How to Buy Sake
Read sake reviews and descriptions., Go to a Japanese restaurant or sushi bar., Know that pricing usually reflects quality., Check liquor stores., Go to an Asian grocer or local specialty shop., Buy sake online., Check the date., Select a grade...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Read sake reviews and descriptions.
There is a huge online fascination with sake.
You can find sake appreciation clubs as well as online reviews of different brands all over the net.
Look for clear and informative descriptions of specific sakes' characteristics. -
Step 2: Go to a Japanese restaurant or sushi bar.
If you try a sake that you like, ask who the distributor is.Get in touch with the distributor and ask where you can buy their sake locally. , The old adage “you get what you pay for” applies to sake more often than not.
The majority of sake is priced fairly.Costly sake is usually produced using more labor-intensive techniques. , Although they may not have an extensive range of sake, it's not a bad place to start.
Call local liquor stores first and ask if they stock sake.
Look for a store that refrigerates their sakes and keeps them out of strong light., This is handy as the people working there may be able to decipher unfamiliar writing and symbols on the bottle label for you.Call ahead and ask if the store has sake for drinking.
You may only be able to buy cooking sake there if the store does not have a liquor license.
Cooking sake has added salt and is not made for drinking., Good sake online retailers will attempt to understand your alcoholic taste preferences and match those preferences with a specific sake.Many online retailers offer sake starter packs, so that you can try a few well-known brands and start to work out what type of sake you prefer. , Sake is generally best within a year of its production.
Look for the bottling or shipping date on the bottle.Some sake is aged intentionally, but this is rare.In general, sake does not age well and freshest is best., Grade consists of the rice milling rate of sake, or how much the rice is polished down.
Polishing removes the outer layer of the rice, and with it, more unwanted flavors.The more polished down the rice, the more the flavor tends to be clean, light and delicate.Daiginjo is premium sake that uses rice polished down to 50% or less; it has a light and fragrant taste.The top four grades of sake are collectively called Ginjo-shu. , Umami is an added flavor.
Sake with umami pairs well with fish, salad, and fresh vegetables.More delicate sakes tend to pair better with light, simple food, and full-bodied tends to pair well with heavier fare., Ginjo-ka refers to the fruity aroma in sake.
Junmai sake is non-fruity.Ginjo sakes are fermented at lower temperatures and have a light fragrance., Light-bodied beverages are less thick and have a consistency more similar to water.Honjozo sakes, for example, are light-bodied., Junmai sake is mild, dry, and and known for its smooth aftertaste.To the contrary, added alcohol sakes have shorter aftertaste. , There is a Japanese proverb that says “Sake doesn’t get into fights with food.” Pairing sake with food relies heavily on your preferences.If you want some direction, selecting sake is similar to selecting what type of wine you like., A small amount of distilled alcohol results in a light, dry, aromatic consistency.Distilled alcohol is added in the brewing process to “non-junmai” premium sakes.
Because adding alcohol also dilutes taste, some sakes will also include seasonings such as sweeteners or amino acids.
Premium sake, however, does not use seasoning.Junmai-shu is pure rice wine with no added distilled alcohol.“Ginjo” or “Daiginjo” on the bottle means that distilled alcohol was added.
However, “Junmai Ginjo” or “Junmai Daiginjo” means no distilled alcohol was added. , This refers to the density of sake.
Generally, the higher the number, the drier the sake tends to be.Soft water with low mineral content results in sweet sake, whereas hard water with high mineral content makes drier sake., Sake type is a weightier factor than region, however where sakes originate can still play a role in the flavor.Just as with grapes for wine, there are many strains of rice used to make sake, and these strains flourish differently in different climates.Sakes coming from colder climates like northern Japan tend to be drier and more delicate.
For instance, Nigori sake from the snowy region of Niigata, is dry and gentle.
Sakes from southern Japan usually taste a little richer and bolder.
For example, Junmai ginjo, from the south (Hiroshima), can be sweeter and more complex, with a multitude of savory notes. , Normal sake is pasteurized twice, ages more slowly, and has a more subtle, softer flavor.Unpasteurized sake, known as Namazake, is usually fresher and more aromatic than pasteurized sake.It is also referred to as Nama Sake or “fresh sake.” -
Step 3: Know that pricing usually reflects quality.
-
Step 4: Check liquor stores.
-
Step 5: Go to an Asian grocer or local specialty shop.
-
Step 6: Buy sake online.
-
Step 7: Check the date.
-
Step 8: Select a grade.
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Step 9: Try umami sake if you want a strong
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Step 10: full-bodied flavor.
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Step 11: Try Ginjo sake for a fruity flavor.
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Step 12: Choose light-bodied sakes for a cleaner flavor.
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Step 13: Select Junmai sakes for a longer aftertaste.
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Step 14: Don’t feel bound to rules about pairing sake with food.
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Step 15: Learn about added alcohol.
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Step 16: Check the Sake Meter Value.
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Step 17: Recognize nuances in regions.
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Step 18: Choose pasteurized or unpasteurized.
Detailed Guide
There is a huge online fascination with sake.
You can find sake appreciation clubs as well as online reviews of different brands all over the net.
Look for clear and informative descriptions of specific sakes' characteristics.
If you try a sake that you like, ask who the distributor is.Get in touch with the distributor and ask where you can buy their sake locally. , The old adage “you get what you pay for” applies to sake more often than not.
The majority of sake is priced fairly.Costly sake is usually produced using more labor-intensive techniques. , Although they may not have an extensive range of sake, it's not a bad place to start.
Call local liquor stores first and ask if they stock sake.
Look for a store that refrigerates their sakes and keeps them out of strong light., This is handy as the people working there may be able to decipher unfamiliar writing and symbols on the bottle label for you.Call ahead and ask if the store has sake for drinking.
You may only be able to buy cooking sake there if the store does not have a liquor license.
Cooking sake has added salt and is not made for drinking., Good sake online retailers will attempt to understand your alcoholic taste preferences and match those preferences with a specific sake.Many online retailers offer sake starter packs, so that you can try a few well-known brands and start to work out what type of sake you prefer. , Sake is generally best within a year of its production.
Look for the bottling or shipping date on the bottle.Some sake is aged intentionally, but this is rare.In general, sake does not age well and freshest is best., Grade consists of the rice milling rate of sake, or how much the rice is polished down.
Polishing removes the outer layer of the rice, and with it, more unwanted flavors.The more polished down the rice, the more the flavor tends to be clean, light and delicate.Daiginjo is premium sake that uses rice polished down to 50% or less; it has a light and fragrant taste.The top four grades of sake are collectively called Ginjo-shu. , Umami is an added flavor.
Sake with umami pairs well with fish, salad, and fresh vegetables.More delicate sakes tend to pair better with light, simple food, and full-bodied tends to pair well with heavier fare., Ginjo-ka refers to the fruity aroma in sake.
Junmai sake is non-fruity.Ginjo sakes are fermented at lower temperatures and have a light fragrance., Light-bodied beverages are less thick and have a consistency more similar to water.Honjozo sakes, for example, are light-bodied., Junmai sake is mild, dry, and and known for its smooth aftertaste.To the contrary, added alcohol sakes have shorter aftertaste. , There is a Japanese proverb that says “Sake doesn’t get into fights with food.” Pairing sake with food relies heavily on your preferences.If you want some direction, selecting sake is similar to selecting what type of wine you like., A small amount of distilled alcohol results in a light, dry, aromatic consistency.Distilled alcohol is added in the brewing process to “non-junmai” premium sakes.
Because adding alcohol also dilutes taste, some sakes will also include seasonings such as sweeteners or amino acids.
Premium sake, however, does not use seasoning.Junmai-shu is pure rice wine with no added distilled alcohol.“Ginjo” or “Daiginjo” on the bottle means that distilled alcohol was added.
However, “Junmai Ginjo” or “Junmai Daiginjo” means no distilled alcohol was added. , This refers to the density of sake.
Generally, the higher the number, the drier the sake tends to be.Soft water with low mineral content results in sweet sake, whereas hard water with high mineral content makes drier sake., Sake type is a weightier factor than region, however where sakes originate can still play a role in the flavor.Just as with grapes for wine, there are many strains of rice used to make sake, and these strains flourish differently in different climates.Sakes coming from colder climates like northern Japan tend to be drier and more delicate.
For instance, Nigori sake from the snowy region of Niigata, is dry and gentle.
Sakes from southern Japan usually taste a little richer and bolder.
For example, Junmai ginjo, from the south (Hiroshima), can be sweeter and more complex, with a multitude of savory notes. , Normal sake is pasteurized twice, ages more slowly, and has a more subtle, softer flavor.Unpasteurized sake, known as Namazake, is usually fresher and more aromatic than pasteurized sake.It is also referred to as Nama Sake or “fresh sake.”
About the Author
Anna Thompson
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