I wanted to make something like sake, but without getting too serious about it. This is cloudy, a bit wild, and definitely homemade — more doburoku than refined nigori, but close enough. It’s made with jasmine rice, white koji, and wine yeast, and has ended up soft, tangy, and boozy.
Nigori sake is usually lightly filtered sake with some rice sediment left in for texture and sweetness. What I’ve made is a bit rougher — closer to doburoku, the rustic farmhouse version made with rice, water, koji and yeast, all fermented together.
I used jasmine rice instead of a more traditional short-grain variety, which gave it a soft floral note. The result is a drink that sits somewhere between traditional nigori and homemade invention.
I started this in mid-July with jasmine rice, white koji, and Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast. It fermented openly for a few days with daily stirring, then I moved it to demijohns once it started to fizz properly.
Best kept in the fridge and drunk within a few weeks
Pasteurised bottles may last up to 2–3 months
Not designed to age — this is a drink-now kind of thing