What foundational ingredient is fermented to create sake?

The foundational ingredient fermented to create sake is rice. Sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage that undergoes a specific brewing process distinct from typical fermentation. In this process, the starches in rice are converted to sugars by the action of mold (koji) and then fermented by yeast into alcohol.

Rice varieties used for sake production are typically polished to remove the outer layers, which can affect the flavor and quality of the final product. This polishing process is crucial as it determines the type of sake produced, with more polishing generally leading to higher quality sake.

While barley, wheat, and corn are important grains in the world of spirits and fermentation, they are not used in the production of sake. Barley is primarily used in brewing beer and producing certain whiskies, wheat is often used for making vodka and some whiskies, and corn is a key ingredient in bourbon and other American whiskies. Thus, rice’s unique properties and the specific methods of fermentation distinguish it as the essential ingredient for sake.