Ginjo-shu (Sake)

Ginjo-shu sake is made with rice that is highly polished and milled down to 60% or less of the size of the original grain without alcohol added. Much more delicate, Ginjo-shu is light and complex because the rice has had the outer 40% of the grains polished. Ginjo-shu sake uses special yeast and lower fermentation temperatures. These labor-intensive techniques make a fragrant and intricate brew. Sake has been important to Japanese culture for over 2,000 years. During this time, the skills and knowledge have spread throughout the country. Today there are over 1,200 sake brewers. Some are large and others call themselves boutique brewers, much like the small microbreweries that you will find all over the United States. These small and large brewers produce over 10,000 brands of Japan’s favorite alcoholic beverage. Sake is made from highly polished Sakamai rice and water that interacts with Koji Sakamai rice that has softer and larger grains than rice that is consumed at the dinner table. With that being said, it is also more expensive as it only grows in certain areas and requires complex techniques to grow and cultivate. The water quality that is used to brew sake is very important. Semi-hard water is highly desired, as it is low in iron and manganese content. Because Japan gets lots of rain and high-quality ground water, the best sake on the planet is produced in nearly every region of the country. Making sake is a very complex process. Yeast is not the only thing that needs to be added to the rice to make it ferment. Microbes known as KOJI also need to be added to the rice to break it down into glucose. Sake yeast is then added to complete the process. A master, simply known as Toji, oversees sake making. The master lives at the brewery and manages the staff and the production process. There are different types of sake that are based on manufacturing standards. These include Junmai Shu, which is made from rice, koji, and water, and has a smooth flavor. Honjozo Shu, and Ginjo Shu. Dai Ginjo is a sake that is made with rice, and has been polished down to 50% or less and contains higher starch content with or without added alcohol. Futsuu-shu is sake that does not qualify above standards and is also known as ordinary sake. Genshu sake has a higher content level, while Nigorizake is sake blended with rice sediment. This causes the sake to appear cloudy.