Shubo
酒母
Brewing Process
Definição
The yeast starter mash, also called moto. Shubo means 'mother of sake' — a concentrated mixture of steamed rice, koji, water, and yeast that builds the massive yeast population needed for main fermentation.
Em Profundidade
The shubo stage takes 2-4 weeks depending on the method used. The three principal methods — sokujo (modern fast starter with added lactic acid), kimoto (traditional pole-ramming to create a lactic acid environment naturally), and yamahai (modified traditional without pole-ramming) — each produce distinct flavor foundations. A healthy shubo contains approximately 200-300 million yeast cells per milliliter, ensuring vigorous and complete fermentation when added to the larger moromi tank.