washing & soaking

Ready!Set! 　　　　　 　　　　　Go!!!　　　　　　　　　　　　check the time　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　soaking　　　

This process is pretty important for brewing the best SAKE.
The rice which are milled about 50% is very easy to absorb water.
To get just right amount of water, Oyaji-san check the time in a tense atmosphere.
If it is over-soaking, the rice can't use for brewing.

 

steaming

The rice suited for brewing sake is not quite same as table rice.
The milling rate is higher than table rice, and differrent feel in the mouth.
The sake rice has to be steamed that is firm outer surface and a soft inner core.

 

Koji Making

"Komekoji" is made of the steamed rice and koji mold.
It is very influence the flavor and fragrance of the sake. So brewer ( kurabito ) is extremely concentrating during this process.
"Koji-muro" ( cultivation room ) has to be right temperature and right humidity at right time.
Sometimes the temperature is 40 degrees, so that brewers take off their cloth even though it is -10 degrees outside.

　　　

When the powdered koji mold sprinkled over the steamed rice, it has to be done uniformly.
So we should be very careful not to make big movement of air. Otherwise the powdered koji doesn't fall equal on the rice.

Yeast Starter

The yeast starter, we call it "SHUBO", is main fermantation process to brewing sake.
The steamed rice, water, Komekoji, mixed in a small tank. And lactic acid and yeast are added in it.
During yeast cultivation, enzymes in the Koji slowly convert the starch from the steamed rice into glucose.

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The yeast ingests this glucose and then produce alcohol and CO2. The bubble is the CO2. the photo above.

The amaging thing is this is the only the alcohol that it can convert starch into glucose
and ingest it then produce alcohol in a same tank at the sametime!!!

 

Fermentation

When the yeast has consumed most of glucose in the shubo tank, it is moved into large tank
and added Koji, steamed rice and water again to create more alcohol.
This process is contined three times with right temperture for fermentation.

　　　　　

Oyaji-san and Kurabito (Brewers) stir it well with the paddle. This is quite hard work for them.
But they sing a song for brewing great sake, like a lullaby.

Pressing

It will take about 20~25days when the most of fermentations is the end.
This photo on the left is the special pressing method for super premium.
It's pressed very slowly by the gravity.

 

　　　　　　　　　　　　

On the right photo, it is the purely fresh sake. This taste is very very fresh and you can still feel the sparkle on your mouth.

 

Aging

After the pressing, most of sake is kept in the tank in a dark cool place. Some are kept for a half year, some are for 10 years.
Depends on the conditions, the quality of sake changes sensitively. So Oyaji-san & Kurabito take care of it like a baby.

aging room 　　　　　　　oyaji-san

 

In the end

In winter time, during october to April, kurabito is brewing sake everyday without no exceptions.
When the freshly pressed sake was born, sake brewery hang cedar ball in front of the storehouse.
This is the sign that" We've brewed good quality of sake in this year"

This cedar ball called "Sugi-dama" is made by Oyaji-san.
He makes it skillfully with his hands.