By Amahl Turczyn, American Homebrewers Association

Making authentic sake might seem intimidating for those who have never tried it before, but the process is really no more complex than brewing all-grain beer. The hardest part is timing, planning, and doing everything in the proper order. If you are handy with scheduling, it should not be a problem; my preference is to write out the whole process on a calendar, detailing amounts, times, and temperatures during the entire five-week process.

Google Calendar is great for this purpose; you can add an entry for each step (e.g. Day 6: 6am—stir shubo mash; 6pm—prepare for hatsuzoe) with detailed instructions to follow within each entry. Each stage involves measuring and then chilling or freezing a portion of water; measuring and soaking a portion of koji; and finally, washing, soaking, steaming, chilling, and …