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Sake from Moto: the Mash Built Up in Three Additions, Soye, Naka and Shimai, Pressed and Settled (Itami, after Rein 1889)
The brewers of Itami never put all the rice in at once. They fed the moto in three steps, roughly doubling the mash each time, so the yeast always stayed ahead of the sugar the koji made. Then they pressed the mash in a beam press and let the sake settle clear.
Result: sake of 11 to 14 % alcohol.
Source: J. J. Rein, The Industries of Japan (1889), pp. 99-101. The beam press is replaced by any press. Picture drawn by Youblob.
Advanced
4 weeks
Instructions
1
1
Soye: first addition
Soye: first addition
In a three-foot tub mix 1.30 koku steamed rice, 1.30 koku moto, 0.35 koku koji and 1.30 koku water (4.25 koku). Stir thoroughly every two hours for two or three days; it warms to about 20 C and smells pleasant and pungent. Ours: steam the rice over a pot.
Materials for this step:
Short-grain Japanese Rice1.3 koku
Moto (Sake Starter Mash)1.3 koku
Koji Rice (Aspergillus oryzae)0.35 koku
Water1.3 kokuTools needed:
Wooden Tub
Long Wooden Stirring Paddle
Large Cooking Pot
Thermometer2
2
Naka: second addition
Naka: second addition
Split the soye between two tubs and add 2.00 koku steamed rice, 0.65 koku koji and 2.90 koku water (9.80 koku, 4.90 per tub). Stir vigorously every other hour for one day.
Materials for this step:
Short-grain Japanese Rice2 kokuKoji Rice (Aspergillus oryzae)0.65 kokuWater2.9 kokuTools needed:
Wooden TubLong Wooden Stirring PaddleLarge Cooking Pot3
3
Shimai: last addition
Shimai: last addition
Split again into four tubs and add 3.30 koku steamed rice, 1.00 koku koji and 4.20 koku water (Rein prints the naka here as 9.90; total 18.40 koku). Treat as before; keep tubs no more than half full.
Materials for this step:
Short-grain Japanese Rice3.3 kokuKoji Rice (Aspergillus oryzae)1 kokuWater4.2 kokuTools needed:
Wooden TubLong Wooden Stirring PaddleLarge Cooking Pot4
4
Main fermentation
Main fermentation
After three days pour all four tubs into one big six-foot tub. A brisk fermentation follows and eases in two or three days; the scum settles and the liquor is strongly alcoholic.
Tools needed:
Wooden Tub5
5
Press
Press
Fill close-woven hemp bags with the mash, lay them crosswise in a strong box and press. Rein's press is a beam lever weighted with 600-900 kg; ours: any wine press. Collect the turbid sake.
Tools needed:
Linen Bag
Wine Press6
6
Settle and draw off
Settle and draw off
Let the sake stand quiet two weeks in a standing cask with two taps near the bottom, then draw it off clear by the upper tap. Store in barrels or closed tubs; heat it when warm weather comes to keep it.
Tools needed:
Wooden BarrelMaterials
4- 3.3 kokuPlaceholder
- 1.3 kokuPlaceholder
- Placeholder
- 8.4 kokuPlaceholder
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