Efforts have been made to reproduce shitogi,a finely pounded vice powder an
d to make sake from shitogi of the type produced in ancient times in Japan.
As the particle size of the shitogi became smaller, the rate of degradatio
n of shitogi by glucoamylase increased. The pounding of shitogi enhanced th
e saccharification of starchy materials. The ancient Japanese alcoholic bev
erage known as shitogi sake was made with cooked rice, dry yeast and tap wa
ter, using mould-infected shitogi as the saccharifying agent. It contained
10.7-14.3% ethanol (v/v) and had a fine aroma but a sour taste. We believe
that we have reproduced the alcoholic beverage, shitogi sake which might ha
ve been one of original Japanese alcoholic beverages.