Japanese National Alcohol: Sake

Sake, or the national Japanese alcoholic drink, is referred to by many as rice vodka. In fact, it has little to do with this drink and is made in a completely different way. The first drink of this type was called kuchikami, which literally means "sake chewed in the mouth." It was produced by chewing rice, acorns, chestnuts and millet. During World War II, alcohol and sugar were added to the drink. Currently, sake is made from fermented rice to which yeast is added at a later stage. When diluted with water, it contains between 13% and 16% alcohol.

The production of sake involves many steps in succession.

• Rice grinding (polishing).
• Rice washing and soaking.
• Steaming rice.
• Making a berth.
• Preparation of yeast culture.
• Mash.
• Fermentation.
• Ironing with high pressure.
• Filtration.
• Pasteurization.
• Aging for up to 6 months.

How to drink sake?

The drink can be eaten cold or warm. In the first case, sake chilled in a restaurant is served in ordinary glass glasses with a capacity of up to 100 milliliters. Most often, however, this drink is drunk warm - this form of serving is called atsukan. The drink is heated to about 45 degrees to bring out all its flavor and served in porcelain or copper vessels.

On important occasions, sake is usually served in small porcelain or clay bowls called sakazuki. At a wedding, it is also common to drink this alcohol from a common vessel, up to 20 centimeters in diameter.

Different varieties of sake

There is not one type of alcoholic drink. The breakdown was based on how much of the rice grain was polished. The most popular, but also the most expensive, variety is definitely Daiginjo-shu, in which as much as 50% of the outer part of the grain was removed during production. Another type is Ginjō-shu with a fruity aroma and 40% polishing of the grain. Another noteworthy variety is Junmai-shu, characterized by a sour taste and noticeable umami notes and the lowest content of polished rice grains. Distilled alcohol is not added to it, as is the case with other varieties.

Sake can also be categorized according to the brewing method. The following types are distinguished.

• Nama-zake - a drink that has not been pasteurized and has a light, fresh taste.
• Genshu, or 17-20% undiluted sake, with a deep flavor.
• Koshu - a long-maturing drink that can mature for up to 10 years, which gives it a sweet taste and a yellow color.
• Taru-zake, or sake matured in wooden barrels made of Japanese cedar.
• Nigori-zake, also known as cloudy sake, a variety that only undergoes light filtration and has a milky color.
• Carbonated sake.
• Kuroshu - unpasteurized sake, used to enrich the flavor of spices, sauces and dishes.
• Seishu, or refined sake.
• Shiboritate-nama-genshu - freshly squeezed sake.
• Ama-zake - sweet sake.
• Doburoku - unrefined sake, often homemade.
• Jizake - A variety of sake from a local brewery.