Are you all enjoying delicious sake? Welcome to Sake Days!
In my previous blog post, I shared my experience at Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to check it out! In that post, I covered the pressing and bottling processes. This time, I’m excited to share my experience of steaming rice and making koji rice, which are fundamental to sake brewing.
Back to Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery!
This sake brewing experience was once again organized by Makoto-ya, a liquor store in Tsurugashima City, Saitama Prefecture, that I’ve been working with. It’s a store I love and where I always buy delicious sake. This particular experience was divided into several days, with participants gathered from three other liquor stores as well.
Important Notes Before Participating in Sake Brewing
Before participating in the sake brewing experience, there were a few important points to keep in mind:
- Avoid eating fermented foods and dishes such as natto, kimchi, and yogurt the day before and the day of the experience.
- Do not use perfume, strongly scented cosmetics, or hair styling products.
- Remove any manicures as they may peel off.
- Participate in clean, freshly laundered clothing.
- Take a shower, bath, and shampoo the day before to maintain cleanliness.
Sake brewing involves handling products that will be consumed by customers, so the quality is greatly affected by these preparations. I made sure to prepare thoroughly and participate with a focused mindset.
The Charming Town of Kawagoe
We gathered at Kagamiyama Brewery at 8 AM. Kawagoe is a truly wonderful town that has preserved its Edo-era streetscape.
Into the Brewery!
We arrived at Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery at 8:30 AM. It was a beautiful, clear morning! I felt so fortunate to be able to participate in the (experiential) labor of sake brewing on such a sunny day.
We received an explanation from the kuramoto (brewery owner), Mr. Igarashi, and then the experience began! This time, there were about ten participants, mostly regulars of Makoto-ya, I believe. As in the first session, we received an explanation of the day’s schedule and precautions from Mr. Igarashi.
Here are the elite members of Kagamiyama’s brewery staff who helped us this time! It was a truly valuable experience to be able to witness their professional skills up close.
Steaming Rice Experience
The first task we helped with was steaming the rice.
The steam was billowing out with such force that it felt like you could get burned if you got too close. The aroma of the rice was wonderful, even as we were listening to Mr. Igarashi’s explanation. It smelled more like cooked rice for mochi (rice cakes) than regular cooked white rice.
The steam was billowing out with such force that it felt like you could get burned if you got too close. The aroma of the rice was wonderful, even as we were listening to Mr. Igarashi’s explanation. It smelled more like cooked rice for mochi (rice cakes) than regular cooked white rice.
Making Koji Rice Experience
Next, we made koji rice!
I felt that this was one of the most important processes in sake brewing. Making koji rice is a crucial step that greatly affects the quality of the sake.
Before sprinkling the koji mold, we first spread the rice out evenly. It was about the size of four tatami mats, I think. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the task. Then, we sprinkled the koji mold over the spread rice. It looked like we were scattering powder, but this powder adheres to the rice, and the koji propagates to create koji rice.
I even got to experience sprinkling the koji mold!
I was nervous because it was a big responsibility. First, one of the brewery workers showed us how to do it. The movements were rhythmic, and the distance and sprinkling were precise! The rhythmic aspect looked very difficult, so I tried to imitate at least the distance. I was anxious to see if the koji rice would turn out well.
Tour of the Fermentation Tanks
Finally, we toured the fermentation tanks. There wasn’t any hands-on experience here, but they carefully explained the number of days of fermentation for each tank, the types of koji rice and kake-mai (additional steamed rice), and the yeast used. Everyone listened intently and seemed very interested in the explanations. Imagining the sake slowly and powerfully fermenting in the tanks was quite moving.
Grateful for the Amazing Experience!
This was another incredibly valuable experience. I was especially thrilled to be able to sprinkle the koji mold while making koji rice! It’s not often that you get such an opportunity! I wonder if there will be a third time? I’m looking forward to it!
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