General Information
―Sake is a brewed beverage made from rice, water, yeast, and a mold called koji. It is not a distilled beverage like whiskey or shochu.
―You can enjoy sake either chilled or warmed because the taste and aroma change with temperature.
―During seasonal events such as New Year, cherry blossom viewing, and harvest moon viewing, Japanese people often drink sake.
―Sake pairs well with food like wine. Just try to choose the right kind of sake to better appreciate the food.
―Many regions have their own local sake, ‘ji-zake,’ which has been developed under unique climate and food culture.
―Sake has played an important role in the community as a sacred offering to the deities in shrines.
―High-quality sake can only be produced by the skilled craftsmanship of the supervisors/owners called ‘kuramoto’ and the brewers called ‘toji.’
Types of Sake (according to the foundations)
―The foundations of good sake are quality rice, clean water, koji mold, and yeast.
―Typically filtered (although unfiltered products are also available), the resulting clear to slightly yellowish rice wines have an alcohol content of around 15%.
―Generally speaking, the more polished the rice is, the better the taste.
Ginjo (吟醸) – at least 40% of the grain has been polished away.
Daiginjo (大吟醸) – at least 50% of the grain has been polished away.
They are best enjoyed by themselves (e.g., as an aperitif) or in combination with strongly flavored dishes.
Addition of alcohol
Junmai (純米) – no alcohol has been added to the sake.
Honjozo (本醸造) – a small amount of alcohol has been added to enhance the flavor.Four Types of Sake (according to flavor and taste)
Four Types of Sake
Soushu
As the character for “refreshing” suggests, this sake is characterized by its light and simple aroma. It is often described as “light,” “sharp,” and “crisp.”
Kunshu
Kunshu is a sake with a gorgeous, fruity aroma. It has a clean taste that flows smoothly down the throat and often has a mild sweetness.
Jyunshu
Jyunshu is a full-bodied sake with a rich aroma and a full-bodied mouthfeel. It contains a lot of umami ingredients and has a deep and long-lasting aftertaste.
Jyukushu
Jyukushu has a complex and concentrated aroma like honey or dried fruits. It is characterized by its brown or yellow color and thick viscosity.
Sake and Food Pairing
Soushu
Soushu is a dry sake with a moderate aroma that is perfect as a food sake. It does not erase the delicate flavors of white fish and tofu. It also has the effect of refreshing the palate, so it is recommended to pair it with oily foods. It is also reasonably priced, making it the perfect sake to accompany your evening drinks.
Kunshu
With its gorgeous aroma, kunshu goes well with dishes that have a similar aroma and acidity. It pairs well with citrus foods and herbs. It is recommended to enjoy it as an aperitif as well as a mealtime drink.
Jyunshu
Jyunshu, with its delicious rice flavor, is another sake with a wide range of pairing possibilities. It pairs well with seafood as it helps to reduce the fishy smell of the ingredients. Even if paired with fermented food with a strong flavor, the umami components harmonize well with it.
Jukushu
Jukushu has a complex and profound flavor not found in other types. It pairs well with dishes with strong flavors and spices. It is also recommended as an after-dinner drink and with desserts.

Process of Making Sake
1 Polishing
Sake production begins by polishing rice the main material. The rice is not cooking rice but sake rice grown specially for sake production.
Sake rice contains less protein than cooking rice, which means the low stickiness. The core is bigger with good water absorption. It is good to grow malt and make fermentation.
2 Washing
Next step is to wash polished rice and remove bran. Just like cooking rice, it is necessary for good sake to remove bran and dirt.
After washing rice, immersion is done to absorb proper amount of water.
3 Steaming
The rice with some water absorbed is steamed. It is done in big steamers called Koshiki.
By this process, the quality of the protein changes to contain proper amount of water suitable for producing good sake. It also sanitizes.
The steamed rice is cooled down to the temperature, according to the production of malt, yeast mash or main fermenting mash.
4 Producing malt.
It is called “Seikyoku.”
Koji molt is added to steamed rice. In the rice, the koji molt is multiplied. Good sake depends on the production of good koji molt.
5. Producing yeast mash
Yeast mash is the greatly multiplied yeast to promote alcohol fermentation.
To the mixture of water and molt, yeast, lactic acid bacteria are added. In general, it takes two weeks to one month to complete yeast mash.
6. Produing moromi
The yeast mash is placed in the tank with molt, steamed rice and water to ferment. It takes three weeks to one month to complete the fermentation. The fermented one is called “Moromi,” the base of sake.
7. Squeezing
After fermentation, moromi is squeezed to divide sake and sake lee.
Squeezing timing is very important. It varies according to makers, types of sake, weather, analysis.
8. FilteringSake just squeezed contains bits of rice and yeast. To remove these things, it is filtered. And then it is heated. Heating for sterilization.
9 Storing
After heating, it is stored to maturate. In half a year to one year, sake is changed into good taste and flavor. And blending.
10 Packing.
This is the last process. Heated again, it is packed into bottles or paper pack. This is the end.
