The article and photos by Fumiko Koike
Classifications of sake can be complex to some extent.
Even for Japanese people, discovering their favorite one can take sometime, so they usually enjoy the process of finding it, comparing different kinds of sake.
Here are some useful information when it comes to ordering or buying one.
Contents:
1. What is Sake?
2. Basic Classification of Sake
3. FAQ
4. Message from Fumiko
1. What is Sake?
Japanese sake can be explained in the following three sentences :
(1) Sake is a fermented beverage made from rice.
(2) Alcoholic content is mostly about fifteen to sixteen percent.
(3) It can be roughly classified into three kinds according to percentage of rice- grain weight remaining after milling / polishing, namely ;
Honjozo-shu （本醸造酒）, Ginjo-shu（吟醸酒）and Daiginjo-shu（大吟醸酒）.
2. Basic Classification of Sake
The followings are the usual percentage of rice-grain weight remaining after milling.
● Honjozo-shu （本醸造酒）: 70 percent (or less) of the rice-grain weight is left (it means 30 percent of the surface is removed).
● Ginjo-shu (吟醸酒）: 60 percent (or less) of the rice-grain weight is left (it means 40 percent of the surface is removed).
● Daiginjo-shu（大吟醸酒）: 50 percent (or less) of the rice-grain weight is left(it means 50 percent of the surface is removed).
The percentage of TABLE rice-grain weight REMAINING after milling is about 90 percent (it means 10 percent of the surface is removed) .
3. FAQ
Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions about Japanese Sake.
(1) Why do you have to remove the surface of rice grains?
(2) What are main ingredients?
(3) How is sake made?
(4) Are there any other types of sake or any by-products?
I would like to answer the above questions in the following article：
4. Message from Fumiko
I mentioned the basic classification of sake above, but please remember that each brewery can have its own categorizations and classifications, which might be slightly different from the information mentioned in this article. If you have a chance to visit Japan, I hope you find your favorite one !
Related article: Fushimi area in Kyoto
The article and photos by Fumiko Koike
If you are interested in taking my tours in Kyoto/Japan, please go to the following website:
