Traditionally used in making high quality Gingo-shu style sake due to its high level of fragrance production and strong fermentation, Sake #9 or Kumamoto yeast is one of the most important strains in Sake making today.

*INIS-609 Sake #9 has been identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to contain the glucoamylase gene (STA1), which can be an indicator of S. cerevisiae var. diastaticus. As such, INIS-609 has the ability to utilize some dextrins which are unfermentable to most species of S. cerevisiae, and thus achieve a very high level of attenuation. However, INIS-609 is not considered a contaminant and will not over attenuate finished beer when a high level of attenuation is expected.