sake making

There are some articles about sake making at the brewery

The site refuses connections at the moment but you can get a copy of basic procedure by googling "sake brewery library" and reading the article from cache.

seismo malm

thanks, jim

Here is probably the definitive article by sake guru, Fred Eckhardt.

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Steinbart in Portland (the left one) was selling a quality sake kit which included polished rice and koji from the Sake One brewery, and a liquid sake yeast. Don't know if they still do. You can contact them if interested.

Brian

KOJI to Brew your own Sake

Contact me if this is what you had in mind.

I've got a simplified recipe at

Be aware that sake must be fermented very cool, so depending on where you live and what equipment you have summer may not be the best time to try it.

--arne

If you live in an area with a large enough east-asian population you may find some specialty asian food stores that stock it. I usually buy it as Uwajimaya in Beaverton, OR. White Mountain brand.

--arne

Sorry, it's "Cold Mountain" brand.

Miyako Oriental Foods, Inc. (Cold Mountain)

4287 Puente Av., Baldwin Park, CA 91716 Phone: 626-962-9633 Fax: 626-814-4569

I don't make Sake but I noticed this while reading up on some enzymes for use in grape winemaking.

"Hazyme C, amylitic enzyme liquid. An enzymatic complex which is effective in preventing starch hazes in apples and other fruits. Since it converts starches into sugars it makes a suitable substitute for Aspergillus oryzae as the active agent in Kojii which is used in Sake production. It will work well under cold conditions"

You can find this at pi.wine under enzymes.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA

Problem is that koji contributes some very characteristic flavors as well as converting starch to sugar. The enzyme will do the conversion, and let you make rice wine (maybe quite good rice wine, I've never tried), but it won't taste like sake.

--arne

>

Aspergillus oryzae in Koji will grow and produce the enzyme. You will break the bank to buy the liquid enzyme to make rice wine. You might as well just buy the rice wine in the bottle.

Best Regards, Wannabe =======

I understand that koji lends many flavors to the sake, but what about the Saccharomyces used? I'm trying to decide whether I should use wine yeast, lager or ale yeast. I have many of those strains already but could special order the Wyeast Sake strain if it really does a better job.

Also, does Koji have saccharomyces in it or just Aspergillus?

Finally, does the koji have lactic acid bacteria or is the concern about pasteurization just because sake is often contaminated along the way with all the handling? Warren Place

I usually use Red Star Premier Cuve, but jsut because I usually have some lying around. I've not tried the Wyeast Sake strain, but have seen it recommended.

Just Aspergillus. There is a Chinese product that has yeast in it too, but I forget the name. It's often just translated as "Yeast Balls", but it's Aspergillus and Yeast.

Good question. I don't know. I've always pasteurised just because that's how I learned to do it. I recently learned during a visit to Japan that "raw" (unpasteurized) sake is also available. It's undiluted (18%-20% ABV) and must be protected from light. The bottles I saw were wrapped in either paper or rice straw. It also spoils quickly. I would have bought some, but I was afraid it would get ruined on the way back to the US. Unfortunately I didn't get to taste any, although I tasted plenty of other sakes, mostly in Akita prefecture, which is noted for the quality and variety of the local sake, most of which is unavailable anywhere else.

--arne

Yes, I have used the Chinese version of Koji, mine can ferment without adding yeast. Apparently it came with some strain of yeast.

Best Regards, Wannabe =======