Sake Advisor Vocabulary

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Arabashiri

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First free-flowing sake that pours from fune, due only by natural gravitational weight of the layered moroni bags, before mechanical and intentional weight is applied.

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Assaku Machine

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Automatic sake mash pressing machine used to separate liquids (sake) from solids (sake lees).

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Aru-ten

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A process of adding brewer's alcohol to the mash ti improve flavor and aroma of sake, increase yeald, and/or to preserve quality.

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Binzume-yosui

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Water used for cleaning bottles, warimizu and cleaning equipment.

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Dakidaru

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A canister which can hold water of varying degrees, used for adjusting temperature of shobu/moto (fermentation starter).

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Daiginjo

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Super premium grade of sake with rice polish ration of 50% or less; usually light and fragrant.

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Dekoji

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Last step involved in rice koji production, when the growth of rice koji reaches a desired level, and at which point it is removed from koji room.

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Doburoku

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Sake before pressing. A 'cloudy sake', the original form of sake of the old days.

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Fudoki

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The ancient records of culture and geography of different provinces in Japan compiled after 713, and completed over a 20-year period.

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Fukutyūsui

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quality spring water from Mt. Fuji; has a crisp flavor with soft mouth feel.

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Fukurozuri

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A sake pressing method with cloth sacks filled with sake mash and suspended on a beam, allowing liquids to seep our and drop below to steerage sake from sake lees.

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Fune

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A traditional boat-like shaped receptacle used for holding bags of mash before pressing sake.

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Gaikōnainan

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Literally means firm on the outside and tender on the inside, referring to the ideal condition of steamed rice.

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Genshu

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Undiluted, raw sake. May reach natural alcohol content up to 20%.

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Ginjo

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Premium grade classification of sake with rice polish ration of 60% or less; usually light and fragrant.

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Gohyakumangoku

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One of the four major renowned premium sake rice varieties, which is known to yield clean and light sakes.

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Gokōsui

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Quality spring water from Fushimi region of Kyoto Prefecture, very soft, known to produce feminine sake.

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Hattannishiki

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One of four major renowned premium sake rice varieties, which is known to yield light-flavored sake with slightly earthy undertones.

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Hatsuzoe

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First day of sandman-jikome, where rice koji, water and steamed rice are added into the fermentation starter.

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Heikoufukuhakkou

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Multiple-parallel fermentation process, where rice koji converts rice starch into fermentable glucose, and simultaneously in the same tank, yeast converts glucose into alcohol.

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Hikikomi

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First step involved in rice koji production, where steamed rice is wrapped for 1-2 hours to equalize temperature.

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Honjozo

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A sake grade classification, containing a slight addition of brewer's alcohol.

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Iwa-awa

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'Rock like' foam which appears 5-6 days into the moroni fermentation process.

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Ji

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Last stage of moromi fermentation where foam disappears completely, usually occurring after week 3.

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Jizake

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'Regional sake' referring to fine artisan sake produced by the microbreweries.

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Joso

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Refers to 'pressing' of the sake mash to separate liquids (sake) from the sake.

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Jozo-yosui

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Water with beneficial minerals, used for sake production.

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Jozo alcohol

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Brewer's alcohol, referring to the alcohol added to the mash.

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Juku-shu

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One of the four sake flavor profile types established by Sake Service Institute, referring to sake with fragrance and depth. Mainly aged sake fall under this category.

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Jun-shu

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One of the four sake flavor profile types established by Sake Service Institute, referring to a sake with full body and subtle fragrance. Mainly Junmai grade and sake produced using traditional kimotokei-shubo fall under this category.

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Kanzen-muroka

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Sake that has not been filtered, and is the true 'unfiltered sake'. In technical terms, this is different from Nigori sake.

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Karashi

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Process of drying polished rice for 14-30 days to level out moisture, just a step before washing.

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Ki-ippon

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Sake brewed and bottled at single location from beginning to end, and with no brewer's alcohol added to the mash.

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Ki-koji

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Aspergillus orzae or 'yellow koji mold', one of three koji types. Ki-koji is used in sake production as well as in soy sauce and miso.

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Kimoto

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One of two traditional kimotokei-shubo, and involves the labor intensive yamaoroshi process.

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Kimotokei-shubo

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One of two categories of fermentation starters, created by way of natural elements and traditional methods, and without the aid of the quick acting, commercially available lactic acid.

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Kirikaeshi

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The third step in rice koji production. Clumps of rice are loosened apart, then gathered to wrap, for retaining moisture and to equalize temperatures.

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Koji

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A fungus used in producing a number of foods that are both fundamentally and distinctively Japanese: soy sauce, miso and sake.

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Kouon

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High Temperature

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Kouontokuka-shubo

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One example of sokujo-moto, produced by keeping the temperature of shubo high at around 50-60 *C (122-140 *F), to quickly saccharify rice.

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Kuchikami-no-sake

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'Mouth-chew sake', an ancient form of sake produced by men and women who chew rice and spit it out into a pot, where naturally occurring enzymes in saliva take their course to convert rice starches into fermentable glucose.

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Kun-shu

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One of the four sake flavor profile types established by Sake Service Institute, referring to highly fragrant and light sake - Daiginjo and Ginjo grade sake fall under this category.

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Kurabito

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Brewery workers, often times farmers and fishermen turned seasonal sake brew men, leaving their hometowns in the down months in the fall until springtime.

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Kuro-koji

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Apspergillus Awamori or 'black koji mold' used to produce Awamori, a distilled spirit unique to the tropical islands of Okinawa.

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Kyūbetsu-seido

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Sake grading system of Kapan from 1943 to 1992. This unfair system was based solely on breweries ability to pay, with premium grades being granted to well financed breweries, independent of its actual quality.

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Maboroshi-no-sake

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'Phantom sake', a name given to the very rare and highly elusive sake brewed by remote artisan breweries.

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Miyamizu

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Quality spring water from Nada region or Hyugo Prefecture, renown to produce masculine character sake.

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Mizokiri

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A rice cultivation technique, where trenches are created in the muddy rice paddy for an even distribution of water.

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Mizu-awa

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Mizu or 'water' (light) foam, which appears 3-4 days into moroni fermentation.

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Mori

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Fourth step involved in rice koji production, where rice is divided from the large batch into small boxes for better temperature control.

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Moromi

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'Sake mash' produced by adding rice koji, water and steamed rice into shubo (fermentation starter).

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Moto

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Fermentation starter, also known as shubo, containing a high concentration of yeast created by combining steamed rice, rice koji, water and yeast.

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Muroka

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Sake that has not been filtered, and the true 'unfiltered sake'. This is different from Nigori.

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Nakaboshi

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A process involved in sake rice cultivation, where water is drained out from the rice paddy to strengthen rice plants.

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Nakashigoto

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Fifth step involved in rice koji production, where rice is tossed to dissipate naturally occurring heat created by the growth of koji mold.

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Nakazoe or Naka-jikomi

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Third day of sandman-jikomi in moroni (sake mash) production where rice koji, steamed rice and water are added.

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Nama sake

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A general term used to describe unpasteurized sake of which there are three types: namachozo, namazake, namazume. Nama means 'raw' in Japanese.

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Namachozo

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Sake that is heat pasteurized only once, before bottling.

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Namazake

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100% unpasteurized sake. Sometimes referred to as 'nama-nama-.

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Namazume

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Sake that is heat-pasteurized only once, after filtration but not before bottling.

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Nihonshu

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Literally means 'Japanese sake'.

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Nigori Sake

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'Cloudy sake'. a coarsely filtered sake which lets some sake lee sediments through to produce a cloudy, milky color sake.

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Nomiana

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The two drinking spouts fixed on the lower portion of the sake holding tank.

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Ochi-awa

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Subsiding foam on the surface of moroni, indicating the end of the peak fermentation stage.

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Odori

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Second day of sandan-jikomi, a resting of sake mash to better promote propagation of yeast.

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Omachi

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One of our major renowned premium sake rice varieties, known to yield complex and mildly fragrant sake with earthy tones.

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Ori

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Sediments from the fresh pressed sake which settles at the bottom of the tank.

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Oribiki

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A process of removing sediments settling at the bottom of the tank filled with fresh pressed sake.

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Rice Koji

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Steamed rice inoculated with koji mold, which produces enzymes necessary for breaking down steamed rice starch into fermentable glucose.

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Sake kasu

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Sake lees separated from liquid (sake) after pressing sake mash.

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Seimaibuai

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Rice polish ratio, and the base for sake grading system. The lower the polish ratio (rice remaining ratio), the higher the grade.

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Seishu

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Literally means 'clear sake', is the legal product name for sake in Japan.

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Shimaishigoto

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Sixth step involved in rice koji production, where rice is tossed to release the built us heat, and is spread our into boxes with grooves to reduce moisture.

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Shinpaku

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High concentration of starch in the central core of rice kernel that looks opaque white.

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Shiro-koji

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Aspergillus Kawachi or 'white koji mold', a mutant of the black koji, used to produce shochu (Japanese distilled spirit).

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Shitanomi

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The lower of the nomiana spouts, used to remove the heavy, bottom settling ori sediments, proceeding the transfer of the clearer top settling sake to another tank using the higher situated uwanomi.

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Shizuku sake

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Sake pressed using the fukurozuri method, where individual droplets of sake fall drop by drop, and are collected in a glass container below.

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Shogun

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Short for seiitaishogun, the historical title for a lineage of military dictators in Japan.

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Shubo

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'Mother of sake', and the fermentation starter created with the combination of steamed rice, rice koji, water and yeast.

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Shuzo-yosui

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Water used for sake production, which is divided into two categories: jozo-yosui and binzume-yosui.

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Shuzokoutekimai

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'Sake rice', used exclusively for sake brewing, versus table rice used in foods.

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Sokujoukei-shubo

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The modern, and the more prominent of the two techniques for producing the fermentation starter. Also referred to as 'sokujo-moto' for it's quick production cycle duly through use of commercially available lactic acid.

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Sokujo-moto

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Abbreviation of "Sokujoukei-shubo"

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So-shu

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One of four sake flavor profile types established by Sake Service Institute, referring to the light and smooth sake.Mainly Honjozo and nama or 'draft' sake fall under this category.

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Souhazegata

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A style of rice koji, where the koji fungus is let to penetrate the entire surface and deep into the core of the rice kernel.

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Suji-awa

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Foam progression forming streaks, appearing 2-3 days into moromi fermentation.

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Sumisake

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A term used to describe 'clear sake', used in Edo period (1603-1868).

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Su-roka

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Sake filtered without the use of the carbon material.

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Tanso-roka

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'Carbon Filtration' of sake, involving use of activated carbon which effectively boosts the filtering process by absorbing unwanted elements.

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Taka-awa

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'high foam' stage of moromi production, when height of the rising foam reaches it's peak.

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Tama-awa

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'Ball Bubble', stage of moromi production, when individual where-like bubbles rise to the surface.

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Taru sake

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Sake aged in a wooded barrel, usually Japanese cedar, infused with the distinctive aroma of the wood.

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Tobinkakoi

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'Bottle-collected sake' referring to the glass jug used to collect sake droplets through the fukurozuri pressing method. Same as shizuku sake.

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Toji

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Brew-master who manages the entire sake brewing process and staff.

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Tokugawa leyasu

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The first shogun and creator of the Tokugawa Shogunate, coming into power in the early 1600's.

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Tokomomi

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Second step of rice koji production, where rice is evenly spread out on a large table and inoculated with a sprinkling of koji fungus spores. Rice is gently rolled around to assure even distribution of koji, then enclosed in cloth to retain moisture and to assure equal temperature distribution.

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Touka

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Saccharification, a chemical process of converting complex carbohydrates or starches into simple, fermentable glucose.

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Tomezoe or Tome-jikome

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Fourth day of sandan-jikome in moromi (sake mash) production where rice koji, steamed rice, and water are added.

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Tsukihazegata

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A type of rice koji, where koji fungus penetrates to the center of the rice kernel, but is sporadic on the outer surface.

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Uwanomi

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The higher of the nomiana spouts, used to 'skim away' the higher settling, clearer sake to another tank, and separating from the bottom settling heavier sake containing ori.

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Warimizu

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Part of the sake brewing process, where genshu raw sake is 'watered down'.

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Yamadanishiki

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One of four major renowned premium sake varieties, which is known to yield complex and fragrant sake.

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Yamahai or Yamaoroshi-haishi-moto

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One of the two traditional kimotokei-shubo production methods, this one with our the laborious 'yamaoroshi' rice maching step. 'Yamahai' means 'abolishing yamaoroshi', which gives insight to how strenuous the manual labor involved was.

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Yamaoroshi

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The old practice and the labor intensive manual mashing of rice with oar-like paddles to aid saccharification during shubo production.