Steps of Sake Production

STEPS OF SAKE PRODUCTION

RICE HARVESTING RICE POLISHING WASHING SOAKING STEAMING

COOLING 1-2 MOS

steamed rice

60% REMAIN AVG ~48 HRS EACH BATCH ~1 HR

MAIN PRESSING FERMENTATION MASH THREE STEP ADDITIONS YEAST STARTER KOJI PRODUCTION

raw sake

30-40 DAYS 4 DAYS 2 WEEKS 2-3 DAYS

FILTRATION* DILUTION* BOTTLING* PASTEURIZATION* MATURATION*

6 MOS - 1 YEAR

RICE HARVESTING RICE POLISHING WASHING SOAKING STEAMING

COOLING Sake rice is harvested 1-2 MOS Each batch of rice takes During this soaking in the fall. Most sake A fine white powder about an hour and is Sake rice is polished in a process the water brewers do not own their residue is left on the rice cooked by steam rising vertical mill that slowly absorption rate of the own rice fields, and many after polishing; this is from underneath the rice steamed shaves off the outer rice is determined so do not even use rice from washed off and the rice steamer. The target rice layers of rice. that even steaming can the prefecture where is soaked. temperature of the rice occur later. their brewing facility is 100 degrees Celsius. is located.

AVG ~48 HRS EACH BATCH ~1 HR

MAIN PRESSING FERMENTATION MASH THREE STEP ADDITIONS YEAST STARTER KOJI PRODUCTION

The removal of The fermentation rice and yeast solids process takes between In a small tank (around 15-20% of the total rice (sake kasu) from the liquid. 30-40 days for premium Over the course of four in a batch of sake will be The most common method sake. During this period days, gradually 1/10 the size of the entire raw fermentation), steamed taken to a room called is through an assaku-ki, saccharification and increasing amounts of the Koji Muro, where the which is an accordion- fermentation happens sake rice and koji rice is sake water, koji rice, and koji mold will be slowly shaped machine that simultaneously in what is combined with water and steamed sake rice are grown on the steamed squeezes the sake mash referred to as multiple cultivated sake yeast. added to the tank. sake rice. through a fine mesh. parallel fermentation.

30-40 DAYS 4 DAYS 2 WEEKS 2-3 DAYS

FILTRATION* DILUTION* BOTTLING* PASTEURIZATION* MATURATION*

Bottling is done before or after pasteurization. It Pasteurization is done 6 months to a year of Charcoal fining to remove Water dilution of the is generally thought that to prevent any yeast or temperature controlled any color, remaining sake sake to reduce the bottling before pasteuri- enzyme activity in the maturation to fully kasu, or trace organisms alcohol content. zation keeps the sake as bottle, and extends the develop the sake’s from the sake. fresh and unexposed to shelf life of sake. characteristics. elements as possible.

6 MOS - 1 YEAR