Sake
Sake is first of all, a misnomer. In Japan the word refers to any alcoholic beverage, not just the drink called sake outside of Japan. The Japanese word for that specific drink is nihonshu. The sake that we know is a kind of rice wine, although the process of fermenting the rice is more akin to our brewing process. Sake is traditionally matured for 9 to 12 months and has a typical strength of 14 to 16% abv. There are many different types of sake, which are described and categorized in part by the amount of the rice grain which is polished away before fermentation and whether distilled alcohol is added to the finished product. Sake is generally meant to be consumed young, drank soon after its short aging period. However, one kind of sake, goshu (aged sake), is made in a way which makes it suitable for aging. Another style, taruzake, is aged in barrels made from Japanese cedar. Kuroshu is sake made from brown rice rather than the normal white rice.
Top Sake Posts:
Sake Roundup – Fukucho, Bushido, Tozai, Konteki, and Kanbara
Tasting SakeOne Imports: Hakutsuru Draft, Tanrei Junmai, Superior Junmai Ginjo, and Sho-Une Junmai Dai Ginjo
Sake Tasting and Mac Pairing with Sake Social
It’s been more than a decade since we reviewed SakeOne‘s domestic sake lineup, which is brewed in Oregon and is one of the most widely available domestically produced sakes in the country. Here’s a look at three recent bottlings, including one older expression we’re trying again and some that are new to us. Momokawa Diamond…
Boken Sake is a new brand of sake, brewed in Japan and designed to be both “innovative and food-friendly.” The brand included four expressions at launch; we received two for review, a Junmai Gingo bottling and a nigori style expression. The sakes are brewed at two different breweries (at least for now). “We launched Boken…
Gekkeikan is the #1 selling sake in the U.S., and while its historic home is in Kyoto, overseas bottles are actually made in Folsom, California. Sake sold in the U.S. is made from local Calrose rice, so you’re likely to find some differences between local and foreign bottles, should you find yourself able to taste…
While it’s not Japan’s largest sake producer by volume, Yamaguchi-based Dassai is undoubtedly one of the more prestigious major producers. By the company’s own estimates, it’s responsible for perhaps 30% of Japan’s domestic market for Junmai Daiginjo, a classification that signifies high levels of rice polishing (at least 50% of the original grain is polished…
We’ve brought you coverage of sake from Arkansas. Up next is Virginia, where Oishii (“delicious” in Japanese) produces two varieties of sake (along with some new ready-to-drink offerings based on sake). While the operation uses Virginia water, it surprisingly also uses Arkansas-grown rice. Packaged in spirit-like bottles and clearly designed with low abv cocktail-making in…
Yes, they make sake everywhere — but did you know they make it in Arkansas? Origami Sake has the look of an Asian brand, but it’s made in Hot Springs, from locally grown rice. Origami also has a non-alcoholic sake on its roster, which is what first attracted me to the brand. Origami makes four sakes…
Sake Ono is a new brand, brewed in Nigata, Japan and featuring just one variety: junmai daiginjo, the highest tier of sake production. The bottle is available in 300ml and 720ml sizes. Let’s give it a try. Classic, engaging honeydew melon notes percolate the nose and the palate, which shows a light saltiness and some…
Ready for warmer weather? Well, it’s coming like it or not, and even if you’re not a fan of hotter days and nights, summertime does mean we’ll get a chance to break out some more seasonally appropriate whites and reds that pair well with the warmer months of the year. Drop the parka and dive…
Dassai is a well-established sake brewery in Yamaguchi, Japan. Dassai Blue is an expansion of the brand into the U.S. where earlier this year they opened a large, ambitious new brewery in Hyde Park, New York. Although built upon the experience of Dassai, the new brewery is creating its own line of sake, and today…
The Soto brand may be run from its headquarters in Florida but their sake is genuine, made using all natural ingredients and traditional practices in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. All three of the sakes we are trying today are junmai, which means “pure rice” and requires that the sake be made exclusively with rice, water, yeast,…