Bodaimoto 菩提もと is an ancient and complex fermentation starter method, with roots that trace back to the Shorakuji temple on the mountain of Bodaisen in Nara prefecture. You can consider it a pre-cursor to the Kimoto method which was invented in the Edo period. Nowadays, it is very rare, but some sake is still made using this method.
To create Bodaimoto, raw rice and a bit of steamed rice are left to soak in a small tub with water. While soaking, this water becomes rich in natural lactic acids given off by latic acid bacteria. After about three days, the rice is removed from the water and steamed. Next, in the Moto tank, the Latic acid rich water is mixed with the steamed rice, some koji rice and yeast to create the moto. The latic acid in the water kills wild yeast and stray bacteria in the moto and allows the sake yeast to propagate without much microbial competition.
Bodaimoto’s major characteristic is enabling summer production of sake, which is generally not at all ideal because of the higher risk of the mash going to rot. Natural lactic acid bacteria require a temperature of 20-35℃ so the pace of propagation is faster in the warm summer months.
It is the heaviest sake and very sweet! But, it’s not just sweet. Sourness is far stronger than normal labels, so that its aftertaste is relatively clear and dry. If you drink it in icy chilled, sweetness is refrained and easy to drink. Hot sake is also very interesting. You can enjoy it rich sweetness and creaminess very well.
