Hot Sake! Japan's National Drink

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Hot Sake
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On your next trip Japan, you’ll probably want to try local food, sweets, and teas. In the evening, when it’s cold you’ll, want something hot. Something that will warm you up. Hot sake seems to do the trick for me and is a popular drink especially during the long cold seasons here.

What is sake ?

The Japanese call it “Nihonshu” ( Nee - Hon - Shoe ) and it’s been around for centuries! A drink that was once reserved only for priests and samurai, is now a common mans’ drink. The three key elements in sake are natural spring water, sake rice, and koji ( spores ). The word “Sake” ( SAH-Kay) is a generic term used in Japan and in the West so that it’s easier for consumers to utter. The beverage is brewed from fermented and polished rice. Depending on the grade of rice milling and brewing technique will affect the finished product greatly.

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What about the rice?

You cannot use table rice to brew Nihonshu. This is because table rice has vitamins and nutrients; everything that is bad for making sake. Another kind of special rice has to be grown in order to make sake and it’s called “SAKA-MAI” rice which is bigger and stronger than table rice. The rice then has to be millet ( peeled or skin removal). Rice grains are poured into a big machine that shaves the sake grains down to about 70% of its original size. This is done to remove all the nutritional value of the rice so that the nihonshu can ferment properly and produce good flavor.

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( See picture #1)

How to enjoy sake:

First, pour sake into a pot and allow it to simmer on low heat for about 5 or 10 minutes. Be aware that alcohol rises when it gets hot, so you want to slow heat the sake so that you don’t lose too much flavor. If you have a thermometer then make sure the temperature is around from 32 to 48 C before drinking the sake. If you don’t have a thermometer then be careful. If the container is too hot to touch then the sake is probably ready to drink.

What can you enjoy with sake?

I recommend oysters with sake.

You can drink it with friends @nahaccho

Sake based cocktails with Beef @wangy

Here @Ruiyu Sashimi and steak

In Sapporo with me

A great place to visit in Shibuya with excellent sushi with sake @kurachi009

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Hi @user_not_found ,

Can you believe I’ve never tried sake in my life! I’ve been to so many Japanese restaurants, but for some reason I never had the guts to try this. I hear it’s really good. Do you make it at home as well? :slightly_smiling_face:

Thanks!

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@user_not_found Very good description of making the Japanese sake indeed. Photos are also great. Thanks for sharing.

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Hi @DanniS

Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, while many restaurants have sake on their menus, wait staff and chefs do not teach or promote it to the customer. You sort of have to choose it on your own. I think waiters and waitresses should recommend sake to the customer straightaway, or at least inform them of it.

Is sake good!? Personally, I think it’s amazing. For others it may be too sweet or light tasting. Some diners may claim there are certain notes in the sake ranging from fruity to spicy, or maybe even dry. Some sake you can pick up honey dew melon, cotton candy, banana, cherry, florals. Good sake is consistent with flavors you’d fine in a nice white wine - even sparkling.

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You’re absolutely right @user_not_found ! They haven’t offered it or explained what it actually is and how to drink it. But next time I’m going, I’ll be sure to ask them a bit more. Thanks a lot for this post. It was quite interesting.

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Hi @MukulR

It’s good to hear from you. Thank you for your kind words. Have you tried it yet?

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Hi @DanniS

Thank you for reading it and your kind comments. If you need more information about sake please ask me anything anytime.

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