To elucidate the suitability of unwashed rice for sake brewing, we carried out pilot scale brewing with unwashed rice and ordinary polished rice from Senbonnishiki polished to 50% and Nakateshinsenbon polished to 70%.The activity of acid protease in koji from unwashed rice was slightly higher than that of ordinary polished rice.The fermentation periods of moromi mash from unwashed rice were a fewdays shorter than those of ordinary polished rice.General components, yields, andflavor components in sake from unwashed rice were almost the same as those from ordinary polished rice.Alcohol yield from unwashed rice was slightly lower than that from ordinary polished rice, and the sake cake ratio from unwashed rice was comparatively higher than that from ordinary polished rice. Succinate in sake from unwashed rice was significantly lower than that from ordinary polished rice. Sensory scores of brewed sake from unwashed rice were almost the same as those from ordinary polished rice.These results suggest that not washing can not only save labor in the rice-washing process but also yield sake of the same quality as that from conventional methods.
