Brewing Japanese-Sake Winter 2017/2018 ~ Filtered!

Sake after filtered

   The last a couple posts were related "Amateur Radio" related topics, however, I update a project to brew Japanese-Sake this winter.
   The brewing started around Christmas last year.  It's been 9 weeks.  It is not much rain this winter in northern California and it has been cold days.  I guess that is probably why the fermentation took longer this winter.   Finally, it was getting ready to be filtered.

   This is also "Ginjo" quality and it tastes really good.  I just need to bottle it a couple days after.  The taste is getting much better.  I think the key is Ginjo level milled rice and raw Koji (rice malt).  The recipe this winter is basically good!  It is probably all right to use rice cooker instead of steaming.

   This is probably the last one this winter and I will probably adjust the amount try not to overflow next winter.  Also, it is probably all right to use 5 gallon tank instead of 2 gallon tank next year since the taste can be under control now.  Other than the material, closed tank and fermentation in lower temperature is probably another tips for a good sake!

Brewing Japanese Sake 2017 (4) ~ filtered

After filtered

   It's been for 5 weeks for Japanese Sake brewing this winter.  The fermentation was settling down and I decided to filter it last weekend.
   For this filtering process, I usually gets many questions. It is not easy to do at home.   I tried a several ways before, however, the best way I think is using a metal mesh and precipitate the lees.  Then just take the clear portion as SAKE.  It is not easy to use closes to filter it because it is clogged.  Also a paper filter like dripping coffee, it will take too much time.   Some article for making "Doburoku" , which is easy version of brewing sake, says straining.  But I usually do not do it.  I just shake the metal mesh to filter it.
   This way it is not transparent at all right after filtered.  However within a several days, precipitating the lees at the bottom and it will be separate clear portion and the lees.  Then just taking the clear portion as SAKE and the rest will be used as "NIGORI SAKE", which is non-clear SAKE which is about quarter.

   The photo shows really yellow, however the real color is a similar as typical rice vinegar, a bit yellowish than a typical SAKE in the market.   The photo is about 2 days after filtered.

Brewing Japanese Sake 2017 (3) ~ First Tasting is very good

Tasting

  This is a progress report for brewing Japanese sake this winter.
  It's been 4 weeks since I started.  I think this winter is relatively colder than the past a few years and the brewing is making a good progress now.   The past a few days, it is getting nice smell and I tried the first tasting last weekend.

   The primary difference between this year and past a few years, special rice which is milled up to 60% for brewing sake and raw "Koji" are used for this brewing.  The smell is very similar as the past brewing.  However, the taste is very good.  It is really "Ginjo" level quality.  The taste is very clear and it is very similar as expensive sake in the market.  It is really tasty and I am really happy the result.

Fermentation is still in progress

   The fermentation is still in progress and it will take some extra time to filter it.   As of today, it is very good result.   Since this time parameters, which are "rice" and "KOJI", I am not sure which one would contribute the good result more.  Just my feeling, it would be because of rice.  The difference is very small, however, it might be a big factor for the taste.

(To be continue ...)

Fermentation is in progress

Started brewing this winter!

　As I posted before, I started brewing Japanese SAKE this winter.  The point for this brewing is using up to 60% milled rice for SAKE, which is "Ginjo" quality,  instead of a regular rice we typically eat.   I bought it from an online store.  I also get a "raw Koji" instead of dry version.

   The brewing started on Jan 16 and additions were done on Jan 20th, 22nd and 23rd.   It is work in progress now.   Due to my calculation error, the recipe was not what I originally planed.  However, it is probably not a big problem and fermentation is on going now.

Different rice for SAKE
   The special rice which is milled up to 60% for SAKE brewing looks a similar as what we typically eat.  There is much difference just looking at each pieces.  However, if you fill into a cup or grab some, I feel difference.  It seems space between each pieces is probably smaller. 
   The condition after cooking is also different.  The way I used to use is using a rice cooker to cook rice instead of steaming rice as a traditional way to cook rice for SAKE.  This method is from many information from the internet to make "DOBROK", which is non-filter version of SAKE for personal brewing.   Based on the method, we might be able to get a similar result as steaming rice.  It is not exactly the same result with steaming rice, however, it is probably acceptable for personal brewing.  However, when I cook the special rice this time is not very good result.  Rice where near surface of cooker is too soft and the middle is under-cooking.   The result is not uniform.  It is probably due to the space between each piece of rice and distribution of the water with rice.  The dimension of each piece might be very small difference between the special rice and the regular rice, however, it is probably one of key factor of the result.   Based on the first result, I increased amount of the water for cooking a little bit, then the middle portion got better.  But rice where is near surface for the cooker is very soft.  It might be different kind of rice, but the different milled rate is probably primary factor in my opinion and this is a big reason the traditional method uses "steam" instead of boiling.

   We may improve to longer time to put in the water.  However, the complete improvement, we might need to steam rice instead of using a rice cooker.  Based on the past result, as long as we use a typical rice for eating, it is probably fine to use a rice cooker.  But this is just a easy method for personal brewing.   This time, except the first one, I use a scale for sticky (sweet) rice water level on the cooker instead of regular "white rice" with more than 2 hours rice in the water.

Different KOJI
   This time I also use "raw" or non-dried KOJI instead of dried-KOJI.   The required water amount is different.  However, I did miscalculation for the amount of water.  It is much less than what I originally thought.   However, I use more water for cooking and it is a sort of balanced and it does not seems to be a big problem.

Problem this brewing and future improvements

   The error in the recipe and how to cook rice is the area where I need to improve in the next brewing.   However, the current brewing will take more than a mount and it might be hard to have another one this winter.   Therefore, the next brewing will be the next winter.

   The next time, I will re-calculate the distribution of the amount for each adding for rice and water, and how to cook rice.   Let's see how it goes this winter!

Brewing Japanese Sake 2017

Sample from a batch last winter

   Recently, I try to post a similar article as what I post to my Japanese blog.  I am not sure how many people are interested in brewing Japanse sake.  But I will also try to post the progress of the brewing this winter.

   Since I live in California in the US, all imported product from Japan is expensive and Japanse sake is one of them.  Three years ago, I started brewing ale and it is really fun and it is not so difficult.  Some people I knew did brewing Japanese sake and I also tried it.   The past two winters, I did some try-and-error to establish a easy way to blew sake, which is using a regular rice with regular way to cook it.   In the traditional way, steamed rice is used instead of regular way to cook it.  However, when I search how we can brew sake on the internet, I found many similar articles about brewing sake.  Most of them are non-filtered sake, which is called "doburoku" in Japanese.  Technically, brewing sake without proper license is illegal in Japan.   Therefore, there are not many people doing it.  Brewing "doburoku" is easy way to make small amount of "sake like" beverage.

   Based on the easy method, I also started with "doburok" and finally I was trying to brew "filtered sake" with a regular rice.   I think I establish a process to brew Japanese sake at home.   However, I felt the taste is slightly different from one which is sold in the market.  I thought it is because of rice since rice which is used for brewing sake usually milled more than regular rice we usually eat.  But it is not easy to get it.  That is the primary reason, I use a regular rice from the grocery store.  However after 1 year storage, the taste is getting better and close enough to the commercial products.

   Anyway, this year, I have just ordered a special rice for sake on the internet and I will try the special rice if there is any significant difference or not.   The process to cook the rice will stay the same, I will use a regular rice cooker to cook it.  the only change this winter is just rice itself.

   I will keep posting the progress.  Let's see how it goes! 

Japanese sake brewing project (7) ~ The second batch

Different type of KOJI

The first batch is now aging stage, I probably need to rack it some time a few weeks from now.   It has not been clear yet.   In a mean while, I started the second batch with some adjustments.

Here is some points of the adjustments:

1. Different type of KOJI
2. Reduce the amount of KOJI
3. Reduce water

The first batch, a freeze-dry type KOJI was used.    There is another type of KOJI in a local Japanese grocery store.   It is still a "dry" KOJI, but the one in the photo above has more moisture.   Also, the amount of KOJI for the previous experiments could be too much.  It may impact to the color and flavor.   The second batch used only a little more than half of the previous batch.

Then the last one is the amount of water.  I reduced around 20%.

The starter process started last night and I observed bubbles from the air lock.   It seems to be much slower fermentation than the previous batches.

(To be continue)

Japanese sake brewing project (6) ~ Pressing / Pasteurization

Pasteurization -- deactivate fermentation and kill unexpected bacteria and etc.

Pressing

After the last addition (the third addition), the fermentation was active for more than 2 weeks.   A timing the fermentation to be stopped is one of key decision for brewing sake.   Many article on the internet mentioned, it would be around 2~4 weeks from the last addition.

In my first brewing, I decided to stop the fermentation after 17 days.

Pressing method

In my test brewing before this batch, it is very hard to press just using a close.  Therefore, I thought using a metal mesh would be a good idea to separate / extract the liquid part and sediment.  My fermentation tank has  "a down spout".   When I brew beer, using it to take beer out from the tank.  The contents will be separated with 3 layers after a several days of the fermentation.   The middle part is the liquid part and it is probably easy to extract the liquid part from the down spout.

Actually, it was a good idea.   The middle part is really liquid and not much sediment included.  Then we can minimize the pressing effort.   I extracted the middle layer from the spout and total amount of the liquid part is about 1.5 gallon.   Then the left over is pressed with a metal mesh.   However, the sediment is soft and if we press the sediment, then the sediment passed through the mesh.   With this process, I got about extra 1 gallon of liquid with a lot of sediment, it is called "Nigori" in Japanese.

Pasteurization

After pressing process, I did pasteurization that deactivates the fermentation and kill unexpected bacteria and etc. to store in the room temperature.   The process is put a jar that has the liquid part into a larger jar to heat up.   I put a thermometer to monitor the liquid temperature.   Based on the information on the internet, the temperature needs to be up to 60C+ (140F+).   Then chilling the liquid immediately.   After that, it will put in jars to store.    It will take a few weeks to settle the sediment into the bottom.

Tasting

 I tasted it after the process.   The taste was not too bad.  Actually, it is much better than I expected.  I still needs to wait more time for aging the sake.   However, I started considering how I will proceed the next batch.

(To be continue)

Japanese sake brewing project (5) ~ fermentation is in progress!

Surface of MOROMI in the 7th day from the 1st addition (1st building up)

Fermentation is in progress!

It's been about 2 weeks from the first day of the brewing process and the 9th day from the 1st addition (1st building up).   The fermentation is a bit slowing down now, but the bubble from the air lock is still going on in a short period.

Original plan was not to open the lid so often, I was thinking just shaking the tank.   However, there is a layer of rice on the surface and I think it is necessary to stir  a few times a day to get more uniform fermentation.   So that I need to be really careful and have a good sanitation every time to open the lid.

Taste?

Since I open the lid every day, I usually take a small amount of sample and taste it every day.   It is not to bad at all.  The rice is getting softer and taste is getting better day by day.

Next Step?

Probably another week to complete the fermentation and will separate liquid part.   Also, I started to considering how I will do the next batch.    Since the recipe and process is not really completely established and I think it might be better to try more batches other than a large amount.   Therefore, I will try to optimize the amount to fit 2 gallon fermentation tank instead of 5 gallon tank. 

(To be continue)

Japanese sake brewing project (4) ~ NAKAZOE / TOMEZOE (Second / Third addtion)

Before NAKAZOE (Second addition)

NAKAZOE / TOMEZOE (Second / Third addition)

 As I mentioned in the previous posts, a traditional way to brew Japanese SAKE is typically use 3-steps addition.   The first addition is called HATSUZOE, the next one after 2 days of the first addition is called NAKAZOE and the last addition is called TOMEZOE, that is typically the next day of NAKAZOE.   However, I was out of town after NAKAZOE and I could not do TOMOZOE the next day.   So I did it two days after NAKAZOE.

Fermentation is active after the first addition, adding more to keep active fermentation and smelling is getting better.

 Right before the third addition (the last addition), I got a little sample from the tank and filtered with a coffee dripping system.  Since we are addition more materials after the first addition, the alcohol level was getting lower temporally, however, the smell and taste is much better than I was expected.

Early tasting right before TOMEZOE (Third addition)

It is still not really clear, but the taste is already Japanese SAKE.

I think everything is going well at this moment and keep monitoring the fermentation status at lease once a day.

(To be continue)

Japanese sake brewing project (3) ~ The first addition (HATSUZOE)

Changed to a larger fermentation bucket (5 gallon)

The first addition (HATSUZOE in Japanese)

On fourth day, the fermentation activity was slowing down.   Bubbles in the air lock was not frequent as the previous days.   It seems that there was not much sugar left in the starter cultures.   According to many articles on the internet, it may take a few weeks.   However, the sample amount of this trial is not much and there might be enough cells in the original yeast pack.   I guess that might be a reason to slow down the fermentation activity.   It seems that the fermentation of the starter has completed.

The smell was also getting more yeast flavor and I think it might be a sign to tell there are a lot of yeasts in the cultures.

Once the starter (SHUBO) is getting ready, the next step is the first addition (HATSUZOE) that means to start actual fermentation process for SAKE.

Need larger fermentation bucket

Based on observation last a few days, the height of the form on the surface of the starter solution reached to the lid of the small fermentation bucket (2 gallon).   It might be a chance to overflow if I add more into the small tank.  To be safe, I decided to use a larger bucket (5 gallon) for beer.

The first addition

 The material is pretty much the same as what we put into the starter (SHUBO) except the yeast.
This time, I added the followings:

•  Rice (3 Japanese cups, that is 540ml volume) 
• Water (1000ml, bottled water or need to boil)
• Dry KOJI (200g / 0.44 lib)

Rice needs to be cooked as "hard mode" with a bit less water.  The water level on my rice cooker is a level of 2 cups of sticky rice.   The cooked rice should not be soft.  The process is a similar as what the starter process does.
Cooling down the cooked rice and mix it with cold water.  Once the temperature becomes below 30 degrees C (86 degrees F), then mix with the dry KOJI.

 Dry KOJI, it may be found in a Japanese grocery store

 Then put the mixed material into the starter.   The next day of the first addition, it will be a process called "ODORI in Japaese" and just wait for one day without adding next material.

The fermentation was getting back to active after a few hours.   The smell is also getting fruity.

(To be continue) 

 

Japanese sake brawing project (2) ~ Started making a starter (SHUBO)

Started making a starter (SHUBO)

The first batch is started!

All materials are ready and I started the first batch of Japanese SAKE based on a traditional process modified for a home brewer.  The first state is making a starter, which is traditionally called SHUBO in Japanese.

The starter consists of some steam rice, some malted rice (KOJI), some water, the yeast, a little citric acid and a little epsom salt.  The followings is ingridents:

•  Steamed rice -- to simplify the process, 2 cups of rice is cooked in rice cooker instead of steaming with a bit less water than a regular cooking.
• Dry KOJI -- 135g
• Bottled water -- 700ml
• Citric Acid -- 1 Tea spoon
• Epsom salt -- a little
•  Sake Yeast -- Wyeast 4134 SAKE #9

A traditional way, the rice should be steamed.  However steaming rice is not really easy process and I am looking for a simple and easy way.   Therefore, I decided to use a rice cooker instead.   To cook the rice, using 360ml of rice with water level 2 cups of OKOWA with a bit hard finish.
Once the cooking has completed, we need to wait for cooling down.  After that adding bottled cold water and mixing with the cooked rice.   Once the temperature is lower than 30 degrees C, adding KOJI and yeast.   Citric Acid is used to minimize the infection with acid (pH 3.6~3.8).  This process is based on "SOKUJO-MOTO" process.  In the traditional process, lactic acid is typically used.  But it is not very common, so that I used citric acid instead.   It is used for wine brewing and you may find it in brewing supply shop in your area.

Dry KOJI can be found in a Japanese grocery store such as Mitsuwa, Nijiya and Marukai in the San Francisco Bay area.   You can also find it on-line.

Fermentator 

 I got a smaller bucket from on-line.  One for beer I am using is for 5 gallon of beer.   It could be too big for Japanese SAKE and I got 2 gallon bucket from online with air-lock.

As the photo on the top of this article, it started.   According to a typical process, it may take a several days to move to the next steps that is adding additional rice/KOJI and water.


(To be continue)

Japaese sake brewing project (1) ~ Intoroduction

Nigori-Sake (before filter)

Brewing Beer

This summer, I started brewing beer at home.   So far I have done 6 batches, each batch is around 5 gallon of beer.   I tried Golden Ale, Pale Ale, IPA and Summer Pal Ale.  Some of them are twice.  Each batch takes about 4~6 weeks to be ready to drink.  Overall, the taste and smell (aroma) are very good and I stopped buying a commercial beer after that.

Once I understand the process, it is not so difficult and pretty easy to brew beer.   The first day, I need to spend a half day to finish the initial process, but after that it is easy and not taking a lot of time.  This is a good thing of this year.

While I had a chance to drink a home brewed Japanese SAKE in a party.   It was not too bad, actually it is very good.   So that I am also interested in brewing Japanese SAKE.   During summer / autumn, it had been hot and beer is better than SAKE for a while.   However, once it is getting chilly, Japnese SAKE would be preferable drink.

Some experiments

Starting late October, it was getting chilly and I had a chance to do some experiments to brew a sort of SAKE, which is typically called as "DOBROKU" in Japan.  It looks like milk before filtering it to be a SAKE.   It is usually using a simplify version of Japnese SAKE brewing process.

Nowadays, if people search on the internet, they can  find a lot of information how to brew.  Although the brewing more than 1% alcohol by volume is illegal, there is a lot of information on the internet.  Based on the recipe on the internet, I have done experimental brewing twice.  The first time, I used a yeast for beer brewing and used a yeast for bread baking.   The both experiments were successful and they were not bad at all.   However, using beer yeast would be a better taste and smell.

With the experiments, I have a better idea for brewing SAKE and I am ready to go to the next step.  The next step is to try a bit larger batch something around 1 gallon of Japanese SAKE.

I have not established my own process of brewing Japanese SAKE yet.   This is a project to brew a good Japanese SAKE at home.  Based on my beer experiments, it could be better result with very careful execution for a small amount.   I am expecting something better than what we can get in the US with a reasonable price.

As a project, I will report the progress!  I will try to establish a reasonably simple process to brewing Japanese SAKE at home.   Let's see what will happen!

(To be continue)