Welcome to the first sake brewery outside of Japan.
You either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.
What is moto-i?
moto-i is the first sake brewery restaurant outside of Japan. Located in Uptown, Minneapolis, moto-i is a full service restaurant with liquor, beer, wine and, of course, sake! moto-i makes draft sake or namazake. Nama is unpasteurized, and needs plenty of care as it can never get warm.Our menu is reminiscent of an Izakaya, a Japanese Pub. With small plates as well as noodles and rice dishes, we incorporate many Asian ethnicities and keep the focus on street food of the best Asian Hawkers
SAKE 101
moto-i serves draft sake or namazake. Nama is unpasteurized which gives it a fresh and lively flavor. All our sake is brewed on site. Click here to learn more about moto-i sake.OUR SAKE
We have six sake available:
- Junmai Nama
- Junmai Nama Nigori
- Junmai Nama Genshu
- Futsuu-shu Nama
- Junmai Nama Yamahai Ginjo
- Junmai Nama Ginjo
Coming Soon:
- Junmai Nama Tokubetsu
- Yamamai Futsuu Nigori Genshu
OUR BREWERY
Milling
Our rice is first milled or polished to our specification at Momokawa Brewing Company. Like most small brewers, or jizake in Japan, this job is outsourced (80% of breweries in Japan do not mill their own rice). For the sake at moto-i, the milling rates, or seimaibuai, will range from 80% to 40% of the original rice grain remaining. Each of the rice varieties that we use are Japanese rice varieties. We use Koshihikari, Akita Komachi and the king of sake rice varieties, Yamada Nishiki.
Washing and Soaking
At moto-i we wash and soak the rice the day before steaming. In small allotments, 12 kg at a time, we gently wash the rice at frigid temperatures. We want to make sure that all of the rice powder or nuka is carried away. This is critical to proper fermentation. After washing we soak the rice. Depending on the rice variety and the seimaibuai, the amount of time that we soak the rice will vary. As rice is milled more the moisture uptake dramatically increases. And we do not want to over soak as this will render the rice useless and unsuitable for brewing. Soaking times come down to the minute. And for highly polished rice it comes down to the second. After soaking, the rice is left to dry overnight.
Steaming
The following morning, after washing and soaking, we steam the rice. The proper way to steam sake rice is to make sure that the rice does not come in contact with water. But rather, only steam touches the rice. This provides a firm outer surface and soft inner core.
Koji-kin
Our Koji-kin comes from Japan. Koji-kin is a mold spore that is inoculated into steamed rice over a 48 hour period. This produces koji, one of the key ingredients of sake. Koji\'s primary function is to convert starches from the rice into sugars. This allows the yeast to ferment sugars into alcohol.
Yeast Starter
There are three types of yeast starters; Kimoto, Yamahai and Sokujo. The yeast starter begins in a small tank roughly 10% of the size of the fermentation tank. The purpose of the yeast starter is to build up a plentiful supply of yeast cells for fermentation or a seed mash. Koji, yeast, steamed rice and water are added to a small tank. This process can take between 4 and 28 days depending on the type yeast starter.
Fermentation
When the yeast starter is ready, it is transferred to the moromi tank. Here we continue to add more steamed rice, koji and water in three more additions over the next four days. Over the next 21 to 25 days, the fermentation will be complete. The alcohol content will be 18%-20%. It is now time to separate the sake from the kasu (lees).
Pressing
At moto-i, we use two of the three common ways to press sake. The modern and most efficient way is to press the sake in a machine called a Yabuta. The mechanized device has fine cloth and air bladders that press and squeeze to remove the kasu from the sake. The other way that we press is called Kubitsuri. We fill the long specially made bags, called sakabukuro, with the fermenting moromi and tie them up to poles hanging vertically in a large tank. The sake is allowed to gently drip out over a 24 hour period. No external pressure is applied. This is least efficient way to press, but the most exquisite when it comes to taste!
Serving
At moto-i, this is when our sake is ready. Most breweries pasteurize their sake at this point. But we serve nama or namazake. This is unpasteurized sake. It is alive and fragrant. We let some of sake mature in order to refine the flavors. But for the most part it is served quickly.
LEARN MORE
Would you like to learn more about sake, taste a range of grades and styles, tour a sake brewery and eat some good izakaya fare? moto-i will host an 8 hour sake seminar for 15 in October, 2008. You will receive:
From the North:
Take 35W South to 94 West. Exit at Lyndale Ave South. Turn left onto Lyndale Ave South. Take Lyndale down about 8 blocks. moto-i is just before Lake Street on the West side of Lyndale.From the South:
Take 35W North to 94 West. Exit at Lyndale Ave South. Turn left onto Lyndale Ave South. Take Lyndale down about 8 blocks. moto-i is just before Lake Street on the West side of Lyndale.From the West:
Take 394 East to 94 East. Exit at Lyndale Ave South. Turn left onto Lyndale Ave South. Take Lyndale down about 8 blocks. moto-i is just before Lake Street on the West side of Lyndale.From the East:
Take 94 West. Exit at Lyndale Ave South. Turn left onto Lyndale Ave South. Take Lyndale down about 8 blocks. moto-i is just before Lake Street on the West side of Lyndale.From Japan
2940 Lyndale Ave South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408
Phone: (612) 821-NAMA
Parking
For Reservation online, please visit our page at opentable.com
News, Reviews, & Blog Mentions of moto-i:
Special Mention! Restaurant News: Small plates, big impact at "moto-i"
Follow us on Twitter for all of our breaking news, contests, and updates! If you are writing about your passion for moto-i or sake, we'd love to link to you! To submit your blog for link consideration, please email it to our Press Contact. Thanks!
1. City Pages describes moto-i as "dangerous", "seductive", "addictive", & "intoxicating". www.citypages.com
2. Rick Nelson, of the Star Tribune announces we're opening - www.startribune.com
3. Our Neighbors, Track 29, welcome us - track29buzz.blogspot.com
4. A must read for sake lovers - thesakediaries.blogspot.com
5. We're in City Pages Hot Dish -blogs.citypages.com
6. The Pioneer Press writes about us - www.twincities.com
7. Jeremy Iggers reviews moto-i - www.rakemag.com
8. Shout outs from the beer lovers - www.ratebeer.com
9. We're mentioned in the Veg Guide - www.vegguide.org
10. We're getting kudos for our vegetarian friendly menu choices - www.vegguide.org
11. We're in Metromix, care to add a review? - twincities.metromix.com
12. We made mention in the MN Beer Blog - mnbeer.com
13. The I eat Blog announces our opening - www.ieatblog.com
14. Chowhounds are finding us - chowhound.chow.com
15. The Pioneer Press writes about us - www.twincities.com
16. Found a fan online - sovietpanda.tumblr.com
17. Read about us on Twin Cities Eats - twincitieseats.blogspot.com
18. Alexis, of Vita.MN tips that we're opening - girlfriday.typepad.com
19. Alexis\' thoughts on us - girlfriday.typepad.com
20. moto-i makes the news in Japan on TV Tokyo! (story is in Japanese, no subtitles, but cool anyway!)
GENERAL INFO
moto-i2940 Lyndale Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: (612) 821- NAMA
info at moto-i dot com
Open:
12pm - 2am DailyHappy Hour:
2:20pm - 6pm Daily
11pm - 2am Sun - Thurs
New Sake: Junmai Yamahai Ginjo and Junmai Ginjo
Coming soon: Junmai Tokubetsu and Yamahai Futsuu Nigori Genshu
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Christopher LowerSterling Cross Communications
Chris at sterlingcrossgroup dot com
612.227.4863