Kimoto: Raising Wee Beasties

The is a really deep dive, even for us. Kimoto: Raising Wee Beasties sees Andrew Russell and Jim Rion discuss the venerable kimoto method of making the seed mash for sake brewing, and hopefully clear up some common misconceptions about it and its close relative of yamahai.

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

Tamagawa Kimoto Junmai Stork Label

Jim:

Nakashimaya Kimoto Junmai Chokarakuchi

Useful vocabulary for this episode:

Yamaoroshi / Motosuri: The iconic “pole mashing” that everyone imagines for kimoto starter. Two kurabito stand on opposite sides of a wooden hangiri tank and mash rice, rice koji, and a bit of water into a paste. The goal is to help physically kickstart the koji's primary job of saccharifying rice.

Sodatemoto: Another name for the kimoto-kei family of starters, it means “nurtured starter,” or “raised starter.”

Namamoto: In kimoto-kei, after the starter has gone through lactic bacterial fermentation but before it starts yeast fermentation, it was once called 生 nama. The character can also be read “ki.”

Utase: A stage of kimoto-kei starters in which the saccharified mash is left at low temperature to encourage bacterial fermentation. A key part of the process.

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