Brewing Process
酒造工程
The process varies depending on the type of sake, but here are some typical steps in the sake brewing process
種類によって工程も様々ですが、代表的な酒造りの一連の流れをご紹介いたします
In autumn, carefully selected sake rice from all over Japan fills the rice warehouse at Yoshino Sake Brewery.
秋になり、全国各地から厳選された酒米が吉野酒造の米蔵を埋め尽くします。
The surface of the brown rice is scraped off. After polishing, the sake rice is “karerized,” or gradually regains moisture from its dry state due to the humidity in the air.
玄米の表面を削っていきます。磨きあがった酒米は、「枯らし」と言って、空気中の湿度によって乾いた状態から水分を徐々に取り戻します。
After washing, the sake rice is soaked. The amount of water absorbed depends on the type and characteristics of the rice and the milling ratio, so the soaking time is adjusted accordingly. Ideally, the steamed rice should be hard on the outside and soft on the inside.
洗米後、酒米を浸漬します。米の種類や特性、精米歩合によって吸収させる水分量が違うため、浸す時間を調整します。蒸米は外側は硬く、内側は軟らかい『外硬内軟』が理想です。
After soaking, the drained rice is placed on a steamer and steamed.
The amount of rice steamed at one time can be up to about 1 ton.
浸漬後、釜の上に乗せた甑（こしき）に水切りした米を平らに均し、蒸します。1度に蒸す酒米の量は最大で約 1 トンにもなります。
The steamed rice is placed in a cooler to remove rough heat, and then the steamed rice is carefully loosened by hand. The temperature of the steamed rice varies depending on the use of the rice, such as for koji rice, unrefined sake, or sake mother. The steamed rice is then received in a cloth and rushed to the koji making room (koji molding room).
蒸米を放冷機にかけ粗熱を取り、手作業で蒸米を丁寧にほぐします。麹米や醪（もろみ）、酒母など用途によって蒸米の品温も異なります。 蒸米を布で受け、製麹室（麹室）へと急ぎ運びます。
After the seed koji (koji mold) is shaken on the steamed rice brought to the koji room, the koji rice is made in the koji room in a process that takes about two days.
麹室（こうじむろ）に運ばれた蒸米に種麹（麹菌）が振られた後、麹室で約２日間の工程を経て作られた麹米は、水、酵母、蒸米、乳酸とともに酒母用のタンクの中で酒母（酛・もと）が造られます。
The brewing process is divided into three stages in a single tank: the first stage is called soegake, in which the sake mother, water, koji rice, and steamed rice are combined.
The second (Naka) and third (Tome) stages increase the amount of kakemai (steamed rice), koji rice, and brewing water. Normal sake is fermented (moromi) in large tanks for about three weeks before being squeezed.
Daiginjo-style sake is brewed slowly in smaller tanks for about one month.
仕込みは１つのタンクで３段階の工程にわかれています。１段階を添掛け（そえがけ）と呼び、酒母、水、麹米、蒸米を合わせます。
２段（仲・なか）、３段（留・とめ）と段階が進むにつれ、掛米（蒸米）・麹米・仕込み水の量も増えます。普通酒であれば約３週間大きなタンクで発酵（醪・もろみ）期間を経てしぼられます。
大吟醸仕込みになると小さめのタンクで約一ヶ月の醪期間を経てじっくりと醸され、絞られます。
Newly squeezed sake goes through the process of orikiri, filtration, and hi-ire (heat sterilization), and is gradually matured in storage tanks in the brewery until it is shipped.
Raw Sake is cooled in thermal tanks or bottled and stored in refrigeration.
しぼられた新酒は、おり引き、濾過の過程を経て火入れ（熱殺菌処理）を行い、蔵内の貯蔵タンクの中で出荷されるまでの期間に徐々に熟成されます。
生酒は、サーマルタンクで冷却、または瓶詰めされ冷蔵にて貯蔵管理されます
Sake is filled into cleaned bottles.
The bottled sake is checked strictly by passing light, and if the bottles pass the light check, the sake bottles are labeled and shipped.
洗浄した瓶に酒を詰めます。
瓶に詰めた酒は光を通して厳重にチェックを行い、無事に通過した酒瓶にラベルを貼り出荷となります。
Sake Brewery Tours
酒造見学について
Sake brewery tours and tastings are currently suspended to prevent the transmission of the new coronavirus.
We plan to resume tours and tastings as soon as the situation settles down.
We will announce on our website and social networking sites when this will happen.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
酒現在、新型コロナウイルス感染防止の為、酒造見学や試飲会は休止しております。
落ち着き次第、再開する予定でおります。
その際は、当ウェブサイト、各種SNS にてお知らせさせていただきます。
皆様にお会いできる日を心待ちにしております。
