Contents
Sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic drink made from special varieties of rice. There is a lot of controversy surrounding nihonshu, which is what the Japanese call sake. Who claims that this is rice vodka, someone is convinced that this is rice wine, there is also a version that this is a simple rice beer.
In fact, sake is not like traditional European types of alcohol, and it is very difficult to attribute it to any group of alcoholic beverages. But the Japanese are convinced that this is a self-sufficient drink that does not fall into any of the existing categories.
What is the difference between sake and vodka
Since we have already dealt with the fact that there is no such thing as “rice sake vodka”, it remains for us to find out what are the main differences between them:
Different strength of drinks. Vodka – 40 degrees, and in sake, the strength of the drink ranges from 14-20%.
Different consistency. Sake is thick and viscous, very reminiscent of liquor.
Sake differs from vodka in its aroma. The rice drink has hints of fruits, flowers, grains, nuts, beans, herbs, spices, dairy products, honey, caramel, chocolate, earth, mushrooms, hay and even meat.
Classical vodka has a crystal clear color, while sake, depending on the degree of maturity, can vary from a delicate lemon shade to a deep amber.
different cooking technology.
How sake is made in Japan
In Japan, for the preparation of sake, special varieties of rice are used, which differ from the usual large grains and high starch content. The best varieties are considered “Yamadanishiki” and “Omachi”.
The process of producing rice drink can be conditionally divided into 8 stages:
Grinding rice. This process takes 2-3 days.
Rice washing, soaking and steaming.
Preparation of koji rice dough.
Preparation of the primary mash “moto”.
Preparation of the main moromi mash.
Pressing.
Filtration. After pressing, the sake is filtered through activated charcoal.
Excerpt.
The manufacturing technique usually results in a strength of about 18–20 degrees of alcohol. However, sake is diluted with water to about 15 degrees before bottling.
As for the process of making sake at home, it certainly differs from the factory, but the main steps are still the same.
Sake recipe at home
The production of sake is very similar to the technology of beer, but differs in the way the sourdough is prepared. The difference is that malt is prepared for beer by germinating grain. And the rice used in the sake recipe is not sprouted, but fermented.
Before proceeding directly to the preparation of the drink itself, we need to prepare two types of sourdough. Of course, store analogues can also be used, but there is no guarantee that all the rules for its storage have been observed.
Koji sourdough
Ingredients
Koji-kin seeds – 1 tsp
Round rice – 800 g
Method of preparation
First, we need to thoroughly rinse the rice until the water is completely clear.
Then we throw the rice on a sieve and leave it for 1 hour so that the excess water is completely glass.
Now you need to steam the rice. To do this, you can use a double boiler or a slow cooker. Rice cooked in the usual way is not suitable for sourdough.
Cool the cooked rice to room temperature, sprinkle it with koji-kin seeds and cover with a cotton cloth or gauze thoroughly moistened with water. Leave for 14-16 hours for fermentation.
The readiness of the sourdough is easy to determine – the rice will become snow-white in color and there will be a pronounced smell of cheese.
Live yeast Moto
Ingredients
Steamed rice – 180 g
Kodi sourdough – 75 g
Water – 270 ml
Dry baker’s yeast – 5 g
Method of preparation
With steamed rice, repeat the first 3 points from the koji sourdough recipe.
We mix the finished rice with the koji sourdough, add warm water, yeast and mix everything thoroughly.
We shift the prepared mixture into a glass container, cover with a lid and send it to the refrigerator for 10 days. At the same time, it is necessary to shake the contents of the jar daily.
Properly prepared sourdough should have a creamy consistency.
After we have prepared two starter cultures, you can proceed directly to the preparation of sake.
sake ingredients
Parboiled rice – 15 cups
Kodi sourdough – 700 g
Yeast Moto – 500 ml
Water – 4 L
Method of preparation
The preparation of sake will take place in several stages. First we need to cook the rice.
Now cool 375 g of rice to room temperature and mix it with moto sourdough, 450 ml of water and one glass of koji sourdough. We transfer the resulting mixture into a glass container with a volume of 3 liters and leave it warm for a day. During the day, mix the contents of the jar a couple of times. During this time, the rice will absorb all the liquid.
On the third day, add another 750 g of rice, 225 g of koji sourdough and 6 glasses of water. We leave it in the same place for another 12 hours. And don’t forget to stir.
On the fourth day, add all the remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and leave warm again.
On the fifth day, active fermentation will begin and we continue to withstand it to the desired strength. On day 10, the strength of the drink will average 15 degrees, and on day 20, about 19 degrees.
The finished drink must be filtered, and then passed through a filter and bottled.
Young homemade sake can be stored in the refrigerator for about 30 days.
How to drink sake properly
Sake is drunk according to certain rules, etiquette and traditions.
It is customary to serve it in a special tokkuri jar. According to Japanese tradition, before each toast, the drink is poured into small cups of choco, and before drinking, they must say “Kompai”, which means “to the bottom”.
As for the temperature of consumption, it is customary to drink sake both chilled to 5 degrees and heated to 60 degrees. But the Japanese adhere to one rule: “Good sake is drunk cold. Bad sake is warm.” This is due to the fact that when the rice drink is heated, all the rich aroma and taste dulls or disappears altogether. Therefore, lower quality sake is recommended to be heated.
As snacks, it is recommended to serve national Japanese dishes or nuts, chips or cheeses that are more familiar to us.
Relevance: 05.02.2018
Tags: other alcohol