sake brewed without added saccharides and with limited seed alcohol
A specific category of sake defined by Japanese tax law: no added sugars, and the amount of brewer's alcohol added is limited to 120 liters per tonne of rice. Often labeled as 本醸造.
See also: 本醸造 (ほんじょうぞう)
This honjōzō-shu has a clean, crisp taste.
Honjōzō-shu, along with junmai-shu, is a representative type of sake.
本醸造 is the abbreviated form often seen on labels, while 本醸造酒 is the full noun form.
純米酒 is made with only rice, water, and kōji, without added alcohol, while 本醸造酒 allows a small amount of added brewer's alcohol.
Formed from 本醸造, the legally defined brewing category, and 酒 “sake.” 本醸造 denotes sake made without added sugars and with the permitted limited addition of brewing alcohol.