Attributes associated with starter mash

生酛 – Kimoto is a traditional method of preparing a starter mash, which has been used for centuries. They used long wooden handles finished with a disc, which crush the rice into a porridge. This process is called yama-oroshi in Japanese. Today, this method is popular among some breweries, where the production was taken over by a younger brewer. 

山廃 – Yamahai is a simplified version of the previous method, which began to be used in the early 20th century. The Yamahai method omits the step of making rice porridge. Hence the name of this method, because the full name is “yama-oroshi haishi” – 山卸廃止, which means “not continuing with yama-oroshi”. Although this method was created to speed up the production of sake, it is still slower than the modern method. Today, it is mainly used for the production of sake, to which it adds earthy tones. 

速醸 – Sokujō or “rapid fermentation,” is a modern method of preparing the primary fermentation. Lactic acid, which is formed naturally during the previous two methods, is added to the base to suppress unwanted bacteria. This method usually produces lighter sake than kimoto or yamahai. Also, the use of this method is not mentioned on bottles, as it is the most common.

Attributes based on handling after main fermentation

生酒 – Namazake is unpasteurized sake that must be stored in the refrigerator and has a shorter shelf-life than classic sake.

原酒 – Genshu is undiluted sake. Most sake is diluted with water from the original 18-20% after fermentation, to 15-16% alcohol. Genshu is not diluted.

無濾過 – Muroka means unfiltered sake. In this case, however, it is not a filtration through carbon filters, or in other words it is not filtered through activated charcoal filters. However, it can be filtered through various membranes, but only after the mash has been pressed and got rid of solid particles, so that it is not cloudy. Carbon filtration can remove parts of the aroma and taste, so sake with the attribute Muroka has a more pronounced taste and might have yellowish color.

濁り酒 – Nigorizake is a cloudy sake. During pressing, a coarser mesh is used and so a part of the sediment is pressed together with the liquid. The resulting sake contains rice sediment. These sakes are mixed before serving to give the resulting liquid a milky color. However they are not considered a premium sake – Seishu (see below). 

清酒 – Seishu is the official state term for sake in Japan and refers to “clear / pure sake,” a term used in official terminology to describe a sake that has been completely filtered and is therefore clear. Thus, nigori and doburoku (see below) are not considered sake under Japanese law. Nigori can gain Seishu status if the sake is first fully filtered and then part of the sediment is added to the already finished sake.

古酒 – Koshu reffers to “aged sake”. Most sake is not left to mature, but this special sake can mature for years, giving it a yellowish color and honey tones..

樽酒 – Taruzake is sake, which matures in wooden barrels. The barrels are made of Japanese cedar (杉 – sugi). These barrels are very often opened on the occasion of the opening of new buildings, the conclusion of business contracts, during parties, and more. Because wood strongly influences the taste of this sake, premium sake is rarely used to fill these barrels.

搾立て – Shiboritate or “freshly pressed” sake, this designation is used for sake that has not been aged for six months in stainless steel tanks. It is usually more acidic and is therefore sometimes referred to as green or immature sake.

袋吊り – Fukurozuri refers to a method of pressing in which the liquid is separated from the sediment by hanging bags of mash in large tanks so that the liquid flows out spontaneously. Sake made by this method is sometimes referred to as shizukuzake (雫酒), which means “dripped sake”. This method is most often used for sake type Junmai Daiginjo or Daiginjo, although it does not have to be stated on the bottle. 

斗瓶囲い – Tobingakoi is a sake that, after pressing, is stored in 18-liter glass demijohns/carboys called tobin, with the toji (master brewer) choosing which sake to store there. Sake that is most often stored in tobin, is the one that will later be sent to a competition.

Other types of saké, which one can find

 甘酒 – Amazake is a traditional sweet Japanese low-alcohol drink made from fermented rice.

濁酒 – Doburoku refers to home-made sake, although this is prohibited by law in Japan. It is made by adding koji mold and water to cooked rice. It is then waited for the mixture to ferment spontaneously. It is most reminiscent of nigori with larger chunks of rice.

地酒 – Jizake refers to locally made sake. This term refers to micro sake breweries, similarly to a term known from beer brewing culture, where there are also micro breweries.

黒酒 – Kuroshu is a sake made from rice that is not milled, sometimes referred to as brown rice.

低精白酒 – Teiseihaku-shu is a term for sake that deliberately uses rice with the highest possible percentage of milling. It is generally believed that the lower the percentage of milling, the better. Since about 2005, sake has been produced in this way. Usually, the percentage of grinding is around 80%, and thanks to this, these sakes have a noticeable trace of rice in the taste.