High Life

HIGH LIFE 89 食用米是否美味，主要取决于米粒中脂肪和蛋白质含量高低。脂肪和蛋白 质，大多集中在米粒的外层，米粒的内核则主要是淀粉质。级别较高的清酒为求 味道优雅，需要比例较高的淀粉质。脂肪和蛋白质含量过多，会导致清酒味道 不纯净，故须予以磨除，只保留富含淀粉质的米粒核心部分。这关键性过程称为 「精米步合」——清酒级别系统及定位高低，基本上以此为基础。精米步合比 例，指的是米粒经打磨后剩下的重量百分比。在纯米系列清酒中，纯米酒的精米 步合比例不得高于70% ，特別纯米酒及纯米吟釀酒不得高于60%，而纯米大吟 釀酒则不得高于50%，仿佛是比例愈低，级别愈高。 “纯米吟酿酒及纯米大吟酿酒固然高高在上，但出色的清酒却绝不仅限于这 两个类别。纯米酒及特别纯米酒类别往往精彩纷呈，充分展现各种风格。” 李天彦 Whereas higher fat and protein content makes table rice tasty, they can lead to a rustic taste in sake and therefore must be polished away in the seimai buai (“ 精米歩合 ”; literally rice refinement) process, leaving only the grain’s starchy core, indeed what high quality sake calls for. This is such a crucial step in sake brewing that the classification system is very much based on it. In the case of the junmai (“ 純米 ”; literally: pure rice) line of sakes, the remaining weight of rice post-seimai buai must not exceed 70 per cent for Junmai-shu ( 純 米酒 ), 60 per cent for Tokubetsu Junmai-shu ( 特別純米酒 ), 60 per cent for Junmai Ginjo-shu ( 純米吟釀酒 ) or 50 per cent for Junmai Daiginjo-shu ( 純米大吟釀酒 ). The lower the percentage, the higher the status. “Lofty as they are, Junmai Ginjo-shu and Junmai Daiginjo-shu are not always better than others; Junmai-shu and Tokubetsu Junmai-shu can be thoroughly enjoyable, often bursting with individuality.” Tony Lee