Kimoto - Kimoto

Japanese: 生酛 - きもと

<br /> This is one of the methods for making yeast starter in the sake brewing process, a traditional method perfected during the Edo period. It uses lactic acid bacteria to produce lactic acid, which makes the starter acidic, and then yeast is cultivated. Steamed rice, koji, and water are placed in a shallow tub called a "hangiri" and allowed to absorb the water while being stirred occasionally. The mass is then piled up high and the pile is crushed with a tool called a " kai " in a process called " yamaoroshi ". After that, the mixture is left to stand at a low temperature and the temperature is gradually raised. The action of nitrite produced by nitrate-reducing bacteria when left to stand at low temperature and lactic acid produced by activating lactic acid bacteria with the rise in temperature kills microorganisms harmful to brewing, and as the acidity increases, the nitrate-reducing bacteria die, followed by the lactic acid bacteria themselves due to the acid, alcohol produced by yeast, and the heat during fermentation, allowing only the yeast (sake yeast), which is resistant to acid and necessary for alcoholic fermentation of sake, to grow. Yamaoroshi is a process that uses physical means to bring rice starch into contact with the enzymes in the koji quickly and evenly, promoting the production of sugar, which provides energy for the yeast. It is usually carried out from late at night to early in the morning when temperatures can be kept low to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms, and is considered to be one of the most labor-intensive aspects of brewing work. Before the existence of yeast was discovered, people would wait for the yeast that naturally existed in the starter to grow, or they would add part of another starter that had already fermented when the saccharification had progressed and the mixture was acidic, but nowadays it is common to add a high-quality sake yeast that is suitable for the desired quality of sake at this time. The same goes for lactic acid bacteria, which are often used after being cultivated separately. The process takes about one month. → Yamahaimoto, Fast-brewing moto

Source: Kodansha Drink Dictionary Information

Japanese:

日本酒の製造工程における酒母の製法の一つで、江戸時代に完成した伝統的な製法。乳酸菌を利用して乳酸を生成させることで酒母を酸性に導き、酵母を培養するもの。蒸した米、麹、水を「半切り」と呼ばれる浅い桶に入れて吸水させながら時々混ぜ、その後このかたまりをうずたかく積み上げ、その山を櫂(かい)という道具を用いてすりつぶす「山卸(やまおろし)」と呼ばれる作業のあと低温で静置し、徐々に温度を上げる。低温静置時に硝酸還元菌により生成された亜硝酸と、温度上昇で乳酸菌を活動させて生成された乳酸の作用で、醸造に有害な微生物は死滅し、酸性が強くなるにつれて硝酸還元菌が、次いで、酸に加え酵母が生成したアルコールと発酵時の熱により乳酸菌自体も死滅し、酸に強い、日本酒のアルコール発酵に必要な酵母（清酒酵母）のみが増殖する。山卸は、物理的手段で米のでん粉が麹の酵素とすみやかに均一に触れ合うようにして、酵母のエネルギーとなる糖の生成を促すための工程で、有害微生物の増殖を抑えるため、普通、低温を保てる深夜から早朝にかけて行い、醸造の作業の中でも特に重労働とされる。酵母の存在が解明される以前は、酒母中に自然に存在した酵母が増殖するのを待ったり、糖化が進み酸性に整った折を見計らってすでに発酵済みの別の酒母の一部を入れたりしたが、こんにちでは目指す酒質に向いた優良清酒酵母をこの折に添加することが多い。乳酸菌も同様で、別に培養したものを用いることが多い。工程におよそ1ヵ月を要する。⇒山廃酛、速醸酛

出典　講談社飲み物がわかる辞典について　情報

<<: Chymotrypsin

>>: False myrrh - Gimotsuyaku