Sake - good drinking and celebrations
SAKE or Nihon-shu is not only a well tasting drink but also a part of the Japanese history. Once upon a time Sake was a beverage for Gods, today itLs a beverage for you and me.
There is only one way to really know sake, you have to taste yourself. Therefore we can only recommend; Find the taste that suits you best and then itfs just to enjoy.
Sake has always had a essential role in the Japanese history. Therefore the history of Nihon-shu or sake starts at a time when gods were worshipped in Japan. The god of sake was also the god of rice, growing and harvesting and the Japanese developed and refined sake for centuries their own brew as the Japanese archipelago was separated from the outside world.
Sake is a drink for the modern world, just like wine it is varied in style. You can enjoy sake at all times, to sushi, sashimi but also to different types of meat. Or why not just sit back and enjoy a zip of sake!
This is sake
Sake is many times referred to in English as a rice wine but in Japanese sake or o-sake refers to alcoholic drinks in general as the Japanese term for this beverage is gNihonshuh (ú{ð) which means gJapanese alcohol. Sake has basically four ingredients; rice, water, yeast and koji (a mould).
As Sake is a beverage fermented from rice, which is a grain, this would in one way make sake more of a beer, but flavor-wise sake is much more closer to wine. However, unlike true wine, in which alcohol is produced by fermenting the sugar naturally which is present in fruit, sake is made through another brewing process.
How to taste
Sake is worth the same attention as any good wine! Testing sake is therefore in many ways similar to wine tasting. You have to look for for clarity, visuals, aroma, taste, feel and finish. SakTest.com gives you some tips for tasting sake:
When tasting sake you can use any sake cup, o-choko, but we recommend a "kikijogo", a small cup with white inside and two concentric blue circles in the bottom. These circles are used to check the transparency and color of sake.
The sake can be served at room temperature to chilled. The cup is poured 75% full just before tasting. Bring the "kikijogo" (cup) to the nose and swirling the sake in the cup, take 4-6 ml of sake in your mouth, held it for 3-5 seconds to judge its flavour. Roll it on the tongue and the aroma will fill your nose. Judge it, is it dry, sweet, thin or heavy, and then swallow it smoothly. Try also to smell the sake before you swirl as the difference in intensity should be significant.
Will you know more about this delicious beverage visit www.saketest.com.
Leif Almo, Hon. Consul General of Japan in Sweden | 
