Katahaku is a term that literally means “single white”. It’s a historial term that refers to the Kakemai (starch rice component) in a batch of sake being white rice (aka milled or polished rice), while the Kojimai is made from Brown rice (Genmai). This was the standard. In modern sake production it is a given that both the koji and kakemai would be milled, or white rice. However, before 1600 CE, rice used to make sake was sometimes genmai, or unpolished/unmilled rice.
Also See Related Terms:
• Kojimai
• Kakemai
• Morohaku
• Genmai
