WATER FOR SAKÉ

Water is perhaps one of the most important ingredients in making saké. Saké, the final product, is composed of 80 percent water. As a matter of fact, for each bottle of saké, more than 30 times more water than rice is used.

Water factors into each stage of saké production beginning with washing, soaking and steaming the rice. Then, during the fermentation process, a mixture of rice, water and koji (rice culture) is added to the starter (moto) creating the main mash or moromi. Rice, water and koji typically are added to the moromi twice more, and at the very end of the fermentation a little water is again added to reduce the alcohol content.Because such a large volume of water is used in the production of saké, the quality and composition of the water is extremely important. For hundreds of years, breweries (kura) have been operating in parts of Japan where water most suitable for saké production is abundant. Since the 16th century, the Uozaki section of Kobe has been a favorite location for brewmasters. However, it wasn't until the early 19th century that it was discovered the local water, called miyamizu, with its particular combination of minerals, was responsible for the legendary saké created there.

While many saké breweries are still able to use well water and in some cases mountain spring water in saké production, because of diminishing water quality, many others now rely on modern filtering techniques to create the perfect water.