Hatsuzoe: Sake

If you are following along, the past two weeks the moto (mash) had no rice additions. The first week of November I stirred it twice a day. Last week I dropped the temperature to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and let it sit undisturbed. 

Hatsuzoe began yesterday evening. I added one cup of Koji and stirred it. Last night I soaked two and half cups of rice and steamed it this morning.  I feel like my bamboo steamer has a significant learning curve. The first addition of rice I steamed all stuck to the cheese cloth. This time the rice was a bit mushier than I would have preferred. 

Steaming Rice inside a pot

Today I will be stirring/agitating the moto every two hours and tomorrow I will soak more rice to for steaming. Monday begins Nakazoe. More rice and Koji is added to the moto. Fermentation is but a few days away. The process is lengthy but exciting. I tasted some today and the smell is on target for sake aroma but the taste is dry, fermented. Not something I'd want to pour in a glass and gulp down. I am excited to see how the rice characteristics pan out and create multidimensional flavors.

mmm...Future sake....