TH1-: CPIEMISTRY OF SAKE BREWING. 



215 



Soye. 

 Naka. 

 Tome. 



Rice. 

 1,000 koku 

 2.000 ,, 

 4.000 ,, 



Rice for Koji. 

 0.400 koku 

 0.600 ,, 

 1.200 ,, 



Water. 



1. 000 koku. 



1. 000 

 6.700 ,, 



The mixture is stirred again in from 2 to 7 hours. After 

 72 hours the contents of the four vats are collected into a large 

 vessel called rokiisJiakti-oke of about 4500-4600 litres capacity. 

 Here the fermentation proceeds energetically for 5-6 days and 

 the height of the froth reaches 40-50 c. m. The temperature 

 during the morouii process which lasts from 17-20 days is as 

 follows (observations at Toyohashi) : 



1st day 



8-12'^C. 



9th 



day 



23-26°C 



2nd ,, 



10-14 M 



loth 





21-22 



3i-d „ 



11-15 



I itn 





20-21 ,, 



4th ,, 



14-17 



I2th 



» > 



20-21 „ 



5th „ 



16-18 ,, 



13th 





14-17 M 



6th 



19-20 „ 



14th 



» » 



12-15 



7th „ 



20-22 



15 th 





10-13 >. 



8th 



— + >> 



i6th 



> » 



9-10 ,, 



(5) Pressing and Clarifying. 



On the 38th or 40th day the alcoholic liquid containing still 

 particles of rice grains in suspension, is filled in linnen bags and 

 pressed. From 300 to 800 bags, of 6 liters, are piled up in a box 

 covered with a plate, carrying a heavy stone. In the clarifying 

 vessels the liquid is , now left to settle for about two weeks and 

 finally it is heated in iron vessels for a short time to 6o°C.^" 

 whereby the scum collecting at the surface is removed ; the 

 finished sake is kept in well closed vats. 



A careful Pasteurization process and storing in sterilized 

 vessels would of course be a desirable improvement. Sometimes 

 small quantities of salicylic acid are added to preserve the liquid. 

 As the residue from pressing still contains 5-6 % and sometimes 

 even more alcohol, it is distilled after adding husk of rice in 

 order to render the residue less compact. The distillate is 

 called shocJiu and used in the preparation of niirin (a sweet 



{i)This heating is repeated several times during the hot season to avoid acetic 

 fermentation. 



