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Author Topic: Sake anyone?  (Read 1595 times)

Offline erockrph

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Sake anyone?
« on: May 25, 2014, 10:28:26 pm »
Does anyone here enjoy sake beyond the casual "going out for sushi, it's either sake or Kirin Ichiban"? I've had a few sakes that I really enjoyed in the past, but not enough to really make me want to seek it out on a regular basis. Then I discovered Nigori (unfiltered) sake a few years back, and I was hooked.

A lot of sake is hot and harsh to my palate, but Nigori sake tends to have just enough sweetness to balance out that hotness. Right now I'm drinking Snow Beauty, which is a really nice one. It has some floral and muskmelon notes, and a flavor reminiscent of mochi/daifuku rice candy, with some melon and plum wine highlights.

My biggest issue with sake is that it's not particularly easy to find a store with a decent selection of different higher-end sakes to try, especially nigori sake - which is still very much a niche product.

Anyone have any suggestions or favorites?
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline euge

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Re: Sake anyone?
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2014, 11:12:10 pm »
I like the unfiltered stuff too.

Usually I'll drink whatever whats served to me, but sought out the Nigori. I hear tell of the really rustic(?) sake actually still having rice in the bottle.

Looks like a real PITA to brew- which was not your question but it has to be raised...
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Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Sake anyone?
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2014, 08:32:01 am »
I never cared for sake but a few months ago I tried Nigori and really liked it. It probably won't be something I buy to drink at home just because we have so much other alcohol at home.
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Sake anyone?
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2014, 09:08:41 am »
I like the unfiltered stuff too.

Usually I'll drink whatever whats served to me, but sought out the Nigori. I hear tell of the really rustic(?) sake actually still having rice in the bottle.

Looks like a real PITA to brew- which was not your question but it has to be raised...

At some point I would like to try brewing sake. It doesn't seem that difficult. Basically you are performing a long conversion step at the same time a you are fermenting the resulting sugar.
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Offline Jeff M

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Re: Sake anyone?
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2014, 10:03:01 am »
I would also try to make sake.  I got a book off amazopn but i have yet to read it.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sake-Handbook-information-become/dp/0804834253/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1401120061&sr=8-1

Morebeer has pre-inoculated sake rice kits for about 20 dollars.

http://morebeer.com/products/sake-kit-400-grams.html

Probably a good way to make some reasonable sake.

Jeff
Granite Coast Brewing Company.
Building a clone of The Electric Brewery to use as a pilot system for new recipes!

Offline 1vertical

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Re: Sake anyone?
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2014, 09:53:29 pm »
I really love the aroma of the aspergillus as it consumes the rice's starches. But concur with
the consensus of the PITA it is to make all the timed stirring and additions etc....my attempt
was a success. I always wondered who in the who contrived this crazy process.

I wanted to try to make the red sake but fell short on a supply of the innoculum the koji.
Recommend this site for navigation thru the sake making journey..
http://www.taylor-madeak.org/index.php/2009/03/31/akaisake-the-red-sake
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Sake anyone?
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2014, 10:47:50 pm »
I really love the aroma of the aspergillus as it consumes the rice's starches. But concur with
the consensus of the PITA it is to make all the timed stirring and additions etc....my attempt
was a success. I always wondered who in the who contrived this crazy process.

I wanted to try to make the red sake but fell short on a supply of the innoculum the koji.
Recommend this site for navigation thru the sake making journey..
http://www.taylor-madeak.org/index.php/2009/03/31/akaisake-the-red-sake

Bob Taylor (who runs that site) did an interview with Basic Brewing Radio a while back that is a pretty good primer on the whole process. It's a good listen even if you don't plan to try to brew it yourself. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to go download it now to listen to on my way to work. (it's the 11/29/07 episode)

http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=basic-brewing-radio-2007

Sake is on my list of things to try making, but it's way at the end of the list after stuff like mole and chèvre.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer