Why is sake called nihonshu?
Though usually referred to as “Sake (Japanese pronunciation: Seishu)”, its official name is”Nihonshu” in Japan. According to Liquor Tax Act, “Nihonshu” means a liquid that is produced in Japan and made by fermenting and filtering rice, koji, and water.
What is the difference between sake and nihonshu?
Sake, Nihonshu — What’s the difference? Most western people understand sake as the ‘rice wine’ that you order at a Japanese restaurant (usually hot). Nihonshu = what western people of as ‘sake’ but in fact it refers to alcohol made from rice in the traditional brewing way (fermentation not distilling).
What is nihonshu made of?
Nihonshu is made from rice and rice alone. shōchū can be made from rice, but also from barley, soba (buckwheat) — and the illustrious Satsuma imo, the sweet potato of Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu. There are even a few shōchū made from miscellaneous grains and brown sugar.
Is sake brewed or distilled?
Thats right, sake is brewed. Not distilled. Although there are many parallels between sake, beer, and wine, it is truly a unique brewing process. Sake is not a liquor and is not distilled and while it has a high ABV and complexity like wine, there are no natural sugars in rice.
Does sake go bad?
Sake usually does not have an expiration date, but there is a recommended drinking window. Regular sake (liquor that has been fired twice) has a different period, so it is recommended that you check the label when purchasing.
Is koji a mold?
Aspergillus oryzae, also known as kōji mold (Japanese: ニホンコウジカビ (日本麹黴), Hepburn: nihon kōji kabi), is a filamentous fungus (a mold) used in East Asia to saccharify rice, sweet potato, and barley in the making of alcoholic beverages such as sake and shōchū, and also to ferment soybeans for making soy sauce and miso.
What is a koji room?
The room in which koji is made is called the koji muro or simply muro, muro meaning a room. Although sake is made primarily in the coldest season, koji-kin grows at high temperatures (30°C-40°C), and requires suitable humidity levels. For this reason, koji making requires a space insulated from the outside air.
Why is sake a different drunk?
In the same way that wine can be dry or sweet, sake also comes in different flavors. The sugar-to-acid level of sake is known as the Sake Meter Value or SMV. In Japanese, the SMV is called ‘nihonshu-do. ‘ A low SMV of -2 indicates a sweet sake drink, while a +5 would be dry.
Which is the correct way to serve nihonshu?
Nihonshu is traditionally served in what looks to be an equivalent of a milk jug (without a handle) called tokkuri and divvied up into little espresso-typed cups called o-choko. This is especially common when serving the nihonshu hot or warm, as it keeps the liquid from cooling. But in recent years, this is not always the case.
What’s the difference between nihonshu and umeshu wine?
It is usually around 15% but can be as low as 12% and as high as 20%. Umeshu = plum wine, made either using plums and shochu or (more recently) plums and sake. Umeshu made with nihonshu (see that term again) is more gentle and refined than that made with shochu albeit a tad more expensive.
What’s the best way to drink nihonshu sake?
When drinking, although you may be tempted to do a “sake shot,” given the size of the cup, you should sip slowly, like you would a fine wine. Nihonshu is also often paired with things such as raw fish and other foods of delicate flavors, so enjoy the set one bite and sip at a time!
What’s the difference between nihonshu and koji rice?
Generally, the lower the number, the purer the brew (and the more it’ll cost you). Also, a lower percentage often results in a fruitier nihonshu (not necessarily sweeter), whereas a higher percentage will taste more like rice. Most of the nihonshu above have two or three ingredients – rice, koji rice and distilled alcohol.