The word “本醸造 (honjozo)” on a sake label shows that at least 30% of the outer part of the rice has been polished away, and that a small amount of brewer’s alcohol (jozo alcohol, 醸造アルコール) has been added. It is one of the special designations (tokutei meisho, 特定名称) set by national standards. The special designations as a whole are explained on the Types of sake page.
Conditions for honjozo-shu
| Item | Condition |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Rice, rice koji (kome koji, 米麹), brewer’s alcohol |
| Rice polishing | At least 30% of the outer rice polished away (rice polishing ratio of 70% or less) |
| Rice used for the rice koji | At least 15% of the weight of the rice used as an ingredient |
| Aroma and taste | Good aroma, taste, color and luster |
What brewer’s alcohol is
Brewer’s alcohol is alcohol made from ingredients that contain starch or sugar.
Adding an appropriate amount of brewer’s alcohol to sake while it is fermenting (the moromi, or fermenting mash) makes the aroma stronger and the taste cleaner. It also helps stop the growth of lactic acid bacteria, which spoil the aroma and taste of sake.
The amount of brewer’s alcohol that can be added to honjozo-shu is limited to 10% of the weight of the polished rice used as an ingredient. Sake with more than this becomes “futsu-shu (普通酒)”, which cannot use a special designation.
How it differs from similar names
| Name | Brewer’s alcohol | Rice polishing |
|---|---|---|
| Honjozo-shu | A small amount is added | At least 30% of the outer rice polished away |
| Tokubetsu honjozo-shu | A small amount is added | At least 40% of the outer rice polished away, or made with a special production method |
| Junmai-shu | Not added | No requirement |
Telling them apart on the label
For example, the label of a honjozo-shu says the following.
| Label entry | Example |
|---|---|
| 原材料名 (ingredients) | 米、米こうじ、醸造アルコール (rice, rice koji, brewer’s alcohol) |
| 精米歩合 (rice polishing ratio) | 68% |
A rice polishing ratio (seimai buai, 精米歩合) of 68% means that the outer 32% of the brown rice has been polished away. Sake with a special designation is supposed to show the rice polishing ratio right next to the list of ingredients.