Sake

Question 1

Name a few varieties of rice used for sake production.

Answer 1

Yamada Nishiki
OmachiRice
Miyama Nishiki
Gohyakumangoku
Oseto
Hatta Nishiki
Tamazakae
Kame no O
Hidahomare
Dewa San San

Question 2

What is Nama-zake?

Answer 2

Unpasteurized sake

• Also known colloquially as “Nama”
• Much fresher, livelier and more zingy flavor than pasteurized sake

Question 3

What is Namachozo?

Answer 3

Sake cellared without being pasteurized, but does receive pasteurization before bottling

Question 4

What is Namazume?

Answer 4

Sake pasteurized only once before cellaring, but never again

Question 5

What does Genshu mean?

Answer 5

Not diluted

Question 6

What does Taruzake mean?

Answer 6

Aged in wooden barrels

Question 7

What is Teiseihaku-shu?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What is Kuroshu?

Answer 8

Sake made with no polishing

Question 9

What is iwai-zake?

Answer 9

“celebrated sake” during special occasions out of wooden barrels opened by mallet. Served freely to all to spread good fortune

*Toso - is an iwai-zake aromatized with tososan, traditionally served for New Years. * “spiced sake”

Question 10

What are the following warm sake serving temperatures?

Hito-hada-Kan, Nuru-Kan, Jyoh-Kan, Atsu-Kan.

Answer 10

Hito-hada-Kan - “Human-skin warm” 95º - 104ºF
Nuru-Kan - “Lukewarm” 104º - 113ºF
Jyoh-Kan - “Good Hot” 113º - 122ºF
Atsu-Kan - “Hot Enough” 122º - 131ºF

Question 11

Junmai-shu.

Answer 11

• There is no longer required seimaibuai for this classification
• Often a lighter style
• Tokubetsu styles also available (these fall below the Ginjo level)
• Sake without Brewer’s Alcohol

Question 12

Junmai Ginjo-shu

Answer 12

• Made using rice with 40% milled away (60% remaining)
• Fermented at colder temperatures to elicit more complex aromatics
• Sake without Brewer’s Alcohol

Question 13

Junmai Daiginjo-shu

Answer 13

• Made utilizing very highly polished rice (50%)
• Highest quality level of sake available
• Alcohol levels can be 17+%
• Sake without Brewer’s Alcohol

Question 14

What is Seimaibuai?

Answer 14

Rice Milling

Question 15

What is Nihon-shu?

Answer 15

The Japanese term for what we refer to as sake

*Sake is the common term for fermented beverage alcohol in Japan