How Sake Is Made – A Gentle Guide to Japan’s Traditional Brewing Process
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Sake brewing is a remarkably careful and time-honoured craft. From polishing each grain of rice to nurturing the fermentation that brings out delicate aromas and flavours, every step reflects the skill of the brewers who devote themselves to the craft.
1. Rice Polishing
The process begins with polishing the rice to remove the outer layers that contain fats and proteins. By polishing down to the pure starchy core, brewers create a clean base that leads to a refined flavour profile.
2. Washing, Soaking and Steaming
The polished rice is washed, soaked to achieve the right moisture level, and then steamed. Proper steaming creates the ideal texture for making koji and for fermentation later on.
3. Koji Making
A portion of the steamed rice is sprinkled with koji mould. Over the next two days, the koji develops enzymes that convert rice starch into sugars—an essential foundation for fermentation.
4. Shubo (Yeast Starter)
Koji, steamed rice, water and yeast are combined to create a powerful yeast starter called shubo. This step ensures a strong, healthy fermentation.
5. Multiple-Stage Mashing (Dan-jikomi)
The shubo is moved to a larger tank, where more steamed rice, koji and water are added in three stages over four days. This gradual build-up, called dan-jikomi, allows for controlled fermentation and helps create depth and balance.
6. Parallel Multiple Fermentation
Sake is unique in the world because it undergoes parallel multiple fermentation:
Koji converts starch into sugar
Yeast simultaneously converts sugar into alcohol
These two actions happening at the same time create sake’s signature complexity.
7. Pressing, Filtration and Pasteurisation
After about four weeks of fermentation, the mash is pressed to separate the liquid from the solids. The sake may then be filtered and gently pasteurised to stabilise its quality.
8. Maturation and Bottling
The freshly pressed sake is stored for several months to mature. When its flavour reaches the desired balance, it is bottled and prepared for shipment.
A Craft That Takes Time
From polishing the rice to the intricate steps of parallel multiple fermentation and multi-stage mashing, sake takes around sixty days to be born. This long, detailed process is what gives sake its elegance, purity and depth.