Sake varieties

Sake varieties

WHAT IS NIGORI?

Nigorizake is made from moromi that is filtered through rough cloth right before fermentation is complete. In nigori, the sweetness of the rice is easily tasted. Some nigoris are of the sparkling variety because when nigori is done pre-fermenting, the carbonation remains.
WHAT IS GENSHU? - Genshu is raw, undiluted sake It is moromi that is heated, filtered, and has no added water. It is then bottled immediately. Genshu has an alcohol content of 20-22%. Most of the sake to hit the consumer market is not genshu. The sake has water added reducing the actual content to 15-16%.

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History of Sake

History of Sake

The Yayoi Era (B.C.300~ A.D.300)

Sake is offered to the Gods as a gift

The keywords associated with Japanese sake are 'Rice' and 'Farming'. It is well known that the first Japanese sake was created in the Western part of Japan in the Yayoi Era when the hunting society changed to an agrarian society.
At the time, people had not mastered the technique of fermenting rice, so they had to chew the rice well, using their saliva in lieu of the modern fermentation process. Don't worry, though; this saliva-made sake was used solely for religious rituals, not as a beverage.
Not everyone could make the chewed sake Women known as Miko who serve god were the only ones qualified to make the sake intended for honoring the gods.
Currently tojis are nearly all men, but originally sake was made by women.

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How can I begin educating wait staff about sake? How can I construct a sake menu?

How can I begin educating wait staff about sake? How can I construct a sake menu?

Although customers will get sake information from the sake menu, the wait staff needs to know how to recommend sake to customers. The restaurant does not always need to have a sake sommelier, but the customer expects to be able to get answers from the wait staff. Inquiries may include things such as how to select the best matching sake for a particular dinner.

The following points would be useful for the wait staff to know.

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How can I properly store sake? What is the average shelf life of sake? Why are sake bottles colored?

How can I properly store sake? What is the average shelf life of sake? Why are sake bottles colored?

Japanese sake is very sensitive & delicate and there are NO added preservatives as compared to wine. The pasteurization process helps to deter the degradation (aging) of the sake.
The lack of preservatives in sake makes it vulnerable to change in response to factors such as light, temperature or exposure to air. There are two things to remember to preserve the taste of sake .

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How is sake rice different from table rice?

How is sake rice different from table rice?

Different rices produce sake 's with different tastes, just as different types of grapes produce different wines. The best types of rice for brewing sake contain less protein. The grain should be firm and not easily break during the rice polishing process. Sake rice typically has a bigger grain than table rice and has a lot of starch at the center of the grain called "shinpaku". Because shinpaku is white and very soft, it easily absorbs the Koji mold which converts the starch into sugar. 

The individual character of a particular sake is due in part to the variety of sake rice used in brewing (See diagram that shows the varieties of popular sake rice.) 

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How is sake brewed?

How is sake brewed?

The making of saké requires three important processes. Koji making is the first process of these three. Koji is made by sprinkling Koji kin, a mold use to break down starch into sugar that is used in beer, and shochu production also; The koji is sprinkled on steamed rice that has been cooled and partially dried. It usually takes around two days to make koji.

During this process starch within the grain begins its conversion to sugar. The substance is now ready for the yeasts to begin their role of digestion of sugars and conversion to alcohol. This process of the breaking down of starch is important because the enzymes produced as a by-product of koji production have a major effect on the saké's taste.

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What is meant by S.M.V?

What is meant by S.M.V?

The S.M.V. (Sake Meter Value) measures the density of sake relative to water, and this is the barometer for gauging the dryness or sweetness of the sake. The higher the S.M.V., the drier the sake The median value of S.M.V. is +3. However, even different brands with the same S.M.V may be perceived as being drier or sweeter.
Often times one might think that the S.M.V. has a great deal of variance from sake to sake tasted, when, in fact, it does not. The variation may be due to the variations in the sugar or level of acidity. The S.M.V. is only intended as a reference number to give you a rough idea of how dry or sweet the sake is likely to be.

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What are the various categories of sake?

What are the various categories of sake?

The National Tax Administration Agency has developed several categories for different sake's distinguished by their own individual characteristics. This categorizing of sakÿs began in 1989. The different categories were developed for two reasons: there are many great varieties of sake in Japan, and sake brewing techniques have continued to develop over the years.

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