However, the current brewing methods used in Japan are absolutely different from those used in China. There, raw wheat flour kneaded with water is used as the basic ingredient. The brewmaster of each brewery selects the seed koji , usually from those available at special koji makers. Koji is one of the most critical ingredients for brewing sake. The actual value of the koji appears in the exemplary processing by the brewmaster.
Some special breweries blend several kinds of koji .
Koji for ginjo-shu is very effective in producing the enzymes that convert starch to glucose. This clarifies the taste of ginjo-shu . Sake yeast Sake yeast is a microbe of about 5 micrometers in size. This microbe converts the glucose and minerals in the rice and water into alcohol. The two principal types of yeast are those specifically cultivated within a brewery and those that have been registered with the Japan Brewing Association.