How to Make Sake at Home: A Beginner’s Guide

by Dane Wilson | Last Updated: February 22, 2025

Hey there! This site is reader-supported and we earn commissions if you purchase products from retailers after clicking on a link from our site.

Ever wondered how to make sake in your own kitchen? This ancient Japanese rice wine might seem like a mysterious art reserved for master brewers, but crafting your batch is more achievable than you think. It’s time to demystify how to make sake at home and share expert techniques and time-tested tips that will help you create a smooth, flavorful brew that rivals commercial varieties – all without specialized equipment.

Table of Contents

• Ingredients
•  Equipment
• Fermentation Process
• Step 1: Preparing the Rice
• Step 2: Making the Koji
• Step 3: Creating the Shubo (Yeast Starter)
• Step 4: Main Fermentation (Moromi)
• Step 5: Pressing, Filtering, and Bottling
• Your Guide to Amazing Homemade Sake
• FAQs – How to Make Sake at Home

Ingredients

• 5 lbs premium short-grain rice (Calrose or Yamada Nishiki if you can find it) – you want at least 70% polishing ratio for that clean sake flavor
• 1.2 lbs koji rice (or about 24% of your total rice amount) – this is your rice that’s already been inoculated with koji mold
• 1 packet premium sake yeast (#7 or #9) – avoid bread yeast if you can, trust me on this one
• 1.5 gallons filtered water – chlorinated tap water is a no-go here
• 0.5 tsp yeast nutrient – helps keep those hardworking yeast cells happy
• 1 tbsp Morton’s Salt (for making koji if you’re going that route) – regular table salt works fine

Equipment

• 3-gallon food-grade fermentation bucket with airlock – plastic is fine, but glass is fancy if you’re feeling spendy
• Digital thermometer (accuracy within 1°F) – temperature control is crucial here
• Large steamer or rice cooker – you’ll be steaming a lot of rice, folks
• 2-3 fine-mesh straining bags (about 2’x2′) – these are your best friends during pressing
• 6-8 one-gallon glass jugs for storage – recycled apple juice jugs work great
• pH meter or pH strips (measuring range 3-7) – your sake’s health monitor
• Sanitizing solution (Star San or similar) – enough to make 5 gallons of solution
• Long stirring paddle (20″ minimum) – plastic or food-grade stainless steel
• 2-3 large mixing bowls (5-quart capacity each) – for rice preparation stages
• Bottlebrush and cleaning supplies – keep everything spotless
• Kitchen scale (accurate to 1 gram) – eyeballing amounts won’t cut it here
• 6-10 clean bottles for the finished product (750ml each) – wine bottles work great

Optional but Helpful

• Hydrometer and test jar – to track your fermentation progress
• Sake press (or large mesh bags if you’re going DIY) – for that final squeeze
• Small spray bottle – for misting koji during production
• Temperature-controlled fermentation chamber – an old mini-fridge with a temperature controller works wonders
• Record keeping notebook – trust me, you’ll want to remember what worked and what didn’t

Fermentation Process

The Dynamic Duo: Koji and Yeast

Sake fermentation relies on two crucial microorganisms: koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae) and yeast. Koji’s job is pretty straightforward – it breaks down rice starch into fermentable sugars through enzyme production. This step is essential because yeast can’t ferment starch directly. Once koji converts the starch to sugar, yeast can produce alcohol and those wonderful sake flavors we’re after.

The Science Behind the Magic

What makes sake fermentation unique is that it’s a parallel process. Unlike beer, where you convert starch to sugar first and then ferment, sake does both simultaneously. Koji continues to break down starch while yeast ferments the available sugars. This parallel fermentation is why sake naturally reaches higher alcohol levels than beer, typically hitting 18-20% ABV without any additional processing.

Temperature Control

Temperature management is critical for successful sake fermentation. Start cool at around 50°F (10°C), then gradually increase to about 65°F (18°C) over several days. This slow temperature progression helps develop sake’s signature flavor profile and prevents off-flavors from developing. Each temperature range promotes different enzymatic activities and yeast behaviors, directly impacting your final product’s taste and aroma.

The Timeline

A proper sake fermentation runs between 18-32 days, depending on your temperature management and the style you’re making. The first few days are crucial – you’ll notice active bubbling and foam formation as fermentation kicks into gear. Regular hydrometer readings will help you track progress and know when fermentation is complete. The longer fermentation time allows for complete sugar conversion and helps develop the clean, refined flavors that characterize good sake.

Related: How to Make Whiskey at Home in 7 Steps

Step 1: Preparing the Rice

Getting your rice ready for sake brewing is like prepping for a first date – you want everything just right. Start by washing that premium polished rice until the water runs crystal clear. No quick rinses here – give it about 4-5 gentle swirls with your fingertips. You’re not just cleaning it, you’re removing excess surface starch that could mess with your sake’s flavor.

Next up is the soak, where timing is everything. Your 70% polished rice needs about 1-2 hours in room temperature water. Think of it like cooking al dente pasta – you want to be able to bite through a grain with just a little resistance.

Now for the fun part – steaming. Forget your trusty rice cooker, we’re talking proper steaming here. Work in small batches (2-3 pounds at a time) for about 45 minutes. You’re aiming for rice that’s firm on the outside but soft in the middle, kind of like the perfect gummy bear texture. Each grain should keep its shape and have a nice glossy sheen.

Pro tip: after steaming, spread your rice out and give it a gentle fan. This cooling step prevents clumping and gets everything to the perfect temperature for the next stage. 

Step 2: Making the Koji

Making koji is where things get interesting – think of it like running a cozy bed and breakfast for microscopic guests. You’re creating the perfect environment for koji spores to transform plain old rice into something magical. All you need is a basic setup: a large plastic container or old cooler lined with clean kitchen towels, plus a way to keep things warm (around 85-95°F) and humid (about 80%).

Once your steamed rice has cooled to about 100°F, spread it out evenly and sprinkle those koji spores like you’re seasoning a fancy steak – just a light dusting does the trick. One gram of spores can handle 2-3 pounds of rice, so don’t go overboard.

Over the next 48 hours, you’ll be checking on your rice baby every 12 hours or so. Break up any clumps gently (like fluffing a pillow), and keep an eye out for that sweet, floral smell that tells you things are going well. By 36 hours in, you should see white fuzzy growth spreading across the rice. If you spot any green or blue patches, that’s your cue to start over.

Just remember to keep everything clean and maintain those temperature and humidity levels. 

Step 3: Creating the Shubo (Yeast Starter)

Let’s talk about making shubo – your sake’s powerhouse starter that kicks off the whole fermentation party. Think of it like making a sourdough starter but for sake. You’ll need about a pound of your steamed rice, a quarter pound of that koji rice we made earlier, and just enough water to hit pancake batter consistency.

Here’s where it gets interesting – add a tiny pinch of lactic acid to keep the bad bugs out while letting our good bacteria thrive. Mix it all up, then keep it cozy at around 70°F for the first day. After that, bump the temperature to 75°F and let it do its thing for three more days.

You’ll know you’re on the right track when it starts bubbling and gives off a sweet, fruity aroma. If you’re getting vinegar or rotten egg vibes, though, you’ll need to start fresh. The whole process takes about four days, and patience is key here – rushing a starter is like trying to sprint before you can walk.

Step 4: Main Fermentation (Moromi)

Alright, buckle up because we’re diving into moromi – the real heart and soul of sake-making. This is where your brew transforms from a simple rice mixture into that magical elixir we’re all after. You’ll be doing what we call the “three dumps” – fancy brewer talk for adding rice in stages over several days.

Start by mixing your shubo starter with fresh steamed rice and koji rice. After a day, you’ll spot some bubbling action – that’s your green light to keep going. Two days later, double your rice addition for the second dump, then triple it for the final dump two days after that. Think of it like feeding a hungry teenager – they just keep wanting more!

Temperature is your best friend here. Keep things cool at first (around 50°F) and slowly warm up to 65°F over the next few weeks. Give your brew a gentle stir twice daily – just enough to keep everything happy. Your nose will tell you if things are going well – look for sweet, fruity smells, maybe some apple or pear notes.

You’re in this for the long haul – about 20-25 days of fermentation. But good things come to those who wait. Keep an eye on your pH (aim for 4.0-4.5) and use your hydrometer to track progress.

Related: How to Malt Barley

Step 5: Pressing, Filtering, and Bottling

After weeks of fermentation, it’s time to separate your sake from all that rice. Think of pressing like giving your sake a gentle squeeze – you want to coax out those delicate flavors without getting any of the harsh stuff. Those mesh bags we talked about earlier? Perfect for this. Just let gravity do most of the work, and resist the urge to wring them out like a wet towel.

Once you’ve pressed out your sake, you’ll want to let it settle in a cool spot (around 40°F) for a couple of days. This helps all those tiny particles sink to the bottom, making filtration a breeze. Run it through progressively finer filters until it’s as clear as you like – some folks even go for that crystal-clear look, while others dig a more natural cloudy vibe.

For bottling, you’ve got a choice to make. You can either heat-treat your sake (quick zap at 140°F) to make it shelf-stable or keep it raw (nama-sake) for super fresh flavors. Either way, fill those sanitized bottles leaving about an inch of headspace, cap ’em up, and store in a cool, dark place. Give it at least a week to settle down before you start showing off your homemade masterpiece.

Your Guide to Amazing Homemade Sake

Making your own sake is totally achievable when you break it down into clear steps. The process relies on two key players: koji mold converts rice starches into sugars, while yeast creates alcohol and develops those incredible sake flavors. Success comes from using quality ingredients, maintaining clean equipment, and carefully controlling temperatures. With these techniques and a bit of patience, you’ll be crafting sake that rivals commercial varieties. Ready to start your sake brewing journey? Your perfect batch awaits!

FAQs – How to Make Sake at Home