Honjozo is a grade of sake, Japan's iconic rice wine. While the production technique is similar to that of junmai sake, the sake master is permitted to add a small amount of neutral alcohol to the brew during fermentation.
Rice grains for honjozo must be polished to less than 70 percent of their original weight, in order to remove the bran and get at the starch below. The more the rice is polished, the purer the finished sake will be. The rice is cooked, and a special mold known as koji is added to at least 15 of the grains, as is yeast. The koji converts the starches to sugar as the yeast simultaneously converts the sugar to alcohol. Water is added, and at the sake master's discretion, up to 25 percent of the total alcohol by volume can be from a neutral spirit.
As with wine made from grapes, there are several different styles of honjozo sake depending on the type of rice used, the water source, and the brewing style of the sake master. Honjozo sake tends to be more fragrant, lighter and smoother than junmai sake, and is best served either at room temperature or slightly heated. It pairs with a wide range of foods from pâté to sushi.
