The graduate students worked on sake brewing in the laboratory in the Sakeology Basic Practice, a part of the curriculum of the master’s program in the Graduate School Sakeology Program (*1) for FY2024.

This year, seven students (three from the Graduate School of Modern Society and Culture and four from the Graduate School of Science and Technology) conducted sake brewing.
They brewed their own sake using yeast cultured themselves while monitoring fermentation for 20 days, and conducted various experiments related to sake brewing such as analyzing rice grains and measuring enzyme activity of rice koji.

During experiment

At the end of the practice, they conducted a sensory evaluation (*2) of sake. After learning the method of sensory evaluation and the characteristic aroma of sake using samples of the aroma components

contained in sake, the students evaluated three types of sake, including one sake they brewed themselves and two control sake, and compared the results with the analysis values.

The student commented, “Learning about factors related to the taste and aroma of sake through the sensory evaluation of sake I brewed myself has further deepened my understanding of sake.”

The sensory evaluation

This sensory evaluation was broadcast on NHK  (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)  news program.
It can be found at the following links (Japanese only).
“Kikizake” lecture of Niigata University Graduate School Sakeology Program; Learning sensory evaluation methods

(*1) Niigata University commenced the master’s program in the Graduate School Sakeology Program in April 2022 and the doctoral program in April 2023. These programs conduct education and research that integrates specialized domains in the humanities and sciences with a focus on the subject of sake, adopting content that provides a bird’s eye view of diverse fields, ranging from raw materials and production to the sale and consumption of sake as well as culture, history, tradition, and health, in addition to the areas of specialization of the students.
Please click below for details.
The website of the Graduate School of Modern Society and Culture
The website of the Graduate School of Science and Technology

(*2) Sensory evaluation is a scientific discipline to measure and analyze the color, flavor, and taste of sake using the human senses such as visual, olfactory and taste sensation.
Sensory evaluation of sake is also known as sake tasting, Kikizake.