WSET SAKE LEVEL3 ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
100% CORRECT ANSWERS/ LATEST 2024-2025
1. Q. What is the ideal location for a paddy?: In a natural basin. This makes it
easier to flood and drain the paddy.
2. Q. What are the qualities growers need their soil to have?: ûGluey substances
from plants and animals (help retain water)
ûhigh percentage of clay particles (help retain water and fertilisers) ûrich
in nutrients
ûfree from volcanic ash (disrupt rice growing)
3. Q. Do growers of sake-specific rice use fertilisers in a similar way to growers
of table rice?: No, growers of sake-specific rice use less fertiliser. Farmers will use
fertilisers `when the seeds are sown, awhen they are transplanted and bwhen the ear
appear.
If they add too much fertiliser the levels of proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals go up
in the grains. This is great for tasty table rice but it can result in undesirable aromas and
coarse textures in a sake.
4. Q. Why do farmers drain the paddy?: - If they do not then any rotting
vegetation underwater will disrupt the healthy growth of the rice plants. Draining the
field allows the dead vegetation to have access to oxygen and decompose in a way they
provide nutrients for the rice.
- More importantly, during the dry periods vertical vegetative growth slows and the
plant put more energy into creating large grains.
-Furthermore, the rice plants develop stronger root systems so that they are better able
to support themselves as the grains ripen.
5. Q. Why is a large temperature difference between day and night helpful at
this time?: It helps with the formation of the shinpaku.
6. Q. What happens if the temperature is too hot?: The rice becomes too
glutinous making it harder to handle in the brewery. Also the grains are likely to have
proportionally more protein and are more prone to cracking.
7. Q. When does the harvest happen?: Late August to November.
8. Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too early?: There are too many
green/unripe grains in the crop which can result in undesirable flavours in a sake.
9. Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too late?: The grains are drier and more
likely to crack.
10. Q. What is the moisture level that rice is dried to and why?: 14-16%. Above
this level grains can rot. Below this level grains are more likely to crack when
processed. It is also the agreed standard for weighing rice for trading.
, 11. Q. Which kind of criteria are used to grade rice?: the moisture level and the
percentage of broken, cracked, dead or under-ripe grains. The lower the percentage the
better.
12. Q. In sake brewing, which part of the grain is always removed?: Husk, bran
and germ.
13. Q. How does the shinpaku differ from the outer layers of the endosperm?:
The shinpaku is almost completely pure starch whereas the outer layers of the
endosperm include more other components such as protein, lipids, vitamins and
minerals.
14. Q. The aim of polishing is to remove the outer layers of the rice grains. Why
is this important?: The outer layers include high levels of proteins, lipids, vitamins
and minerals and too much of these would cause the kMji mould and yeast to grow too
quickly. This makes it impossible to have a slow and cool fermentation, which is
required for the generation of the aromas required in sake. Also, too much protein
results in too much umami and coarse textures in the final sake.
15. Q. What is nuka?: This is the powdered outer layers of rice that is created
during polishing.
16. How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 70% seimai-buai?: 10 hours.
17. Q. How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 50% seimai-buai?: 45 hours.
18. Q. If a grain of rice is polished to 35% seimai-buai, how much of the grain
has been removed?: 65%
19. Q. Why does a large grain and a well-defined shinpaku help with
polishing?: It makes it easier for the brewer to specifically and only remove the outer
parts of the grain. This results in a more efficient use of the rice.
20. Q. What happens to the rice after it has been polished?: It is rested for three
to four weeks to allow the rice to cool and re-absorb some of the moisture lost during
polishing.
21. Q. What is the ideal moisture level of the grains after soaking?: 30-35%
22. Q. If the moisture level of the grains is too high, what will happen during
fermentation?: If the moisture level of the grains is too high, the rice is not suitable to
be used in the kMji production. The high moisture level will cause the mould to grow
too quickly and create too many enzymes. The highly moist rice is also not suitable to
be added to a fermentation batch because it will make the fermentation process become
more difficult to control. This is due to the fact that the rice will break up too quickly,
resulting in faster enzymatic digestion, creating more sugar and accelerating the
fermentation process.
23. Q. Does rice with a polishing ratio of 70% need to be carefully managed
during soaking?: No. It absorbs water more slowly and, once a moisture level of 30%
is reached, very little extra water is absorbed.
100% CORRECT ANSWERS/ LATEST 2024-2025
1. Q. What is the ideal location for a paddy?: In a natural basin. This makes it
easier to flood and drain the paddy.
2. Q. What are the qualities growers need their soil to have?: ûGluey substances
from plants and animals (help retain water)
ûhigh percentage of clay particles (help retain water and fertilisers) ûrich
in nutrients
ûfree from volcanic ash (disrupt rice growing)
3. Q. Do growers of sake-specific rice use fertilisers in a similar way to growers
of table rice?: No, growers of sake-specific rice use less fertiliser. Farmers will use
fertilisers `when the seeds are sown, awhen they are transplanted and bwhen the ear
appear.
If they add too much fertiliser the levels of proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals go up
in the grains. This is great for tasty table rice but it can result in undesirable aromas and
coarse textures in a sake.
4. Q. Why do farmers drain the paddy?: - If they do not then any rotting
vegetation underwater will disrupt the healthy growth of the rice plants. Draining the
field allows the dead vegetation to have access to oxygen and decompose in a way they
provide nutrients for the rice.
- More importantly, during the dry periods vertical vegetative growth slows and the
plant put more energy into creating large grains.
-Furthermore, the rice plants develop stronger root systems so that they are better able
to support themselves as the grains ripen.
5. Q. Why is a large temperature difference between day and night helpful at
this time?: It helps with the formation of the shinpaku.
6. Q. What happens if the temperature is too hot?: The rice becomes too
glutinous making it harder to handle in the brewery. Also the grains are likely to have
proportionally more protein and are more prone to cracking.
7. Q. When does the harvest happen?: Late August to November.
8. Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too early?: There are too many
green/unripe grains in the crop which can result in undesirable flavours in a sake.
9. Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too late?: The grains are drier and more
likely to crack.
10. Q. What is the moisture level that rice is dried to and why?: 14-16%. Above
this level grains can rot. Below this level grains are more likely to crack when
processed. It is also the agreed standard for weighing rice for trading.
, 11. Q. Which kind of criteria are used to grade rice?: the moisture level and the
percentage of broken, cracked, dead or under-ripe grains. The lower the percentage the
better.
12. Q. In sake brewing, which part of the grain is always removed?: Husk, bran
and germ.
13. Q. How does the shinpaku differ from the outer layers of the endosperm?:
The shinpaku is almost completely pure starch whereas the outer layers of the
endosperm include more other components such as protein, lipids, vitamins and
minerals.
14. Q. The aim of polishing is to remove the outer layers of the rice grains. Why
is this important?: The outer layers include high levels of proteins, lipids, vitamins
and minerals and too much of these would cause the kMji mould and yeast to grow too
quickly. This makes it impossible to have a slow and cool fermentation, which is
required for the generation of the aromas required in sake. Also, too much protein
results in too much umami and coarse textures in the final sake.
15. Q. What is nuka?: This is the powdered outer layers of rice that is created
during polishing.
16. How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 70% seimai-buai?: 10 hours.
17. Q. How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 50% seimai-buai?: 45 hours.
18. Q. If a grain of rice is polished to 35% seimai-buai, how much of the grain
has been removed?: 65%
19. Q. Why does a large grain and a well-defined shinpaku help with
polishing?: It makes it easier for the brewer to specifically and only remove the outer
parts of the grain. This results in a more efficient use of the rice.
20. Q. What happens to the rice after it has been polished?: It is rested for three
to four weeks to allow the rice to cool and re-absorb some of the moisture lost during
polishing.
21. Q. What is the ideal moisture level of the grains after soaking?: 30-35%
22. Q. If the moisture level of the grains is too high, what will happen during
fermentation?: If the moisture level of the grains is too high, the rice is not suitable to
be used in the kMji production. The high moisture level will cause the mould to grow
too quickly and create too many enzymes. The highly moist rice is also not suitable to
be added to a fermentation batch because it will make the fermentation process become
more difficult to control. This is due to the fact that the rice will break up too quickly,
resulting in faster enzymatic digestion, creating more sugar and accelerating the
fermentation process.
23. Q. Does rice with a polishing ratio of 70% need to be carefully managed
during soaking?: No. It absorbs water more slowly and, once a moisture level of 30%
is reached, very little extra water is absorbed.
