rice + water = fun

It’s hard enough to learn something new, but when that new information is laden with terms in a language you might not speak it can be very intimidating. Before our tasting this Thursday night, we’ve simplified some terms you might find helpful.

Shuzō-yō - Brown Rice for sake production. The ideal grain is large with an opaque center. This is not eating rice. Rice used for sake does not crack easily when polished so that the process can happen quickly. 

Sei-mai - Rice Polishing. The outer, brown part of the grain is milled away leaving the rice white. The rice used for sake is milled much more finely than rice milled for eating. This is because the germ (genmai) is full of nutrients and proteins that can disrupt the growth of koji-kin or yeast. 

Hakumai (kome) - Polished white rice.

Kōji (kome kōji) - Sake Mould: Made by growing koji-kin (sake mould) on rice or another grain. “Kome” indicates that it is made with white rice. 

The Styles

Ginjō-shu - made from white rice with a polishing ratio lower than sixty percent. This style is lighter and can be more floral. Drinking it chilled is optimal. 

Junmai-shu - Pure rice sake, made from only rice and water, not brewer’s alcohol. These sakes tend to be more savory with notes of mushroom. They are also higher in acidity. For this reason you can choose to serve at a range of temperatures. 

Daiginjo - This style indicates that rice used was polished to less than fifty percent of the original grain size. 

Tokubetsu Junmai - Another Junmai-shu, but one that is made with rice of a higher quality or more specialized methods. These will usually be listed on the label.