About Premium Sake  

• Sake brewing goes back about 1300 years in the history of Japan.  It is produced in all 47 prefectures of Japan. Less than 25% of all sake produced classifies as Premium.
• The difference between regular sake and premium sake is like the difference between a table wine and a fine wine. Regular sake is usually mass produced and has all kinds of additives, preservatives, sulfites and is made with low grade rice and often "stretched" with large amounts of low grade alcohol. It is typically served warm.
• ​​Premium sake is made with only water, rice, yeast, Koji mold (Aspergillus Oryzae) and sometimes a small amount of high grade distilled alcohol. There are many styles and flavor profiles such as unpasteurized, slow brew, sparkling, aged unfiltered, first press etc..
• Premium Sake is typically served chilled. In many cases it is small batch, artisinal and/or seasonal, much like good Portuguese wine.

Sobre o Sake Premium 

• A produção de sake remonta a 1300 anos na história do Japão. E é comummente chamada de "A Bebida dos Deuses" já que era usada nas tradicionais cerimonias Shinto. 
• A diferença entre o sake regular e o sake premium está na sua pureza, no aroma, na intensidade... é como a diferença entre um Wiskey novo e um Wiskey velho.
• O sake regular é produzido com todo o tipo de aditivos, conservantes, sulfitos e é feito a partir de bagos de arroz de baixo teor alcoólico. É tipicamente servido quente.
• O sake Premium é feito com água, arroz, fermento, fungo Koji (Aspergillus Oryzae) e, no caso dos sakes não junmai, uma pequena quantidade de álcool destilado de elevado teor. E é geralmente servido frio.

Basic Sake Guidelines
In Japan sake is typically judged by 

• Seimaibuai  (Rice Milling Ratio) sake is classified according to how much of the outer layer of rice and the impurities found in the outer layers are milled away. The lower the seimaibuai, the higher the classification. Click here to learn about Classifications & Styles
• Nihonshudo /SMV( sake meter value) a system of classifying dryness and sweetness usually btwn -15 and +15. A positive value indicates degree of dryness while negative sweetness
• Acidity-A higher acidity will make the sake taste dryer while a lower acidity often indicates fruitiness
• Prefecture-important because the climate, the water and the rice has great impact on the quality and characteristics of a sake.

Other factors such as rice variety, yeast,  brewing methods and styles are also important. 

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" Sake, A Bebida dos Deuses"
A origem do sake Japonês remonta às cerimónias religiosas Shinto.

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Guia Básico de Sake
A classificação do sake no Japão é geralmente feita pelo:

• Seimaibuai (Polimento de Arroz)     O sake é classificado de acordo com o polimento exterior do arroz e as impurezas encontradas nas camadas exteriores . Quanto menor o seimaibuai,  maior a classificação. Clique aqui para saber mais sobre Classificações & Styles
• Nihonshudo / SMV (sake meter value) um sistema de classificação de secura e doçura geralmente entre -15 e +15. Um valor positivo indica que o sake é mais seco, enquanto o negativo indica a doçura.
• Acidez A maior acidez indica que o sake é mais seco enquanto um menor grau de acidez indica um aroma mais frutado.
• Prefeitura  A prefeitura, ou região, é importante porque as destilarias usam normalmente arroz local . Além disso, a água e o clima ao variarem de região para região vão também influenciar o aroma do sake.

Outros factores como variedade de arroz, fermento, métodos de fabricação  e estilos também são importantes.

Although there are several caveats, it is said that, if the word GINJO is in the designation you can't go wrong. That being said, Honjozo and Junmai Classifications are also within the realm of Premium Sake

​Mapa de Prefeituras do Japão

Muitos, diz-se que, se a palavra GINJO é na designação você não pode dar errado. No entanto, é importante reconhecer, Honjozo e Junmai Classificações estão também dentro do âmbito do Sake Prémio 

SABIA QUE ?
​ Sake Premium é muito puro. Não tem aditivos nem conservantes. É livre de glúten e praticamente não da ressacas ;-)

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THE GLOBAL MARKET

According to 2017 customs figures released in February 2018, export volume increased by 19% compared to the previous year . The export value increased by 20% Both export volume and value have been at a record high for the last 8 years.

According to National Tax agency of Japan,  US is the biggest export destination followed by Hong Kong, South Korea,  China Taiwan, Singapore, Canada, Australia, UK and Vietnam. According to Sake Experience Japan, Spain increased import volume by 87% in 2017.

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SAKE MAKING PROCESS

Modern Sake brewing is a  very precise and labour intensive process requiring dedication, skill, focus and high levels of craftsmanship. The entire brewing process takes about 7 months from start to finish. It usually begins in the winter, matured during the spring and summer months and ready to sell/ ship in fall

1. Harvest -Brown rice is harvested
   
2. Polish-Husks and impurities are milled off
   
3. Wash- remaining powder (Nuka) from polishing and residue is washed off
   
4. Soak- to prepare the rice for even steaming
   
5. Steam-to make rice softer for more efficient absorption
   
6. Koji Cultivation(Making)
   
7. Spreading of Koji - Steamed and semi dry rice  is sprinkled with w/Koji-Kin.
   
8. SHUBO- making a starter which has a high concentration of yeast
   
9. Moromi Making. A brewers mash or base, made of water, koji and steamed rice in a tank  to which the shubo is transferred. This is where the yeast propagates and the koji and steamed rice are slowly added.After about 4 days fermentation begins.
   
10. Multiple Parallel Fermentation (Heikou Fukuhakkou) - This is a method specific to sake making. Koji converts starch to glucose and yeast converts glucose to alcohol. Saccharification and fermentation happen in the same tank.
    
11. Pressing of the mixture which separates the lees Kasu from the liquid.
    
12. Filtering- through activated charcoal to remove off colors and/or flavors
    
13. Pasteurization - at 60-65°C to sterilize and de-activate enzymes that would continue to sweeten the sake. Typically sake is pasteurized a second time right before or right after.bottling
    
14. Maturing.-6 to 12 months ageing so that flavors develop & harmonize
    
15. Dilute- Sake naturally ferments to about 20% alcohol so water is added to dilute
    

San Dan Jikomi = 3  step sake brewing method. Within four days, rice, water and koji are added to the main mash three times. It is allowed to rest between these additions . This is how the moto is converted into moromi