Hello, I'm C-taka.
In my last post, I explained that sake is made from water, rice and malted rice.
ctaka-japanese-sake.hatenablog.com
This time, I will talk about rice, which is the main ingredient of sake. Let's take a closer look at how the differences in the rice used as ingredients are reflected in the taste of sake.
Introduction. What is "rice suitable for brewing sake" which is an ingredient of sake?
First of all, let's think about what kind of rice is suitable for sake brewing.
The rice itself has no sugar needed for fermentation. Therefore, in sake brewing, rice malt is made to obtain a saccharifying enzyme that converts starch of rice into glucose. In addition, malted rice must dissolve moderately in "Moromi (fermentation mash)".
In short, it is desirable that rice used for sake brewing is easy to make koji, has high quality starch, and is moderately soluble.
The characteristics of rice suitable for sake brewing are as follows:
- The grain is large and the ratio of "Shinpaku (pearl of rice)" is high.
- Rice is hard to break.
- Low in protein and fat content.
- It is excellent in water absorption and water retention.
- It is soluble in "Shubo (fermentation starter)" and "Moromi (fermentation mash)" and easily saccharified.
First of all, you have to learn the 4 main "rice suitable for brewing sake" varieties! What are the characteristics of "Yamada-nishiki" "Gohyakumangoku" and "Omachi" "Miyama nishiki"?
At present, there are more than 150 kinds of "rice suitable for brewing sake" just for the main variety. It is difficult to introduce all of them, but I will introduce about 4 types here.
①"Yamada-nishiki" is called the king of "rice suitable for brewing sake". It is easy to make high-quality sake, and it is valued in sake breweries all over Japan.
Because of its outstanding features, "Yamada-nishiki" is called "King of rice suitable for brewing sake" and is traded at high prices.
It is often used for high-class sake such as those entered in contests because it is large grain, has a large shinpaku (pearl of rice), is excellent in brewing, and can produce high-quality koji(malted rice).
They are grown in relatively many areas, but Hyogo Prefecture is known as a famous production area.
②Although it is difficult to cultivate, "Omachi" is characterized by wild and thick taste. Because of its attractiveness, there are many fans who are called "omatist".
"Omachi" is the "rice suitable for brewing sake" representing Okayama Prefecture.
It is said that in the end of the Edo period, in 1859, Jinzo Kishimoto, an agrarian of Omachi Town and Village, Kamimichi County, Bizen Province, brought back two tall ears that he happened to find on his way home from visiting Daisen, and selected them repeatedly and raised them in 1867.
Because of its high quality, it is said to be the root of most "rice suitable for brewing sake" used in Japan today.
It is noteworthy that this is the only type of rice that has no mixed blood and was discovered more than 100 years ago and remains today.
It is a long culm, large grain and late maturing variety, and its main feature is the appearance of globular shinpaku (pearl of rice). Also, rice is soft and easy to dissolve, and it becomes a sake with rich taste.
Around 1900, it was used nationwide as the best variety of "rice suitable for brewing sake". At the first national sake contest, it was said that only Omachi could win the gold prize.
③"Miyama nishiki" is "rice suitable for brewing sake" which is easy to grow in cold regions. The light and smart taste is characteristic.
"Miyamanishiki" is a "rice suitable for brewing sake" created in 1978 by mutation after radiation treatment of "Takanenishiki" at Nagano Agricultural Experiment Station.
It is highly resistant to cold and is widely cultivated mainly in Nagano Prefecture, the place of origin, as well as in the cold Tohoku region including Akita Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture, and Iwate Prefecture.
It is said that Japanese sake made from this rice is easy to produce a relatively refreshing taste.
④"Gohyakumangoku" is an early rice variety born in Niigata Prefecture. Since it is hard rice, it is easy to make clear taste.
"Gohyakumangoku" is a cultivar developed at the Niigata Agricultural Experiment Station in 1938.
It is known for its high production mainly in the Hokuriku region such as Ishikawa Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture, with Niigata Prefecture being the place of origin.
Although it is weak in cold resistance and lodging resistance, it is large and the incidence of shinpaku (pearl of rice) is high.
"Gohyakumangoku" is known as hard rice, and the sake brewed from this rice tends to have a clear and crisp taste. On the other hand, because shinpaku (pearl of rice) is large, it is difficult to polish it to 50% or more, which is not suitable for high-class sake such as daiginjo.
Conclusion
In these days when brewing techniques have been developed, the ability of toji (the person in charge of brewing) largely influences the taste of sake.
However, it goes without saying that the importance of raw materials is high. At least, depending on the rice you use, it's easy to tell whether it's easy to have a refreshing taste or a rich taste.
In addition to these 4 types, I would like to introduce some of the "rice suitable for brewing sake" that I see frequently.
