Production Lexicon

Table of contents

Aminosando:

• A numerical value that indicates the amount of amino acids present in a Sake.

Arabashiri:

• The first of three batches during the fune pressing style. This is batch the free flowing Sake that runs off before any pressure has been applied to the cotton bags filled with moromi.

Aspergillus Oryzae:

• Scientific name of the kōji mold.

Binzume:

• The bottling of Sake.

Binzume-yōsui:

• Water used for bottling. It's divided into water for cleaning bottles, diluting Sake and cleaning equipment.

Bodaimoto:

• Starter mash technique that got inventend in the Bodaisan Shōryakuji during Muromachi period. 10% of the rice to be used is steamed and buried in the remaining 90% of raw, unsteamed rice before water is added.

Chōgō:

• Blending. The aroma and flavour of Sake can vary from tank to tank during storage. Therefore, the tōji blends the Sake to create the desired characteristics and quality.

Dakidaru:

• A sealed bucket that holds water of varying degrees for temperature adjustments of the starter mash (shubo/moto).

Dekōji:

• Literally "sending out kōji". Final step of the kōji making process.The finished batch is cooled in the cold air outside the kōji room, thereby stopping the growth of the kōji mold.

Fukuro-tsuri:

• The smoothest way of pressing Sake also known as shizuku-shibori (drip pressing). Cotton bags filled with moromi are suspended while each drop of Sake is collected in a 18l bottle called tobin.

Fune:

• A traditional way of pressing by applying pressure to long bags full of moromi stacked inside a wooden vat called fune that has the shape similar to a boat (fune).

Hi-ire:

• Pasteurisation

Jōzō:

• pressing process

Kasu:

• lees remained after pressing moromi to clear saké

Kijōshu:

• Sake that is made by replacing half or part of the water used in brewing with Sake. It is extremely sweet and full bodied.

Kōbo:

• yeast

Kōji (enzyme):

• It converts the starch in the grain into sugar

Kōjikin or Kōjikabi:

• bacteria-Aspergillus Oryzae, a starch-dissolving mold

Kura:

• a Sake brewery

Moromi:

• main mash, fermenting mixture of rice, kōji, yeast and water

Moto or Shubo:

• yeast starter

Sandan-shikomi:

• three stages process for slow fermentation

Shinpaku:

• white centre of grain after removing the exterior fats, protein and minerals.

Shubo:

• the yeast starter for a batch of Sake.