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Sato is an alcoholic beverage made from rice which has been enjoyed by people in Thailand for centuries. Similar to Japanese Sake, it is the result of a transformation of rice grain into something extraordinary, whose distinctive character and quality come from a place, at least from the specific terroir in which the rice has been grown and where the well that supplies water for Sato brewing is located. 

 

Fermentation Process: Rice Wine VS Grape Wine VS Beer 

 

Unlike "simple fermentation" process in typical wine where natural sugar in grape is converted directly by yeast into alcohol, rice wine results from the conversion of rice starch into sugars, and, simultaneously, sugars converted into alcohol. 

 

Rice wine making process is not the same as beer brewing either. Like rice, barley grains used in beer brewing contains no sugar. Beer therefore needs malting process where enzymes convert starch in the grain into sugars first (called saccharification) and when the malting process is completed, yeast is then added to convert sugar into alcohol. Beer brewing  process  is  called  "multiple fermentation" because it consists of these two separate stages. 

 

The Magic of "Lukpaeng" -- a Starter Culture 

 

The major steps in Sato making process start with rice polishing, steeping, steaming, starter culture mixing,fermenting and separating wine from lees. Unlike fermentation in typical wine where yeast can even be found naturally on fruits, rice wine brewing needs a starter culture. A starter culture--a small ball of rice starch, yeast, and mold mixed with indigenous herbs and spices--known as "Lukpaeng", is used to assist in the fermentation of Sato. 

 

The steamed rice is mixed with lukpaeng and kept in a fermentation tank.  While the starch in the rice is being converted into sugar by special types of mold (saccharification) in lukpaeng, the resultant sugar is also simultaneously converted into alcohol by yeast. Because of its simultaneous nature, this process is called "multiple parallel fermentation". Water is then added to the fermentation tank and the mixture is allowed to ferment for weeks before it can be separated from lees. 

 

Finesse of Balancing Precision 

 

Sato's  quality  depends  greatly on the skill of Sato master in precisely balancing the saccharification rate---changing starch into sugar--- and the conversion rate of sugar into alcohol. Herbs and spices in lukpaeng also play a critical role throughout the fermentation process, inhibiting the unwanted kinds of microorganism to grow. 

 

The last steps of Sato rice wine making may involve filtration, pasteurization, and ageing. All steps combined can take  months or even years for some special Sato before it is ready for bottling. 

 

Rice Wine as Civilizing Force 

 

Wine is arguably a foundation of human civilization. The  culture  of  rice  wine  in  Asia was a civilizing force that helped us abandon the prehistoric nomadic way of life. We settled to grow rice and brew rice wine. Sato rice wine has been an integral part of peoples lives in Thailand for centuries as evidenced by a popular catchphrase "Rai Na Sato", which means Rice Fields and Rice Wine, used to describe people's socioeconomic status and well-being during Thailand's bygone era of agricultural society. 

 

Rice wine, similar to grape wine of the western world, has been a social lubricant for people in many parts of Asia for thousands of years. As the culture of rice wine spread, so did its role as a catalyst for community building, for bringing together family and friends. 

 

In the Thai tradition, Sato rice wine was an essential part of every celebration. It is the pursuit of conviviality and the search for harmony that has brought people of Thailand, generations after generations, to enjoy this timeless ritual of Sato rice wine together.