How to make Sake at Home (6 Liters)

Fermented Japanese rice wine
Traditionally sake was brewed only in the winter. Premium sake is fermented at cold temperatures (32°f to 48°f) Sake brewers believe that a slow, cold fermentation will elicit the most favorable aromas from the sake yeast. Because the cold temperature prevents the yeast from acting too quickly, fermentation of sake usually between 18 to 32 days once transferred to the big container. If you fermented in the warm place over 48°f will cause the sake from becoming too sour, which means you should watch and taste after 2 weeks to meet your personal taste.

Koji Rice mold has a very important role in making Sake, the enzymes from the Koji convert the starch in the rice into sugar, while yeast needs sugar to make alcohol, so Koji and yeast make a great team.
How to make koji rice : youtu.be/xjAxM8SF10g

Ingredients for Sake Yeast Starter: Moto: Shubo
 80 g Koji rice (1/2 cup)
 180 g Steamed rice (1/2 cup, 100g uncooked sushi rice)
 270 g Water (1+1/4 cup)
 5 g Yeast (1+½ tsp, I use baker’s yeast)
Ingredient for Sake:
1. 500 ml Moto yeast starter
2. 4 liters Water – 4 liters
3. 700 g. Koji rice – 700 grams
4. 2,280 g. Steamed rice (15 cups) = (6 cups, 1.2 kg uncooked sushi rice)
Note: 1 cup, 200g uncooked sushi rice = 380g. steamed rice)
Instruction: Sake Yeast Starter: Moto (10 days process)
1. Put all of the ingredients in a glass container, stir the mixture and leave it in a cold place or a fridge.
2. Shake the moto yeast starter once a day for 10 days. The finished moto looks like a cream-soup.
Instruction: Sake (14-32 days process)
 Day 1
1. Cook rice for 1 cup (380 g. steamed rice = 1 cup 200 g. uncooked sushi rice), cool it to room temperature. Then put in a big glass container. This way you’ll be able to oversee the whole process. Coat inside with cooking wine before use.
2. Add 500 ml of water
3. Add the moto yeast starter
4. Add a cup of Koji rice (160 g)
5. Mix well, leave at the cold place, stir the mixture every 10-12 hours
 Day 3
1. Add another 760 g. of the steamed rice (2 cups, 400 g. uncooked sushi rice.)
2. Add another 1 cup of Koji rice (160 g.)
3. 1.5 liters of water (6 cups)
4. Mix well, leave at the cold place, stir the mixture every 10-12 hours
 Day 5
1. Add the remaining 1,140g steamed rice (3 cups uncooked sushi rice).
2. Add Koji rice 380 g.
3. Add 2 liters of water, stir and leave in a cold place for 2-3 weeks depend how strong of alcohol you prefer.
4. You will have to stir every 10-12 hours, to keeping the fermentation in balance.
5. Strain it through a cheesecloth and bottle. Sake can be stored in a fridge for a month.
Notes
 The colder-fermented sake was considerably more fragrant than the other.
 Fermentation of sake takes quite a while: usually between 18 to 32 days once transferred to a large container at cold temperatures (32°f to 48°f).
 My case after transferred to a large container at 45°f to 50°f
 Taste & Level of Sake will vary by temperature and time you let it ferment.
 Don’t throw away the leftover solids (Sake lees or Sake Kasu) has very high nutritional value. Bag & keep in the freezer or fridge. It’s great as a marinade for fish and chicken, it can be baked into bread dough for a super-crispy, or it can be used to make traditional Japanese pickles… my favorite way to use is putting in my smoothies.
#sake #fermentedrice #ricewine