Sake Dictionary - Sake and Types of Sake - Japanese Drink/Beverage
Sake is a Japanese beverage which is fermented from rice, a kind of grain, hence, it made Sake more of a beer than a wine. However, Sake is not carbonated, and flavor-wise is closer to wine than beer, although it is quite unqiue on its own and so different from wine. Sake is not a distilled beverage, and is not even remotely related to Gin, Vodka or other spirits
There are different types of Sake based on taste and flavor, namely:
(1) Amakuchi - Sake which has a sweet flavor
(2) Futsu-shu Sake - is a normal Sake.
(3) Genshu - is undiluted Sake. Most Sakes are slightly diluted
(4) Ginjo-shu - is Sake brewed with rice milled so that no more than 60% of the grain remains
(5) Hi-ire - Pasteurization
(6) Honjozo - Sake to which a small amount of distilled alcohol is added
(7) Jizake - is Sake from smaller Kura -- originally, Sake from the boonies
(8) Junmai-shu - Sake brewed with only rice, water, and Koji and no additives added
(9) Karakuchi - sake which is dry in flavor
(10) Kasu -
The lees remaining after the sake has been pressed from the fermenting mixture
(11) Koji is the rice into which Koji-jin has been propogated
(12) Koji-kin or Koji-kabi - it is Aspergillus Oryzae, a starch dissolving mold
Kura refers to a Sake brewery. It is also known as Sakagura
Kurabito is a Sake brewery worker.
Kuramoto is the Head of the Sake brewery
Toji is the Head brewer at a Kura
Meigara is a brand name of Sake
Moromi refers to the fermenting mixture of rice, water, Koji, and yeast which yields Sake
Moto is the yeast starter of a batch of Sake. Moto is also called Shubo
Nihonshu-do is the specific gravity of a Sake. An indication of dryness or sweetness of Sake
Seimai means rice polishing or milling
Seimai-buai is the degree to which rice has been polished before brewing
Seishu is the officiall name for Sake as far as taxes are concerned
Shochu is a traditional Japanese distilled beverage
Shubo is the yeast starter for a batch of Sake