Junmai (pure sake) literally translates to "pure rice". It is a high-quality class of sake, a rice-based alcoholic beverage that is an intricate part of Japanese culture. In order to be classified as Junmai sake, the beverage must be made with only rice, water, and koji, the mold that triggers fermentation. Before 2003, Japanese law stipulated that the rice must be polished down to below 70 percent of its original mass, a process called Seimai Buai. The process is done to remove the bran, creating a purer form of sake. There is no longer a specific percentage that must be milled away but the percentage must be listed on the label.
To make Junmai sake, the polished rice is cooked, and then mixed with the koji and yeast. The koji converts the starch in rice to fermentable sugar, while the yeast simultaneously converts the sugar into alcohol. This process of multiple parallel fermentations is complex: if the koji doesn't convert the rice to sugar quickly enough, the yeast will die, and conversely, if there is too much sugar at once, it overpowers the yeast and stops fermentation. Over the course of about a month, more rice, koji and water is added to the mixture until the sake finishes fermenting. Since the process of multiple parallel fermentations can leave alcohol levels of 20 percent or higher, water is usually added to achieve the desired alcohol level.
Like wine, Junmai sake can taste different depending on the origin of the rice, the water used, and the brewing technique of the Toji, or sake-maker. Junmai sake tends not to be as fragrant as other forms of sake, but is richer and more full-bodied, with higher levels of acidity. As a result, Junmai sake tends to pair well with a broad spectrum of more robust foods, such as cheese, fried chicken and even steak.
