Sake Meter Value (Nihonshu-do) & Acidity Sweet–Dry Calculator | Rich–Light Map for Tanrei Karakuchi vs Nojun Amakuchi, Seimaibuai & Sake Grades, Go & Pure Alcohol, Warming Temperatures
This free tool takes the sake meter value (nihonshu-do, e.g. +3 or −2) and acidity (e.g. 1.4) printed on a sake label, calculates the sweet–dry score (amakara-do) and rich–light score (noutan-do), and places the sake on a four-way map: light and dry (tanrei karakuchi), light and sweet (tanrei amakuchi), rich and dry (nojun karakuchi), rich and sweet (nojun amakuchi). It shows mismatches such as a sake that is dry by SMV alone but leans sweet once acidity is added, and lets you compare up to 8 bottles side by side. It includes a sweet–dry chart of SMV × acidity, SMV guideline ranges with specific-gravity conversion, a check of which grade you may use (junmai daiginjo, ginjo, tokubetsu junmai, honjozo and so on) from the rice polishing ratio (seimaibuai), brewer’s alcohol and ginjo-style brewing, the “migaki ni-wari san-bu” way of stating polishing, conversions for isshobin, yongobin, go and shaku with pure alcohol amounts, water dilution of genshu, and names for warming temperatures from hinatakan, hitohadakan and nurukan to jokan, atsukan and tobikirikan.
Enter the SMV and acidity
Enter the sake meter value (e.g. +3) and acidity (e.g. 1.4) shown on the label or the brewery’s website, and the tool calculates the sweet–dry and rich–light scores and places the sake on the map. You can compare up to 8 bottles side by side.
Taste position of This sake
For the sweet–dry score, plus is sweet and minus is dry; for the rich–light score, plus is rich and minus is light. Both generally fall between −3 and +3.
Sweet–dry score
−0.31 Medium
Rich–light score
−0.52 Slightly light
Taste type
Medium, Light side
By SMV alone
Slightly dry
At acidity 1.4, the dividing line is an SMV of −0.4: above it the sake falls on the dry side (negative sweet–dry score), and below it on the sweet side.
| Name | SMV | Acidity | Sweet–dry score | Rich–light score | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This sake | +3.0 | 1.4 | −0.31 Medium | −0.52 Slightly light | Medium, Light side |
| Sake A for comparison (sweet) | −4.0 | 1.2 | +0.57 Slightly sweet | −0.58 Slightly light | Light Sweet |
| Sake B for comparison (high acid) | −2.0 | 2.0 | −0.54 Slightly dry | +0.83 Slightly rich | Rich Dry |
Get SMV from specific gravity
Use this when you have measured the specific gravity at 15°C with a sake meter (hydrometer) or gravity meter. SMV = (1 ÷ specific gravity − 1) × 1443.
SMV
+5.1
The sweet–dry and rich–light scores are guides derived from SMV and acidity; aroma, temperature, amino acids and alcohol content also change how a sake tastes. Drink only if you are 20 or older in Japan, and never drive after drinking. All calculations run in your browser, and your input is saved only in this browser.
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About Sake Meter Value (Nihonshu-do) & Acidity Sweet–Dry Calculator | Rich–Light Map for Tanrei Karakuchi vs Nojun Amakuchi, Seimaibuai & Sake Grades, Go & Pure Alcohol, Warming Temperatures
This calculator takes the sake meter value (nihonshu-do, SMV) and acidity from a sake label, works out the sweet–dry score and rich–light score, and places the sake on a map of light and dry (tanrei karakuchi), light and sweet, rich and dry, and rich and sweet (nojun amakuchi). It uses the formulas by Makoto Sato and colleagues: sweet–dry score = 193593 ÷ (1443 + SMV) − 1.16 × acidity − 132.57, and rich–light score = 94545 ÷ (1443 + SMV) + 1.88 × acidity − 68.54. For the sweet–dry score, plus means sweet and minus means dry; for the rich–light score, plus means rich and minus means light. An SMV of +3 with acidity 1.4 gives a sweet–dry score of −0.31 (medium) and a rich–light score of −0.52 (slightly light), and even an SMV of −2 with acidity 2.0 gives −0.54, which falls on the dry side, so the numbers explain why a sake with a negative SMV can taste dry. You can compare up to 8 bottles, and the tool also provides a sweet–dry chart of SMV × acidity, SMV guideline ranges with specific-gravity conversion, a check of the grade you may use (junmai daiginjo to honjozo) from the rice polishing ratio, brewer’s alcohol and ginjo-style brewing, the “migaki ni-wari san-bu” way of stating polishing, conversions for isshobin, yongobin and go with pure alcohol amounts, water dilution of genshu, and names for warming temperatures such as nurukan and atsukan.
How to use Sake Meter Value (Nihonshu-do) & Acidity Sweet–Dry Calculator | Rich–Light Map for Tanrei Karakuchi vs Nojun Amakuchi, Seimaibuai & Sake Grades, Go & Pure Alcohol, Warming Temperatures
- 1On the “Sweet–dry & rich–light map” tab, enter the SMV and acidity from the label (and the amino acid level if you have it)
- 2Check the sweet–dry score, rich–light score, taste type such as light and dry or rich and sweet, and how it differs from a judgment by SMV alone
- 3Use “Add a sake to compare” to line up to 8 bottles and compare their positions on the map
- 4On the “SMV × acidity chart” tab, see how the sweet–dry score changes with acidity even at the same SMV
- 5On the “Grades & polishing ratio” tab, choose the polishing ratio, brewer’s alcohol and ginjo-style brewing to see which grade, such as junmai daiginjo, ginjo or honjozo, you may use
- 6On the “Go, ABV & warming temperature” tab, check the pure alcohol in what you drink, the water to add to genshu, and temperature names such as hitohadakan, nurukan and atsukan
Great for
- Find out whether a sake is really dry or sweet from the SMV and acidity on its label
- Understand why a sake with a positive SMV tastes sweet (or one with a negative SMV tastes dry)
- Compare the taste position of a favorite bottle and one you are curious about on a light–rich and sweet–dry map
- Add the sweet–dry and rich–light scores to an izakaya or liquor store menu or POP display
- Check whether a sake with a 45% polishing ratio and no brewer’s alcohol can be called junmai daiginjo
- Learn how phrases like “migaki ni-wari san-bu” relate to the polishing ratio
- Find out how many go a yongobin or isshobin holds, and how many grams of pure alcohol are in 2 go of sake
- Find out the temperatures of nurukan, jokan and atsukan
Good to know
- The sweet–dry and rich–light scores come from regression formulas created in 1974 by Makoto Sato and colleagues to express perceived taste from SMV and acidity (total acid). Aroma, amino acid level, alcohol content and temperature also change how a sake tastes, so treat the results as a guide. For dry sake with a high SMV, the formula is also said to read drier than the sake actually tastes.
- There are no official cut-offs for the sweet–dry or rich–light scores. This tool uses ±0.5, ±1.5 and ±2.5 to label them “medium”, “slightly dry”, “dry” and “very dry” (and “neutral”, “slightly light”, “light” and so on for the rich–light score).
- SMV is calculated from specific gravity at 15°C as SMV = (1 ÷ specific gravity − 1) × 1443. The more sugar, the heavier the sake and the more negative (sweeter) the SMV; the less sugar, the more positive (drier) it is.
- The conditions for each grade follow the National Tax Agency’s “Labeling Standards for Seishu (sake) Manufacturing Methods and Quality”. Since 2004, junmai-shu has had no polishing ratio requirement. Every grade requires a koji rice ratio of at least 15% and rice rated grade 3 or higher (or equivalent).
- By the Measurement Act, 1 go is about 180.39 mL, but this tool follows sake convention and calculates with 1 go = 180 mL, isshobin = 1800 mL and yongobin = 720 mL. Pure alcohol is amount (mL) × ABV ÷ 100 × 0.8.
- All calculations run in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent to a server. Drink only if you are 20 or older in Japan, and never drive after drinking.
Questions this tool answers
Use Sake Meter Value (Nihonshu-do) & Acidity Sweet–Dry Calculator | Rich–Light Map for Tanrei Karakuchi vs Nojun Amakuchi, Seimaibuai & Sake Grades, Go & Pure Alcohol, Warming Temperatures for searches like these:
- I want to calculate the sweet–dry score from sake meter value and acidity
- I want to know the formulas for the sweet–dry and rich–light scores
- I want to know why a sake with a negative SMV tastes dry
- I want to know whether a sake is light and dry or rich and sweet
- I want to see a table of SMV guidelines for sweet and dry sake
- I want to determine grades like junmai daiginjo from the polishing ratio
- I want to know the pure alcohol in 1 go or a yongobin of sake
- I want to know the temperature of nurukan and atsukan
FAQ
- What is the formula for the sweet–dry score?
- Sweet–dry score = 193593 ÷ (1443 + SMV) − 1.16 × acidity − 132.57. Plus means sweet and minus means dry, and values generally fall between −3 and +3. For example, SMV +3 and acidity 1.4 gives 193593 ÷ 1446 = 133.88, minus 1.62 and 132.57, which is −0.31: roughly medium, leaning slightly dry.
- What is the rich–light score?
- It is a number for how full-bodied a sake is (rich or light), calculated as rich–light score = 94545 ÷ (1443 + SMV) + 1.88 × acidity − 68.54. Plus means rich (nojun) and minus means light (tanrei). Each 0.1 rise in acidity raises the score by about 0.19, so high-acid yamahai and kimoto sake lean rich.
- Why does a sake with a negative SMV taste dry?
- High acidity masks sweetness, so the sake tastes drier. An SMV of −2 (slightly sweet by SMV alone) with acidity 2.0 gives a sweet–dry score of −0.54, which is on the dry side. Conversely, an SMV of +5 with acidity 1.0 gives −0.03, which is medium rather than dry.
- If I don’t know the acidity, can I tell sweet from dry by SMV alone?
- You can get a rough idea. A commonly used guide is: +6 or higher is very dry, +3.5 to +5.9 dry, +1.5 to +3.4 slightly dry, −1.4 to +1.4 average, −1.5 to −3.4 slightly sweet, −3.5 to −5.9 sweet, and −6 or lower very sweet. Acidity changes the impression, though, so if you know both, use the sweet–dry score.
- What is the difference between junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo?
- Both are ginjo-style sake made without brewer’s alcohol, and the difference is the polishing ratio. A polishing ratio of 60% or less qualifies as junmai ginjo, and 50% or less as junmai daiginjo. A ginjo-style junmai at 45% can be called junmai daiginjo, and also junmai ginjo, tokubetsu junmai or junmai.
- What does “migaki ni-wari san-bu” mean for the polishing ratio?
- It means a polishing ratio of 23%: 77% of the brown rice is milled away and only 23% remains. A wari is 10% and a bu is 1%, so a 35% polishing ratio is “migaki san-wari go-bu” and 50% is “migaki go-wari”.
- How many mL and go are in a yongobin and an isshobin?
- A yongobin is 720 mL, or 4 go, and an isshobin is 1800 mL, or 10 go (1 sho). One go (180 mL) of sake at 15% ABV contains 180 × 0.15 × 0.8 = 21.6 g of pure alcohol, so a whole yongobin has 86.4 g.
- What temperatures are nurukan and atsukan?
- As a guide, hinatakan is 30°C, hitohadakan 35°C, nurukan 40°C, jokan 45°C, atsukan 50°C and tobikirikan 55°C or higher. For chilled sake, suzubie is 15°C, hanabie 10°C and yukibie 5°C.
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