Examination of Sake Brewing Using a High Yielding Breed of Rice Hokuriku No.125

Abstract

Brewing properties of sake using a high yielding breed of rice, Hokuriku No.125, were investigated and were compared with those of Nihonbare and Gohyakumangoku. Hokuriku No.125 had the highest water absorving ability for twenty minutes and the lowest protein content and amino acidity in digesting test among three varieties of rice. Enzyme activities of koji such as total saccharifing activity, α-amylase, acid-ptotease, and neutral-protease and the feature of koji were not so different between Hokuriku No.125 and Gohyakumangoku. In moromi process, high values of the maximum Bé for Hokuriku No.125 were obtained, and also acidity and amino acidity for Hokuriku No.125 were kept low level during moromi period compared with Nihonbare. From these results, it was concluded that Hokuriku No.125 might possess excellent properties of sake brewing because the high alcohol yield from raw rice and the sake with low amino acidity could be obtained.