Sake Production Series - Koji Making. There is a Fungus Among Us.

Season 1, Episode 11. Our Sake Production Series marches forward with John and Tim exploring Koji - the magical fungus among us that is needed to make sake. Koji is a friendly mold that we grow or propagate onto sake rice. This mold gives off an enzyme that breaks down starch into sugar.  We need sugars for fermentation.  Rice starch as it is won't ferment.  Koji, this molded rice is created in-house by every sake brewery.  It's not something you can order up from a catalog.  As such, hand-made koji is a big expenditure of resources for a brewery and it's a difficult process.  48 hours of constant attention is needed to craft top quality koji and the work is done in the cramped and hot "koji muro" or koji room.Support the show