The mutation affects how brewing yeast grows and divides, posing a threat to the brewing of this delicious rice wine.
AsianScientist (Jul. 8, 2016) – Researchers in Japan have identified a gene mutation that could potentially disrupt the brewing of the delicious Japanese rice wine, more commonly known as sake. The research was part of an academic-government-industry collaboration involving the National Institute of Brewing (Japan), the Asahi Sake Brewing Company, the Brewing Society of Japan, the University of Tokyo, Iwate University and the University of Pennsylvania in the US. The findings were published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. Two types of sake considered especially high-quality are called daiginjo-shu and junmai-daiginjo-shu and are often made using the yeast K1801. Whether for beer, wine or sake, different brewing yeasts create different tastes in the final product due to factors such as how the sugar-to-alcohol conversion is carried out and the types of by-products that are released.