footnote
Acidity will come from lactic acid
117
What are the two main types of sake-making water, and what are their sub-categories?
**Brewing** Water & **Bottling** Water
**Brewing Water:
**- Rice-washing water
- Soaking water
- Mashing water
- Chore water
**Bottling water**:
- Bottle-washing water
- Diluting water
- Chore water
118
What are the four favourable elements (minerals) in sake making water? And what function do they serve?
1. Potassium
2. Phosphorus
3. Magnesium
4. Calcium
These elements area source of nutrition and promote the proliferation of koji-kin and yeast
119
What are the five undesirable elements/constituents in sake making water?
1. Iron
2. Manganese
3. Other Heavy Metals
4. Organic Substances
5. Harmful Microorganisms
120
What is created if iron is present in sake making water?
**Ferrichysin**, which causes sake to turn brown
121
What are the required concentrations for Iron and Manganese in sake making water?
Less than 0.02ppm
(preferably nil for Iron)
122
What is the famous water from Nada (Hyogo) called?
Miyamizu
## Footnote
From Nishinomiya no mizu (water from Nishinomiya, the source of Nada brewery water)
123
Who discovered Miyamizu?
Yamamura Tazaemon
124
What is the character of Miyamizu, and what sort of sake does it yield?
Hard water
Nada sake from hard water is relatively acidic, with a sharp and dry taste. Characterised as 'otoko-zake' (masculine sake)
125
Miyamizu is rich and low in which elements?
Calcium, Phosphorous, Chlorine, Fluorine etc
Low in Iron
126
Where is Miyamizu's rich mineral content thought to have come from?
Seashells in the area, found in the granite sand stratum
127
What is the famous water from Fushimi (Kyoto) called?
Gokosui
## Footnote
From Gokonomiya (Goko Shrine). Goko means 'fine aroma'
128
Who named the Gokosui such, and when?
Emperor Seiwa in the Heian period
129
What is the character of gokosui, and what sort of sake does it yield?
Moderately soft water
The sake is fine-textured (kimega komakai) and smooth. It can be characterised as as onna-zake ('feminine sake')
130
What is the process of diluting sake with water called?
Wari-mizu
131
Complete the sentence:
Using ........ water for diluting sake gives a softer taste. Further, using ....... water, or ....... water (water made by ...... ....... ) produces an even softer taste.
Using **soft** water for diluting sake gives a softer taste. Further, using **distilled** water, or **RO** water (water made by **Reverse Osmosis** ) produces an even softer taste.
