Sakes

Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage brewed from rice, water, koji mold, and yeast. The rice is milled (polished) to remove outer bran, which influences aroma and texture. Through a parallel fermentation, enzymes convert starch to sugars while yeast converts those sugars to alcohol. Typical alcohol content ranges from about 15% to 20% by volume. In English, sake is usually treated as a non-count noun; the plural form “sakes” is rarely used.

Brewing and labeling cover several style groups. Futsushu, or ordinary sake, makes up the majority of commercially produced sake. Tokutei meisho-shu or Special Designation includes ginjo and daiginjo varieties, which require higher rice polishing ratios (ginjo at 60% or less remaining, daiginjo at 50% or less). Junmai varieties contain no added alcohol; junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo exclude added distilled spirits as well. Honjozo adds a small amount of distilled alcohol to extract aroma and improve drinkability.

Other styles include nigori (unfiltered, milky), nama (unpasteurized), genshu (undiluted), and sparkling sake. Sake can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature, or warm, with the serving method influenced by style, sweetness, and aroma.

In Japan, sake has a long cultural history, with hundreds of breweries producing different regional profiles. Globally, it is produced by many sake breweries and is often paired with sushi and other light-fare dishes. The term sake is sometimes used generically in English, but in Japan the beverage is more precisely called nihonshu or seishu, depending on context.