Moto (元), Shubo (酒母), Yeast mash are all names for the Sake yeast starter. In this article I will only use the term “moto” but the three can be used interchangeably. Moto is where the number of yeast cells is increased to the needed level. The moto is used to inoculate the main sake fermentation, the Moromi (諸味). To build the moto we start with rice (米), koji (麹) and yeast (酵母). These three ingredients along with water were the only ones used for moto originally. The method to produce this original moto is known as Kimoto. It features a vigorous mixing, taking many hours, to produce a puree of the ingredients. It was thought this vigorous mixing, called Yama-Oroshi, was needed for the ingredients to properly work together.
In 1909 a modification to the Kimoto method was developed. The modification was to drop the vigorous mixing. As it turned out, the mixing was not really needed. The modified process was called Yama-Oroshi haishi moto or Yamahai moto for short.
Both Kimoto and Yamahai moto depend on lactobacillus bacteria from the air to infect the moto and create the needed lactic acid. Lactic acid prevents wild yeast and other types of bacteria from getting a firm foothold in the mash which could ruin the moto and the final sake. In this process it takes some time, maybe a week, for there to be enough lactobacillus bacteria and hence lactic acid to protect the moto. Infestations of wild yeast and other bacteria that started prior to the lactobacilli reaching critical mass will be controlled by the low pH created from the lactic acid. However, up until about 1910-1915 there was no understanding of the role that lactic acid played in the moto.
With the discovery of the role of lactic acid in the production of sake a new moto method was developed: Sokujo moto. Sokujo moto added the direct addition of lactic acid at the beginning of the moto. This resulted in halving the time needed to create the moto, protecting it from wild yeast and bacteria from the start and lowering the final acid levels. Sokujo moto is the mainstay of today’s brewers. It produces a cleaner tasting sake. While Yamahai moto is still used, it is more of a specialty method used to produce an earthy full flavor sake higher in acid than the norm.
So to recap the moto methods we have:
- Kimoto, the original and only method up until 1909, uses a vigorus and time consuming mixing called Yama-Oroshi
- Yamahai, which is kimoto minus the Yama-Oroshi mixing, developed in 1909
- Sokujo, adds an addition of lactic acid at the beginning of the moto and was developed a few years after yamahai
Which method should you use? There really is no advantage to using Kimoto, so we do not need to consider using it. Sokujo moto takes less time (one week) and produces a clean sake so this is a good method for beginners, those not wanting to spend extra time or those wanting a clean tasting sake. Yamahai moto should be used when you have the extra time (two weeks) and want a more earthy or funky tasting sake.
I’m having a go with a piece of GInger beer plant: it is a SCOBY with lactobacilli and ginger yeast. My culture is very active so I chucked a tsp into a small sample of Koji digested rice. It’s been bubbling for a couple of days, waiting to see what happens.
Lactobacillus in the yamahai method seems to be characterized as “in the air”. And I’ve also read that attempting yamahai might result in failure (sour taste) if the correct bacteria (lactobacillus) doesn’t happen to settle into the moto. Have you heard of anyone buying a probiotic lactobacillus and using it to innoculate the moto?
The Yamahai method is quite robust. This is not to say it can’t fail but it works pretty well.
I have not heard of anyone using a culture in Sake brewing though beer craft brewers do this and have written about this method. Similar applications could be done with sake but it is unlikely that it would, as a replacement for normal moto inoculation, produce sake without side effects. The Sokujo method (adding lactic acid) does not require lactobacillus to produce the desired acid which short cuts the issue.
Thanks,
Will
How do I determine how much lactic acid and water should be added to the yeast starter?
If you are using the recipe from the recipe page (https://homebrewsake.com/recipe/) you should check table 2. This is also covered in the first two days of the video series (https://homebrewsake.com/recipe/videoseriesstepbystepinstructions/). Basically, this calls for 2.5 cups of water and a teaspoon of lactic acid.
Hope that helps,
Will
Is there a specific pH that we are looking to achieve?
Hey Ryan,
Not really a target that I know of. My estimate would be somewhere in the 3.5 range but I have not seen this value anywhere so please take it with a lump of salt.
Thanks,
Will
I recently used the “high heat” method for making moto as described in the “Brewing Sake” book and I really liked the result. Made a few other improvements in my procedure and made the best batch to date for me.
Terrific, glad to here it is going so well!
Will
I suspect that the first two methods also heavily rely on acetic acid bacteria. The acetic acid would me the cause of the vinegary taste of the first two methods, while the Sokujo method would be more “yogurty.”
Hey Dan,
I have not read of acetic acid being in sake but that does not mean much. If it is in the air then it can get into the sake.