Sake, a stranger from far East

History and secrets of an alcoholic drink. The several differences between the industrial and homemade versions

by Duccio Morozzo della Rocca

Its name is famous. But what exactly is Sake? “Contrary to what is believed, Sake is an alcoholic beverage much closer to wine than to Italian grappa: it is obtained from the fermentation of starches and sugars, not through distillation” says Koichi Hasegawa, leader of the distribution group named after him, and active sin 1960.

About two thousand years ago, Sake was a gift destined to gods, with a thick and mellow appearance, which was prepared by priestesses only, who were in charge of chewing the rice to obtain Sake. Around the year 1000, Sake became a liquid beverage, produced for the use of mere mortals. Since then on through centuries, Japanese farmers and cellar masters developed such refined processing methods that nowadays we can speak of an authentic Sake science which covers all aspects from the highest quality in the fields to the preciseness of the cellar work.

“The basis to produce excellent Sake – says Hasegawa – is that both rice and water are of utmost quality”.

Hasegawa mentions only three varieties of rice, out from more than 180 currently cultivated in Japan, as worthy of consideration for the production of Sake: Yamadanishiki, which is considered the emperor of rice; Gohyakumangoku, which is the more popular cultivation; Miyamanishiki, which adapts better to the cold climates of Northern Japan.
Rice is planted at the turn of May, preferably in zones characterized by a relevant temperature range from night to day, it is harvested in September and worked since October till March. The raw grain first gets through BRILLANTATURA, which eliminates fats and proteins from the external layer, so that the grain is reduced to half its original size and more harmonic and refined tastes and aromas can be obtained with the Sake. Once ready, after two weeks dedicated to the environmental rebalancing of the grain, the process goes on with the hand washing and controlled soaking: a minimal difference in the absorbed water can determine significant changes in the final product. The further step is steam cooking, that takes approximately 50 minutes and makes rice sufficiently flexible, hard on the outside and soft on the inside.

Since now on, the fermentation process can begin. Each of the 2000 caves in Japan follows its own methods and secrets, but the basic process is common to all and centered around Kouji (pronounced Kawdji), which is the fermented dough. The rice is spread out on a flat surface and a mould (Aspergillus Orza) is sprinkled on it. This mould, under certain conditions of temperature and humidity, starts the fermentation, transforming the rice starch in sugars: at this stage, any cave utilizes its own methods to obtain Sake characterize by its peculiar style. The Sake will depend entirely on the working of this dough, the Kouji. At this point, the process goes on to the fermentation of unrefined Sake, which takes place in drums, at 6 C, where the rice progressively melts, becoming every day more and more fluid, thanks to the double fermentation of starches into sugars and of sugars into alcohol.

“The fermentation of the product can be kept under control day-to-day through the five senses: the surface state, the mumbling of the fermentation, the smell are all precious sources of information. And the control of temperatures and daily analyses should not be forgotten”, explains Iwao Niizawa, producer.

After about 30 days, the fermented mixture is squeezed and separated into a solid part (dregs), and a liquid one, a new Sake which must be pasteurized in order to completely eliminate the starches before being bottled to reach its maturity.

We asked Koichi Hasegawa a few more questions.

Mr. Hasegawa, what is currently the relationship between Japanese and Sake?
Sake has always accompanied the emotional moments of our lives, either when we are sad or happy. We normally drink it after the sunset and can accompany meals of fish, meat and groceries. Unfortunately, Sake is now undergoing a period of crisis, and it only accounts for 7% of the alcoholic beverages market in Japan, a decrease which is due especially to the abandon of this traditional product by youth. Selling Sake abroad could improve our performances in Japan, too.

Which perspective do you envision for the export of Sake in the world?
Very good, especially in the USA and Asia.

Do you see wine as a competitor or as a complimentary beverage?
It is certainly a competitor, but we do love wine, so we would like to see the two products sharing the market. Except with sushi, which should be obviously accompanied by Sake.


We also asked Tadatsugu Inoue, producer of Sake, to briefly explain the difference between industrial and homemade Sakes. He says: “Two months are necessary to obtain a good Sake, whereas an industrial Sake is prepared in two weeks. Industry eliminates 10% of the grain through BRILLATURA, we eliminate 50%. Our rice costs up to eight times the rice used by big industry, whose factories push the fermentation to increase the alcoholic content, before diluting their product with water. The final product is a low quality Sake.”

It is not easy to grasp the value of a good product, for those who are not familiar with the Sake culture, but everybody can appreciate the refined quality of Sake. In a good Sake, as producers say, the alcohol must not prevail or pervade the smell, and the beverage must go down the throat like silk. Its aroma hast to be discreet and its taste must be intense, to exalt the dishes it accompanies.

by Duccio Morozzo della Rocca
01 February 2010 Teatro Naturale International n. 2 Year 2

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