Sake Flashcards
(31 cards)
Is sake fermented or distilled?
fermented
Sake is made from what grain?
Rice
Define what sake is.
A Japanese alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.
How many sake breweries exist today in Japan?
about 1400
How far back does sake’s history go?
about 2500 years
What are the 5 main ingredients of sake?
Water
Rice
Koji-Kin
Yeast
Brewer’s Alcohol (not always used)
Finish this analogy:
Terroir is to wine as _____ is to sake.
Water
Water has specific qualities (salinity, minerality…) in different parts of Japan, and it’s the water a brewery uses that helps define its sake’s sense of place.
How many types of sake rice exist?
How many are used for premium-quality sake?
More than 50 types of rice exist in Japan.
8-10 types used for premium sake
Premium-quality rice used for sake in Japan can be specific to a ____ or a _____.
Region or village
What is Koji-Kin?
What does it do?
A fungus native to Asia
Converts starches found in rice into fermentable sugars
What is the role of yeast in sake production?
Metabolizes fermentable sugars into alcohol
Besides converting sugar into alcohol, what else does yeast impart in sake production?
Adds unique flavors and aromas
What is the abv range for sake?
15%-22% abv
What is Brewer’s Alcohol?
A neutral, distilled alcohol that can be added to sake
Why is Brewer’s Alcohol added to cheap sake?
Increase yield
Stabilize the sake to give it a longer shelf life.
Why is Brewer’s Alcohol added to premium sake?
To draw more flavor out of the product
add richness
Stabilize the sake so it has a longer shelf life
What are the first two steps in making sake (what do you have to do to the rice first?)
Rice grains milled
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)
What are the overarching classification of sake?
How polished the rice grains used to make the sake are
Whether a tiny amount of Brewer’s Alcohol has been added
The degree of polishing determines the ____ of sake.
Quality grade
When rice is polished to make sake, what is being polished away?
Unwanted impurities, fats and proteins
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.
higher polishing–more premium
lower polishing–less premium
What are the sake quality grades in order from good to premium?
Junmai
Honjozo
Ginjo
Daiginjo
What does the term Junmai indicate?
That no Brewer’s Alcohol has been added to the sake.
How much of the rice is polished away for a Junmai sake?
30%
