Thanks for being back on our blog!!
Today, let's continue where we left off last time and learn about the sake brewing process together!
★KOJI MAKING（SEIGIKU）
In sake brewing, the process of making glucose, which is involved in fermentation, from rice starch is called "koji making.
Since ancient times, it has been said that "the most important process is koji (koji making), the second is yeast (SHUBO), and the third is sake making ".
The important points in this process are first and foremost temperature control, and it is important that the temperature is optimal for each timing.
★THE YEAST STARTER(SHUBO or MOTO)
SHUBO is written in Japanese as "mother of sake," literally Sake mother is the first step in the process of preparing sake in order to obtain a good sake.
The main point of raising the SHUBO is to weed out the microorganisms and grow only the desired number of superior yeast.
★FERMENTATION(MOROMI MAKING)
Final step is fermentation called moromi. The sake brewing process is centered around the main process of making sake, and the quality of the koji and SHUBO is of the utmost importance to ensure that the sake is fermented according to plan and that the sake is brewed to its full potential.
First, the SHUBO is added, and then water, koji, and steamed rice are brewed in three stages ( Named Hatsuzoe, Nakazoe, and Tomezoe) to efficiently increase the number of yeast strains.
In this process as well, the key point is temperature control, and by maintaining optimal temperatures, sake of the desired quality can be obtained.
★FILTRATION
The process of preparing the quality of the stored sake for commercialization is called filtration. The purpose of this process is to remove the fine residues (ooze) and miscellaneous flavors that remain in the sake.
Some sake is made without filtration called "Muroka(no filtration)".
★BOTTLING
After filtration, it is bottled to become the final product. The bottling process generally involves fire pasteurization, which is followed by chilling in a bottle cooler immediately after bottling to prevent deterioration of the sake quality.
The above is the process of sake brewing. Each brewery has its own original production method, but the basic process remains the same.
Every single step of the process is carefully planned and executed with such precision that a change of a few seconds could change the taste.
We hope this article will be one of the things that amuse you now that it is not easy to come to Japan and visit a sake brewery in this current situation.
See you in next blog!!!!
