Mother of Sake – Continued Story

Posted on Mar 18, 2013 in Hiroko's Blog

After making the Koji rice, next step is making of Yest Mash Startar, Shubo, which is translated into Mother of Sake. We transfer the Koji rice to a middle size tank and add spring water and additional steamed rice, and let the mixture stand about two weeks, or until natural lactic acid is produced in the batch. Lactic acid makes the batch in the tank steril. Lactic acid bacteria itself will die eventually in the very strong acid environment. Then, yeast is added to the...

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Try Limited Sake run in Spring!

Posted on Mar 15, 2013 in Hiroko's Blog

This is not the continued story of sake production. I needed to pot this one between the stories, because Arabashiri will disappear soon from the restaurant/stores. Do not miss the sake called Arabashiri at the beginning of spring – NOW! Traditional method of filtering sake is to transfer the fermented batch to large, tightly knitted, thick cotton sacs and place them one after another in a long, deep and large wooden box, called fune. Visit this site and check it out...

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Fungi, Koji, Does Miracle – Condinued Story

Posted on Mar 14, 2013 in Hiroko's Blog

Koji loves Koji-muro which provids them Tokyo summer-like weather – high temperature and heavy hujmidity. Sometimes you see in the sake production photos that sake makers who are working in the koji-muro is naked from the weist to the top. That’s the best to wear. Koji, which is fed on cooked rice, multiplies and produces enzyme such as amylayze. Amylayze, then, breaks down starch in the rice into glucose. This process generates much heat in the rice. If the...

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