Week 2 - Sake

Question 1

What is sake?

Answer 1

A fermented rice-based beverage

Use this to answer “Style” on tasting note

Question 2

Sake ABV:

Answer 2

17-20%

Question 3

Sake production process: simple of complex?

Answer 3

Complex

Question 4

What is created during the sake fermentation process? From what?

Answer 4

Converts rice sugar into alcohol

Question 5

Crucial ingredient to make sake:

Answer 5

Water: impacts style and terroir

Question 6

Two things water determines in sake:

Answer 6

Style
“Terroir” of the sake

Question 7

Is the sugar in grains and seeds fermentable?

Answer 7

No. Sugars are locked in the form of complex carbohydrates and are not directly fermentable

Question 8

What is saccharification?

Answer 8

Process of using plant enzymes to convert unfermentable sugars into fermentable ones

Question 9

Is saccarification important?

Answer 9

Yes - it is a core step in making beer, sake, and grain-based distillates

Question 10

What is Multiple Parallel Fermentation?

Answer 10

Saccharification and fermentation are happening simultaneously

Question 11

Common fault in sake:

Answer 11

Light strike

Question 12

Is rice acidic?

Answer 12

No. During fermentation, acidification needs to occur

Question 13

Synonym for sake rice:

Answer 13

Sakamai

Question 14

Six ways sakamai is different from table rice:

Answer 14

Bigger
Greater water absorbency
Less sticky
Soft outside and inside (reg rice is soft and chewy)
Higher fat content
Fewer proteins

Question 15

Which has a higher starch content: sakamai or table rice?

Answer 15

Sakamai

Question 16

Number of rice cultivars:

Answer 16

Over 100

Question 17

Most popular cultivar for Sake:

Answer 17

Yamada Nishiki

(type of bike you had growing up)

Question 18

Name of starchy core in Sakamai:

Answer 18

Shinpaku

Question 19

What does rice cultivar contribute to Sake:

Answer 19

Some characteristics to final sake

Question 20

Rice grain components:

Answer 20

Bran

Protein
Fat
Lipid

Question 21

Ratio of starch to other in sakamai:

Answer 21

Starch: 60%
Bran, fat, lipids, protein: 40%

Question 22

What does rice-polishing ratio of 60% mean?

Answer 22

60% is remaining

Question 23

Two reasons to polish rice:

Answer 23

Removes unwanted bran and proteins that cause unwanted flavours during fermentation process

Expose more of the starchy heart to koji

Question 24

What can proteins and bran add to sake?

Answer 24

Unwanted flavours during fermentation process

Question 25

What is Semiaibuai?

Answer 25

Refers to the remainder of the rice grain (polishing rate)

Question 26

Purpose of rice washing:

Answer 26

Removes dirt and impurities Leeches out exterior starches

Question 27

Result of rice steeping:

Answer 27

Softens grains

Question 28

What does steaming do to rice?

Answer 28

Opens the grain Allow for koji spores to penetrate and get into the interior of the starch

Question 29

First 4 steps in prepping sakamai for sake:

Answer 29

1) Polishing 2) Washing 3) Steeping 4) Steaming

Question 30

What does rice prep do?

Answer 30

Softens grains Starches are accessible to amylase and koji which breaks down starches into simple sugars

Question 31

What do koji spores need?

Answer 31

Warm humid environment

Question 32

Scientific name for koji:

Answer 32

Aspergillis Oryzae

Question 33

Why is temperature control important in sake production?

Answer 33

Ensures the koji spores will break starches down into simple sugars

Question 34

Length of time for koji to work:

Answer 34

45 hours

Question 35

Length of time for the koji to penetrate into the starch influences what in sake?

Answer 35

Style

Question 36

Describe the sake fermentation process.

Answer 36

Fermentation starts in a small starter batch that is added to the main fermentation

Question 37

What is the mother culture called?

Answer 37

Moto or Shubo

Question 38

Must Moto be acidic?

Answer 38

Yes. Sake rice is not naturally acidic

Question 39

What is added to acidify the mother culture / Moto?

Answer 39

Lactic bacteria is added

Question 40

How is lactic acid added to the Moto?

Answer 40

Either naturally or by innoculation

Question 41

What happens when the Moto or Shubo is suffiently acidified with Lactic Acid Bacteria?

Answer 41

The moto is inoculated with a chosen yeast.

Question 42

What is the third method of inoculating with natural yeast called?

Answer 42

Kimoto

Question 43

How is the main fermentation built up?

Answer 43

Built up over a couple of days A portion of Moto is added to steamed rice, koji, water, and Moto in large tanks

Question 44

How cool are fermentations kept? Why?

Answer 44

Cool. This preserves esters and aromatics

Question 45

How long does the main fermentation process take?

Answer 45

4 weeks

Question 46

What is the main fermentation called?

Answer 46

Moromi

Question 47

How was sake mash traditionally hung?

Answer 47

Hung in cloth bags

Question 48

What is extracted from the sake mash during the pressing process?

Answer 48

Press fractions

Question 49

How sake press fractions differ from each other:

Answer 49

Different flavours, solids and size of particles

Question 50

Three types of press fractions from sake mash:

Answer 50

Arabashiri Nakadori Seme

Question 51

Describe Arabashiri:

Answer 51

Coarse and rustic sake

Question 52

Describe Nakadori press fractions:

Answer 52

Prized: elegant and delicate

Question 53

Describe Seme press fractions:

Answer 53

Cloudy Bitter Dregs

Question 54

What happens when Sake is filtered through a more coarse mesh?

Answer 54

Hazier and cloudier style called Nigori Sake

Question 55

How is freshly pressed sake filtered?

Answer 55

Settling period Large solids settle and are racked off

Question 56

Sake fining agents?

Answer 56

Persimmon tannins Colloidal silica

Question 57

What does sake fining remove?

Answer 57

Excess or unwanted proteins

Question 58

What other substance can be used to filter sake?

Answer 58

Charcoal

Question 59

What does charcoal filtering do to sake?

Answer 59

Adjusts for colour Refines flavouring

Question 60

Negative impact of charcoal filtering:

Answer 60

Strips everything

Question 61

How can the alcohol content in sake be adjusted?

Answer 61

Sake can be diluted or fortified

Question 62

What determines alcohol content?

Answer 62

Brewer's preference Desired style of sake

Question 63

Sake is diluted down to ____% abv.

Answer 63

15%

Question 64

ABV of many sakes:

Answer 64

17-20%

Question 65

What is Jozo alcohol:

Answer 65

A neutral sugar or grain spirit added to sake

Question 66

Jozo impact on sake:

Answer 66

Fortifies Rounds out Softens texture Enhances flavour profile and aromas

Question 67

What is undiluted sake called?

Answer 67

Genshu

Question 68

What sake is made with brewers yeast?

Answer 68

Honjozo / Ginjo / Daiginjo

Question 69

What does Junmai indicate?

Answer 69

Pure sake without added alcohol

Question 70

Sake with Junmai in the name has what ingredients?

Answer 70

Rice Water Koji

Question 71

Daiginjo, ginjo and honjozo sakes have what ingredients:

Answer 71

Water Rice Koji Alcohol

Question 72

Sake - 90% polishing

Answer 72

Junmai (no distilled alcohol) Honjozo (fortified)

Question 73

Sakes with 60% polishing:

Answer 73

Junmai ginjo (no distilled alcohol) Ginjo (distilled alcohol)

Question 74

Sake with 50% polishing:

Answer 74

Junmai daiginjo (with distilled alcohol) Daiginjo (no distilled alcohol)

Question 75

Sake with 90% polishing flavours:

Answer 75

Savoury Earthy Light aroma Heavy Bitter Sour

Question 76

Sake characteristics with 50% polishing:

Answer 76

Fruity Floral Aromatic Light Clean Soft

Question 77

List sake (with distillate) from least polished to most polished:

Answer 77

Honjozo (90%) Tokubetsu honjozo (70%) Ginjo (60%) Daiginjo (50%)

Question 78

List sake (no distillate) from least polished to most polished:

Answer 78

Junmai Tokubetsu junmai Junmai ginjo Junmai daiginjo