Sake

Sake is a Japanese rice wine fermented using *Aspergillus oryzae* mold (known as koji) in a process called multiple parallel fermentation. This unique method allows the conversion of starch to sugar and sugar to alcohol to happen simultaneously in the same vat.

The documented history of sake brewing spans over 2,000 years, and today, annual production exceeds 500,000 kiloliters. The vast majority of this production occurs in specialized breweries throughout Japan.

The key ingredient used to break down the rice starch into fermentable sugars is *Aspergillus oryzae*, a type of mold commonly known as koji-kin. This mold is carefully cultivated on steamed rice before being added to the fermentation mash.

Sake has a documented history in Japan spanning over 2,000 years. The brewing techniques have evolved significantly over the centuries from a crude, chewed mash to the highly refined multiple parallel fermentation process used today.