The term sake simply means alcohol in Japanese and the rice-based drink we are familiar with is actually called Nikonshu. It has been produced in Japan for more than 1,000 years, However, the emergence of top-grade Junmai sakes only dates back half a century.
There are many types of rice used to make sake. The three main varieties—yamadanishiki, gyohakumangoku and miyamanishiki—make up for the bulk of what is used. Sake is generally around 15 percent alcohol by volume, although there are many exceptions. It has much less acidity than wine, which it makes up for in its subtlety of flavor and diversity of styles that are chosen by the master brewer.
Sake is produced similarly to beer and the rice used to make it is polished—as the industry refers to the process—or ground down before it ferments. As the starches are concentrated in the center of the grains of rice, grinding away at the outside layers gets rid of fats and proteins that can negatively affect its final flavors. In general, the quality of the final product is defined by how much the rice grains are polished. It can also be classified by the type of rice used, where it was produced, and how it was brewed and filtered.
“Premium sake is made exclusively from rice, water, koji mold, yeast, and for some categories, a small amount of distilled alcohol. Non-premium sake can have additives such as amino acids and sugars. The best premium sakes are made from sake-specific rice varieties and brewed with specialty sake yeast,” shares Eric Hemer, Senior Vice President and Director of Wine Education at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.
“Premium sake is made exclusively from rice, water, koji mold, yeast, and for some categories, a small amount of distilled alcohol. Non-premium sake can have additives such as amino acids and sugars. The best premium sakes are made from sake-specific rice varieties and brewed with specialty sake yeast,” shares Eric Hemer, Senior Vice President and Director of Wine Education at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.
The Types of Sake
Brewers sometimes add alcohol during the sake-production process to emphasize the aromatic compounds during fermentation. If the word Junmai—which means pure rice—is in the name of the sake, no additional alcohol is added. These top grades of sake are Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo, and Junmai. Regular Junmai has no milling requirement, whereas the two other top classifications of Ginjo and Daigingo do. “If at least 40 percent of the grain has been milled away in this process, the term Ginjo can be found on the label. If 50 percent or more of the grain has been removed, the term Daiginjo is used. This is considered to be the highest quality premium sake,” says Hemer. Both classes of sake also can be milled significantly more, as production standards only enforce the bare minimum.
Generally, the best sakes are enjoyed cold—as it enhances their flavors and aromas. So raise a cold cup of premium sake, say "kanpai!" and enjoy!
