Welcome to the first sake brewery outside of Japan.

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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

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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.
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OUR SAKE

We have  seven sake available:

 

Coming Soon:


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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.


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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  8  on January, 16th 2010.  You will receive:

  • 20 page training manual
  • Tastings that include over 20 sakes, some of which you cannot get in Minnesota.
  • Lunch and snacks after the class will be included.
  • Blake Richardson, Head Brewer will be your host for this event.
  • Cost $175
  • The seminars will be on the first Saturday of every month (exept the months of May through September). If we add more, they will fall on the third Saturday of every month. To sign up, email class at moto-i dot com with sake seminar in the subject line and please include your shoe size (seriously).
  • moto-i sake seminar is open to all professionals as well as non professionals. It is our goal to have the most educated sake enthusiasts right here in the state of Minnesota
  • If you are interested in a private seminar during the summer months, we can accomodate.  We ask that you commit to 10 attendees.  Please email to make arrangements.

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    DIRECTIONS

    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
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    PARKING


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    Friends

    Sake World.  John Gauntner's Website http://www.sake-world.com/
    nihonshu shochu and sake bar http://www.nihonshu.com.au/
    The Herkimer Pub and Brewery http://www.theherkimer.com
    Speed Date Network http://www.singles-source.com/Home.html


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    For Reservation online, please visit our page at opentable.com

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    GENERAL INFO

    moto-i
    2940 Lyndale Ave South
    Minneapolis, MN 55408
    Phone: (612) 821- NAMA
    info at moto-i dot com


      BRUNCH:  Saturdays and Sundays 12 -  4
    $1 Sake Bloodys &  $1 Sparkling Sake Mimosas!

    OPEN:     12pm - 2am Daily
    HAPPY HOUR: 2:20pm - 6pm Daily, New! 10pm - 2am Sun - Thurs

    2940 Lyndale Ave South
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
    612.821.NAMA

    BUMPER SHUFFLEBOARD   |   FREE WI-FI   |   ELECTRICAL OUTLETS AT BOOTHS
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    MEDIA INQUIRIES

    Christopher Lower
    Sterling Cross Communications
    Chris at sterlingcrossgroup dot com
    612.227.4863
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    CHARITY

    Giving back is essential to a community. Therefore, it is necessary that our community of managers decide who we give to. For consideration, we ask that you send a PDF to charity at moto-i dot com. The request must be on company letterhead, three months in advance of the requested funding date and a clear explanation of the uses of the funds. We will review all requests and notify those charities that have our approval. Please do not contact moto-i by phone for charitable donations. Thank you.
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    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!)
    21. Lavender - Off The Eaten Path lavendermagazine.com


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    Site Credits