About two weeks ago, I began my first attempt at brewing sake at home, the next step in my evolution from a Mukune Kurabito-Intern. For this first attempt, a number of shortcuts - pre-pared koji and milled rice (to 60%), both made from Calrose (the U.S. grown rice used by, I believe, most if not all the sake brewers in the U.S.) I chose the sokujo method, for a number of reasons, but mainly because I wanted to minimize variables this first time around. The yeast is from Wyeast, it's the regular, i.e., non-non-foaming #9. This photo is the day 1 moto, yeast starter.
The moto, day 3.
The moto, day 4.
Day 08, the koji addition before hatsuzoe, the first "doubling" addition of rice and water.
Day 09, hatsuzoe and the odori or dancing phase. I think I had a bit too much water in the steamer, some of the rice got a bit gummy, but overall, it should be ok, only a small percentage of the overall rice, and it looked like the dancing went just fine.
Day 10, chilling the mash prior to the second doubling addition, nakazoe.
Day 10, rice-steaming. 
Day 10, steamed rice being cooled prior to addition to mash
Day 10, after the steamed rice was added to the mash.
Day 10, following water addition, nakazoe addition completed
Day 10, 12 hours later, before adding the tomezoe koji.
Day 10, transferred to a larger fermenter.
Day 11, steeping the rice for the tomezoe addition.
Day 11, the mash is stirred and ready for the final rice addition.
Day 11, just a couple of hours after the tomezoe addition, a very good demonstration of why foamless yeasts have become popular! The hard work is done, now it's time for the moromi to do its thing and ferment. Today is day 13, and the fermentation, and foam, has been relentless! I definitely need to buy some bigger vessels. Anyways, I'm anticipating joso or pressing by the middle of March. Not sure what I'm going to do beyond that, definitely some variations on nama, and a bit of usu-nigori and shiboritate. I do know though that the customary 6-month aging period will finish JUST in time for nihonshu no hi - national sake day, October 1st!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Our tears are not yet brew'd
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This is great! I hope you will make a nice brew.
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese government should lift the ban on sake brewing for general public so that I can also make my own sake.
Ichibay, have you been to Shirakawago for the doburoku festival? I was in Japan in October and tried to go, but it ended up being too difficult to get there, let alone find a place to stay. Someday!
ReplyDeleteMukuneToji here..
ReplyDeleteVinod-san you are really making it. I am very much impressed with your passion towards Sake.
Let me try your brew someday.
Cheers..
Yasutaka
Daimon-san, it will be a very great pleasure and honor to have you try my sake someday!
ReplyDeleteJust caught up with this, online sources of koji and #9 yeast???
ReplyDeleteMadam, the yeast should be available via any homebrewing store, they'll be able to order it for you, Wyeast is the brand for the #9. I have a #7, need to check the brand. Otherwise, contact Will Auld at homebrewsake.com - you can order koji, yeast, and milled rice through him.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, got ahead of myself and forgot to say how impressed I am by this. Did you do a shiboritate tasting?
ReplyDeletenot yet, this week I think. got everything into bottles and then was on the road.
ReplyDeleteHave another batch going at the moment, arborio rice, going strangely...