Being a Kurabito (Sake Brewer)
In October 2022, I was privileged to further my understanding of sake brewing by living as a sake brewer for a few days, at Kitsukura Sake Brewery in Saku City, Nagano.
The day starts with 7am breakfast, then a morning stretch and work out among the kurabito (sake brewers)
Blessing by Shinto Priest
Our initial entry into the brewery begins with a blessing by a shinto priest to make sure our brewing is successful.
Washing rice
The rice itself isn't milled at the brewery (equipment is expensive). We had to wash the rice for specific amounts of time, and then the rice is soaked (again for a strict amount of time)
Steaming Rice
We then transfer the soaked rice into the steamer
Steaming Rice
The rice has to be spread out in order to make sure the steaming is consistent
Hinerimochi
A small rice cake created by kneading a handful of freshly steamed sake rice with the hands. This mochi rice cake is flattened and examined for texture, opacity and consistency. Creating and examining hinerimochi is a method for testing if the rice is fully and properly steamed.
Cooling rice
As much of the sake brewing process involves live microorganisms (eg Koji cold and yeast etc), the rice needs to be cooled to the right temperature before being brought into the Koji muro (room) to make Koji.
Koji Making
Spreading out the rice so the Koji mould lands evenly
Koji Making
Sprinkling the Koji mould onto the rice. This process of sprinkling, wait 15mins (in warm humid room), is repeated 3 times.
Koji making
Rice is then kneaded and broken up and flattened out. This is done multiple times so as to ensure proper even spread of Koji mould.
Making of Shubo
Shubo means ‘mother of sake’, this is a super-concentrated fermentation starter. It has koji, steamed rice, water and yeast. This yeast starter is made in a small tank. Usually a small amount of lactic acid is used to make a suitable environment so that the yeast is protected from bacteria.
Making of Shubo
It is mixed and turned, adding Koji at each stage, and cooked rice as well.
Teamwork
Teamwork makes the dream work, well at least it makes the sake!
Final day
As the fermentation process takes months, I had to end the process after the shubo is made. The rest of the fermentation continues in the moromi. It was certainly an educational journey.