how to drink sake

8/17/2019 How to Drink Sake

1/11

How to Drink Sake: Your Guide to Japan's Tasty, Boozy Gift to the World

Bryan Lufkin

Sake. You might only know it from Sapporo bombs or overheated swill from

all-you-can-eat pan-Asian buffets. But if you get a beat on its basics, it’s the

smoothest, seiest, slickest libation. !e’re going to demystify sake, and make

you that sashimi-pairing, worldly boo"ehound we know you can be.

It’s Friday afternoon, you’ve made it through the long week, and it’s time

for Happy Hour, Gizmodo’s weekly booze column. cocktail shaker full of

innovation, science, and alcohol.

What Is Sake?

#t’s an alcohol brewed from rice. #ts alcohol content ranges from $%& to '(&,

and it’s been produced in )apan for ',*(( years.

Some people call sake +rice wine, but that’s not eactly right, because it isn’t a

wine. #t’s brewed like a beer, so that’s a better analogue. But sake is like wine

in that there are countless varieties spanning a full flavor spectrum You’ll find

sweet notes of caramel and bananas, plus earthier flavors like musty

mushrooms, or acidic lychee, or mies of pear and bamboo. Sake is comple,

but at the same time, really subtle.

And that’s part of why it might be intimidating to some !esterners. Some

people may have trouble even describing what it tastes like because they’venever had anything like it before.

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2/11

!I like sake."#$ames %ond. &redit' (ou)ube

But it’s gaining a foothold here in the S, with sake-brewing companies

popping up across the country. /here’s Sake0ne in 0regon, Ben’s American

Sake Brewery in 1orth 2arolina, Blue 2urrent Brewery in 3aine, and 3oto-

# in 3innesota.

/eas Sake 2ompany in Austin makes +4onest, American Sake. )eff Bell is its

to5i, or sake master. 4e likens the recent sake spike to how Americans’ tastes

in beer started to shift in the 67(s +Back then, people were used to light lagers

and imports. #f you handed them a hoppy American pale ale, they must’ve

freaked out. #t took a while to get traction, and we’re doing a similar thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn5GDuQ3Yfchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn5GDuQ3Yfchttp://sakeone.com/http://www.benstuneup.com/http://www.benstuneup.com/http://bluecurrent.net/http://bluecurrent.net/http://www.moto-i.com/http://www.moto-i.com/http://www.txsake.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn5GDuQ3Yfchttp://sakeone.com/http://www.benstuneup.com/http://www.benstuneup.com/http://bluecurrent.net/http://www.moto-i.com/http://www.moto-i.com/http://www.txsake.com/


3/11

Sake’s gaining popularity across the globe, as well 8ast year, )apan made

arecord-breaking 9*' million on worldwide sake eports in the first half of

'($: alone. /his is especially nuts, as sake is actually declining in popularity

in )apan, being displaced among young people by wine or )apan’s best-in-the-

world whisky , which is being launched to the #nternational Space Station for

eperiments that’ll look at microgravity’s effect on alcohol. /he )apanese

government is even developing a bilingual app that translates )apanese sake

labels for tourists.

)hese straw barrels in )okyo’s (oyogi *ark are built to hold sake. &redit' +hutterstock

How Is It Made?

http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Economy/Japanese-sake-exports-reach-new-record-highhttp://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24777742.htmlhttp://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24777742.htmlhttp://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24777742.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/05/japan-beats-scotland-to-win-worlds-best-whiskey-title/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/05/japan-beats-scotland-to-win-worlds-best-whiskey-title/http://gizmodo.com/whisky-is-being-sent-to-the-iss-but-it-wont-get-astron-1721346611http://gizmodo.com/whisky-is-being-sent-to-the-iss-but-it-wont-get-astron-1721346611http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/28/national/meti-plans-bilingual-app-scans-sake-labels/#.VfHESWRVikohttp://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Economy/Japanese-sake-exports-reach-new-record-highhttp://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24777742.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/05/japan-beats-scotland-to-win-worlds-best-whiskey-title/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/05/japan-beats-scotland-to-win-worlds-best-whiskey-title/http://gizmodo.com/whisky-is-being-sent-to-the-iss-but-it-wont-get-astron-1721346611http://gizmodo.com/whisky-is-being-sent-to-the-iss-but-it-wont-get-astron-1721346611http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/28/national/meti-plans-bilingual-app-scans-sake-labels/#.VfHESWRViko


4/11

#t’s pretty complicated. So, first, you have to grow great, short-grain rice ;no

problem for )apan therea microorganism integral to sake-making. /he

yeast feasts on the sugar that’s produced when ko5i’s moldy en"ymes react

with the rice’s starch. Adding ko5i is critical, because rice doesn’t contain any

sugar on its own, and you need sugar to ferment something into alcohol.

After the outer shells of the rice grains are stripped away>the more that’s

removed, the sweeter the taste>the rice is steamed. /hen, the grains are

sprinkled with that magic, green, moldy ko5i. After days of fermentation, the

sake can be filtered, pasteuri"ed, and bottled. ?ach of these different steps can

be slightly tweaked, which yields different sake types.


5/11

+ake master isa -awaisi cools steamed rice that’ll be used in sake in Himei, $apan.

&redit' Getty

What Are the Different Types?

Sake can be broken down into many different categories. Some are sweet,

some are dry. Some are cloudy, some are clear. @iltered, unfiltered. All of

these factor into flavor.

#t’s also important to remember that within many of these types below eist

further sub-types, and there are more types that eist besides these listed. #t’s

not an ehaustive list, and the whole idea of this guide is to avoid


6/11

overwhelming you, so here’s a broad cheat sheet. limpse at it while you’re

impressing your date over sashimi.

Gino @ruity, light, and non-acidic, it’s made when :(& or more of the rice’souter layer is removed. rink it with seafood, which of course, )apanese

cuisine has in spades.

$unmai 3ade with only rice, ko5i, and water. 1ot sweet, but more acidic,

earthy, and umami, the +fifth flavor found in savory )apanese cuisine.

/aigino 4igher =uality than gin5o>it’s more polished, with at least *(& of

the rice’s outer shell removed, so the taste is stronger and more refined. ;#t’s

also pricier.<

$unmai /aigino Cegarded as the highest =uality sake, according to

the )apan Sake and Shochu 3akers Administration. A good mi of refined

crispness and umami.

Honozo Similar to 5unmai, but fortified with distilled alcohol, making it a bitlighter and smoother.

0igorizake #t’s cloudy because it’s full of yeast and rice particles due to low

filtering. /he rice flavor is strong with this one.

Genshu 1o water is added post-production, so it’s some of the strongest, with

an alcohol content closing in on '(&.

@or those new to sake, gin5o or 5unmai are the most basic, and thus, most

recommended for beginners.

How Do I Drink It?

You can drink it one of two ways warm or cold.

1otice # didn’t say hot . /his stuff shouldn’t be served at tea temperatures.

/hat’d obliterate sake’s already delicate flavors. /here are some types of sake

http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/umami-was-coined-by-the-inventor-of-msg-to-describe-i-693953580http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/pdf/no_3.pdfhttp://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/umami-was-coined-by-the-inventor-of-msg-to-describe-i-693953580http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/pdf/no_3.pdf


7/11

that can be served hot, but they’re generally lower =uality. As a rule, the finer

the sake, the more sensitive it is to heat. !hen in doubt, scope out the label on

the bottle for recommendations.

sually, though, it should either be served cold>like, right out of the fridge>

or barely warmed. And if served cold, do not put ice in it, as it dilutes the

flavor. #n )apan, the serving style is often guided by the current season.

!e should also =uickly address pronunciation when you’re ordering. You can

go two ways here the !esterni"ed +sah-kee or the correct +sah-keh. You

might be afraid of sounding like one of those pedantic )eopardyD contestants

by saying the latter, but since that’s how it’s pronounced by the people from

the place where the stuff was invented, that’s how # say it.

And that’s how bartenders at the growing number of American bars that serve

it say it, too. /hose folks will also help usher you into the wonderful world of

sake. At 1ew York’s 2herry , bartender !arren 4ode and certified sake

sommelier 2hris )ohnson think that sake is comple, but a totally rewarding

beverage to learn about.

As far as pairing it with foods, viewing it as a white wine is a good baseline. #t

goes great with fish, vegetables, chicken, and sweeter ones go great with fruits

and dessert.

+8ook for parallels, contrast and places where the sake can fill the void, or

provide a flavor that complements the dish, says )ohnson, describing how topair sake with foods. +A fruity gin5o with a slightly spicy tuna tartare, a creamy

tetured aromatic sake with seared scallops, the layered, fennel and basil-

nuanced sake from 1iigata prefecture with a 1icoise salad, an earthy, bold

Yamahai 5unmai with roasted chicken, nigori sake with barbecue or chocolate.

#t 5ust keeps going.

http://cherrynyc.com/http://cherrynyc.com/http://cherrynyc.com/


8/11

+ake’s enoyed a boost in global popularity. Here, the first couples of merica and $apan

share a toast at the 1hite House in pril. &redit' *

Can I Make Cocktails with It?

Sure. 4ere are a few, courtesy of the )apan Sake and Shochu 3akers

Association. 1owadays, a lot of the larger li=uor stores in your area will carry

sake, but you can also order online from plenty of places, like Sake

Social or/rue Sake.

1otice that these recipes from )SS3A stay true to the general )apanese flavor

profile Simple, delicate ingredients that don’t annihilate the taste of the sake.

+Sake is very comple, but very subtle at the same time>it’s made with the

)apanese palette in mind, says 2herry miologist 4obbs. +Cight now,

http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/sake-basics/tasting-tips/mixing.htmlhttp://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/sake-basics/tasting-tips/mixing.htmlhttp://www.sakesocial.com/http://www.sakesocial.com/http://www.truesake.com/http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/sake-basics/tasting-tips/mixing.htmlhttp://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/sake-basics/tasting-tips/mixing.htmlhttp://www.sakesocial.com/http://www.sakesocial.com/http://www.truesake.com/


9/11

Americans like big, bold flavors. /hey want to smoke everything, for eample.

/hat’s not really the philosophy behind this stuff.

+ake Highball ' o". sake

' o". club soda

@ill an E-$( o". tumbler with ice, add sake, and top off with soda.

0igorizake ilkshake

' o". nigori"ake

' o". milk

Four milk into a rocks glass filled with ice and sake, then stir slowly.

Green Iced )ea

' o". sake

' o". )apanese green tea

Four green tea into a rocks glass filled with ice and sake, then stir slowly.

+ake &assis

' o". sake

$ teaspoon crGme de cassis

Four crGme de cassis into a wine glass filled with ice and sake, then stir slowly.


10/11

%ottles of sake line shelves at a design festival in ilan in pril. &redit' +hutterstock

Can I Cook With It?

/otally. )ust like any other alcohol, sake can make food taste greatH and in fact,

it’s a staple in a ton of )apanese cuisine. Aside from being great ecuses to

cook with sake, these dishes are a good gateway to )apanese food beyond

sushi. 2heck out shogayaki ;stir-fried ginger pork with rice


11/11

+ou Iorean, not )apanese. istilled. 0ften made from rice, barley, or wheat,

it’s another clear, colorless alcohol, but resembles more of a vodka due to its

distillation.

What’s the !i""est Misconception A#o$t Sake?

/hat you should drop it in your beer.

1e’ll end with this washcloth2wearing seal in a hot spring holding a cup of sake. &redit' *

+ources' $apan +ake and +hochu akers ssociation, +ake +ocial

)op image credit' Getty
http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/http://www.sakesocial.com/http://www.sakesocial.com/http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/http://www.sakesocial.com/

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