Traditional Fermentation

Kimoto - 生酛

This traditional method develops lactic acid naturally without additives, using labour-intensive hand-mashing, or yama-oroshi.

Lactic acid is crucial as it preserves the mash by preventing unwanted bacteria growth, allowing specific yeast strains to dominate.

Yamahai - 山廃

This style skips the yama-oroshi, relying on wild yeasts and natural lactic acid. The yamahai method promotes a more active microbial mix, allowing wild bacteria and yeasts to shape the flavour during the longer fermentation time. 

Bodaimoto - 菩提酛

The oldest known fermentation method. It combines raw rice, steamed rice, and water to encourage natural lactic acid development.