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Shochu and Awamori

What is Shochu?

Shochu is Japan’s other indigenous alcoholic beverage, but unlike sake, shochu is distilled. It is also made from one of several raw materials. The alcoholic content is usually 25%, although sometimes it can be as high as 42% or more.

The word “sake” in Japan can actually refer to all alcoholic beverages in general, although it most often refers to the wine-like rice brew so tightly associated with that word overseas. But in some parts of Japan, most notably the far western and southern regions, the word sake is understood to refer to a totally different alcoholic beverage, also indigenous to Japan, but distilled and not brewed: shochu.

Like almost all such beverages throughout the world, shochu developed as it did as an expression of region, especially climate, cuisine and available raw materials. Perhaps the factor most affecting the development of shochu is the weather. The island of Kyushu and the western part of the island of Honshu are significantly warmer than the rest of Japan.

Brewing sake calls for relatively lower temperatures, but shochu can be distilled in these warmer regions. Also, the higher alcohol content and drier feel is more appealing to many in milder climates.

Unlike many other beverages, shochu is made from one of several raw materials. These include sweet potato, and shochu made from these is called “imo-jochu.” Other materials commonly used include from rice, soba (buckwheat), and barley. There is even one island where there a few places that make shochu from brown sugar. It can also be made from more obscure things like chestnuts and other grains.

And, each of these raw materials gives a very, very distinct flavor and aroma profile to the final sake. These profiles run the gamut from smooth and light (rice) to peaty, earthy and strong (potato). Indeed, each of these raw materials lends a unique flavor in much the same way that the peat and barley of each region in Scotland determine the character of the final scotch whiskey.

There are, in fact, many parallels between shochu and scotch, regional distinction based on local ingredients being only one of them.

Another parallel to scotch can be found in the distillation methods. There are basically two main methods of distillation. The older method – it has been around since the 14th century or so – involves a single round of distillation only, and is made using only one raw material. Known as Otsu-rui (Type B – in an admittedly loose translation) or Honkaku (“the real thing”) shochu, this type will more often reflect the idiosyncrasies of the original raw material. In this sense, it can be likened to single malt scotches.

The second method is one in which the shochu is goes through several distillations, one right after another. It is often made with several of the commonly used raw materials. Known as Kou-rui (Type A, in the same admittedly loose translation) shochu, this method has only been around since 1911, although it only became a legal classification in 1949. With a bit of a stretch, this kind of shochu is similar to much blended scotch. In other words, it is much smoother, ideal for mixing in cocktails, and with much less … well, character.

Beyond these variables, the type of koji mold (used to create sugar from the starch of the raw materials during the fermentation step that necessarily takes place before distillation) can be one of three, (yellow koji, as is used with sake, white koji and black koji) and the distillation itself can take place at either atmospheric pressure or at a forced lower pressure. These parameters too naturally affect the style of the final product.

Kou-rui shochu, of which much more is produced by far, is quite versatile. As it is lighter and cleaner, it lends itself well to use in mixed drinks. Perhaps its most ubiquitous manifestation is the popular “chu-hi,” a shochu hi-ball made using a plethora of different fruit flavors and sold in single-serving cans or mixed fresh at bars and pubs. (Since it is supposedly cleaner by virtue of having been repeatedly distilled, it is said by some to give less of a hangover, although there is no evidence to truly back this up.)

Otsu-rui shochu, the “real thing” honkaku-shochu, on the other hand, has a more artisan, hand crafted appeal associated with it. The nature of the raw material can really come through, and be it soba, rice, barley, or chestnuts, each has its fans and foes. This is especially true when it has been distilled at atmospheric pressure, not forced lower pressure.

Perhaps the most interesting – and illustrious – of all shochu are those made from the sweet potatoes of Kagoshima Prefecture: imo-jochu. While the flavors can be heavier and more earthy than shochu made from other starches, Kagoshima imo-jochu offers complexity and fullness of flavor that makes it quite enjoyable to many a connoisseur.

Honkaku “the real thing” shochu is usually enjoyed straight, on the rocks, or with a splash of water. Another way to enjoy either type of shochu is known as “oyu-wari,” which is simply mixing it with a bit of hot water. This both backs the alcohol off a bit, releases flavor and aroma, and warms the body to the very core. Unbeatable in winter, for sure. From experience, I can guarantee it will warm you from the core outward.

Shochu overall is enjoying massive popularity these days in Japan. Over the last couple of years, both beer and sake consumption have continued to drop, where as shochu has actually increased.

While shochu has its roots in either China or Korea, probably having come across during trading, the traditional home of shochu in Japan is Kagoshima, on the island of Kyushu. In fact, the first usage of the term shochu appeared in graffiti written by a carpenter dated 1559 in a shrine in the city of Oguchi in Kagoshima.

Kagoshima is rightfully proud of their shochu heritage. It is the only prefecture in Japan that brews absolutely no sake, but only produces shochu. If you ask for sake down there, expect and enjoy the local sweet-potato distillate.

The difference between soju and shochu

Korea also makes shochu, although it is called soju in Korean. And, Korean producers got to the US with it first. As such, in US legalese, the product is known as shochu. As far as I know, all Japanese shochu will be legally referred to as soju in the US. It is, in essence, the same thing. Judge it on its flavor, not its label.

What is Awamori?

Awamori is an alcoholic beverage indigenous to and unique to Okinawa. made from rice, however, it is distilled from rice, not brewed. The traditions and methods of Awamori originally came in from Thailand (although with influences from the south, from Indonesia and Taiwan, and from the north, from China and Korea it is said), and awamori was actually the very first distilled beverage in what is now Japan.

Awamori is made only in Japan’s southern most prefecture, the tropical island group of Okinawa. Currently, there are but 47 makers of this unique, earthy beverage, although awamori is enjoying a boom right now, and business is brisk. Due to the influence of the US presence from WWII until 1972, for decades the drink of choice in Okinawa was scotch or whiskey. Now, however, this erstwhile gift to the Shogun of Japan has resumed its rightful place as a very popular sipping beverage in its own land.

There are quite a few ways in which awamori is unique. The pre-distillation ferment is made in such away that there is plenty of citric acid created, which allows awamori to be made all year round in this hot climat. It is distilled once, and afterwards the alcohol content is lowered with water to about 25 to 30 percent, although some awamori is found at 43 percent alcohol.

There are several theories on the origins of the word awamori itself. “Awa” means foam and “mori” can mean to rise up. One theory then is that the foam would rise in great swaths during per-distillation fermentation. Another is that long ago the level of alcohol was measured by pouring the awamori from a height of an outstretched arm into a small cup, and measuring how much foam rose in the cup. Yet a third, less romantic, states that this name was forced upon the Ryukyu distillers by the Satsuma clan of Kagoshima to be sure that it would not be confused with their beloved shochu.

Etymological considerations aside, as mentioned above, awamori is a beverage distilled from rice. It differs from sake, mainland Japan’s indigenous drink, in that sake is brewed, not distilled. Also, sake is made with short-grain Japonica rice, whereas awamori is made using long-grain indica rice that is imported from Thailand (even today). It differs from shochu, Japan’s other distilled beverage, (although much shochu is made from materials other than rice) in several ways, including process variations, as well as the type of koji mold (used for saccharification) and yeast.

A word worth remembering when shopping for awamori is “kusu.” Kusu is aged awamori. It is written with the same characters as the Japanese word koshu, which refers to aged sake, the pronunciation is unique to Awamori and Okinawa.

Awamori was meant to be aged, and aged for a long time. Like many beverages distilled from grains, aging mellows the flavor and rounds out the edges. While awamori aged ten years can be wonderful, it becomes even more enjoyable at 20 or 25 years. (One of the challenges to the awamori industry is how to remain financially viable while they wait on the returns of their long-term investment.)

But the traditional method of aging awamori, known as “shitsugi,” is very curious and does not boast a high degree of repeatability. To explain it, we need to bear in mind that hundreds of years ago, when the Ryukyu kingdom was in its heyday, folks would have several lidded urns of awamori lined up outside the house. The urn containing the oldest awamori was closest to the door, with each urn having successively younger product inside.

When a drink was ladled out from the first urn, the amount taken was then replaced with awamori from the second urn. This in turn was refilled from the third urn and so on. Freshly distilled stuff was placed into the last urn when ready. This led to each urn having inside of it an indeterminable blend of awamori of different degrees of aging. So although kusu refers to aged awamori, traditionally it was not really possible to be any more precise than that.

Modern times, laws, and consumer guidelines call for a bit more accuracy, and currently for a bottle of awamori to have kusu on the label, at least 51% of the contents must have been aged at least three years. While this allows for the traditional shitsugi method of aging, it still means that 49% of it could be freshly distilled stuff. So, while it may be a bit harder to find and a tad more expensive, it is worth it to search for 100% kusu of ten years or more. It will be clearly written as such on the bottle, i.e. “100% aged 10 years,” or something to that effect. Having said that, it is very difficult to find something like a bottle of kusu of which 100% has been aged 25 years.

When the Ryukyu kingdom was in its prime, the best kusu was served at only the most special of occasions. It was presented in very small thimble-sized cups, called “saka-jiki ,” holding perhaps a tablespoon, that are dwarfed by the average “o-chokko” sake cup. These ae still used today in some situations. It was said that while wealthy people might entrust their money to others, they would always keep the keys to their awamori cellar with them.


SAKE CONFIDENTAL 

Interested in learning more about sake?

Check out my book “Sake Confidential” on Amazon.

Sake Confidential is the perfect FAQ for beginners, experts, and sommeliers.

Indexed for easy reference with suggested brands and label photos. Includes:

  • Sake Secrets: junmai vs. non-junmai, namazake, aging, dry vs. sweet, ginjo, warm vs. chilled, nigori, water, yeast, rice, regionality
  • How the Industry Really Works: pricing, contests, distribution, glassware, milling, food pairing
  • The Brewer’s Art Revealed: koji-making, brewers’ guilds, grading

 


SAKE INDUSTRY NEWS

If you are interested in staying up to date with what is happening within the Sake Industry and also information on more advanced Sake topics then Sake Industry News is just for you!

Sake Industry News is a paid subscription newsletter that is sent on the first and 15th of each month. Get news from the sake industry in Japan – including trends, business news, changes and developments, and technical information on sake types and production methods that are well beyond the basics – sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here today! 

Each issue will consist of four or five short stories culled from public news sources about the sake industry in Japan, as well as one or more slightly longer stories and observations by myself on trends, new developments, or changes within the sake industry in Japan.

 

Hokkaido Rising

This article was originally published in Sake Industry News Issue #17

There are 47 prefectures in Japan, and every single one of them makes at least a little bit of sake. This was not the case until a few years ago, when one company in Kagoshima, the erstwhile lone holdout owing to its status as the premier sweet potato shochu producing region, added a sake to their array of shochu. Even in tropical Okinawa, the home of the idiosyncratic distillate awamori, there is one company who makes a tank or two of sake a year.

There are of course the major producing regions, like Hyogo, Kyoto, Niigata and Akita, and also those on the other end of the spectrum that produce very little. Buried in there somewhere amidst the more nondescript regions is Hokkaido. As the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, Hokkaido is one prefecture all by its large self. But Hokkaido’s sake-brewing fortunes are possibly pivoting toward recognition and popularity.

The prefecture is attracting a lot of attention on several fronts that straddle a variety of industries. Namely, there are a couple of new breweries there on the sake production front; there are a handful of new sake rice varieties there showing up the agriculture front; and there is a lot of proactive tourism promotion there as well that continues to be a formidable destination draw. The intersecting aspects of these three are laden with potential as well.

Looking back a bit, Hokkaido once had over fifty breweries at its peak, and was the tenth largest brewing region. Things contracted from that zenith, and now there are only 13 breweries remaining, although many of them are noteworthy and appealing.

Next, let us look at sake rice. I recall a brewer from one of the Hokkaido companies once telling me that he found an old brochure from his own company on the floor of the storage room in the brewery. In the brochure, the company boasted – not stated, mind you, but actually boasted – that all of their rice was from Japan’s main island, Honshu, and that none was from Hokkaido.

Why? Because back then, Hokkaido rice had a pretty bad reputation. But a combination of agriculture technology and, unfortunate though it may be, climate change has made Hokkaido rice quite appealing, tasty and reasonably priced.

On top of regular table rice, much effort has been put into developing sake rice strains too, with good success. Hokkaido represents about 22 percent of Japan’s topography, so there is plenty of room for sake rice cultivation. And rising to that challenge, Hokkaido is now the second largest rice-producing prefecture (for all rice, of course, not just sake rice).

There are three main sake rice varieties developed and grown in Hokkaido, all created in the last twenty years or so. The most widelyYeast Starter grown, Ginpu, tends to yield light and clean sake (Ginpu, by the way, has established itself well enough to be used by breweries all over Japan, and is now firmly ensconced in the list of the ten most-grown sake rice varieties). Next is Suisei, which is well rounded and often yields a gentle sweetness that seems especially prominent amongst Hokkaido’s dry sake environment. And third is Kitashizuku, the newest. So new, in fact, that it is hard to see a tendency of character in the sake made using it. That will take another few years. There are a also a couple of widely grown table rice types used in sake brewing too, namely Kirara 397 and Yumepirika.

There are, in fact, several breweries that look at global warming and believe that, as things get warmer, Hokkaido will become an increasingly important rice region, and as such it is beneficial to learn to use the rice from that region well, and to develop the personal relationships that will help ensure a steady supply once that time comes.

Back to the sakagura of Hokkaido, several are well-known and have been for decades, perhaps none more than Otokoyama. Others include, Kokushi MusoChitosetsuru, and Kunimare. Lately, a smaller brewery making a sake called Niseko is making its mark as well.

Perhaps most interesting to many in the sake world are two others, one being Kawakami Taisetsu. Readers may recall that in the last issue of Sake Industry News we spoke of the hassles involved with getting a sake-brewing license, and in this case as well it was not granted anew. Rather, a passionate investor of some means bought a dormant brewery in Mie Prefecture in the western part of Japan and moved the company up to Kawakami Village in Hokkaido and started the company anew.

The tōji is a journeyman master brewer, having worked at breweries in five different prefectures before his most recent one in Hokkaido, which went under a couple years ago. The two teamed up and began brewing Kawakami Taisetsu in a small, craft-laden manner using the three aforementioned Hokkaido sake rice types. As mentioned above in Industry Stirrings, things have gone well enough for them that they are opening a second brewing location that doubles as a tourism site and is to some degree open to the public.

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There is also one more brewery that packed everything up and moved up to Hokkaido: Michizakura Shuzō, brewers of Michizakura sake. This company moved their production to a village in Hokkaido that had no breweries. The brewery itself is under construction, with brewing slated to begin in October. There is a story as to how and why this move took place, but I am not yet privy to it. Look for that in a future issue.

Then there is the touristic aspect of Hokkaido. It has long been a popular ski destination, although perhaps more for visitors to Japan than Japanese people. But beyond that there are just huge, beautiful expanses of nature, with hiking and camping and a plethora of agricultural products to enjoy. All of these are great opportunities to let the world know just how good their sake can be.

There is just one concern that I have, and that is that there are only 13 active breweries up there. Of course, that is plenty if the goal is just to find great sake. Heck, one can be enough! But it is easier to develop a reputation as a sake-brewing region of diversity and quality when there are a large number of breweries with a large number of products from which to draw. With only 13 making sake up there, as good as each one of them might be, once having tasted the lineup, some folks might move on to other regions of note.

But in truth, while having a reputation that pervades the entire region can help in marketing the sake of that region, if most or even some of the breweries are doing well enough with their sake and its reputation, then the region should be considered successful.

Look for the sake of Hokkaido, especially but not limited to the ones mentioned above. It should continue to prove a very interesting region in the years to come.

Awase-Koji? Just what might that be?

Recently, I saw the term “awase-koji” on a bottle of sake. It was the first time I have seen that term, and it was on a bottle produced by a company whose president is very into unique marketing. So it may be in use by other brewers too; it may not. Regardless, it is neither official nor legally defined. Not that it needs to be either…

Awase means to put two things together that loosely complement each other, or in some circumstances to force them to work together. What it refers to in this sake-related instance is yellow koji  (ki-koji), which is the standard type of koji used in making sake being blended with either white koji ( shiro koji) or black koji ( kuro-koji).

The various names are related to the final appearance of the koji and need no more explanation. More importantly, white and black koji are usually used in distilled beverages, shochu and awamori respectively, and contribute moderate to high levels of citric acid to the mix, something not found in any significant amount in yellow koji for sake.

This citric acid contributes sharpness and earthiness to the final product that is somewhere between rich and harsh, depending on your threshold for that kind of thing. So when it is used for sake – which is exceedingly rare, by the way – you can expect that sake to be earthier and decidedly sharp. It is not something that suits all styles of sake but can be delicious in the right measure.

It used to be anathema to use anything but yellow koji in sake brewing. Just the concept of black or white koji mold in the koji making room used to be unheard of, and sent shivers up and down the collective spine of the brewing staff. And, in truth, even today very few brewers do it. But those products that exist are very interesting and bold styles.

There are no rules or even tendencies among these sake in terms of black or white, or proportions of each mold used. And it is far from a trend. But such sake are out there and are worth trying should you come across one. And should the bottle say “awase koji,” you will know with what you are dealing.

Sake FAQ

Q1: What is sake? Is it a beer? Is it a wine? Is it a spirit?

Sake is a beverage fermented from rice, which is a grain. This would make it more of a beer than a wine. Yet, sake is not carbonated, and flavor-wise is closer to wine than beer, although it is indeed uniquely different from wine. Sake is not a distilled beverage, and is not even remotely related to gin, vodka or other spirits.

Q2: What is the alcohol content of sake?

Sake is generally between 15% and 17% alcohol.

Q3: How long does it take to brew sake?

Basically about a month. It can be a bit longer for ginjo-shu, including all the steps. Also, this does not include the ( usually) six-month period sake is “aged” before release.

Q4: Is sake aged like wine ? Is there such a thing as “vintage” sake?

In general, sake is not aged (beyond the six month period mentioned), and is meant to be consumed soon after purchase. If kept cold and dark, it will last six months to a year without degradation in flavor. There are exceptions, as some sake is deliberately aged. There is no such thing as a vintage year in the sake world. Be sure, then, to notice the bottling date on the label. If the sake was brewed in Japan, note that the year 10 (for Heisei 10) is 1998. So a sake with 9.4.23 would have been bottled on April 23, 1997. Avoid! Try to buy a sake bottled within the last year, at least. If you found it refrigerated, take one more sigh of relief. If not, it may not be totally fresh.

Q5: How should sake be stored?

Sake should be stored away from light and kept cool. Refrigeration is best, although not absolutely necessary unless the sake has not been pasteurized.

Q6: Is sake better than other alcoholic beverages for your health?

Beyond the normal pros and cons of alcohol consumption, note that sake is free from sulfites. It is also light and comparatively free of hangover-causing congeners. Premium sake is free from additives and preservatives.

Q7: How many types of sake are there?

From a production point of view, there are five basic types (see Types of Sake for details). Note that there are several other less-common types as well.

Q8: What are some good brands you can recommend?

How much time do you have? The best thing to do is to see John Gauntner’s Top 100 Sake Picks on his Sake World homepage.

Q9: What price range should I expect?

First of all, where are you? Although the sky’s the limit, more expensive (= better = more desirable) is definitely NOT the case. Good sake is not cheap, but it doesn’t need to be excessively priced. If you are in Japan, 2500 to 5000 yen for a 1.8 liter bottle, or 1200 to 2500 for a 720ml bottle, is a good range. In the US, that might come out to $35 to $70 for a 1.8 liter bottle, or $18 to $37. Unfortunately the price about doubles when it gets imported and goes through the system. Naturally, there is some fine US-produced sake for about half the above prices that are great values.

Q10: How can one tell a good sake from a bad sake?

If you do not have a chance to taste it, begin by trying to buy something with the words Junmai-shu, or Honjozo-shu, or Ginjo-shu or Daiginjo-shu on it. If you do have the chance to taste it, look for balance. Nothing should be cloying or pushy in the flavor profile. A sake can be quite dry or quite sweet and still be in balance. If it is lethargic and/or dull, and cloyingly sweet or gratingly harsh, avoid it. (Unless you like it that way!)

Q11: What is the proper color for sake?

Sake is generally almost transparent, which is often due to filtering at the kura (brewery) before shipping. This can be excessive at times, stripping a sake of its character. Often a sake has a light amber or gold color to it. This is often the case in full-flavored sake. This can be quite pleasant and add a new dimension to the sake experience. Beware: if a sake has been left in the light or allowed to age, it will turn a darker color, almost a lusterless brown. Sake that has degraded to this level is best avoided.

Q12: How many sake brands, or labels, are there?

There are about 1800 sake breweries (called kura in Japanese) in Japan, a number which is sharply decreasing each year. So there are 1700 brands, but most kura make several grades or types of sake, which are significantly different. So there are likely as many as 10,000 different sake among these breweries. In the US, there are presently seven breweries, most of which make more than one product.

Q13: How does US-brewed sake stand up to sake from Japan?

The breweries in Japan have a 1000 year head start, not only in terms of brewers and craftsmen, but in terms of special rice that makes great sake. It is understandably a richer and more diverse world, and the sake reflects that. There is good sake and bad sake being brewed in the US — just as there is in Japan. While in general the sake from Japan (assuming it has been cared for properly) is more flavorful, alive and character-laden, there is plenty of very drinkable sake being brewed in the US. Plenty. Also, as the cost of raw materials is significantly less in the US, sake brewed in the US can present quite a value to the consumer.

Q14: What is koji?

Koji is steamed rice onto which koji-kin (which means koji mold) has been cultivated. This mold is known in English as Aspergillus Oryzae. It is used in sake brewing to break down the starch molecules into sugar molecules that can be used as food by the yeast cells. Since rice is milled, there is no husk and therefore no enzymes, so malting (as in beer brewing) is not possible. Koji provides those enzymes to create the sugars for fermentation. This cultivation of koji-kin mold onto steamed rice to create koji itself is the heart of the sake brewing process.

Q15: Where can I get good sake near me?

Stay tuned to the Sake Pubs and Restaurants pages for detailed information on which restaurants near you carry premium sake.

Q16: What is the nihonshu-do, or Sake Meter Value?

This is a measure of the density of the sake relative to water. It is a very general reference to the sweetness or dryness of a sake. Note, however, that acid content and water hardness and temperature and other factors also contribute a great deal to the concept of sweet and dry.

Q17: What is the ideal temperature for serving sake?

In spite of the words of the venerable James Bond, most decent sake tastes best slightly chilled. In short, there is no one ideal serving temperature, but cool to chilled brings our the best in most good sake, with subtle differences presenting themselves at each temperature range. A lot of good sake goes well warmed, but not too hot! Piping hot sake is a carryover from decades ago when sake was not at the level it is now, and heating it was the best way to go. Times have changed, but in Japan as well as in the US, a lot of cheap sake is served very hot.

Q18: Can sake be served with food like wine is?

Absolutely. Naturally, this calls for experimentation, but in general sake is a wonderful accompaniment to fish and other light dishes. Also, premium sake also does well with strong or curiously flavored snacks taken in small morsels.

Q19: Are different kinds of rice used to brew sake, as grapes are for wine?

Yes, indeed. There are about 65 varieties of rice designated as sake rice, and naturally some are more prized than others. Like grapes, different rice strains grow best in particular regions. Some famous examples are Yamada Nishiki, Gohyaku Mangoku and Omachi.

Q20. Warming Sake. If you do not recommend heating Premium Sake, then can you recommend a fine sake that WILL heat well for our customers who wish it warm/hot?

I heartily recommend Kamo no Izumi and Sake Hitosuji, both of which are in the US, for gentle warming. See the archived newsletters for more such recommendations. Also, you are opening a Pandora’s Box here, as there is no simple answer to your question. It is all about personal preference, but more often the sake that is suited to gentle warming is earthier, richer and less fruity. Often the brewer will recommend this on the label, but more often you need to trust your tasting experience and preferences.

Q21. Where can I buy kasu (sake lees), or learn kasu recipes?

Outside Japan, we are unsure where you can buy sake lees, or kasu, but you might try both searching the net for sake “kasu” and shopping at Japanese grocery stores (if there are any near your location).

Q22. Where can I find sake with a snake in the bottle?

That is not sake. It is called “habu-shu” and is not available in the US. I believe customs will not let it in, something to do with a dead snake in the bottom of the bottle. By the way , it is made with Awamori, a strong distilled Okinawan beverage, not sake.

Q23. What should I do with my old sake? Is it drinkable? Does it get better with age?

Try it at least but do not have expectations. Sake does not age well, it was not really meant to be aged.

Q24. Where can I buy a nice tokkuri and guinomi sake set?

Japanese pottery guru Robert Yellin offers numerous articles and photos on tokkuri and guinomi, and his online gallery sells them. Please visit JapanesePottery.com, then use the estore search feature to find sake flasks or cups. Our site, eSake.com, offers a review of the various vessels used for drinking and pouring sake.

Q25. Could you identify this old bottle of sake I found in the basement of my grandfather?

No, unfortunately, I do not do appraisals for free.

Q26. Where can I buy KOJI?

One major producer is Akita Konno Shoten, but they do not have a site, or ship overseas that I know of. Try the below contact: Recently, several brewers are experimenting with koji obtained from SakeOne Corporation in Oregon, with apparently significantly improved results. This koji can be purchased from F.H. Steinbarts for about $8.00 for a 2.5 lb. Batch. For more information call Steinbarts, at 503-232-8793. Also, koji spores (as opposed to completed koji) are also available from Vision Brewing in Australia. According to proprietor Brendan Tibbs, the product is available online for anyone, and is particularly suitable to the home brewer.

Q27. Where Can I Learn More About Home-Brewing Sake?

If you have even a passing interest in brewing sake at home, you must check out The Sake Digest, a mailing list on sake home brewing maintained by Jim Liddil at jliddil@vms.arizona.edu. On this list, issues both stylistic and technical, detailed and general, are discussed by enthusiastic and knowledgeable home brewers. Fred Eckhardt, easily the most experienced sake home-brewer in North America, regularly generously imparts his experience and wisdom to readers. A message is generated perhaps twice a week, so one in not inundated with information and countless emails. It is quite interesting to follow along with the apparently successful efforts of these brewers from a cyber-distance.

Q28. Where Can I Buy Organic Sake?

Not sure where to buy it but about 15 Japanese companies sell organic sake and one is Yuki no Bosha, which a Google search should bring up. It is in Akita Prefecture, Japan. They do export it to the US. Another is Dewatsuru. And recently it is being produced by SakeOne in Oregon, USA.

Q29. If I host a sake tasting party, and I intend to serve various different sake, how can one “clear the palate” between tastes?

First, get buckets to spit into. Most professional tasters do not DRINK the sake; they pour just a little into their tasting cup (any type of guinomi will do), sniff it carefully, then sip it, swirl it around in their mouth, then spit it out into the bucket. Then they write their tasting notes. Second, have plenty of bottled water available. In between tasting different sake, many professional tasters simply drink water to cleanse their palette.

Q30. Vegetarian Sake. As a sake lover and a new vegan, I need to find sakes that do not use any animal product in their brewing and refining. Can you give me any information on how to double check a sake as “vegan-friendly?”

Most sake does not use gelatin finings, although we cannot determine what does and what does not, and there is no way to know from the label. Powdered active charcoal is used for fining of most Japanese sake . This is made from (as far as we know) wood and plants, but we cannot be sure about all stuff at all places. Sake called “muroka” is unfiltered and unfined so that would be a safe bet.

Q31. What is the sugar content of sake, and how many calories are there in a typical serving of sake?

There are between 180 and 240 calories, or 20 to 27 grams of carbohydrates, in 5.5 oz glass of sake. Protein and fat are negligible. During the brewing of sake, the yeast cells eat the natural sugar created by the starches in the rice and give off alcohol and carbon dioxide. The starch-to-sugar conversion, and the fermentation of that sugar, take place simultaneously in the same tank. This makes sake unique; in other beverages the conversion to sugar occurs first, and fermentation later. Also, another important parameter to be aware of is the Nihonshu-do. Also called the Sake Meter Value (abbreviated SMV) in English, this is the specific gravity of a sake. It indicates how much of the sugars created from the starches in the rice were converted to alcohol, and how much remained to contribute to sweetness. By ancient convention, the higher the number, the drier the sake. What is the range? In theory, it is open-ended. In practice, + 10 or so is quite dry, -4 or so is quite sweet, and +3 or so is neutral. Keep in mind this parameter is affected by acidity, temperature, accompanying food, and a host of other factors so that it is limited in its usefulness.

Any other questions? Please contact John.