Sake FAQ

By Nikki Berglund
Staff Writer

When I moved back to Fargo close to two years ago now, I was ecstatic to see how much the restaurant scene was growing and evolving. Especially exciting to me were the number of new sushi joints that were starting to pop up all over the place. For the longest time we had one or two at most, which made for some slim pickins. Now with some competition out there, the quality has increased tremendously. When we go out for sushi, our ritual almost always includes a big old Sapporo beer accompanied by a carafe of hot sake. As much as I love sake with my sushi though, I can’t pretend to know a lot about it. After receiving quite a few requests for an expanded sake section at the liquor store, we recently went on a mission to fill that niche. This also seemed like the perfect opportunity to brush up on my own sake knowledge.

I started my quest for knowledge by watching an informative little video on the intricate processes involved in the making of sake. After being bored to tears, I realized that I could probably expect the same reaction from anyone reading an article on that subject. Along with my other research on the subject, I did manage to answer my own basic questions on sake- here is what I came up with.

What is sake? Sake (pronounced sah-kay) is a Japanese alcoholic beverage with over 2000 years of history, made from the simple ingredients of rice and water. Although there are sake breweries currently in the United States, most sake is brewed in Japan where there are over 1600 breweries today. It shares some of the best characteristics of wine and beer, yet it is uniquely different from both of them.

It is a naturally fermented beverage that is brewed with rice, the only raw fermentable material used in the process. There are no other artificial additives, enhancers, or sulfites added. Although the process is labor-intensive a brief summary should give you the basic lowdown. First the rice is milled or polished by the “toji”, or brew master. The amount of milling greatly influences the taste and is referred to in percentage form (higher percentage = better quality.) Next the rice is washed and soaked, like what you would do making rice at home. After being steam cooked, it is mixed with yeast and “koji”, or molded rice. The whole mix then ferments with more rice koji and water being added over the next few days, converting it to glucose. The whole process takes about a month. Sake then ages for about 6 months before being sold.

How do I choose a sake I will like? Like wine, sake drinking is very subjective but a little insight can make the process a bit easier. The flavors of sake range from bone dry, to light and crisp, to heavy and slightly sweet. Sake is considered lighter than a white wine although the alcohol content is usually 14 to 16%.

Unlike some of the finer wines, sake is not meant to be aged, cellared, or collected. It should be drunk young, so if you find a dusty bottle somewhere in a corner of your liquor store, you might want to pass.

Sake can be brewed with or without a bit of distilled alcohol added to it. The alcohol is added to pull the flavors and aromas out of the rice more easily, and also adds to the stability and shelf life of the finished product. Neither is considered better that the other, but in the United States you will more often encounter sake without added alcohol (“junmai” on the label) due to increased taxes for the addition of alcohol. If you are in the market for a premium bottle of sake, “ginjo” is what you are looking for. A super premium sake is called a “daiginjo.” These can run around $30 to $40 for a 750 ML bottle.
Hot or cold? This has always been the most confusing thing to me about sake. I always thought that drinking sake warm was the right way. Although this can be an acquired taste, I really learned to enjoy it this way. Then I heard that actually serving sake warm is meant to disguise a lower quality product and that made me kind of sad. It turns out that although there is a smidgen of truth to this, it is not always the case.

Traditionally sake was served slightly warmed but technological advances have led to a flavor profile that can sometimes be destroyed by heat. The Japanese serve sake at a temperature that matches the time of year or the style of the food. With some sakes, the fullness of body and mellow flavor become more pronounced when heated. When this is the case, make sure not to heat it above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, or slightly above body temperature. These days, it is suggested that most premium sakes be slightly chilled in order to preserve the essence of the sake.
How do I serve sake and with what? I usually think of sake being served in those cute little cups or wooden boxes called “masu.” Traditionally, the small cups are used to accommodate the ceremonial pouring for each other since smaller glasses equals more pouring. A white wine glass works nicely too, though, the main point being to give the sake enough air to breathe.

I usually associate sake with sushi but it can be served with any sort of fish or veggie dish, and even some grilled meats. You don’t want to serve sake with overly spicy or strongly flavored food, since it is somewhat delicate by nature.

You can also use sake to cook with. It can be substituted it for your white wine or used it in stir fries, marinades, and sauces. After you have opened your sake, it should be consumed with in a day of being opened.

Before writing this, I had many questions about sake. As it turns out, it is really such a unique beverage that’s meant to be enjoyed in whatever way makes sense to you. At the end of the day, the most important thing to keep in mind is that it should always be enjoyed with your friends.

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