The Various Grades of Sake

Here are the main sake types and their flavor profiles, plus several common sake terms that will help you to understand what kind of sake you are tasting or buying, and help you determine your own likes and dislikes.

There are four basic types of sake, and each requires a different brewing method. Naturally, there are other special brewing techniques that are less common, but the four basic sake types are:

1. Junmai-shu (rice only; no adding of distilled alcohol)
2. Honjozo-shu (a tad of distilled alcohol is added)
3. Ginjo-shu (highly milled rice, with or without alcohol added)
4. Daiginjo-shu (even more highly milled rice, with/without added alcohol)
5. Nama-zake (refers to sake that is NOT pasteurized) and basically is mutually independent of the above four (Read in great depth about nama-zake here.)

These four combine to form what is known as Special Designation Sake, or “Tokutei Meishoshu.” Each of these has a general flavor profile based on the brewing methods employed. However, there is a whole lot of overlap between them. Very very often one cannot tell which type one is drinking,for some of these sake taste above their class (or just different) and others don’t live up to the billing (or are just different). So many things come into play — rice, water, skill of brewers — that it is next to impossible to isolate how a sake will taste based on which “type” it is, nor to fault it when it doesn’t fit the mold. Nonetheless, generalities can be useful. So enough with the disclaimers and let’s move on to our definitions:

Text Definitions

Junmai-shu: This can be translated as pure rice sake. Nothing is used in its production except rice, water, and koji, the magical mold that converts the starch in the rice into fermentable and non-fermentable sugars. Junmai-shu is made with rice that has been polished (milled) so that at least 30% of the outer portion of each rice grain has been ground away. The taste of junmai-shu is usually a bit heavier and fuller than other types, and the acidity is often a touch higher as well. Click here for flavor profile and further details on junmai.

Honjozo-shu: Honjozo is sake to which a very small amount of distilled ethyl alcohol (called brewers alcohol) has been added to the fermenting sake at the final stages of production. (Water is added later, so that the overall alcohol content does not change.) Honjozo, like Junmai-shu, is made with rice that has been polished (milled) so that at least 30% of the outer portion of each rice grain has been ground away. This, plus the addition of distilled alcohol, makes the sake lighter, sometimes a bit drier, and in the opinion of many, easier to drink. It also makes the fragrance of the sake more prominent. Honjozo often makes a good candidate for warm sake. Note that most run-of-the-mill cheap sake has an excessive amount of brewers alcohol added to it, which is not good. Honjozo has only a very small amount of added alcohol. Click here for flavor profile and further details on honjozo.

Ginjo-shu: This is sake made with rice that has been polished (milled) so that no more than 60% of its original size remains. In other words, at least the outer 40% has been ground away. This removes things like fats and proteins and other things that impede fermentation and cause off-flavors. But that is only the beginning: ginjo-shu is made in a very labor intensive way, fermented at colder temperatures for a longer period of time. The flavor is more complex and delicate, and both the flavor and the fragrance are often (but not always) fruity and flowery. Click here for flavor profile and further details on ginjo-shu.

Daiginjo-shu: Daiginjo-shu is ginjo-shu made with rice polished even more, so that no more than 50% of the original size of the grain remains. Some daiginjo is made with rice polished to as far as 35%, so that 65% is ground away before brewing. Daiginjo is made in even more painstaking ways, with even more labor intensive steps. Click here for flavor profile and further details on daiginjo-shu.

Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo: Some ginjo-shu and daiginjo-shu are also junmai-shu. So a junmai ginjo-shu is a ginjo-shu with no added ethyl alcohol. If a ginjo or daiginjo is not labeled junmai, then the added alcohol is limited to the same small amounts as honjozo.

Namazake: Namazake is sake that has not been pasteurized. It should be stored cold, or the flavor and clarity could suffer. Namazake has a fresh, lively touch to the flavor. All types of sake (junmaishu, honjozo, ginjo-shu, and daiginjo-shu) can be namazake, or not. For more detailed information on nama-zake, go here.

Flavor Profiles

Honjozo-shu taste profile

Honjozo is sake wherein a small amount of distilled pure alcohol is added to smoothen and lighten the flavor, and to make the sake a bit more fragrant. Honjozo-shu, like Junmai-shu, must be made with rice with a Seimai Buai (degree of milling) of at least 70%. This is the number you will see on the label (if it is given at all), but what it means is that the rice has been polished so that no more than 70% of the original size of the grains remains. In other words, at least 30% of the outer portion of each rice grain has been ground away. Honjozo sake is often a bit lighter than other sake, due to the small amount of grain alcohol added at the end of the ferment. Remember that this is not a bad thing, in moderation, and brewers have been doing it for hundreds of years. It is NOT simply a cost cutting measure when used within the limits prescribed by honjozo. The flavor is lighter, and magically the fragrance becomes much more prominent. Below is a typical honjozo sake.

John’s Flavor Profile – Honjozo-shu

Honjozo-shu in details

For centuries, adding distilled pure alcohol to sake just as it completes its fermentation has been a part of the brewers’ art. Often, it is used to “cut” the sake and get more yield out of a single batch. However, when a sake is labeled “honjozo,” it means that the amount of sake is very limited, like to 120 liters per metric ton of rice used. The term honjozo indirectly means “the original brewing method,” and indicates that this is the proper way to use such added alcohol, as opposed to tossing in copious amounts, dropping the price, dulling the flavor, and lowering the hangover threshold.

This will not increase the yield much if at all. But honjozo sake is often a bit drier, lower in acidity, less cloying and fragrant than pure sake (see junmaishu). Note that premium “ginjo” sake in Japan is automatically limited to this small amount of added alcohol. In other words, you can have junmai ginjo and honjozo ginjo, but the latter is not referred to as honjo ginjo, only ginjo. That alone distinguishes if from junmai ginjo. Ginjo means sake brewed with rice milled so that no more than 60% of the grain remains. Confused?

At present, any sake that is not junmai (i.e., any sake with any added distilled alcohol at all) is taxed by the US at distilled beverage rates, making it unfeasible to import and distribute it. This will hopefully change in the not-too-distant future, allowing more premium sake into the US.

Junmai-shu taste profile

Junmaishu refers to pure sake, pure in the sense that no adjuncts (starches or sugars other than rice added to the fermenting mixture) were used, and that no brewer’s alcohol was added either. Junmai-shu, like Honzojo-shu, must be made with rice with a Seimai Buai (degree of milling) of at least 70%. This is the number you will see on the label (if it is given at all), but what it means is that the rice has been polished so that no more than 70% of the original size of the grains remains. In other words, at least 30% of the outer portion of each rice grain has been ground away. Junmai often has a fuller, richer body and a higher-than-average acidity. The nose is often not as prominent as other types of sake, nor are other parameters dependent on whether a sake is a junmai or not. Here is a typical junmai-shu flavor profile.

John’s Flavor Profile – Junmai-shu

Junmai-shu in detail

The product is nothing more than a straight fermentation of rice with the help of koji-kin (a starch-dissolving mold). Junmaishu is similar in concept to beer made according to German beer regulations, which allow nothing but malted barley, hops and water to be used. Sake that does not have the word junmaishu on the label will usually have brewer’s alcohol added (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you, if done sparingly), as well as (in lower grade stuff) sugars, artificial flavorings, acid-based additives, and a whole host of other cost-saving, hangover-promoting nastiest. Do keep this in mind though — the idea that real sake drinkers drink only junmaishu is a fallacy. It is not necessarily what everyone prefers, nor does it imply that everything else is rotgut. Not by any stretch. Junmaishu generally is a tad more full and heavy in flavor than other types, and often the acidity is slightly higher as well. It is often a good choice for matching with food, as it makes its presence known a bit more assertively than lighter sake.

Ginjo-shu taste profile

Ginjo sake is much more delicate and light and complex than the above two. Why? The rice has had the outer 40% of the grains polished away, leaving the inner 60% left. This is opposed to leaving 70% for junnmai and honjozo. On top of that, special yeast, lower fermentation temperatures, and labor-intensive techniques make for fragrant, intricate brews. Here is a typical ginjo chart.

John’s Flavor Profile – Ginjo-shu

Daiginjo-shu taste profile

Finally, there is daiginjo. This is fundamentally speaking an extension of daiginjo. The rice has been milled so that no more than 50% of the original size of the grains remains, although this often goes to 35%, and even more care has been taken to create sake representative of the pinnacle of the craft. Although there is a range of styles of daiginjo, and not all look like the chart below, here is a somewhat typical example.

John’s Flavor Profile – Daiginjo-shu

Other Important Sake Terms

Nigori-zake: Sake that is unfiltered.
Seishu Seishu: The legal name for sake, differentiating it from other alcoholic beverages.
Futsuu-shu: Any sake that is not junmai-shu, honjozo, ginjo-shu or daiginjo.
Jizake Jizake: Vague term that usually means sake from smaller breweries out in the boonies; sake that is not mass-produced.

Seimai Buai (or Rice Milling)

Junmai-shu and Honjozo-shu must be made with rice with a Seimai Buai (degree of milling) of at least 70%. This is the number you will see on the label (if it is given at all), but what it means is that the rice has been polished so that no more than 70% of the original size of the grains remains. In other words, at least 30% of the outer portion of each rice grain has been ground away.

Ginjo-shu, whether Junmai Ginjo-sho or non-Junmai Ginjo (usually called aru-ten ginjo, one does not say Honjo Ginjo) must have a Seimai Buai of at least 60%, meaning that the outer 40% or more has been polished away.

Daiginjo and Junmai Daiginjo (same phraseology rules apply here) must be made with rice with a Seimai Buai of 50% or more, meaning at least the outer half has been ground away. Often, Daiginjo goes as far as a 35% Seimai Buai.

What happens to the powder (called nuka) that is ground away? It is often used in Japanese-style cakes, for livestock feed, and can also be fermented and distilled elsewhere in a separate process. Nothing is wasted.

Remember, adding alcohol does not make a sake lower grade; it is part of one manner of brewing that produces specific results (like lighter, more fragrant sake with a more robust structure and perhaps longer shelf life). There are junmai purists, but there are those who feel adding alcohol is the correct way to brew, as is indicated in old brewing texts. Avoid the hype!

SAKE CONFIDENTAL 

Interested in learning more about sake?

Check out my book “Sake Confidential” on Amazon.

Sake Confidential is the perfect FAQ for beginners, experts, and sommeliers.

Indexed for easy reference with suggested brands and label photos. Includes:

• Sake Secrets: junmai vs. non-junmai, namazake, aging, dry vs. sweet, ginjo, warm vs. chilled, nigori, water, yeast, rice, regionality
• How the Industry Really Works: pricing, contests, distribution, glassware, milling, food pairing
• The Brewer’s Art Revealed: koji-making, brewers’ guilds, grading

SAKE INDUSTRY NEWS

If you are interested in staying up to date with what is happening within the Sake Industry and also information on more advanced Sake topics then Sake Industry News is just for you!

Sake Industry News is a paid subscription newsletter that is sent on the first and 15th of each month. Get news from the sake industry in Japan – including trends, business news, changes and developments, and technical information on sake types and production methods that are well beyond the basics – sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here today! 

Each issue will consist of four or five short stories culled from public news sources about the sake industry in Japan, as well as one or more slightly longer stories and observations by myself on trends, new developments, or changes within the sake industry in Japan.

Sake links

eSake.com

John Gauntner is a founding member of www.esake.com, an online web service devoted to bringing premium Japanese sake to the USA market and elsewhere. Premium Japanese sake is now being sold in 45 states in the USA.

Sake in Europe

Foodex in France sells great sake online!  Check it out:
www.sakebar.fr/content/12-trouver-sake

Koji Spores for Home Brewing

www.kagi.com/vision/sake
Also, koji spores (as opposed to completed koji) are also available from Vision Brewing in Australia. According to proprietor Brendan Tibbs, the product is available online for
anyone, and is particularly suitable to the home brewer. Contact him at Vision Brewing (see above link).

Sake Breweries in Japan

www.sphere.ad.jp/izmibasi/eng/enghome.html
Sake Home Page of Izumibashi Co. Ltd. Izumibashi is a Sake  brewery in   Japan founded in 1857. Information includes how to drink sake, kinds of sake, and sake brewing methods.

www.pjnet.com/harasho/index1.html
Harasho brewery is located in the City of Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture. Site includes
general history and information about brewery.

www.sake.com
Sake Home Page featuring Tamanohikari Sake.

 Sake Breweries in the USA

www.hakusan.com
Hakusan Sake Brewery located in Napa Valley California.

www.sakeone.com
SakeOne has premium sake breweries in Momoishi (located in Aomori  prefecture in
northern Japan) and Forest Grove, Oregon. This site offers online USA sales of premium sake.

 Other Food and Sake-Related Sites

(Food, Culture, Business, Societies, even some Wine)

www.chadoteahouse.com
Chado Tea House – premium grade Japanese green
teas online

Steamykitchen.com. Modern Asian cooking and delicious recipes by food writer and
television chef, Jaden Hair. Her site has a special section devoted entirely to Japanese sake and food.

www.sakediscoveries.com/
SakeDiscoveries.com. By Chizuko Niikawa-Helton. A wealth of information
on Japanese sake, sake events, and restaurants serving sake. Chizuko originally hails
from Aikita Prefecture. She is involved with promoting sake around the world and
runs her own sake consulting business.

www.saijosake.com
Learn all about the sake of Saijo in Hiroshima Prefecture, one of the most important brewing regions in the country.

www.taylor-madeak.org.

Brew it at home! Or at least give it a shot. This site, and this guy, Bob Taylor, show you how with recipes and instructions. Great site!

www.e-yakimono.net
One-of-a-kind web resource covering Japanese ceramic scene
, including guinomi and tokkuri sake vessels. Run by pottery expert Robert Yellin, this site boasts hundreds of articles, thousands of photos, and anonline eStore for purchasing fine
Japanese ceramics.

http://www.ozaru.freeserve.co.uk/weizen/weizenweb.htm
All you need to know about weizenbier from beer expert, linguist, martial artist and all-around fascinating guy Ben Jones.

www.bishu-honpo.com
Bishu Honpo is a varied and excellent source of information about sake in both Japanese and English, with updates daily. Very much worth checking out.

www.japanese-gourmet.com
This new site is a great reference resource to people interested  in Japanese foods,
beverages and related products. It also provides listings of  Japanese restaurants in various states.

www.bento.com/tokyofood.html
This site is packed with information on dining in Tokyo and other excellent links to Japanese food and drink resources on the web.

www.sushiran.com
This website features information on the Bay Area’s Sushi Ran restaurant. The restaurant serves a wide variety of chilled premium sake.

www.freshwasabi.com
Wasabi Pacific is the largest grower of fresh wasabi in North America. Fresh wasabi is shipped daily direct from the growers  in Oregon. Learn about fresh wasabi, order online,
try recipes, and learn the difference  between powdered and tubed wasabi and the real thing.

www.japansociety.org
The Japan Society is New York’s leading cultural and intellectual resource on Japan.

www.media-akita.or.jp/akita-sake/akita-sakeE.html
Information and history of sake brewing in Japan’s Akita Prefecture.

www.geocities.com/shamusan/sake.html
An introduction to sake and how to brew it. Includes a glossary of terms,  short history of sake making, homebrewing information, and some recipes.

brewery.org/brewery/library/sake_MH0796.html
Information on brewing sake at home by Mitsuo Hoshida.

www.suihitsu.co.jp/eng/lecture/sake/sake.html
Sake Dictionary. There are only two ways to discover a truly great sake. One way is to drink every sake you can find. The other is to accumulate  knowledge. Here we present
the  techniques used in the preparation of  sake, the history of sake, terminology such as “sakabayashi” that we’d  like you to know, and some interesting stories about sake in
general.

www.suihitsu.co.jp/eng/brands/brands.html
Top 25 Sake Brands of Isaka Yasuhiro, President of Isaka Shoten.

www.spagnols.com/handouts/sake.htm
How to make sake by Fred Ekhardt.

www.zutto.com
A Japanese restaurant in New York with information on sake and links to other sites.

www.novusvinum.com
Here, wine fanciers can find tasting notes and information about boutique wineries  worldwide.

www.gwjapan.org/sakenet/sakelink.html
Provides a mega-index to English and Japanese sake sites on the web.

www.joyofsake.com
Information about sake rice, brewing techniques, food, and  sake in general.

www.bairdbeer.com
Although this site has nothing to do with sake, it is home to Baird Beer, a wonderful maker of speciality beer based in Numazu, Japan. Online eStore sells five regular Baird beers. It doesn’t get
any better than this.

www.futureimplications.com
Japanese translators UK London England

http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/
Japanese Lifestyle. Japanese culture  including kimono, fashion, food, restaurants,
recipes, Japan pictures  and travel.

www.asianfoodgrocer.com
AsianFoodGrocer.com is a thorough resource for all kinds of Asian food
products, including candy, tea, noodles, drinks, snacks, and lots more.  We
also have recipe books and a lot of other items in tune with broadening the
reach of the cultural appeal of Asian foods, including – you guessed it – sake
glasses, sake flavored food, and more.

vineconnections.com
Importers of a line of 12 brewers’ super premium sake into the US, and a range of wonderful Argentine wine to boot.

truesake.com
America’s first sake-only store opened in San Francisco in 2003. True Sake carries more than 90 unique sake from various Japanese prefectures. In San Francisco.

www.sakenomi.us
The second sake-only retailer in the US, and you can drink it here too! In Seattle.

Sushi and Japanese Market.com

Online store selling authentic Japanese dinnerware, cookware and gourmet ingredients. Also offers sushi kits and sushi equipment.

SunnyPages.jp

Discover cool and traditional Tokyo spots that you can’t find in travel guidebooks! We are a social networking word-of-mouth review web site aimed at foreign residents and
visitors to Tokyo as well as Japanese who are interested in foreign culture/people.

Fermentation: A Closer Look at How Wine, Beer and Other Alcohols are Made

Allaboutsushiguide.com Everything you need or want to know about sushi, for beginners through experts!.

GENERAL INTEREST, JAPAN-RELATED SITES

My web consultant, Mark Schumacher, is involved as web master for various Japan-related sites, which are presented below.

• www.travel-around-japan.com Sightseeing spots in Japan, tips on staying in Japan,  Japanese food, Japanese culture and more.
• Onmarkproductions.com. Homepage of Mark Schumacher.
• JapanesePottery.com. Online store featuring pottery from Japan’s finest kilns.
• TeaCeramics.com. Homepage of American potter Richard Milgrim.
• Shizuokatea.com. Online store selling premium Japanese green tea.
• Mukune.com. Homepage of Sakahan Brewery in Osaka, Japan.
• BuddhasRobeIsSewn.org. A history of the robe and its meaning.
• HokubeiShihankai.org. Japanese Karate Masters Association of America.
• Mingeikan.or.jp. The Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Tokyo.
• EternalSpringTours.com. Study Taoist Yoga in China with Taoist Masters.
• TaoYoga.jp. Taoist Yoga and Qigong classes in Kamakura, Japan
• www.thesoulofjapan.blogspot.com A Japan-based blog highlighting hotsprings, sake, food and nature.

OnmarkProductions is also home to the popular A-to-Z Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhist Sculpture, and the creator of Buddhist-Artwork.com,
the latter selling quality hand-carved wooden statues of Buddhist deities.

OTHER GENERAL-INTEREST SITES

Hotels in Japan. Going to Japan to visit sake breweries?
Need a hotel in the Tokyo area?
Try this great site: www.tokyohotelbookings.com

Get a free copy of The Sake Dictionary pdf format!

A downloadable pdf version of the Sake Dictionary is available for free with the purchase of any of the products below. To claim your copy, after your purchase send an email to johngauntner@sake-world.com . After verifying your purchase, we will send you a pdf version of The Sake Dictionary. Act now, as the offer is limited.

Products

The Sake Notebook & Sake Slideshow Package

Price: $9.99

Less than two glasses of sake!

Description

Purchase the Sake Notebook and the Sake Production Slideshow together, and save $5 dollars. Guaranteed to send your sake knowledge and appreciation to new heights.

Product details

• Sake Notebook, 14-page Adobe PDF File (details below)
• Sake Slideshow, 15 minutes, 132 photos, Commentary, Music (details below)
• Instant Download
• Date Added: June 21, 2011
• File Formats: Adobe PDF and Power Point
• File Size: 45 MB
• Copyright: John Gauntner

The Sake Notebook

Price: $5.99

Less than a glass of sake!

Description

The basics of sake in a 14-page, easily digestible, very practical format that includes a list of 250 recommendable sake, and provides enough education on all things sake to fuel your study, appreciation and enjoyment of sake for years to come.

Product details

• Instant Download
• Date Added: June 21, 2011
• File Format: Adobe PDF
• File Size: 3.5 MB
• Copyright: John Gauntner

Sake Production Slideshow – 130+ images with English notes

Price: $5.99

Less than a glass of sake!

Description

A 15-minute, gorgeously presented slideshow of the sake production process, indicating every step from rice production and milling to rice cleaning and steaming to koji propagation to yeast starter to mash to bottling — all done in traditional old breweries in Japan. An indispensable help to those seeking to understand sake production visually. Created by John Gauntner.

Product details

• Instant Download
• Date Added: June 21, 2011
• File Format: Power Point
• File Size: 41 MB
• Duration: About 15 minutes
• Content: 132 photos, music, English subtitles
• Copyright: John Gauntner

Instructions

Extract all the ZIP files by right-clicking on the file and selecting “Extract all”, then follow the “wizard.”

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Q1: What is sake? Is it a beer? Is it a wine? Is it a spirit?

Sake is a beverage fermented from rice, which is a grain. This would make it more of a beer than a wine. Yet, sake is not carbonated, and flavor-wise is closer to wine than beer, although it is indeed uniquely different from wine. Sake is not a distilled beverage, and is not even remotely related to gin, vodka or other spirits.

Q2: What is the alcohol content of sake?

Sake is generally between 15% and 17% alcohol.

Q3: How long does it take to brew sake?

Basically about a month. It can be a bit longer for ginjo-shu, including all the steps. Also, this does not include the ( usually) six-month period sake is “aged” before release.

Q4: Is sake aged like wine ? Is there such a thing as “vintage” sake?

In general, sake is not aged (beyond the six month period mentioned), and is meant to be consumed soon after purchase. If kept cold and dark, it will last six months to a year without degradation in flavor. There are exceptions, as some sake is deliberately aged. There is no such thing as a vintage year in the sake world. Be sure, then, to notice the bottling date on the label. If the sake was brewed in Japan, note that the year 10 (for Heisei 10) is 1998. So a sake with 9.4.23 would have been bottled on April 23, 1997. Avoid! Try to buy a sake bottled within the last year, at least. If you found it refrigerated, take one more sigh of relief. If not, it may not be totally fresh.

Q5: How should sake be stored?

Sake should be stored away from light and kept cool. Refrigeration is best, although not absolutely necessary unless the sake has not been pasteurized.

Q6: Is sake better than other alcoholic beverages for your health?

Beyond the normal pros and cons of alcohol consumption, note that sake is free from sulfites. It is also light and comparatively free of hangover-causing congeners. Premium sake is free from additives and preservatives.

Q7: How many types of sake are there?

From a production point of view, there are five basic types (see Types of Sake for details). Note that there are several other less-common types as well.

Q8: What are some good brands you can recommend?

How much time do you have? The best thing to do is to see John Gauntner’s Top 100 Sake Picks on his Sake World homepage.

Q9: What price range should I expect?

First of all, where are you? Although the sky’s the limit, more expensive (= better = more desirable) is definitely NOT the case. Good sake is not cheap, but it doesn’t need to be excessively priced. If you are in Japan, 2500 to 5000 yen for a 1.8 liter bottle, or 1200 to 2500 for a 720ml bottle, is a good range. In the US, that might come out to $35 to $70 for a 1.8 liter bottle, or $18 to $37. Unfortunately the price about doubles when it gets imported and goes through the system. Naturally, there is some fine US-produced sake for about half the above prices that are great values.

Q10: How can one tell a good sake from a bad sake?

If you do not have a chance to taste it, begin by trying to buy something with the words Junmai-shu, or Honjozo-shu, or Ginjo-shu or Daiginjo-shu on it. If you do have the chance to taste it, look for balance. Nothing should be cloying or pushy in the flavor profile. A sake can be quite dry or quite sweet and still be in balance. If it is lethargic and/or dull, and cloyingly sweet or gratingly harsh, avoid it. (Unless you like it that way!)

Q11: What is the proper color for sake?

Sake is generally almost transparent, which is often due to filtering at the kura (brewery) before shipping. This can be excessive at times, stripping a sake of its character. Often a sake has a light amber or gold color to it. This is often the case in full-flavored sake. This can be quite pleasant and add a new dimension to the sake experience. Beware: if a sake has been left in the light or allowed to age, it will turn a darker color, almost a lusterless brown. Sake that has degraded to this level is best avoided.

Q12: How many sake brands, or labels, are there?

There are about 1800 sake breweries (called kura in Japanese) in Japan, a number which is sharply decreasing each year. So there are 1700 brands, but most kura make several grades or types of sake, which are significantly different. So there are likely as many as 10,000 different sake among these breweries. In the US, there are presently seven breweries, most of which make more than one product.

Q13: How does US-brewed sake stand up to sake from Japan?

The breweries in Japan have a 1000 year head start, not only in terms of brewers and craftsmen, but in terms of special rice that makes great sake. It is understandably a richer and more diverse world, and the sake reflects that. There is good sake and bad sake being brewed in the US — just as there is in Japan. While in general the sake from Japan (assuming it has been cared for properly) is more flavorful, alive and character-laden, there is plenty of very drinkable sake being brewed in the US. Plenty. Also, as the cost of raw materials is significantly less in the US, sake brewed in the US can present quite a value to the consumer.

Q14: What is koji?

Koji is steamed rice onto which koji-kin (which means koji mold) has been cultivated. This mold is known in English as Aspergillus Oryzae. It is used in sake brewing to break down the starch molecules into sugar molecules that can be used as food by the yeast cells. Since rice is milled, there is no husk and therefore no enzymes, so malting (as in beer brewing) is not possible. Koji provides those enzymes to create the sugars for fermentation. This cultivation of koji-kin mold onto steamed rice to create koji itself is the heart of the sake brewing process.

Q15: Where can I get good sake near me?

Stay tuned to the Sake Pubs and Restaurants pages for detailed information on which restaurants near you carry premium sake.

Q16: What is the nihonshu-do, or Sake Meter Value?

This is a measure of the density of the sake relative to water. It is a very general reference to the sweetness or dryness of a sake. Note, however, that acid content and water hardness and temperature and other factors also contribute a great deal to the concept of sweet and dry.

Q17: What is the ideal temperature for serving sake?

In spite of the words of the venerable James Bond, most decent sake tastes best slightly chilled. In short, there is no one ideal serving temperature, but cool to chilled brings our the best in most good sake, with subtle differences presenting themselves at each temperature range. A lot of good sake goes well warmed, but not too hot! Piping hot sake is a carryover from decades ago when sake was not at the level it is now, and heating it was the best way to go. Times have changed, but in Japan as well as in the US, a lot of cheap sake is served very hot.

Q18: Can sake be served with food like wine is?

Absolutely. Naturally, this calls for experimentation, but in general sake is a wonderful accompaniment to fish and other light dishes. Also, premium sake also does well with strong or curiously flavored snacks taken in small morsels.

Q19: Are different kinds of rice used to brew sake, as grapes are for wine?

Yes, indeed. There are about 65 varieties of rice designated as sake rice, and naturally some are more prized than others. Like grapes, different rice strains grow best in particular regions. Some famous examples are Yamada Nishiki, Gohyaku Mangoku and Omachi.

Q20. Warming Sake. If you do not recommend heating Premium Sake, then can you recommend a fine sake that WILL heat well for our customers who wish it warm/hot?

I heartily recommend Kamo no Izumi and Sake Hitosuji, both of which are in the US, for gentle warming. See the archived newsletters for more such recommendations. Also, you are opening a Pandora’s Box here, as there is no simple answer to your question. It is all about personal preference, but more often the sake that is suited to gentle warming is earthier, richer and less fruity. Often the brewer will recommend this on the label, but more often you need to trust your tasting experience and preferences.

Q21. Where can I buy kasu (sake lees), or learn kasu recipes?

Outside Japan, we are unsure where you can buy sake lees, or kasu, but you might try both searching the net for sake “kasu” and shopping at Japanese grocery stores (if there are any near your location).

Q22. Where can I find sake with a snake in the bottle?

That is not sake. It is called “habu-shu” and is not available in the US. I believe customs will not let it in, something to do with a dead snake in the bottom of the bottle. By the way , it is made with Awamori, a strong distilled Okinawan beverage, not sake.

Q23. What should I do with my old sake? Is it drinkable? Does it get better with age?

Try it at least but do not have expectations. Sake does not age well, it was not really meant to be aged.

Q24. Where can I buy a nice tokkuri and guinomi sake set?

Japanese pottery guru Robert Yellin offers numerous articles and photos on tokkuri and guinomi, and his online gallery sells them. Please visit JapanesePottery.com, then use the estore search feature to find sake flasks or cups. Our site, eSake.com, offers a review of the various vessels used for drinking and pouring sake.

Q25. Could you identify this old bottle of sake I found in the basement of my grandfather?

No, unfortunately, I do not do appraisals for free.

Q26. Where can I buy KOJI?

One major producer is Akita Konno Shoten, but they do not have a site, or ship overseas that I know of. Try the below contact: Recently, several brewers are experimenting with koji obtained from SakeOne Corporation in Oregon, with apparently significantly improved results. This koji can be purchased from F.H. Steinbarts for about $8.00 for a 2.5 lb. Batch. For more information call Steinbarts, at 503-232-8793. Also, koji spores (as opposed to completed koji) are also available from Vision Brewing in Australia. According to proprietor Brendan Tibbs, the product is available online for anyone, and is particularly suitable to the home brewer.

Q27. Where Can I Learn More About Home-Brewing Sake?

If you have even a passing interest in brewing sake at home, you must check out The Sake Digest, a mailing list on sake home brewing maintained by Jim Liddil at jliddil@vms.arizona.edu. On this list, issues both stylistic and technical, detailed and general, are discussed by enthusiastic and knowledgeable home brewers. Fred Eckhardt, easily the most experienced sake home-brewer in North America, regularly generously imparts his experience and wisdom to readers. A message is generated perhaps twice a week, so one in not inundated with information and countless emails. It is quite interesting to follow along with the apparently successful efforts of these brewers from a cyber-distance.

Q28. Where Can I Buy Organic Sake?

Not sure where to buy it but about 15 Japanese companies sell organic sake and one is Yuki no Bosha, which a Google search should bring up. It is in Akita Prefecture, Japan. They do export it to the US. Another is Dewatsuru. And recently it is being produced by SakeOne in Oregon, USA.

Q29. If I host a sake tasting party, and I intend to serve various different sake, how can one “clear the palate” between tastes?

First, get buckets to spit into. Most professional tasters do not DRINK the sake; they pour just a little into their tasting cup (any type of guinomi will do), sniff it carefully, then sip it, swirl it around in their mouth, then spit it out into the bucket. Then they write their tasting notes. Second, have plenty of bottled water available. In between tasting different sake, many professional tasters simply drink water to cleanse their palette.

Q30. Vegetarian Sake. As a sake lover and a new vegan, I need to find sakes that do not use any animal product in their brewing and refining. Can you give me any information on how to double check a sake as “vegan-friendly?”

Most sake does not use gelatin finings, although we cannot determine what does and what does not, and there is no way to know from the label. Powdered active charcoal is used for fining of most Japanese sake . This is made from (as far as we know) wood and plants, but we cannot be sure about all stuff at all places. Sake called “muroka” is unfiltered and unfined so that would be a safe bet.

Q31. What is the sugar content of sake, and how many calories are there in a typical serving of sake?

There are between 180 and 240 calories, or 20 to 27 grams of carbohydrates, in 5.5 oz glass of sake. Protein and fat are negligible. During the brewing of sake, the yeast cells eat the natural sugar created by the starches in the rice and give off alcohol and carbon dioxide. The starch-to-sugar conversion, and the fermentation of that sugar, take place simultaneously in the same tank. This makes sake unique; in other beverages the conversion to sugar occurs first, and fermentation later. Also, another important parameter to be aware of is the Nihonshu-do. Also called the Sake Meter Value (abbreviated SMV) in English, this is the specific gravity of a sake. It indicates how much of the sugars created from the starches in the rice were converted to alcohol, and how much remained to contribute to sweetness. By ancient convention, the higher the number, the drier the sake. What is the range? In theory, it is open-ended. In practice, + 10 or so is quite dry, -4 or so is quite sweet, and +3 or so is neutral. Keep in mind this parameter is affected by acidity, temperature, accompanying food, and a host of other factors so that it is limited in its usefulness.

Any other questions? Please contact John.

Here is a visual representation of the grades of sake. The higher levels represent the higher grades of sake; higher quality, higher price, and in general, more elegant, refined, fragrant, light, and enjoyable aromatic and flavor profiles.

Here is another version of the below information, in a bit more details. The pyramid is my pride and joy, and took me years to create. All you need to know about sake is somewhere on this pyramid! Feel free to download this version!

Ranking	No added alcohol	Some added alcohol
	Junmai Daiginjo-shu A subclass of junmai ginjo-shu, brewed with very highly polished rice (to at least 50%** see below) and even more precise and labor intensive methods. The pinnacle of the brewers’ art. Generally light, complex and fragrant.	Daiginjo-shu A subclass of ginjo-shu below, brewed with very highly polished rice (to at least 50%** see below) and even more precise and labor intensive methods. The pinnacle of the brewers’ art. Generally light, complex and quite fragrant.
	Junmai Ginjo-shu Brewed with labor-intensive steps, eschewing machinery for traditional tools and methods, using highly polished rice (at least 60%**) and fermented at colder temperatures for longer periods of time. Light, fruity, refined.	Ginjo-shu Brewed with labor-intensive steps, eschewing machinery for traditional tools and methods, using highly polished rice (at least 60%**) and fermented at colder temperatures for longer periods of time. Light, aromatic, fruity, and refined.
	Junmai-shu Made with only rice, water and koji mold. The rice used must be polished to at least 70%**. Often a full and solid flavor profile, clean and well structured.Note also Tokubetsu Junmai-shu, or “Special Junmai-shu,” which merely indicates more highly polished rice, or the use of very special sake rice.	Honjozo-shu Made with rice, water, koji and a very small amount of pure distilled alcohol (“brewers’ alcohol”) to help extract flavor and aroma. Light, mildly fragrant, easy to drink.

Note also Tokubetsu Honjozo-shu or “Special Honjozo-shu,” which merely indicates more highly polished rice, or the use of very special sake rice. Sake in the six classifications above is known collectively as “tokutei meishoshu,” or “special designation sake,”and can for all intents and purposes be considered “premium sake.” It constitutes only about 20% of all sake produced. Sake in the top four boxes is collectively known as “ginjo-shu” and can be considered “super-premium sake.” (Yes, normal ginjo-shu is one subclassificaiton of the overall grouping ginjo-shu. It is only mementarily confusing!) Ginjo-shu and its subclasses constitute only the top 6% of all sake produced, and represents the pinnacle of the brewers’ craft.

Futsuu-shu 

Futsuu-shu is “normal sake,” i.e. sake that does not qualify for one of the above three levels of classifications. It is the equivalent of “table wine” in the wine world, and makes up about 80% of all sake that is made. Sake like this is produced with copious amounts of pure distilled alcohol added to increase yields. Although a lot of futsuu-shu is cheap, nasty, and vile, there is plenty of sake in this group is perfectly and enjoyably drinkable. One should avoid collectively dismissing futsuu-shu as rotgut.

While some cheaper sake in this group also has sugars and organic acids added to “improve” the flavor (better futsuu-shu does not), note that no sake at all has any preservatives added to it.

Note: There is much overlap between above classifications

There are very fragrant junmai-shu, mellow and subdued daiginjo, very complex honjozo-shu, and everything in between. The classifications are really of only moderate usefulness because of this. Your palate and preferences are really the only true way to judge quality!

About added alcohol

Cheap sake has copious amounts of distilled alcohol added to it at the final stages to increase yields. In the premium grades of sake, those above futsuu-shu, the three classifications on the left side (junmai-shu, junmai ginjo-shu, junmai daiginjo-shu), i.e. anything with the word “junmai” in it, has been made with rice only; no distilled alcohol has been added at all. This is the original and tradional method of brewing sake.

However, sake on the right side of the chart (honjozo-shu, ginjo-shu, daiginjo-shu), has had a very small amount of alcohol added to it at the final stages of brewing. This is not to increase yields, but rather the use of alcohol in this very controlled manner helps, claim some brewers, to pull out more aromatic and flavorful compounds that are soluble in alcohol from the fermenting mash when the completed sake is pressed away from the unfermented solids. It is a perfectly valid way to make great sake; it is in the end just one more method.

About Rice Polishing

In general, the more the rice used in brewing is milled before being used, the higher the grade of sake. In fact, this is the clearest definition of the ascending grades of sake. In short:

Junmai-shu and Honjozo-shu

These are made with rice that has been “polished” (as the industry puts it), or milled, to remove at least the outer 30% of the original size of the grains. This means that each grain of rice is only 70% or less of its original size.

Junmai Ginjo-shu and Ginjo-shu

These are made with rice that has been “polished” (as the industry puts it), or milled, to remove at least the outer 40% of the original size of the grains. This means that each grain of rice is only 60% or less of its original size.

Junmai Daiginjo-shu and Daiginjo-shu

These are made with rice that has been “polished” (as the industry puts it), or milled, to remove at least the outer 50% of the original size of the grains. This means that each grain of rice is only 50% or less of its original size.

Note the emphasis on the point that the numbers expressed for each grade are minimums. Very often the rice is polished much, much more than the minimum requirement. For example, it is quite common to find daiginjo that is made with rice polishedto 35%, so that a full 65% of the outside of each grain has been milled away before brewing. That means they grind away almost two thirds of their raw materials before beginning to brew. (To see how they do this, and the machines they use, go here.)

Note they do not throw away the powder that is ground away, but rather sell it to makers of traditional confectionaries and crackers, and some of it goes to animal feed. So none is wasted, but it is not used in the brewing process.

What is this all about? Why mill the rice so much?

In proper sake rice (which is different from normal table rice), starches – which is what eventually ferments – are
concentrated in the center of the grains of rice. Surrounding this, closer to the surface of the rice grains, are found fats and proteins and things that adversely affect fermentation and in general lead to off-flavors, strange and generally unwanted components to the profile.

By milling the rice further and further, more and more of these unwanted fats, protiens, and nasties can be ground away before fermentation begins. This leads to cleaner, more elegant and more refined sake. It also allows more lively aromatics to come about.

So, in general, the more you polish the rice, the higher the grade of sake. I emphasize in general because there are exceptions based on style, personal preference, and a plethora of other factors. It is possible to take this rice milling thing too far, and grind away all distinction and uniqueness as well.

Rice milling – Seimaibuai

Premium sake is brewed with special rice in which the starch component (the shinpaku or “white heart”) is concentrated at the center of the grain, with proteins, fats, and amino acids located toward the outside. For more on special sake rice, please click here. With increased milling, one can remove more of the fats, proteins, and amino acids that lead to unwanted flavors and aromas in the brewing process. Ginjo-shu (premium sake) has at least 40% or more milled away. Daiginjo (super premium sake) has at least 50% or more milled away.

Yamada Nishiki Rice
A top-grade sake rice
Unmilled

45% Milled Away
Seimaibuai = 55%
Ginjo Grade

55% Milled Away
Seimaibuai = 45%
Daiginjo Grade

There is no need to go to the top to enjoy good sake

There is plenty of immensely enjoyable sake not in the top of the top classifications. In fact, sometimes such sake has more presence, uniqueness, and appeal than super dooper hoity toity high priced daiginjo. Well, sometimes, anyway. Top of PageSake is almost always fairly priced.

You generally get what you pay for with sake. Up to a reasonable limit, if you pay 25 % more for sake B then sake A, you can expect about a 25% increase in quality and enjoyment (assuming that the particular “quality” increase in that particular sake is what you are looking for and prefer!). There are exceptions: there is some sake that is a bit pricey due to its lofty reputation. There are also a few tremendous bargains out there. But for most sake, those not extremely expensive or extremely cheap, you will see an increase in quality that for the most part parallells the increase in price.Note, speculation by the market and the opinion of “experts and critics” does not affect at all the market price of sake in Japan. Which is nice.

The “-shu” suffix, by the way, simply means “sake,” and is often dropped when discussing sake. Hence, Junmai-shu is sometimes called simply Junmai, Honjozo-shu is very often called Honjozo. Similarly, people speak of ginjo, junmai-ginjo, daiginjo and junmai daginjo.

SAKE CONFIDENTAL 

Interested in learning more about sake?

Check out my book “Sake Confidential” on Amazon.

Sake Confidential is the perfect FAQ for beginners, experts, and sommeliers.

Indexed for easy reference with suggested brands and label photos. Includes:

• Sake Secrets: junmai vs. non-junmai, namazake, aging, dry vs. sweet, ginjo, warm vs. chilled, nigori, water, yeast, rice, regionality
• How the Industry Really Works: pricing, contests, distribution, glassware, milling, food pairing
• The Brewer’s Art Revealed: koji-making, brewers’ guilds, grading

SAKE INDUSTRY NEWS

If you are interested in staying up to date with what is happening within the Sake Industry and also information on more advanced Sake topics then Sake Industry News is just for you!

Sake Industry News is a paid subscription newsletter that is sent on the first and 15th of each month. Get news from the sake industry in Japan – including trends, business news, changes and developments, and technical information on sake types and production methods that are well beyond the basics – sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here today! 

Each issue will consist of four or five short stories culled from public news sources about the sake industry in Japan, as well as one or more slightly longer stories and observations by myself on trends, new developments, or changes within the sake industry in Japan.