JIZAKE - FINE ARTISAN SAKE
WHAT IS SAKE
Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made of rice, water, Koji and yeast.
Although sake is known as "Japanese rice wine", it is quite different from wine. Rather, sake is brewed like beer (alcohol produced through fermentation of starches.)
However, sake is not quite like beer either, since the majority of sake is non-carbonated, and the alcohol content is much higher than beer.
Sake is unique, and it deserves its own category!
HISTORY OF SAKE
There are multiple theories on how sake was developed in Japan, but one theory suggests that sake production started soon after the arrival of rice cultivation in the third century
B.C. In ancient Japan, the Imperial court and large religious institutions controlled the sake production, and sake was used as sacred life water for rituals and festivals.
Even today, sake is deeply embedded in the Japanese culture, where most traditional ceremonies would not start without a sake toast.
Examples:
- A bride and groom exchange vows in a Shinto marriage ceremony with three consecutive sips of sake from a single cup.
- Kagami Biraki or the sake cask breaking ceremony is often seen at large celebrations such as construction groundbreakings and corporate gatherings.
JIZAKE - FINE ARTISAN SAKE
Jizake, literally meaning "local or regional sake", is a genre of sake produced by microbreweries, most often in remote countryside, which by geographic definition gives birth to a variety of interesting flavor characteristics not available through mass production. Many of these sake breweries continue to utilize their traditional methods of sake brewing, not opting for modern and more efficient technology. Current estimates show 50,000 labels being made by some 1,500 sake breweries in Japan, out of which seven are large-scale commercial breweries and another a couple of hundred medium size operations. The remaining 1,300 or so are considered small-scale Jizake breweries, where production relies on experienced skills of the Toji, the brew-master. Earning the Toji status not only requires years of experience brewing sake, but also management skills and pure dedication to refine his art. The best known regions for Jizake are concentrated in the areas with most suitable rice and water. Niigata, the rice growing capital of Japan is one, while Hiroshima is known to provide one of the most suitable waters. Fushimi and Nada, synonymous to California's Napa and Sonoma Valleys for wine making, are two of the best regions with ideal water conditions, and naturally house a high concentration of large scale sake breweries. This area is the old capital of Japan, today being the city of Kyoto, which is the cultural center of the finest in Japanese cuisine, thus the finest sake. BASIC INGREDIENTS OF SAKE
Rice |
Sake rice, or sakamai, is used exclusively for sake brewing, completely different from the rice consumed for food. Each sake rice variety yields a specific flavor profile. For example, Yamadanishiki is known for its fragrant and well-rounded character, and Gohyakumangoku is known to yield clean and light sake.
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Water |
Velvety smooth "soft" water to "hard" water like the famous miyamizu of Nada region is found in abundance throughout Japan. Among the minerals contained in water, there are both good and bad elements. Good elements: potassium, magnesium and phosphoric acid help vigorous yeast propagation and assist Koji development. Bad elements: Iron and manganese adversely affect the flavor, aroma and color of sake.
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Koji |
Koji is steamed rice that holds the cultivation of the Koji-kin mold. Koji-kin eats its way into the rice and breaks down the rice's long starch molecules into smaller glucose (sugar) molecules that later become food for the yeast. Unlike grapes that naturally ferment by adding yeast, the starch in sake rice must first be converted to sugar by Koji-kin before the fermentation can take place.
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Yeast |
Sake yeast converts sugar into alcohol, and it has a large effect on the aroma of sake. There are many strains of sake yeast, however, #9-yeast, with the ability to create wonderful fragrance, is probably the most commonly used sake yeast for Ginjo grade.
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Sake making season starts soon after the autumn rice harvest, and continues until spring. It takes approximately two months to produce a batch of fresh-pressed sake. After the liquid (sake) is separated from grain solids (lees) at the pressing stage, (nigori sake is created by using a coarse filter), carbon-filtration is used to inhibit coloring and aging of sake. (Some brewers skip this process). Sake is then heat-pasteurized to kill yeast and to stop enzyme action before being stored in the tank for up to 18 months until it reaches the optimal maturity. After the aging process, different tanks of sake are blended to achieve consistency. Following the second carbon-filtration, dilution, and heat-pasteurization processes, sake is finally bottled and shipped. There are exceptions, of course, and some breweries do things differently.
There are two major sake categories, each with four grades:
JUNMAI category:
- Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo, Tokubetsu Junmai and Junmai
- Junmai literally means "pure rice".
ARUTEN category:
- Daiginjo, Ginjo, Tokubetsu Honjozo and Honjozo
- Aruten literally means "alcohol added". In sake brewing, this is a category where less than 10% of brewer's alcohol in volume is added, usually to lighten the flavor and to accentuate the fragrance.
Sake is graded by "how much of the exterior of rice grain is removed (polished) before brewing begins". This has a huge effect on the quality and flavor profile of the finished product.
- In general, the more the rice is polished, the higher the grade of sake.
- Higher polished rice usually leads to a lighter, more complex flavor profile.
A higher polish rids the "impurities" (fats, proteins, amino acids), which reduces the chance of hangovers.
JUNMAI (pure) |
ARUTEN (alcohol fortified) |
Junmai Daiginjo - Super Premium
| 50%+ polish
( less than 50% remaining ) |
| very fragrant, clean, delicate and complex |
| lightly seasoned dishes |
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Daiginjo - Super Premium
| 50%+ polish
(less than 50% remaining) |
| very fragrant, clean, delicate and complex |
| lightly seasoned dishes |
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Junmai Ginjo - Premium
| 40%+ polish
( less than 60% remaining ) |
| smooth and floral |
| lightly seasoned dishes |
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Daiginjo - Super Premium
| 40%+ polish
( less than 60% remaining ) |
| smooth and floral |
| lightly seasoned dishes |
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Tokubetsu Junmai - Special Brew
| 40% polish
( less than 60% remaining ) |
| wide range of characters, more pronounced than Ginjo and Daiginjo. |
| wide variety of dishes |
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Tokubetsu Honjozo - Special Honjozo
| 40% polish
( less than 60% remaining ) |
| varies
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| varies |
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Junmai - Pure Brew
| no specific polish rate
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| wide range of characters, more pronounced than Ginjo and Daiginjo. |
| wide variety of dishes |
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Honjozo
| 30%+ polish
(less than 70% remaining) |
| varies
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| varies |
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FOOD PAIRING
Sake is truly a versatile beverage which suits many of the world's cuisine regardless of ingredients or the preparation method. In Japan, food takes back seat to sake, where small dishes are prepared to enhance the enjoyment of sake, and not the other way around, similar to the Spanish tapas concept. And similar to wine drinking, different sake would be served during the course of meal, from the delicate Daiginjo and Ginjo with light appetizers, to the fuller bodied Tokubetsu Junmai and Junmai with heavier fried and grilled dishes to fully enjoy the flavor combinations.
The following is a general food pairing guideline, grouped by serving occasions and exemplary dishes:
- DAIGINJO & GINJO with Appetizers
For the untainted palate at the start of a meal, delicate and light-bodied Daiginjo and Ginjo is the recommended starter sake. To best accompany the sake, simple and lightly flavored appetizers are most suitable as not to overpower the delicate flavor of sake.
Representative flavor characteristics of Daiginjo and Ginjo: fragrant, light-bodied, smooth, clean, refreshing, fruity to dry, with low to moderate acidity.
Complements unseasoned or lightly seasoned foods:
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fresh, steamed seafood | salads | simple chicken dishes |
smoked salmon | steamed vegetables | mild cheese |
steamed crab & lobster | Tofu | fruits |
broiled seafood | Soba noodles | |
fish & chips, calamari | light pasta dishes | |
Tempura | sandwiches | |
TOKUBETSU JUNMAI & JUNMAI with Entrees As meals progress with introduction of stronger seasonings and heavier textures, sake should also progress to offer more pronounced flavors and distinctive characters. The super to ultra dry sake can balance off dishes with heavier sauces and oils.
Representative flavor characteristics of Tokubetsu Junmai and Junmai: full bodied, robust, rich, and rounded bouquet.
Best matches stronger flavored dishes, rich to creamy:
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Sukiyaki | deep fried dishes | goat cheese |
Yakitori | cream & meat sauces | cheese |
spicy seasonings | BBQ ribs | |
clam chowder | Toro Sashimi, Uni | |
stews | teriyaki, Unagi | |
creamy sauces | steaks, BBQ | |
NIGORI SAKE & JAPANESE PLUM WINE as Aperitif & After Dinner Cordial SPECIALTY SAKE
- NIGORI SAKE - UNFILTERED SAKE
Unfiltered sake is a milky white, sweet brew. Although the term "unfiltered" is widely used, Nigori sake is actually coarsely filtered sake, leaving some of the fermented rice particles from the mash.
- Always serve chilled.
Food Pairing: great as aperitif and after dinner cordial; also complements spicy foods.
- NAMA SAKE - DRAFT, UNPASTEURIZED SAKE
- Unpasteurized sake "has a zing" and a fresh-lively character.
- Always serve chilled.
- Food Pairing: lightly seasoned dishes
- GENSHU - THE RAW, UNPROCESSED SAKE
While most sake is diluted with water for a more palatable brew, Genshu is not. Genshu literally means "unprocessed sake", and is the first pressed and raw sake, reaching upwards of 20% alcohol.
- TARU SAKE - THE CEDAR CASK SAKE
Aged for some time in a cedar cask, Taru sake is infused with a pleasantly refreshing cedar aroma.
Always serve chilled.
Food Pairing: steamed or broiled seafood, broiled vegetables, steamed or broiled chicken, especially Yakitori, light pasta.
- KOSHU - AGED SAKE
From the aging process of more than three years, Koshu adapts a spicy, smoky and even an earthy tone. Its initial sharp impact connotes flavors of distilled liquor rather than a wine. Due to its long aging period, most aged sake take on a golden hue.
Food Pairing: best matches stronger flavored dishes, richly seasoned.
- KIMOTO - TRADITIONAL BREWING METHOD
Kimoto is the traditional method of sake brewing process in use for at least 300 years. Most of today's sake breweries add commercially-available lactic acid to the mash to control the growth of harmful bacteria. In the Kimoto method, however, the sake mash is hand-churned for at least a four weeks' period to induce and to control the growth of natural acting lactic acid bacteria.
- YAMAHAI - TRADITIONAL BREWING METHOD
It is the simplified version of Kimoto brewing method introduced in the early 1900's. Yamaoroshi process of hand-churning the mash for weeks was haishisareta, or eliminated, thus adapted the Yamahai method. The mash is carefully monitored and controlled by the brew-master to create the ideal condition. Sake brewed by the Kimoto and Yamahai method tends to have higher acidity level.
- MUROKA - NO CARBON FILTRATION
Muroka literally means "unfiltered", but this term is used to describe sake that has not been exposed to the carbon filtration process. It is different from Nigori, the unfiltered sake. The carbon filtration process makes sake clean and clearer, however, some breweries believe that it also reduces the favorable characteristics in the process.
- INFUSED SAKE
Sake is infused with other ingredients, such as fruits. One example is: Japanese Ume plum wine.
Japanese Ume Plum Wine & Ume Sake
A majority of plum wine sold in the American market is either sake or white wine based. The Ume plum is unique to Japan, a kin to the apricot family, with a distinctive flavor. Historically, Ume is purported to hold mysterious medicinal properties.
JIZAKE - MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Nihonshu-do or Sake Meter Value (SMV)? -
It generalizes the sweetness/dryness of sake using the scientific ratio of sugar versus alcohol. In reality, it is simply the density of sake compared to the density of water. The higher the number, the drier the sake. Mutual Trading's highest is +14.0 (Otokoyama Tokubetsu Junmai) and ranges to the lowest at -20.0 (Shochikubai Nigori Silky Mild). When two different sakes have the same SMV, the one with higher acidity level will taste drier, because higher acidity level suppresses the fruity flavor sensation by its dry, snappy character.
What is the alcohol content of sake? -
On average, between 14% to 17%, a tad higher than wine.
What is the shelf life of sake? -
In general, an unopened bottle of sake is good up to one year when kept in a cool dark place, preferably refrigerated. Once opened, unused portions should be stored under refrigeration and finished within a couple of days. Treat all sakes like fine wines!
The exception is the Koshu, aged sake.
Shouldn't sake be served hot? -
Heating sake is an individual preference.
Daiginjo and Ginjo are usually served slightly chilled at around 50 degrees F to fully enjoy the delicate flavor nuances and aroma, which would otherwise be compromised through heating.
Tokubetsu Junmai, Junmai, some Honjozo and most sake brewed in Yamahai method can be served slightly warm or at room temperature. If served warm, sake should only be heated to a slight lukewarm and never to the boiling point.
What is the proper way of serving Sake? -
Although there are no particular rules in serving chilled or warm sake, chilled sake is commonly served in small glasses, often clear in color, to accentuate its pure qualities. In traditional settings you may see them in wooden or lacquered boxes which sit on a shallow saucer, where a server would pour to spill over the box as a gesture of generosity.
When serving warm, sake is poured into small earthenware or porcelain decanters called Tokkuri or Ochoshi, and placed into a bath of warm water until heated to 100 to 120 degrees. To serve, small sake cups called Sakazuki are used, and often times with the junior person pouring for the seniors first, then vice versa.
Why is Jizake so expensive? -
Contrary to what many may think, the high price is not due to transport nor import duty fees. Rather, the primary reason stems from the high prices associated with the sake rice ingredient. Quality sakamai is grown only in limited regions of Japan, is difficult to cultivate, has a small yield, and is sold at a premium. When brewing Daiginjo, more than 50% of the precious ingredient is polished away, doubling the cost of the ingredient. For a bottle of 1.8 liter Daiginjo, over 3.5 pounds of premium sakamai is used.
To maintain its high quality, Jizake requires small batch production. Hand brewing methods over long hours by skilled and seasoned staff go into creating the best Jizake.
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