Shikomi soumai (total polished rice per batch)

Shikomi soumai (total polished rice per batch) refers to the total weight of polished rice used when preparing a single batch of moromi (fermentation mash). It is an important indicator of the raw materials used in brewing and is a factor that influences the flavor and aroma of the sake. For example, when a batch is prepared using the four-stage method (yodan-kake), the figure includes the weight of all the polished rice used throughout that process. There are also terms that specify the total weight of polished rice for particular parts of the moromi formula: the total rice for the shubo (yeast starter) is called "shubo soumai," the rice used in the first addition (soe) is called "soe soumai," and the rice used in the second addition (naka-zoe) and the final addition (tome-zoe) are called "naka soumai" and "tome soumai" respectively. By managing these rice totals, brewers can maintain the quality of their sake.