訪日外国人古都（コト）体験

酒とは　What Sake is like

日本酒は麴と酵母と米から醸造するアルコール飲料です。アルコール度数は13～16％で、製法により色々な品質があります。季節に応じて、日本酒は熱燗でも冷でも美味しくいただけます。

Sake is an alcoholic beverage between from rice, koji mold and yeast. Its alcoholic contents ranges from 13% to 16% and its quality varies according to its fermentation processes. Depending on the season, it is served warm or chilled, and it tastes good in either case.

酒の種類　What kinds of sake available in Japan

大きくわけて４種類あります。米の精白度で酒の品質が分かれます。本醸造酒、純米酒、吟醸酒、大吟醸酒となります。一般的には精白度が高いほど高品質な酒になります。本醸造酒は30％以上米を削り若干のアルコールを添加します。吟醸酒は40％以上、大吟醸酒は50％以上米を磨きます。純米酒は米100％であれば精白度は問いません。

Sake produced in Japan is divided mainly into 4 categories, depending on the degree of rice milling. In general, the more polished the rice grain is, the higher the grade of sake becomes. They are, Honjouzou-shu( sake with at least 30% of rice polished away and a little alcohol added), Ginjou-shu(quality sake with at least 40% of rice polished away), Daoginjou-shu(top quality sake with at least 50% of rice polished away), Junmai-shu(pure sake with no milling rate specified).

酒造りで最も大切なこと　What is the most important factor in sake brewing

①米②水③杜氏の技術の３つが重要です。①山田錦という米は酒造好適米で、吟醸酒などの高級酒に広く用いられています。②日本酒造りには水質が重要で、伝統的に地下水や伏流水のあるところに酒蔵は造られてきました。③日本酒の複雑な製造工程の管理には、杜氏の長年の勘と経験が必要です。杜氏の間では良い麴は良い酒を意味し、酒造りを左右する最高の米麴の仕込みに全力を尽くします。杜氏の技は酒に独特の風味を与えます。

There are 3 important factors in sake brewing, ①quality rice ②quality water ③experience of master brewers. ①Yamada-nishiki, which is famous as top-quality rice for sake brewing, is widely used to make quality sake such as Ginjo-shu. ②Sake breweries have been traditionally built where underground water is available. ③It takes a lot of experience and a discriminating taste to control the complicated process of sake brewing. Master brewers have long believed that good rice malt guarantees good sake. Therefore, they try to their best to prepare the best possible rice malt, which is crucial for sake brewing. Indeed, sake their techniques give distinctive flavors to different types of sake.