Homemade Sake (Japanese Rice Wine)

Ingredients

• 1900 grams Polished sake rice (400g for kome koji, 1500g for main batch)
• 1.5 grams Koji kin (Aspergillus oryzae spores) (For inoculating 400g rice)
• 1 gallon Filtered water (For main fermentation)
• 5 grams Wine yeast (EC-1118 recommended) (Any high-alcohol tolerant wine yeast)
• 4 grams Bittering hops (Magnum) (Optional, for antibacterial effect)

Instructions

1. Soak and Wash Rice for Koji

   Soak 400g polished rice in water for 1 hour. After soaking, wash the rice thoroughly 4-6 times until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.

   Time: PT1H15M

2. Dry and Steam Rice for Koji

   Drain and let the rice dry for 20 minutes. Set up your steamer or Instant Pot. Steam the rice for 40-60 minutes, mixing once halfway through. Rice should be sticky but hold its shape.

   Time: PT1H20M

3. Cool Rice and Inoculate with Koji Kin

   Spread steamed rice on a casserole pan to cool to 30°C (86°F). Sprinkle 1.5g koji kin evenly over rice (using a mesh strainer if available). Mix gently with sanitized spoon.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 30°C

4. Incubate Koji Rice

   Cover rice with a damp kitchen cloth. Keep at 30°C (86°F) for 30 hours, checking every 10 hours to stir and re-moisten cloth as needed.

   Time: PT30H

   Temperature: 30°C

5. Prepare Main Batch of Rice

   Soak, wash, and steam 1500g polished rice as before (soak 1 hour, wash 4-6 times, dry 20 min, steam 40-60 min). Cool to 30°C (86°F).

   Time: PT2H30M

   Temperature: 30°C

6. Combine Ingredients in Fermenter

   In a sanitized 2-gallon fermenter, add all kome koji rice, 1 gallon filtered water, and all freshly steamed rice. Mix thoroughly.

   Time: PT15M

7. Prepare and Add Hops (Optional)

   Boil 4g hops in 1 cup water for 5 minutes. Strain and cool the liquid. Add to fermenter for antibacterial effect.

   Time: PT15M

8. Add Yeast and Begin Fermentation

   Sprinkle 5g wine yeast (EC-1118) into fermenter. Stir well. Seal with airlock and place in a cool, dark spot.

   Time: PT10M

9. Active Fermentation and Stirring

   For 2-3 days, open fermenter daily and stir with sanitized spoon to submerge rice and distribute koji. Reseal after each stir.

   Time: PT15M

10. Bulk Fermentation

    Let ferment undisturbed for a total of 2 weeks (including initial stirring days) to ensure full conversion of sugars.

    Time: PT12D

11. Filter and Press Sake

    Pour sake through sanitized mesh bag or cheesecloth into a second vessel. Squeeze gently to extract as much liquid as possible.

    Time: PT30M

12. Cold Crash for Clarity

    Refrigerate filtered sake for 24 hours to allow solids to settle. Decant or use spigot to bottle clear sake, leaving sediment behind.

    Time: PT24H

    Temperature: 4°C

13. Bottle and Store

    Bottle sake in sanitized bottles. Cap or cork tightly. Chill before serving.

    Time: PT20M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

120

Protein

1g

Carbohydrates

10g

Fat

0g

Fiber

0g