Ramenhead Sake Selection Training

This flashcard set covers the essential vocabulary, categories, technical measurements, and specific brewing methods for the Ramenhead Sake Selection training.

Rice Polishing Ratio

The share of the grain that remains after the outer layer is polished away; a lower number (e.g., $50\%$ or less) indicates a cleaner, more aromatic sake, while a higher number retains more grain for a fuller, savoury profile.

Sake Meter Value (SMV)

A measurement of sweetness and dryness where zero is the center, negative numbers are sweeter (e.g., $Afuri\,Mizumoto$ at $-18$), and positive numbers are drier (e.g., $Manotsuru\,Dry$ at $+15$).

Acidity

The concentration of natural acids from rice and fermentation, typically between $1.0$ and $2.0$; higher levels (such as $2.2$ in $Kinoshita\,Tamagawa$) provide a brighter taste and cut against rich food like tonkotsu.

Junmai

A category of pure rice sake with no added alcohol, characterized as being full-bodied, rice-forward, and savoury.

Honjozo

A category of sake with a small addition of brewing spirit and a rice polishing ratio of $\le 70\%$, resulting in a light, clean, and easy-drinking style.

Ginjo

A category of sake with added brewing spirit and a rice polishing ratio of $\le 60\%$, described as being fragrant, fruity, and delicate.

Junmai Ginjo

A category of sake with no added alcohol and a rice polishing ratio of $\le 60\%$, which is aromatic yet still rice-driven.

Daiginjo

An elegant and highly aromatic category of sake using added brewing spirit with a rice polishing ratio of $\le 50\%$" or less.

Junmai Daiginjo

The most refined, floral, and pure style of sake, containing no added alcohol with rice polished to $\le 50\%$" or less.

Nigori

A cloudy style of sake that is left with rice solids, providing a creamy texture and off-dry to sweet profile, such as $Daimon\,Road\,to\,Osaka$.

Yamahai

A method using a natural lactic acid starter that results in higher acidity and a robust body, as seen in the $Kano\,Yamahai\,Junmai$.

Kimoto

The oldest starter method, worked by hand to create depth and a firm backbone, as seen in the $Izumibashi\,Kurotombo$.

Mizumoto

An old water starter method featuring wild yeast that produces sake with high acidity and a lively character, exemplified by $Afuri\,Mizumoto$.

Kijoshu

A specialty dessert sake, such as $Nagai\,Mizubasho\,Dessert\,Sake$, which is brewed with finished sake in place of part of the water.

Tanrei

The house style of $Niigata$ prefecture, known for being clean and light, as demonstrated by $Koyama\,Honke\,Echigosakura$.

Tokkuri

A traditional vessel used for serving sake, which holds a $180\,ml$ pour in the Ramenhead selection.

Toji

A master brewer; for example, $Philip\,Harper$ of $Kinoshita\,Shuzo$ is Japan's first foreign master brewer.

Sakura Hime

A native cherry blossom flower yeast used by $Minakuchi\,Shuzo$ to drive a fruity, floral nose in their Junmai Ginjo.

Kazeyo Mizuyo Hitoyo

A $9\%$ alcohol Junmai "summer sake" from $Fukumitsuya$ with a name that translates to "wind, water, people."

Tokubetsu Junmai

A Junmai sake made by a special method or milling, such as the three-year aged $Kinoshita\,Tamagawa$.