1. By Marcelo Paniza Paniza Brewing Co.
How to Brew Sake
By Marcelo Paniza Paniza Brewing Co.

2. What is sake?
Also referred to as Japanese rice wine or NihonShu (日本酒; meaning 'Japanese liquor'), is a fermented alcoholic beverage made by fermenting rice in a particular way. It has been brewed and perfected for 1000s of years.
When you steam the rice, starches come out, but they are not fermentable. A mould called Koji (麹, Aspergillus Oryzae) is added to transform starches into fermentable sugars.
Today, we will explain that process and will try to simplify and compare sake brewing to beer brewing.

3. Sake Recipe Ingredients Preparation A bag of medium rice (Calrose)
2 cups of fresh Koji (Asian Market)
Yeast (WLP705)
Water (should be soft, we use distilled)
Preparation
Rice steamer
Flat pan to cool down the steamed rice
Brewer’s tools, including a fermenter
Minerals for water profile adjustment
Rice mill (optional)

4. How to prepare the rice
On every stage, you will prepare rice by the cup: Mill, Wash, Soak, Dry, Steam, Cool
You want the rice al dente, and not fully cooked.
Here is how to prepare it:
Mill the rice (optional)
Wash the rice until the water comes out clear
Cover it with water, 1-2 inches over
Let it soak for 1 hour
Drain it well (many drain for 1 hour)
Steam for 1 hour
Let it cool down to about 22oC

5. Yeast starter - Moto
Open fermentation! You will need to stir twice per day.
In a jar, add 600 ml of distilled water
Add a pinch of calcium chloride and Epsom salt
Add 1 cup of Koji leave in the fridge overnight
Then, wash 2 cups of rice (Mill, Wash, Soak, Dry, Steam, Cool)
Drop the steamed rice into the water with Koji
Drop the yeast into the mix as well
Ferment for 5 22oC
No more stirring
Let it rest for 3 10oC

6. Primary Fermentation - Moromi
We build the primary in folding stages.
The stages keep the yeast less stressed.
Ferment at 22oC, 24 hours each stage
Try to add the koji a few hours before you do the yeast
Hatsuzoe - 1 cup of Koji, 600 ml of water, 2.5 cups of rice
Nakazoe cups of Koji, 9 cups of water, 6 cups of rice
Tomezoe - 5 pounds of rice, remaining Koji, 5 L of water
Should have 15 L volume
Bring temperature down to 10oC
Leave undisturbed for 3 weeks, or gravity goes below 1.000

7. Secondary Fermentation - Yodan
We will separate sake from rice lees (called Kasu).
Will produces cloudy sake called Nigorizake. Lagering will clear it.
From here on, everything must be sanitized at all times.
Cheesecloth on the racking cane is useful here!
Using a racking cane, siphon as much as possible from primary
Then, filter and press the remaining as much as you can
There is still sugar left but try not to splash too much
I transfer to a single vessel. Many separate in 1-gallon vessels

8. Clarifying, Maturing and Packing
You can filter, lager, or whatever you fancy do with it!
Time to add those airlocks on fermenter(s).
Keep at 10oC to continue fermentation => Dryer, higher ABV.
Keep at 0oC to stop fermentation or pasteurize it.
White sake should be between 18% and 22%

9. How far can you go with this?
The Sake Doppelbock Experiment
On the last stage of the primary, instead of 5 L of water, we added 10 L of Doppelbock at
Keep at 10oC to continue fermentation => Dryer, higher ABV.
Keep at 0.0oC to stop fermentation or pasteurize it.
White sake should be between 18% and 22%

10. Rice Dancing

11. Resources Netflix - The Birth of Sake

12. Questions?
Marcelo Paniza
Paniza Brewing Company PanizaBrewing.Ca