Sake is known all over the world for being one of the most potent drinks that one can enjoy. The national drink of Japan, sake has become popular all over the world. People from other countries who are not really into sake may not have heard about the “G” word but for most Japanese, it only means one thing – the best sake available.
The more expensive bottles of sake in Japan are labeled with “ginjo,” which literally means “brewed with particular care.” This is not to say that the other sake brands are not good, its just that with the ginjo label, you are assured of the best.
What makes ginjo sake different from regular sake? How is ginjo sake made? The big difference lies in the process of polishing the rice grains, which is the main raw material for sake. For ginjo sake, the rice grains are polished over and over again until only 60 percent or less of the grains are left. The reason for this is so that the outer portion can be gotten rid off – this is the part which is heavy on minerals.
Polishing rice grains in this manner increases the quality of the resulting sake but it is also means that more rice is needed to produce the sake. In other words, the more you polish, the more expensive the process becomes. Of course, the polishing is only the start of a long process, many stages of which are unique to the production of ginjo sake.
The next time you want to try this brew, try looking for the “G” word.