SAKE or NIHONSHU is one of the most complex & refined alcohols on earth;
while also being the most unique.
The world of sake & sake brewing is comparable to scotch or wine and just as regal, if not more so.
The uniqueness of sake comes from a step in which a very special type of mold (koji) is cultivated on the rice to break it down.
This step enables the starches in rice to be eaten by the yeast. Sake is the only alcohol in the world with this step.
Here is a brief rundown of the types of sake:
Daiginjo: Highest grade
Ginjo: Very high grade
Honjozo: Quality sake that has just a touch of pure alcohol added at the end of the brewing process to clean up the flavor. Not a fortified beverage.
Junmai: Most quality sake drunk in Japan is Junmai or Honjozo. Junmai has no alcohol added.
The word junmai is added to all sake that does not have alcohol added to it.
Both are usually very tasty & made with a high standard of ingredients.
It hard to go wrong the either, although the range in flavors is wide.
Other notable types of sake are:
Nigori zake: which has ground rice powder (kasu) left in, giving it a milky appearance. Usually a bit fuller tasting.
Genshu: no water added at the end of the brewing.
Stronger alcohol content of around 20%. Sometimes drunk on the rocks. All other sake has pure water added to dilute it to around 14%.
Namazake: has not been pasteurized, leading to a livelier taste. Must be kept refrigerated.
Tarusake: has been stored in cedar barrels for a bit, giving it a nice essence of wood.
While there are a few other types of sake out there, they are mainly drunk only by connoisseurs.
"Cheap" sake should be avoided!
This does not just refer to the price--as very nice honjozo & junmai can be purchased for very
reasonable prices--but to sake that is below the quality of honjozo or junmai.
Often Japanese convenience stores you see One Cup sake (Ozeki is a usual brand), this means one cup gives you a hangover!
Don't do it! These cheaper sake have more alcohol added & are just lower in quality across the board. Also,
most heated sake is of lower quality, making it taste better--although not all heated sake is bad.
If you are interested in learning more about Sake, please come in & try some yourself at Wabi Sabi Antiques.
Miles & his wife Rie have a true passion for it and are quite knowledgeable.