The Pleasures of Sake
The world is slowly waking up to the pleasures of Japanese sake. As Japan ages, sake brewers have been reaching out to overseas markets to find new fans of the drink. When people realize that the world of sake is every bit as rich as the world of wine and that the sake brewing process is incredibly intricate, they are duly impressed.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, sake does not have to be served warm. Today, most people drink it lightly chilled. Also, sake has a wide range of flavor profiles and can pair with all sorts of food, not just Japanese cuisine.
Yet, sake paired with a Japanese meal feels so right. The clear, crisp flavors and subtle nuances are comfortably at home with washoku.
How does one choose a sake? The best option is to ask a sake sommelier. However, while more and more restaurants are making sure their staff is well versed in sake, sometimes the choice will be up to you. Here’s what you need to know:
Sake types are determined by how much the rice has been polished and whether brewer’s alcohol has been added. With that in mind, these are the main categories with brief descriptions of what to expect in the flavor profile:
Junmai
This category of sake contains no added brewer’s alcohol and rice polished to 70% of its original size. Junmai sake is typically full bodied.
The term “Junmai” is also used in other categories (junmai daiginjo, for example) to denote that no brewer’s alcohol has been added.
Honjozo
Ginjo
This category also uses rice polished to 70% its original size but also adds a dash of brewer’s alcohol. These are light and fragrant sakes.
Rice must be polished to at least 60% to qualify for the ginjo category. These sake are more complex and can be fruity but are still light and easy to drink.
Daiginjo
Nigori
This is considered the elite category of sake, where the rice is polished to half its size, resulting in smooth, complex flavor profiles.
This category of sake is cloudy because larger filters are used. These sake are sweeter and creamier than other sake.
The other aspect of choosing a sake is similar to choosing wine. Where did the sake come from? Try a daiginjo from Kyoto or a nigori from Akita. Each brewery has its own special history and brewing methods, so experiment and find the sake that is right for you.