Japanese sake. Lets go on an adventure across Japan to learn about the countrys official drink. \r
How do you make this stuff? How should it taste? Is polish size important? Is it like wine or like beer? How do you drink it? \r
John Daub got a chance to tour Dassai Brewery with the companys CEO, the worlds hottest sake brand to get those answers. \r
\r
Dassai only makes Junmai Daiginjo sake, the highest quality, and if you want to understand sake, start with the best. \r
The companys story is significant. In the 1980s sake (nihonshu) consumption was going down because of competition from more beer, wine, and shochu. CEO Sakurai-san changed the company strategy, started making only Junmai Daiginjo and incorporated technology like centrifuges to make the smoothest drinking experience with sake. \r
\r
The result: \r
2005: 120,000 bottles sold\r
new: 1,140,000 bottles sold\r
Nearly a 1000% increase\r
\r
As the domestic market continues to struggle, internationally, no brand is more popular than Dassai. You see Hollywood stars and celebrities in New York, Paris and London sipping it these days. \r
\r
So -- what makes a good sake and what makes a great one? \r
1 Yamada Nishiki rice. The best place to grow this is Hyogo prefecture. \r
2 Polish rate: anything under 50% makes a sake Junmai Daiginjo category. The lower the polish ration, the less impurities, the smoother the taste.\r
3 The Koji. Dassai uses a very complex one called Tsukihaze koji-kin that penetrates into the rice. \r
\r
Here is the process that Dassai uses at the brewery: \r
\r
1 The rice in planted in June. Rice planting is called taue in Japanese.\r
2 Rice Harvest \r
3 Polished to either 50% 39% or 23%\r
4 Wash, rinse and soak\r
5 Steam\r
6 Air dry and cooling in a process called Horei\r
7 Koji is created (as the sugar for the yeast to create alcohol)\r
8 Shubo yeast starter added to fermentation tanks\r
9 Moromi (mash) added to 5000L tanks\r
10 Process is monitored for 35 days. \r
11 Moromi press / Dassai centrifuge\r
12 Bottling and Pasteurization \r
13 Drinking! \r
Dassai sells 3 main sizes. Here is the price list:\r
1800ml - 10,000 yen \r
720ml - 5,000 yen \r
300ml - 2500 yen\r
180ml - Japan only\r
\r
URL: \r
Dassai Sake Website: \r
\r
Subtitles / CC credits:\r
★ DUTCH: GeertvKessel | YouTube: \r
\r
Music: \r
Corncob - Country by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license \r
Source: \r
Artist: \r
\r
Thingamajig by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license \r
Artist: \r
\r
I Like Peanuts by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license \r
Artist: \r
\r
Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky\r
This show has been created and produced by John Daub ジョン・ドーブ. Hes been living and working in Japan for over 18 years and regularly reports on TV for Japans International Channel.