Do you like SAKE?

What's Sake?

Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice.

Sake is also commonly referred to in English as "Rice Wine”,

but the characterization implied is not accurate.

Wine is made from the single fermentation of plant juices.

Sake is produced by multiple fermentations of rice,

which is more similar to how beer is produced.

Varieties

Sake is classifies roughly into five kinds as follows

hutsu-shu

It is nomal sake. It is like a table wine. The other four kinds are premium sake.

honjozo-shu

A slight amount of distilled alcohol is added. The distilled alcohol helps pull some extra flavors out of the mash.

junmai-shu

It is made from rice only. At least 40% of the rice is to be polished away and no alcohol is to be added, if the sake is to be considered junmai.

ginjo-shu

Rice weight polished to 50% or less.

daiginjo-shu

Rice weight polished to 40% or less.

I like premium sake.
But, the flavor varies widely. (dry, smooth, sweet and fragrant)
Those differences come from who made it, where it was made (distruct),
what kind of rice was used, and how it was made...

So, it has all the nuances of wine!