WATER

Most people think firstly of rice when they think about sake. However, percentage-wise, water is the ingredient of the greatest amount. Sake
breweries have traditionally been located in places where the water is exceptional.

Sakeberto takes pride in the local, mildly soft underground water
of the Tochigi area. Low in iron and containing an appropriate mineral
content, this water is perfectly suitable for brewing excellent sake.

Water is used both during the fermentation process as well as in the final
water addition.

In this stage, the natural alcoholic content of the brew, which is typically
17-19%, is brought down to 13-16% which is generally the most preferred
taste.

RICE

Although sake may theoretically be made from any kind of rice, the very
best sakes are made from japonica short grain rice.

This rice is rich in the starch necessary for fermentation. Unlike long-grain
rice which is relatively hard and thin, japonica short grain rice has a relatively
soft and thick center which greatly aids the fermentation process.

Sakeberto uses the finest Japanese produced rice varieties which have been specially developed for premium sake brewing.

KOJI

In the olden days, making koji was the most difficult step in the sake
brewing process.

Koji today actually refers to two things:
1) Aspergillus oryzae, the malt-like substance
needed for transformation of rice starch into sugar.
2) the steamed rice that has been inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae.

In days past, rice was left to mold in natural but
unpredictable conditions which became the «koji rice».

Because temperature and humidity were difficult to control,
the quality of the koji rice and resulting final brew
were not consistent.

Today, however, koji mold can be produced in a powder-like form which
is dispersed over steamed rice in a closely controlled sauna-like environment.