Sake 1.1 - Koji

So lets start with what Koji rice is supposed to look like. I found this image on the Mukune Brewery's website. This is steamed rice that is correctly inoculated with Aspergillus Oryzae or Koji, a very special fungus that converts the starches in rice into sugars. This is extremely important as there is no amylase present in the ingredients like there are in wort (for beer). The koji takes up this role and helps break the starches in the rice down into sugar. Saccharomyces, the yeast used in Beer and I think Sake brewing, can only consume simple sugars. Therefore having healthy Koji rice cultures is the first and essential step in making Sake.

The basic process is fairly straightforward:

1. Wash and soak short grain white rice overnight
2. Steam (not simmer or boil) white rice for 45 minutes to an hour
3. Cool down rice to around 80 F and sprinkle Koji Spores, mix with your hand to distribute
4. Keep the mixture in a warm insulated container (cooler works fine) at at least 85 F or so. The target is really 96 F but not to exceed 100 F.
5. Also keep the environment humid so as not to led the rice dry out
6. Let 48 hours pass until all the rice is covered in brilliant white mold and presto! Koji Rice

This is a simplified recipe and I recommend reading the blogs out there for details, but basically this is it.

Also, for us homebrewers who are used to making Beer. We have a tendency to freak out about sanitation, StarSanning the heck out of everything. For Sake, this is not needed to the same extent. Keep a clean work area and tools and youll be ok. Dont ask me why, just take my word on it!

So now that I have explained how its made and what it should look like, I will share with you my first shot at it below.

Needless to say my Koji is not brilliant white. I think the moisture in my rice evaporated and apparently when the mold runs out of moisture it tries to reproduce through sporing, which in turn changes the color to green.

So I quickly went online and ordered the Koji from F.H. Steinbart, a homebrew shop in Portland. It arrived in a few days and I was done with the first step ;)

Next onto the Moto or Yeast Starter.

Kanpai

BN