Craft + Estate Sake Portfolio

F O C U S : Sake Rice

All rice is not created equal, and Japan is famous for producing some of the world’s highest quality rice. Individual seedlings are grown in a nursery before being planted by hand in the paddy. This ensures even development and consistent quality. There are many different varieties of rice, and about 100 are used to make sake. Higher-end sakes use sake- specific rice varieties, which are larger and have the starch concentrated in the center. Their larger size makes this sake rice more difficult to grow, but able to be highly milled without breaking. Every rice variety has its own unique attributes, and will contribute greatly to the body and flavor of sake. While larger producers buy rice from all over the country, smaller brewers use predominantly local rice, adding a regional profile to their products that makes them distinct.

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