Column: What is rice suitable for sake brewing | Amazake specialty store Ren MURO Muro [Official mail order]

Hello. This is Ren MURO , a store specializing in rice koji amazake.

Today, I would like to write a column about rice.

By the way, the rice koji amazake we sell is made from rice, but what do you think of other drinks made from rice?

 A typical example would be "sake". Rice is essential for making this dish.

Of course, rice is an essential part of our diet.

However, the rice used for sake is not the same as the rice we eat.

Among the rice used for sake, there is rice that is suitable for sake brewing, as the name suggests, called "shuzo kotokumai". Famous brands include Yamada Nishiki, Gohyakumangoku, Miyama Nishiki, and Omachi. In particular, Yamada Nishiki is very popular as it is the king of rice suitable for sake brewing.

Amazake of Yamada Nishiki is also available at our store, and it seems that it is made with rice that is not suitable for sake brewing. The spirit of using up rice to the last drop is truly a gift of Japanese culture of “mottainai”.

By the way, what is the difference between sake brewing rice and regular rice? I tried together.

[ Characteristics of rice suitable for sake brewing ]

■ Low in protein and fat

Proteins are broken down into amino acids. Amino acids are also a component of umami, but in sake brewing, they have an unpleasant taste, so the less they are, the better.

In addition, it seems that lipids interfere with the aroma of sake.

■ Shinpaku is big.

Shinpaku is the core of rice. It contains little protein, dissolves well in unrefined sake, and is highly viscous and resistant to polishing.

Large grain and durable

Rice suitable for sake brewing is polished and shaved differently than rice that is eaten. This is because the outside of the rice grain contains a lot of protein and fat. Daiginjo sake is 50% or less when polished, so it is characterized by its size and durability that can withstand polishing.

■ Highly suitable for brewing

It is also required to be easy to brew into sake, such as the ease of koji bite, the rate of shinpaku expression, the rate of steamed rice water supply, and the breakage.

In summary, you can see that there are many standards required for sake brewing rice.

However, sake is also made from rice that is not classified as suitable for sake brewing.

In the process of brewing sake, it seems that there is a process where rice other than sake brewing rice is "helped".

Nonetheless, sake brewing rice is a selected rice that has been made with passion for sake.

The number is over 100 varieties! You will be surprised by the number of rice, and at the same time, you will be able to feel how much Japanese people pursue and love rice.

Many of the sake breweries across the country that make the variety of amazake in our shop are not only making amazake, but also Japanese sake, so we have taken up the common theme of "rice".

I would like to continue to cherish rice, which is one of the symbols of Japanese culture and indispensable to our diet.

Thank you for reading to the end today.

＊＊＊＊＊

Noren MURO Kagurazaka

Address: 1-12-6 Kagurazaka , Shinjuku -ku, Tokyo 162-0825

Phone number: 03-5579-2910

Website URL : http://noren-japan.jp/store/murokagurazaka/

EC site URL : https://koujiamasake.jp/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/noren_muro/