The Making of Shimizu-No-Mai Japanese Sake

Sake or Nihonshu. Born from Japan's outstanding rice and water and the wisdom of generations. Rice is itself respected by the Japanese and Nihonshu is a precious part of daily life and Japanese culture. Knowing Nihonshu means connecting with Japanese culture. Through Nihonshu we see the wisdom of our forefathers in traditional brewing techniques. A winter morning. These are sake brewing craftsmen known as Kurabito. The person who directs and is responsible for the work of the Kurabito is the Toji. Work in a sake brewery begins with steaming rice in the morning. Special sake brewing rice is steamed in a vat called Akoshiki. The preparations for steaming began the day before. Under strict supervision of the Toji, the Kurabito wash the rice and allow it to absorb water. This is a delicate process that calls for the highest level of technical skill. Because the amount of water that the rice absorbs greatly affects the quality of the final product, the Toji measures time down to the second during these steps. It takes about an hour to steam the rice. Here the condition of the steamed rice is checked by squeezing a handful of rice into a putty-like form called Hinerimochi. The steamed rice is quickly cooled. The main process of sake brewing starts here. The three main pillars in sake brewing are first making Koji, second preparing the yeast starter, and third creating the fermenting mash. The most important of these is making Koji. Steamed rice is carried into a special room, the Kojimuro, where temperature and humidity are kept high. Koji mold spores are sprinkled onto the spread out rice. The rice is wrapped up in cloth and allowed to sit for a full day to let the mold propagate thoroughly. The next morning the clumps are gently broken up and divided evenly into special wooden trays called Kojibuta. The rice is thoroughly mixed to ensure that the mold will propagate uniformly across all the rice. The work performed inside the Kojimuro calls for great focus, concentration, and patience. After three days of this careful attention, at last the Koji is ready. Making sake requires high quality pure strains of yeast that will be allowed to greatly multiply and play the major role in fermentation. The Koji created in the last step is added to water along with steamed rice and yeast. The temperature is precisely controlled to help the yeast multiply smoothly. The completed yeast starter is transferred to a larger tank and more Koji, steamed rice, and water are added. The next day is known as the Odori and nothing is added. The following day, however, comparatively larger amounts of Koji, steamed rice, and water are added again. On the fourth day, still more Koji, steamed rice, and water are added in larger amounts that will be roughly half of the total batch. This is the end of the fermenting mash preparation. From this point on, the Moromi will go through many drastic changes. The Koji will convert the starch in the rice into glucose, which the yeast will then use to create alcohol and carbon dioxide. The conversion of starch to sugar and sugar to alcohol takes place in parallel and in the same tank. This is known as multiple parallel fermentation and is unique to sake. The surface of the Moromi, which has changed many times, at long last is quiet and still. The fermented Moromi is placed into cloth bags and the completed sake is separated from the remaining rice solids. A new ball of cedar leaves is hung in front of the sake brewery, telling everyone that sake has just been made. After this, the sake will be filtered, pasteurized, and matured, making it well-rounded and richly aromatic. Nihonshu today is the result of centuries of supple sensitivity and outstanding techniques. It is subtle, somehow sweet, yet dry. Sake goes with the seasons, supports good food, and makes interactions with others smoother. To enjoy an even richer life, enjoy a toast with Nihonshu and, as the Japanese say, kanpai!