This quick start procedure with videos is meant to help you get started as quickly as possible. It’s a procedure you can use to make very good sake, now, without waiting to learn more. My hope is that, as you make your sake you will be pulled more and more into this unique drink and all its aspects, making the learning about the whys and what fors more exciting and magical.
This outline is specifically for use with rice milled to 60% of original (60% seimaibuai) and pre-made koji.
The big picture: The first task is to create the moto which is a yeast mash to grow up a strong population of yeast for the ferment. The moto lasts for one week in this procedure. Next comes the buildup from the moto to the moromi or the yeast mash to the main ferment. This buildup comes in a three stage addition process over four days. Following the buildup is the main ferment that lasts about 20 days. This is followed by pressing to separate the sake from the lees and a series of rackings. The rackings transfer clear sake from containers with sediment to containers without sediment. This allows the sake to become more and more clear and more sediment free with each racking. Finally, is the pasteurization and bottling to complete the process. The total time from start to end is 88 days and is closely tied to temperature during the process.
There is a tremendous amount of repetition in this process. For example the same process used to create the moto is used for each of the three additions of the buildup. Racking is repeated several times and pasteurization is done twice. So while the following outline is long most of the work becomes comfortable and routine before you are done.
Day 1 – estimated task time 10 minutes:
The first thing we must do is prepare a few things; sake water, yeast and koji. This is often done, as suggested in the recipe, the night before the first rice steaming.
Do:
- Take your yeast out of the refrigerator and leave on counter to warm (target temp:65F-75F)
- Place your koji into the refrigerator if it is not already there (you don’t want it frozen).
- Put together your water. Combine and stir well:
- 2.5 cups soft water (distilled or reverse osmosis water will have no problems)
- 1 teaspoon 88% lactic acid
- 3/4th teaspoon yeast nutrient
- Pinch of Epsom salts (Magnesium sulfate)
- 1¼ teaspoon Morton’s Salt Substitute (Potassium chloride)
- Put ½ cup of this water mixture in the refrigerator and cover
- Put 2 cups (the rest) on the counter next to the yeast and cover
That’s it for the first bit of work.
Day 2 – estimated task time 3.5 hours, beginning Moto:
This section has four distinct phases: broken up by steeping, draining and steaming.
Do phase 1:
- Smack your yeast pack if you have not already done so and are using Wyeast yeast (White labs yeast does not need to be smacked J)
- Ready sanitizer
- Prepare rice
- 1.6 cups of rice
- Wash the rice in cold water till water is mostly clear
- Steep in cold water with 1” water over top of rice for 1 hour
Do phase 2:
- Sanitize the Moto container
- Begin preparing the moto by combining (target temp: 70F):
- 2 cups of sake water prepared on day 1
- Yeast
- Drain rice and place in a colander to drain for an hour
Do phase 3:
- Add 8/10th cup koji to water and yeast mixture
- Prepare steamer with cheese cloth liner
- Add drained rice to steamer
- Steam rice for 1 hour
Do phase 4:
- 30 minute check of the steaming rice to be sure you don’t run out of water in the steamer
Do phase 5:
- Cool rice after steaming – using ½ cup water prepare day 1 and placed in refrigerator
- Combine and mix well (target temp:72F do not let it get to or above 90F):
- Moto starter from phase 2 and 3: sake water, yeast, koji
- Freshly steamed and cooled rice
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place where it will not get too much light (target temp: 65F-75F)
Day 3-6 – estimated time 5 minutes
Do from moto begun till ready to start the buildup to the main ferment, Moromi
- Stir well twice a day with a sanitized spoon
- Target temp: 65F-72F
Day 7 – Day before starting the build up to Moromi – estimated time 5+ minutes
Do:
- Stir the Moto
- Begin lowering moto temperature, slowly, down to 60F
Day 8 in the evening – estimated time 10 minutes
The moto should now be at about 60F.
Do:
- Mix with Moto:
- 1.5 cups koji
- 1.5 cups water
- Place 1.25 cups water into the refrigerator to use in the morning
Day 9 – estimated time 3.5 hours
Hatsuzoe, the first addition.
This section has four distinct phases: broken up by steeping, draining and steaming. This is mostly the same as day 2 with a different amount of rice and without the yeast.
Do phase 1:
- Start cooling the moto to 50F
- Prepare rice
- 2.5 cups of rice
- Wash the rice in cold water till water is mostly clear
- Steep in cold water with 1” water over top of rice for 1 hour
Do phase 2:
- Drain rice and place in a colander to drain for an hour
Do phase 3:
- Prepare steamer with cheese cloth liner
- Add drained rice to steamer
- Steam rice for 1 hour
Do phase 4:
- 30 minute check of the steaming rice to be sure you don’t run out of water in the steamer.
Do phase 5:
- Ready sanitizer
- Sanitize the large 5-7gallon fermentor
- Cool rice after steaming – using1.25 cups water that was prepared day 8 and placed in refrigerator
- Place steamed and cooled rice into the fermentor
- Mix the moto with the rice in the fermentor
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place where it will not get too much light (target temp: 55F)
Do for next 48 hours at 12 hour intervals:
- Stir the ferment for 5 minutes
Day 10 in the evening – estimated time 10 minutes
The second day (hours 24 to 48 after first addition Hatsuzoe) is Odori, the dancing ferment.
The ferment should now be about 55F to 60F.
Do:
- Mix with Moto:
- 2.25 cups koji
- 4.5 cups water
- Place 4.25 cups water into the refrigerator to use in the morning
Day 11 – estimated time 3.5 hours
Nakazoe, the middle addition begins 48 hours after the first addition, Hatsuzoe.
This section has four distinct phases: broken up by steeping, draining and steaming. This is mostly the same as day 9 with a different amount of rice.
Do phase 1:
- Start cooling the ferment to 50F
- Prepare rice
- 6 cups of rice
- Wash the rice in cold water till water is mostly clear
- Steep in cold water with 1” water over top of rice for 1 hour
Do phase 2:
- Drain rice and place in a colander to drain for an hour
Do phase 3:
- Prepare steamer with cheese cloth liner
- Add drained rice to steamer
- Steam rice for 1 hour
Do phase 4:
- 30 minute check of the steaming rice to be sure you don’t run out of water in the steamer.
Do phase 5:
- Cool rice after steaming – using 4.25 cups water prepared on day 10 and placed in refrigerator
- Place steamed and cooled rice into the fermentor
- Mix well in the fermentor
- Loosely cover the fermentor with plastic wrap and place somewhere out of the light where it will cool (target temp: 50F)
Do in the evening:
- Mix with ferment:
- 3.5 cups koji
- 10 cups water
- Place 6 cups water into the refrigerator to use in the morning
Do every 12 hours:
- Stir the ferment
Day 12 – estimated time 3.5 hours
Tomezoe, the last addition in the buildup of the Moromi, begins 24 hours after Nakazoe.
This section has four distinct phases: broken up by steeping, draining and steaming. This is mostly the same as day 11 with a different amount of rice.
Do phase 1:
- Prepare rice
- 10 cups of rice
- Wash the rice in cold water till water is mostly clear
- Steep in cold water with 1” water over top of rice for 1 hour
Do phase 2:
- Drain rice and place in a colander to drain for an hour
Do phase 3:
- Prepare steamer with cheese cloth liner
- Add drained rice to steamer
- Steam rice for 1 hour
Do phase 4:
- 30 minute check of the steaming rice to be sure you don’t run out of water in the steamer.
Do phase 5:
- Cool rice after steaming – using 6 cups water prepared on day 11 and placed in refrigerator
- Place steamed, cooled rice into the fermentor
- Mix well with the rice in the fermentor
- Loosely cover fermentor with plastic wrap and place where it will not get too much light (target temp: 50F)
Do for next 2 days at 12 hour intervals:
- Stir the ferment
Day 32 – estimated time 1.5 hours
Time to press! We must separate the sake from the lees to start to clarify our sake. At this stage we also rack to the secondary fermentor (glass jugs).
Do phase 1:
- Prepare the sanitizer solution
- Sanitize 3 glass 1 gallon jugs
- Sanitize 3 air locks with stoppers
- Sanitize a container for collecting sake from the pressing
- Sanitize a funnel
- Prepare the cloth or bag for holding the moromi while pressing
- Line the container for collecting your sake with the cloth or bag for holding the moromi
Do phase 2:
- Transfer a portion of the moromi into the cloth or bag and begin to squeeze the sake through to the container, transfer the sake into a jug
- Repeat until all the moromi has been pressed and the sake is in the 3 jugs
- Place jugs where it will not get too much light (target temp: 50F)
Do phase 3 (optional):
- Prepare an Hydrometer to measure the specific gravity
- Place sample in the Hydrometer jar and float the Hydrometer in the sample
- Read and record the specific gravity. (Expect it to be around 1.010 to 1.002) depending on clarity
The sake in the jugs will still be quite milky in most cases but should not have any rice mixed in.
Day 44 – estimated time 0.5 hours
Transfer sake off lees into new jugs (i.e., rack sake to new jugs). The idea is to move the clear sake off the lees that have sunk to the bottom without stirring them up and mixing them with the clear sake.
Do:
- Sanitize 3 new glass 1 gallon jugs
- Decant or siphon the clear sake into the new glass jugs
- Fill new jugs up to within a few inches of the top
- Place jugs where it will not get too much light (target temp: 50F)
Day 54 – estimated time 0.5 hours
Rack again. Transfer sake off lees into new jugs. The idea is to move the clear sake off the lees that have sunk to the bottom again without stirring them up and mixing them with the clear sake.
Do:
- Sanitize 3 new glass 1 gallon jugs
- Decant or siphon the clear sake into the new glass jugs
- Fill new jugs up to within a few inches of the top
- Place jugs where it will not get too much light (target temp: 50F)
Day 68 – estimated time 2.0 hours
Time to rack and pasteurize.
Do phase 1:
- Sanitize 3 new glass containers
- Rack the clear sake of the lees and into the new jugs
The sake and lees left may be the correct consistency for nigori
Do phase 2:
- Prepare a double boiler or water bath on the stove that can hold the jugs for sake for pasteurization, most likely one jug at a time
- Place the jug in the water bath while the water is cool
- Bring the water bath up in temperature tracking the temperature of the sake (target 140F to 150F)
- Remove sake from bath when it reaches temperature and let cool to room temperature
- Place airlock on jug and return to cool place (target temp. 45F to 50F)
Day 88 – estimated time 3.0 hours
Time to rack, pasteurize and bottle.
Do phase 1:
- Sanitize 3 new glass containers
- Rack the clear sake of the lees and into the new jugs
The sake and lees left may be the correct consistency for nigori
Do phase 2:
- Prepare a double boiler or water bath on the stove that can hold the jugs for sake for pasteurization, most likely one jug at a time
- Place the jug in the water bath while the water is cool
- Bring the water bath up in temperature tracking the temperature of the sake (target 140F to 150F)
- Remove sake from bath when it reaches 140F
Do phase 3 (optional):
- Prepare an Hydrometer to measure the specific gravity
- Place sample in the Hydrometer jar and float the Hydrometer in the sample
- Read and record the specific gravity. (Expect it to be around 0.998 to 0.990) depending on clarity
Do phase 4:
- Sanitize a funnel and bottles with caps
- Fill bottles with pasteurized sake and cap
- Let cool to room temperature
- Store and drink when ready
Following this procedure will produce sake that is clear, dry and very high quality.
9:53 pm on December 29th, 2010 1
Per the instructions you’re siphoning on day 44 and day 54. Are you supposed to siphon twice? It looks like from the video’s you only siphon once – wait and then pasteurize. But from the instructions you are doing it twice.
As far as the 50F temperature target. If it’s difficult to keep it at 50, is it better to keep it at 60, or put it in the refrigerator? (~38 – 40). Basically is it better to be warmer or cooler?
Thanks for the video’s, they really help!
8:35 am on December 30th, 2010 2
Saj,
Multiple rackings (siphonings) are to help clear the sake. I didn’t repeat them in the video because of the repetition. If you don’t find the sake clear enough after two rackings you could go for more. Essentially, rack, let solids settle out for about 10 days and rack again until you are happy with the clarity. But don’t go overboard for your first sake; relax and have fun with it.
Generally, lower temperatures are better but 38-40F is too low and will likely stop fermentation. So, in this case I would sake 60F is the better choice for you.
I use a small freezer and a temperature controller that goes between the freezer and the wall.
Thanks, I am glad the videos help!
7:42 pm on January 8th, 2011 3
Hi I am an older man of 54. I was impressed with your instructions.
I have to say this is the most informative set of videos I could ask for on the subject. There is one subject I am having problems. I am living in the mid west in a city of only a half million rednecks. I am only able to purchase the mold spores rather than the pre-made koji. Have you made the Kome-koji from scratch using the Kome-kin? If so do you have a video on that?
Also I noticed that when you were doing the second racking, you adjusted the specific gravity of the alcohol content. Would this be a good time to flavor the Sake if desired into a Liquor? The reason why I am asking is a very long time ago in the 70′s. I had the pleasure of tasting a Banana Sake Liquor overseas and liked it very much. But today I cannot find it anywhere.
Thank you for the videos you made. They were very good.
Frank
10:13 pm on January 8th, 2011 4
Frank,
I have a post of making koji from koji-kin (Making Koji for Sake) but I have not done a video. Take a look and see if you find it helpful.
The method you use for adding flavors to your sake will dictate when it is best to do so. For example, if you are adding a flavoring then the adjustment at racking would be a good time. If you want to add fruit to infuse the sake, I would do this right after pressing to give it as much contact time as needed.
If you do this please let us know what you do and how it turns out.
Also, in case you did not notice, the store on this site has koji
Thanks for your interest and comments.
12:26 pm on January 9th, 2011 5
Will,
I have a couple of questions.
1. When is the best time to add the Speedy Bentonite I got off your site? If I were to guess, I would add the solution after the first siphon, and do a second and third siphon. I imagine that the bentonite would induce better sediment, and the solution would be with some distilled water which would impact the specific gravity so I would keep it to a minimum.
2. I am bottling using some green tinted screw top bottles. It won’t be sealed but will be racked after the second pasturization per your instructions. Do you have a ballpark estimate on how long the sake will keep unrefrigerated with non-sealed screwcaps?
3. The bottles I am using used to keep carbonated mineral water. I had an idea racking the pasturized sake with a little bit of mineral water (instead of wasating it) so that the sake would be slightly sparkling (I know you can make sparkling sake as well through a natural process but i’m not going that rout at this time). My question is, do you think that this is a good idea? I had some concern over the “mineral water” not being distilled, therefore would any of the minerals, if any, in the water impact how long the sake would keep or taste? You mentioned that iron is not good for the sake. Not sure if there is any iron in it or if the mineral content only matters during the fermentation process. Please advise.
4. Have you ever tried to adjust the dryness with any sort of sugars? Do you have any instructions on this or is it advised for sake? If so, I would like to know, is it a good idea, what stage is the best to add sugars, would natural unprocessed hawaiian sugar work? Will it impact how long the sake would keep? And any other words of caution.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks very much!
Saj
1:27 pm on January 9th, 2011 6
Saj,
Let’s take these one at a time.
A1: I would add the Bentonite after the second or third racking. I prefer the second from the last racking. The material in solution is very heavy after pressing and so would tend to “clog” the bentonite. After the second racking much of the rice solids are gone an will allow the bentonite to get at the yeasts, proteins and other nasties.
You are only the second person to ask about bentonite. The other was just recently as well. Here is what I wrote him:
I will create a posting for how to use bentonite but for now, the above will have to cover it.
A2: When you screw them closed they should seal. If not you should use other bottles. I have reused screw top bottles and kept sake for over two years in a cooler. I am not recommending this but the sake is still quite good. A good way to go is to use beer bottles and cap them with a new cap. Capping tools and caps are inexpensive.
A3: I don’t know what to tell you about the mineral water. Mostly I don’t see and issue if it produces something you like. You could try it with a few of the bottles and see how it turns out. As for any iron, one problem with iron effects the yeast and you don’t have to worry about that at the bottling stage. The other problem is with iron, amino acids and light. The iron can cause the amino acids to “turn” easier, quicker when in the presence of harmful light. This causes a darkening in color and worsening of the aroma.
A4: Yes, this adjustment is called amelioration. To raise the specific gravity of the sake 1 point (i.e., from 0.992 to 0.993) for 1 gallon of sake takes 9.45 grams of sucrose (table sugar). This topic is discussed in the recipe and in the second to last video of the step by step video series.
The amelioration process is not used for premium quality sake in Japan but comes from wine making practices. So technically, the sake is not Junmai if you ameliorate, but we don’t need to follow Japanese Law in our homebrewing
Hope this helps!
11:12 pm on September 30th, 2011 7
Awesome videos! Thank you sooo much! I’m going to Portland tomorrow to buy most of the supplies I need to start making my 2nd batch of Sake. I do have a question about your cooling methods like on Day 7 when you need to start slowly cooling the moto down to 60 degrees or store the carboys in cool temps like 50 degrees, etc. Are you using a freezer or refrigerator with a temperature control to keep it consistent?
9:26 am on October 1st, 2011 8
Hey Jon,
Yes, I use a chest freezer with a temperature control.
Others move the mash to a cold location around the house or use an ice bath (bucket in ice water).
Thanks
10:08 pm on October 14th, 2011 9
Hey Will,
When would you actually pasteurize and bottle for a Nigori style? Would you do it after pressing the Moromi through the cloth mesh, or would you filter once after that?
Also, have you experimented with infusing your Sake? If so, when do you think the best time would be for that?
Thanks!
I just added my first addition and it’s smelling nice and sweet!
6:04 pm on October 15th, 2011 10
Jon,
I would shoot for roughly within 30 days after pressing the moromi for the first pasteurization and then at bottling. You want to give the sake some time to come together before the first pasteurization and then you can do the second one whenever you choose to bottle.
I have not done any infusing of sake. Beer brewers do this in many different ways. They will add fruit in the primary for full fermentation. They put it in the secondary to infuse the beer while it is conditioning. Each brewer seems to have his own way after he has done some experimentation to see what works best for him. If you experiment with this let us know what you did and how it turned out.
7:08 pm on November 7th, 2011 11
Hey Will…
I just pressed my Sake. I gave it a try just to see what it’s like. It tasted a little on the sour side…
Normal? Didn’t seem to be bubbling all that much when I pulled it out. It’s been in my freezer with the temp control at 50 degrees…
Do you think it’ll mellow out after I rack and pasteurize?
Jon
7:02 pm on November 8th, 2011 12
Jon,
It depends on how sour. The CO2 will make is seem a bit more sour than it will seem later. Also, conditioning will help it integrate and become smoother. Yes, it will mellow.
10:04 pm on November 8th, 2011 13
Not suuuper sour….. Not like, sour milk in the fridge for months sour, although, I really don’t know what that tastes like… I’ll let it continue to do it’s thing in the freezer…. Thanks a bunch…I’ll let you know how it turns out! Appreciate your help!
8:01 am on November 9th, 2011 14
Jon, Another thing that may be contributing to your perception of sourness is a low specific gravity (or high SMV). This indicates the dryness of the sake. Very dry sake will not have much of the sweetness you may associate with sake. This all goes to the kind of sake you most often drink… Anyway, If it is too dry or sour you can amilerate with a little sugar (see the recipe) to bring up the specific gravity (or down the SMV). This can be done just before bottling.
11:17 am on January 5th, 2012 15
I don’t know if I missed it but at the end, you have a little less than 2 gallons of sake. Was that your aim or did you aim for 3 gallons knowing you’d lose some in racking. I ask because I want to know how to scale the recipe properly.
5:19 pm on January 5th, 2012 16
Kurt,
The recipe is for around 2 Gallon. However, the final amount depends on decisions that are not fully specified in the recipe. Mainly what I am talking about here is water additions to hit a specific %ABV. I am not adding water so the final amount is the lowest amount that would be produced. The other factor is nigori options. The recipe pretty much ignores material that could only be used for nigori, so if you count this you would get a little more but not a lot.
In short, my aim was pretty much what I got.
Thanks
6:41 pm on January 18th, 2012 17
Hi Will
The different high quality sakes ive tasted all seem to have slightly different sweet or drynesses and some hints of fruit flavors how is this accomplished? Different yeasts,sugars, fruits, types of rice or water or does it happen on its own. thanks john
8:06 pm on January 18th, 2012 18
John,
High quality sake, those that are “special designation sake” are made with rice, koji (a rice covered with a special mold), yeast, water and in some cases brewers alcohol. The flavors and aromas are largely from the yeast but not entirely. Koji add some and rice does as well to a lesser extent. So, sticking with the yeast; the type of yeast and the temperature of the brewing process will cause various fruits to be expressed in the flavors and aromas. One interesting thing is that the sake yeasts tend to create more aromas at lower temperatures, while ale yeast tend to produce more aromas at higher temperatures.
Thanks
5:40 am on April 9th, 2012 19
Hi Will,
After carefully following your guidelines, with some minor alterations from my LHBS, I’m ready to pasteurize and bottle my sake.
The alterations included the use of Sorachi Ace Hops (the japanese hops used in Sapporo beer, with 11.6% AA), using a chemical clearing agent (Super Cleer) after in the 2nd to last racking (after bentonite clearing) and the addition of Kmeta and Ksorbate to protect it.
5:42 am on April 9th, 2012 20
oops…posted too soon
with the hop addition, the Kmeta and Ksorbate and pasteurization, how long can I expect to be able to store the sake if I am storing it in a dark environment @ about 65 degrees F.
Thanks alot for all your hard work.
-Kurt
8:08 pm on April 9th, 2012 21
Hey Kurt,
With a good double pasteurization and storage in a dark 65F place it should easily last a couple of years. I’m not recommending it but it should not spoil under those conditions. The rest of that should help it last but I don’t know how much.
How’d your sake turn out?
Will
8:58 am on April 10th, 2012 22
I ended up with 12 750ml bottles and about 3/4 handle for an approximate yield of 10.3 liters. I put down ~13.3 liters so I lost some in not getting all the liquid out when pressing, during racking and of course tasting along the way.
When tasting throughout the process, it was largely “bland” After benonite clearing and allowing the solids to settle, I began to taste a grapefruit flavor. It is the most prominent flavor now that it is bottled. It is dry because I purposefully didn’t backsweeten it. It is golden in color and very clear. I just spec’d it at work and it is 17.3% ABV. I am very happy with it.
Thanks so much for your advice and this resource.
8:33 pm on April 10th, 2012 23
Congratulations Kurt!
7:59 pm on July 23rd, 2012 24
Hi Will
I’ve spent hours reading your site and find the info very deep. You’ve probably gathered from my email address, I’m an experienced brewer, but haven’t tried sake, and am not very excited to give it a go, thank you very much! I have one question about your rackiing/fining however. I’ve used Bentonite in the past with good success, but have had better overall success with Sparkolloid. The difference being, Bentonite will produce an overall negative molecular charge in low ph solutions where Sparkolloid produces a positive charge. Have you ever used Sparkolloid in sake as a fining/clearing agent and if so, how would you compare its overall performancew to Bentonite in sake fining? I’ve used a combo where Bentonite was first, and 24 hours later was followed by Sparkolloid with spectacular results. My concern is, various literature from one source of Bentonite reports it can strip out color and some flavors and I don’t want this to happen with the sake. I want to taste ALL it has to offer, at least on the first few runs I make.
Thanks for your great site and happy sipping….
David
8:08 pm on July 23rd, 2012 25
Me Again…
Damn spell checker….. !!! In my previous post, the part stating
“am not very excited” should have been “am NOW very excited”! Computers… “whada gonna do?” …. LOL
Thanks again and any light you shead on the fining question is greatly appreciated.
David
p.s. seems the ‘spell checker’ didn’t do much good elsewhere either
8:32 pm on July 23rd, 2012 26
David,
I just let things settle and rack several times so I don’t have a lot of experience in this area. I have never used Sparkolloid. So, I don’t know about its effects. Given that you are an experienced brewer and interested in brewing sake, you will most likely brew several batches if not more. With this in mind, I suggest you don’t fine your first batch. That way, you will see just how it is without loosing any of the color, flavor and aroma. Then when you use Bentonite, Sparkolloid or both, you will have something to compare it with. In batch two, you could use Bentonite for the entire batch and then Sparkolloid on half of that. Anyway, whatever you choose to do, let us know how it turns out and which you prefer.
Kampai,
Will
5:16 am on October 7th, 2012 27
Sir, thank you for so much information in one place! I am making my first batch of 3 liters, I prepared the koji and just began my first fermentation for moto. Can I use isinglass as a finer? If so, when? Also,
Would it be appropriate to use my cheese press and draining molds to squeeze out the liquid for the first press? Thank you.
7:40 am on October 7th, 2012 28
Sorry, meant 3 gallons. Also, would it be feasible to add some cut up pears during the fermentation for some fruit flavor?
7:30 pm on October 8th, 2012 29
Erika,
Sure, that should work fine.
Thanks, will
7:37 pm on October 8th, 2012 30
You can use various substances for fining. I have not heard of anyone using Isinglass but it should not hurt. Let us know how well it works for you. Bentonite can be used any time after racking out of the main fermentor to jugs.
Yes, many people use cheese presses for pressing their sake mash.
Good luck, Kampai!