Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

daiginjo: One of the factors that determine the flavor is the degree of rice which is polished off. The sake classified in the daiginjo category has less than 50% of the original rice grain remaining. The "percent of remaining grain size" or "seimaibuai" as this is called, is an important indication of how a sake will taste. The lower the number the smaller the grain. In general, the smaller number sake is more fragrant, elegant, and better consumed chilled.

ginjo: The same formula applies for the ginjo category. This is the sake whose "percent of remaining grain size" is less than 60%, which means more than 40% of the rice grain is milled away. Some distilled alcohol might be added.

junmai: Literally meaning "pure rice", junmai sake refers to sake brewed only from rice, water, and rice koji, and had no extra alcohol added during the brewing process. This type of sake tends to keep the solid rice flavor. junmai daiginjo is defined as "sake brewed only from rice, water and rice koji and using rice milled more than 50%." Brewing junmai daiginjo is more difficult and requires a higher level of technique, therefore, generally considered the highest quality sake.

junmai ginjo: If a sake is labeled junmai ginjo, it is made from only rice, water and rice koji. The rice is milled to more than 40%.

Honjozo is the sake whose "percent of remaining grain size" is more than 60% and less than 70% and with some distilled alcohol added.

muroka: It means "not fine filtered with charcoal". It retains the freshly squeezed sake taste. Skipping either the pasteurizing or filtering process, or both, allows the rice's richness to remain in the aroma, flavor and sometimes color of the sake.

nigori is a coarsely filtered sake in which the unfermented portion of the rice is left, giving the sake a cloudy white color or chunks of rice floating inside. Since the rice is still working in the sake even after bottled, some nigori are sparkling. Just be careful when you open it.

kimoto is one of the oldest traditional methods used in sake brewing. This system uses lactic acid bacteria that cultivates in the sake naturally instead of using artificial ones. It requires a much longer time to make with more steps and labor as the bacteria are cultivated by hand. Although it's extremely difficult to carry out this process, the sake employing kimoto style has solid body and a distinct flavor, the way all sake used to taste.

yamahai is a short form of "yamaoroshi-haishi-moto." This style is quite similar to kimoto in terms of the processes. Its name comes from the elimination of one of the processes called "yamaoroshi", the most difficult part in kimoto style brewing. Yamahai style sake is full-bodied, deep, and rich.

A savory rice flavor with delicate bubbles titillates your taste buds. Its short, elegant finish is fantastic as an aperitif.