How is Japanese Sake made?

Seishu, which means pure sake, is made from rice, rice-fermented köji, and water.

First, the rice is washed to remove the rice bran. After letting the rice absorb water, it is drained, steamed, mixed with köji and water, and then fermented for 20 days.

The ingredients are compressed by machine to separate them into sake and sakekasu (leavings). The sake, by letting it stand for a while, is separated into seishu and ori (dregs).

The seishu is filtered, and its flavor and taste are adjusted. Disinfected by heating, seishu is cured at a temperature lower than 20 degrees for more than six months. After that, final adjustments are made before it is re-disinfected by heating. The seishu is then bottled and shipped.