CONFERENCE: The Role of Rice Varietals in Sake

Description

SATURDAY September 30th, 2023 from 1pm till 1:45pm

Rice is a key ingredient in sake: the starch it contains is broken down by koji mould into sugars, which yeasts then transform into alcohol. But how much of a role does rice play in the development of aroma, flavour and overall character of a sake? While rice’s impact is not as significant as that of grape varietal to a wine, it does still contribute to a sake’s personality. There are over 100 different sake-specific rice varieties currently available to brewers with more being developed each year, and many prefectures are creating new strains suited to their climate that can help foster a stronger regional identity.

In this lecture you will learn about the main heirloom and modern sake rice varietals and their typical characteristics – if names like Omachi, Koshi tanrei, Dewasansan, Wataribune, Ginpu, and the “King of Sake Rice” Yamada Nishiki capture your curiosity, join us to learn the fascinating story of these rice types and more! Sake can be made using both table rice and sake rice varietals, and we will touch on the pros and cons of each in the session. You will also receive specific suggestions for sakes to try in the exhibition hall that are hallmark examples of the main rice varietals, which you can then seek out and taste during the rest of your time at the Salon.

This session will be presented in English.

Lecturer:

Sarah STEWART

Speaker Biography:
Sarah is a WSET Certified Sake Educator and teaches courses on sake at West London Wine School.
She is a sake judge for the International Wine Challenge and volunteers as the British Sake Association’s Membership & Events Officer.
She holds the JSA Sake Diploma International and Sake Scholar qualifications, and is a graduate of the JSS Sake & Shochu Academy in Tokyo and Obata Shuzo’s Gakkogura sake brewing program on Sado Island, Niigata.
She has studied the Urasenke tradition of chanoyu for 18 years and spent a year in Kyoto studying at the Urasenke Professional College of Tea’s Midorikai program.