CLASSIFICATION

Where does it come from ?

Sake's origin is unclear. It is considered to have begun over 2000 years ago in Jomon Period (縄文時代, Jōmon jidai 14,000–300 BC) when rice cultivation started in Japan. Now the sake is the national alcohol beverage of Japan which has been deeply related to Japanese people's daily life.

What is sake made from ?

Sake is made from fermented rice. Saka-mai (酒米), the rice cultivated to produce sake, is about 30% bigger in size and weight than normal table rice. It has a large starch in the middle which will be converted into sugar, and then sake afterward.

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What is the alcohol percentage of sake ?

When sake naturally occurred,  the alcohol percentage is around 20% due to it's brewing method called 'Multiple parallel fermentation' (平行複発行: Heikoufukuhakko), which is saccharification
and fermentation are taking place at the same time in a same place.

How do you drink sake?

There was an era when people always heat up sake to disguise its low quality. Just after the WWⅡ, serious shortage of rice occured. Although the method to add distilled alcohol  was a standard practice to prevent the spoilage of sake.  To bulk it up, this method was utilized to increase the sake production.  However, the quality of sake has been so much improved over the last 70years. So you don't need to heat it up all the time. In fact, what's so unique about sake is you can enjoy at various temperature from hot to chilled.