57 



75.9 kw. of alcoliol. 75 k\v. of residue are also obtained containin"; 3.S k\v. of 

 alcoliol, whieli altogetlier amounts to 79.7 kw. The weight of dry riee used we have 

 seen to be 310.77 kw., containing 260.4 kw.ofdry starch and ouglit to produce 140.3 

 kw. of alcoliol. The actual yield is, therefore, ÖG.S of that which theory indicates. 



At Nishinoniiya the weight of dry rice used is 310.1 kw. and it ought to 

 produce as at Itami 140 kw. of alcohol. The yield of sake for one moto is 14.1 

 koku. which, together with SO kw. of residue would contain 77.7 kw. of alcohol, 

 and the actual percentage of alcohol obtained is thus ^ö.ö per cent, of that 

 theoretically possible. • 



There is a very general agreement between the actual yield of alcoliol in tlie 

 three breweries mentioned: although that found by myself ;is the result of the 

 brewing operation in Tökiii is less than that calculated from the numbers given 

 to me at Itami and Nishinomiya. We may assume that the percentages obtained 

 at Itami and Nishinomi3'a are the best results, as they ought to be consideriug 

 the long e.xperience which the brewers of those districts have had. The opera- 

 tions at Tokio on the other hand are conducted on a much smaller scale and it 

 i> sctircely to be exjiected that the brewers will possess the same skill iis those in 

 the great centres of sake production. 



Mr. Korschelt, in the paper on sake * already referred to, has mentioned 

 that the actual yield of alcohol according to information from one brewer is only 

 50 per cent of that theoretically possible, and he expres.ses the opinion that in any 

 case it is too little, and that the production must reach nearly 100 per cent, be- 

 cause the conversion of starch into sugar is so complete. 



I do not consider that the process followed at the Tokio brewery is a very 

 satisfactory one, but that practised at Itami may be regarded as the one whicli 

 is carried out with tlie greatest degree of skill, and yet even there the yield is 

 not more than 57 per cent, of that which might be obtained. The case in which 

 Mr. Korschelt says he obtained 80.5 per cent, must be exceptional, and I am 

 inclined to think that he has overrated the percentage of alcohol contained in the 

 sake produced. At Itami the strongest sake does not contain, even before 

 dilution, more than 14 per cent, of alcohol, and it is not probable that the por- 

 centivge in a Tokio brew will be greater. In the jirocess which ^Ir. Korschelt 

 examined in Tokio, and of which he gives details, the actual yield of sake is G7 

 per cent, of the theoretical yield. The mash, which consisted of 



2.9 kokn of moto 

 3.2 „ „ köji 

 12.0 „ „ rice 

 13.9 „ ,, water 

 contained 475.4 kw. of starch and ought to have yielded 250 kw. of alcohol. 

 The nia.sh just before filtering measured, according to Mr. Kor.'H.-hclt 25 koku, 

 and contained 14.5 per cent, of alcohol. If we assume tlmt the 8|)ecific gravity 



* Miuhcilungcn der deutschen Oesellachafl. ICtcs Iluft. p. 2GC. 



