Contrary to what many people think, Japanese sake is not a strong drink. It is brewed just like beer and is therefore fermented, not distilled. Sake consists of 80% water and the remaining 20% is rice with koji and shubo. (Yeast and fermentation starter)
Alcohol percentage is between 11 and 18 degrees.
(usually 15-16°)
Before fermentation starts, the first step is to polish the rice grains. This means that you gradually remove the peel until you reach the core of the rice grain. The more you take off, the more quality you have. Afterwards everything is washed and soaked, so the whole is prepared for fermentation. After this fermentation process, the rice is pressed (white liquid) and then filtered to obtain the final product.
The quality of sake is in the rice grain and how far it is polished. As with wine, the soil and the type/quality are of great importance. The differentiation that can be observed in the tasting of sake is the type of water that the brewer uses. "Soft" or "hard" water, in Japan there are many sources and possibilities. Not to mention the yeast during fermentation, which will mainly influence the aroma. Furthermore, a distinction is made between alcohol and/or water being added or not. After all this the brewer can still decide to let the sake age and/or to pasteurize it for bottling.
Saké not only combines top with Japanese cuisine, our Western cuisine also matches very well with it. This throughout the entire dinner! From tapas to cheese board, with the starter and main course. Even in cocktails, the sake can ensure perfect harmony. We study the taste of our sake for you and match it as well as possible.
Sake can be drunk cold, at room temperature, warm or hot. This depends on the type of sake and the goal the brewer has with his saké. A very culture-bound phenomenon because for every temperature the Japanese has a different name. There are also many health benefits associated with sake. Obviously on the basis of moderate consumption because sake always contains alcohol. What you will never have, for example, is a headache. This is because there are no sulphites in saké.
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