Pasteurization / Bottling

The final steps toward completing the brewing  complex set of variables that leverage significant influence over the final outcome of a sake’s “finished” character. These critical decisions are in the Domaine of the Master Toji. 

Following pressing and/or filtration, a sake may be pasteurized, tank-matured, bottled or none of the above, depending on the brewery’s intended style.  A first flash pasteurization insures product stability; a second pasteurization just prior to shipping insures increased shelf-life. Aging (or not), in tank or bottle, storage temperature and environment all influence flavor and character development. There is no-one-correct method; this is a decision for each brewery to make for each sake. The thousands of modern and traditional decisions are what bring such diversity to hand-crafted, artisan sake.