Pressing and Filtration Techniques

## Separating Sake from Lees

When fermentation is complete, the moromi is a thick, porridge-like mixture of liquid sake and solid rice lees (sake kasu). The method used to separate them — collectively called {{glossary:joso}} (pressing) — has a profound impact on the sake's clarity, texture, and flavor.

## The Yabuta Machine Press

The vast majority of modern sake is pressed using the accordion-style Yabuta machine (named after its manufacturer). Moromi is pumped into fabric-lined chambers, and pneumatic bladders squeeze the liquid out. The process is efficient and consistent, producing clean sake suitable for most grades. The first runnings from a Yabuta are equivalent to {{glossary:arabashiri}} (first press).

## The Fune (Traditional Box Press)

The fune (槽) is a rectangular wooden or metal box into which cloth bags of moromi are stacked. Gravity and gentle manual pressure extract the sake. Fune pressing is slower and more labor-intensive than machine pressing but is prized for producing softer, more nuanced sake. Many premium and competition sake are fune-pressed.

## Shizuku: The Drip Method

The most prestigious pressing method is shizuku (雫, meaning "drip"). Cloth bags of moromi are suspended from a beam, and sake drips out under gravity alone — no pressure is applied. Shizuku sake represents the gentlest possible extraction and is typically reserved for competition daiginjo. The yield is low and the labor is intensive, making shizuku sake inherently rare and expensive.

## Arabashiri, Nakadori, and Seme

Regardless of pressing method, the sake emerges in three fractions:

- **Arabashiri (荒走り)**: The first, freely flowing sake. Often lightly cloudy with vibrant, fresh aromatics.
- **Nakadori (中取り)**: The middle fraction, considered the highest quality. Clean, balanced, and complex.
- **Seme (責め)**: The final fraction extracted under maximum pressure. Richer, heavier, sometimes with astringent notes.

Many premium sake are labeled by fraction, with nakadori commanding the highest prices.

## Post-Pressing Filtration

After pressing, sake may undergo additional filtration. Activated charcoal filtration (roka) removes color and harsh flavors but can also strip desirable aromatics. Muroka (無濾過, unfiltered) sake skips this step, retaining more body and character. Some breweries use light filtration as a compromise.