Season 1, Episode 4. For this week “Junmai” is the magic word. It literally means “pure rice” in Japanese and refers to those styles of sake that are made with rice, water, yeast and koji only, with NO added alcohol allowed. Timothy and John explore the three classification grades of Junmai sake from the entry level grade (Junmai) to the middle grade of premium (Junmai Ginjo) all the way up to the luxurious, super-premium classification (Junmai Daiginjo). Learn what flavors you might expect from a Junmai style sake and what our recommended pairings are. You’ll also hear about Timothy’s intrepid journey finding himself alone on an isolated and rural Japanese country road in search of an elusive Junmai. And John tells of his trip to far away Kochi Prefecture to root out the perfect Junmai sake to pair with deep-fried Izakaya fare. Both stories have a happy ending, with Junmai Sake coming to the rescue. Have you tried all three grades of Junmai Sake?

Skip to: 00:22 Hosts Welcome and Introduction

Skip to: 01:34 Sake Education Corner: The Junmai Sake Classifications

There are three grades or classification levels of “junmai” or Pure rice Sake. This is sake made with no added alcohol of any kind. There are three Grades: Junmai: this is sake made with Rice, water, yeast and Koji only. Junmai Ginjo: Sake made with Rice, water yeast and Koji with the Rice milled to 60% OR LESS remaining. Junmai Daiginjo: Sake made with rice, water, yeast and koji with the rice milled to 50% OR LESS remaining. One important note. Achieving a certain milling rate does not require the brewer to classify the sake in the most premium category they qualify for. For example, sake rice milled to 55% remaining could make a Junmai Ginjo OR a Junmai grade sake, but does not qualify for Junmai Daiginjo. Sake rice milled to 45% remaining, could be classified and sold as a Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo or Junmai. The chart below illustrates the three Junmai Grades and their associated rice milling percentages:

See the Full classification chart here.

Skip to: 13:29 Sake Tasting: Overviews
Intro into this week’s sakes.

Skip to: 15:53 Sake Tasting: Sougen Junmai

Sougen Junmai

Classification: Junmai
Acidity: 1.8
Brewery: Sougen Shuzo
Alcohol: 15.5%
Prefecture: Ishikawa
SMV: +3.0
Rice Type: Yamadanishiki
Seimaibuai: 55%
Brand: Sougen (宗玄)
Importer: JFC (USA)
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True Sake: https://www.truesake.com/products/sougen
Sakaya: http://sakayanyc.com/shop_all.php?prod_id=74
Astor Wines: https://www.astorwines.com/SearchResultsSingle.aspx?p=3&search=11843&searchtype=Contains

Skip to: 19:30 Sake Tasting: Suigei Tokubetsu Junmai

Suigei Tokubetsu Junmai

Brewery: Suigei Shuzo
Classification: Tokubetsu Junmai
Acidity: 1.6
Alcohol: 15.5%
Prefecture: Kochi
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +7.0
Rice Type: Akitsuho
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