Sake is a brewed alcoholic beverage made with rice and water as the main ingredients using Japanese brewing techniques.
Those who are new to sake may think that alcohol made from only rice and water has only a single taste and aroma, and that it does not offer a wide variety of taste and aroma. However, there are surprisingly large differences depending on the ingredients (rice and water), the way the rice is polished, and the production method. It also depends on the period of maturation. The temperature at which sake is drunk and the glass in which it is served can also greatly expand the range of sake.
There are approximately 1,200 sake breweries in Japan, with approximately 10,000 to 30,000 products. In recent years, the market has been appreciating "nama-zake" (unpasteurized sake) and "koshu" (aged sake), and there are also "kijo-zake" (thick sake made with sake instead of water) and "sparkling sake" (clear sake with secondary fermentation in the bottle using a method from Champagne, France). Sparkling sake, which is produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle using the French Champagne method and is also transparent, has also been created.
Discover the best sake while learning about the differences in aroma and taste depending on the ingredients and production method of sake.