Rice wines are alcoholic beverages of East Asia made from rice-based mashes. Saccharification is carried out by enzymes of starters containing fungi, rather than by malt enzymes as in Western alcoholic beverages based on cereals. Moulds such as Aspergillus break the rice starch into fermentable sugars that yeasts then convert to alcohol, often in a simultaneous process. This gives drinks with distinctive smooth, rounded flavours. Quality depends on the starter culture, fermentation temperature control, and the polishing and steaming of the rice.