Washed rice is the foundation for brewing a good Saké. Besides, the time it takes to soak the rice is only a matter of seconds.

In daiginjô brewing, the brown rice is carved to less than 40% of its original size, giving a white-translucent pearl aspect to each little grain called shinpaku, which constitutes the fine lump of starch. The timing of rice washing is strict. It requires washing off the rice bran by hand while paying close attention so that the shinpaku does not crack. The chief brewer counts down while looking at the clock while the brewers are perfectly coordinated despite the tense atmosphere in the washing facility.

After being washed, the rice is soaked in water in a soaking tank. Since rice absorbs water slightly differently each year, the chief brewer determines the optimum amount of water based on past data and years of experience and adjusts the soaking time in seconds. This amount of water absorption determines the quality of the next steamed rice production.

The ideal steamed rice is “hard outside, soft inside,” a preliminary requirement for making good-quality kôji and shubo.

Once the water is drained from the rice, the latter is steamed in a rice steamer. Furthermore, since the amount of water is adjusted from washing to soaking, the steaming time is almost constant. By boiling, enzymes act on the starch, helping the growth of kôji mold. The ideal form of steamed rice is “hard outside, soft inside,” suitable for Saké brewing.
The finished steamed rice is used to make kôji, shubo, and mash, but if it is too soft, the mycelium of the kôji will wrap around the surface of the rice grains, blocking the yeast from growing as we may think. On the contrary, if the steamed rice is too hard, the sugar of the yeast will not come out, so it is necessary to boil the rice so that it does not melt as soon as the moromi is added.

The decisive factor in the taste is the “three-step preparation.” Moromi is the signature of a brewery.

Adding steamed rice, kôji, and water to shubo to create moromi is a brewing process called “three-step preparation.” Indeed, brewing is usually made in three key steps: additive phase, intermediate phase, and end phase. Between the additive and the middle stages, there is a one-day rest period called “The Dance,” which suppresses the growth of bacteria. Finally, the yeast breeding that constitutes the “three-step preparation” is done in four days:

In the preparation of moromi, the flavor and characteristics of Saké are heavily determined by adjusting the mixing ratio of shubo, steamed rice, kôji, and water, which crystallizes the enthusiasm and commitment of any chief brewer towards Saké brewing.
Fermentation of the finished moromi will be completed in about 20 days and about 40 days at the latest. The raw alcohol is then obtained after squeezing it.

First day: additive stage

Second day: “The Dance” (“Odori”)

Third day: middle stage

Fourth day: end stage

Get drunk with the scent of a freshly squeezed Saké. What a delightful moment!
Here is the final stage of Saké brewing. The process of squeezing the moromi after fermentation and separating it into new Saké (raw sake) and sake lees is called jôsô. Freshly squeezed new Sakés emit a faintly beautiful golden glow and are characterized by their fresh aroma and youthful taste despite being incomplete. In the case of “raw storage,” the sake is quickly put into the bottling process once heated and sterilized. Still, in practice, filtration is done beforehand to remove the odd taste from various ingredients.

In addition, the freshly made alcohol is pasteurized to prevent decay and then poured into a tank to mature. At the end of the stage, the preparation becomes a refined Saké, which can be adjusted by adding the same water as the brewing water used during the previous processes (Sakés that are not changed with water can still be commercialized as raw ones). In the final bottling process, the product is heated and sterilized to ship safe, high-quality products.