How to Make Sake

The art of brewing sake has a history going back at least 1,500 years. People from outside Japan may be surprised to learn that the basic steps to make sake are very simple. What’s even better is that the sake can be ready to drink in only 3 weeks!

Things You’ll Need :

• Glass canning jars (plastic jars will flavor the sake)
• Rice (1 cup uncooked per jar)
• Koji (a mold needed to make sake, available at stores selling food and items from Japan)
• Lemon or lime juice
• Water
• Yeast
• Ideally a rice cooker, but you can also use a regular pot
• Cheesecloth

Step 1 : Make sure your work area and equipment are sterile (especially the jars) to avoid contamination.

Step 2 : Wash the rice. This can be done by soaking it in a bowl of cold water anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours. It is said that the longer the rice absorbs moisture, the better the taste of the final product. Once you are satisfied with the rice’s cleanliness, cook the rice in either the rice cooker or regular pot. Let the rice cool completely.

Step 3 : Divide the rice into the glass jars. Add ½ cup of Koji per jar, 1 tsp. of lemon juice, ½ tsp. of yeast, and 1½ cups of water. Put on the lid, tighten the band and shake the mixture.

Step 4 : Put the jars in a dark place at room temperature, about 25 C or 77 F. Shake the jars at least once a day, tightening the bands and then loosening them to make sure there is gas exchange. Around the second or third day you will probably notice the aroma of sake.

Step 5 : After about 16 days the jars will have ceased bubbling. That means it’s almost time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Filter the liquid through cheesecloth. You’re not going to need to pasteurize the sake unless you plan on keeping it for longer than a month. The sludge may be saved for cooking. Otherwise, the remaining liquid is yours to enjoy.