1
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WSET SAKE Level3 Questions and Answers
(100% Correct Answers) Already Graded
A+
Q. What is the ideal location for a paddy?—Ans: In a natural
basin. This makes it easier to flood and drain the paddy.
Q. What are the qualities growers need their soil to have?—Ans:
・Gluey substances from plants and animals (help retain water)
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・high percentage of clay particles (help retain water and
fertilisers)
・rich in nutrients
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・free from volcanic ash (disrupt rice growing)
Q. Do growers of sake-specific rice use fertilisers in a similar way to
growers of table rice?—Ans: No, growers of sake-specific rice use
less fertiliser. Farmers will use fertilisers ①when the seeds are sown,
②when they are transplanted and ③when the ears 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.
Q. Why do farmers drain the paddy?—Ans: - 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.
, 2
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-Furthermore, the rice plants develop stronger root systems so that
they are better able to support themselves as the grains ripen.
Q. Why is a large temperature difference between day and night
helpful at this time?—Ans: It helps with the formation of the
shinpaku.
Q. What happens if the temperature is too hot?—Ans: 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.
Q. When does the harvest happen?—Ans: Late August to
November.
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Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too early?—Ans: There
are too many green/unripe grains in the crop which can result in
undesirable flavours in a sake.
Guru01 - Stuvia
Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too late?—Ans: The grains
are drier and more likely to crack.
Q. What is the moisture level that rice is dried to and why?—Ans:
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.
Q. Which kind of criteria are used to grade rice?—Ans: the
moisture level and the percentage of broken, cracked, dead or
under-ripe grains. The lower the percentage the better.
Q. In sake brewing, which part of the grain is always removed?—
Ans: Husk, bran and germ.
Q. How does the shinpaku differ from the outer layers of the
endosperm?—Ans: 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.
Q. The aim of polishing is to remove the outer layers of the rice
grains. Why is this important?—Ans: The outer layers include high
levels of proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals and too much of
these would cause the kōji mould and yeast to grow too quickly.
, 3
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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.
Q. What is nuka?—Ans: This is the powdered outer layers of rice
that is created during polishing.
How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 70% seimai-buai?—
Ans: 10 hours.
Q. How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 50% seimai-
buai?—Ans: 45 hours.
Q. If a grain of rice is polished to 35% seimai-buai, how much of
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the grain has been removed?—Ans: 65%
Q. Why does a large grain and a well-defined shinpaku help with
polishing?—Ans: It makes it easier for the brewer to specifically
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and only remove the outer parts of the grain. This results in a more
efficient use of the rice.
Q. What happens to the rice after it has been polished?—Ans: It is
rested for three to four weeks to allow the rice to cool and re-
absorb some of the moisture lost during polishing.
Q. What is the ideal moisture level of the grains after soaking?—
Ans: 30-35%
Q. If the moisture level of the grains is too high, what will happen
during fermentation?—Ans: If the moisture level of the grains is too
high, the rice is not suitable to be used in the kōji 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.
Q. Does rice with a polishing ratio of 70% need to be carefully
managed during soaking?—Ans: No. It absorbs water more slowly
For Expert help and assignment solutions, +254707240657
WSET SAKE Level3 Questions and Answers
(100% Correct Answers) Already Graded
A+
Q. What is the ideal location for a paddy?—Ans: In a natural
basin. This makes it easier to flood and drain the paddy.
Q. What are the qualities growers need their soil to have?—Ans:
・Gluey substances from plants and animals (help retain water)
© 2025 Assignment Expert
・high percentage of clay particles (help retain water and
fertilisers)
・rich in nutrients
Guru01 - Stuvia
・free from volcanic ash (disrupt rice growing)
Q. Do growers of sake-specific rice use fertilisers in a similar way to
growers of table rice?—Ans: No, growers of sake-specific rice use
less fertiliser. Farmers will use fertilisers ①when the seeds are sown,
②when they are transplanted and ③when the ears 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.
Q. Why do farmers drain the paddy?—Ans: - 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.
, 2
For Expert help and assignment solutions, +254707240657
-Furthermore, the rice plants develop stronger root systems so that
they are better able to support themselves as the grains ripen.
Q. Why is a large temperature difference between day and night
helpful at this time?—Ans: It helps with the formation of the
shinpaku.
Q. What happens if the temperature is too hot?—Ans: 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.
Q. When does the harvest happen?—Ans: Late August to
November.
© 2025 Assignment Expert
Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too early?—Ans: There
are too many green/unripe grains in the crop which can result in
undesirable flavours in a sake.
Guru01 - Stuvia
Q. What happens if the farmer harvests too late?—Ans: The grains
are drier and more likely to crack.
Q. What is the moisture level that rice is dried to and why?—Ans:
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.
Q. Which kind of criteria are used to grade rice?—Ans: the
moisture level and the percentage of broken, cracked, dead or
under-ripe grains. The lower the percentage the better.
Q. In sake brewing, which part of the grain is always removed?—
Ans: Husk, bran and germ.
Q. How does the shinpaku differ from the outer layers of the
endosperm?—Ans: 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.
Q. The aim of polishing is to remove the outer layers of the rice
grains. Why is this important?—Ans: The outer layers include high
levels of proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals and too much of
these would cause the kōji mould and yeast to grow too quickly.
, 3
For Expert help and assignment solutions, +254707240657
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.
Q. What is nuka?—Ans: This is the powdered outer layers of rice
that is created during polishing.
How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 70% seimai-buai?—
Ans: 10 hours.
Q. How long does it take to polish 600kg of rice to 50% seimai-
buai?—Ans: 45 hours.
Q. If a grain of rice is polished to 35% seimai-buai, how much of
© 2025 Assignment Expert
the grain has been removed?—Ans: 65%
Q. Why does a large grain and a well-defined shinpaku help with
polishing?—Ans: It makes it easier for the brewer to specifically
Guru01 - Stuvia
and only remove the outer parts of the grain. This results in a more
efficient use of the rice.
Q. What happens to the rice after it has been polished?—Ans: It is
rested for three to four weeks to allow the rice to cool and re-
absorb some of the moisture lost during polishing.
Q. What is the ideal moisture level of the grains after soaking?—
Ans: 30-35%
Q. If the moisture level of the grains is too high, what will happen
during fermentation?—Ans: If the moisture level of the grains is too
high, the rice is not suitable to be used in the kōji 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.
Q. Does rice with a polishing ratio of 70% need to be carefully
managed during soaking?—Ans: No. It absorbs water more slowly
