How Saké is Made

John Gauntner writes on his website, sake-world.com, that “five crucial elements are involved in brewing saké — water, rice, technical skill, yeast and land/weather. More than anything else, saké is a result of a brewing process that uses rice and lots of water. In fact, water comprises as much as 80% of the final product, so fine water and fine rice are natural prerequisites if one hopes to brew great saké. But beyond that, the technical skill needed to pull this all off lies with the toji (head brewers), the type of yeast they use and the limitations entailed by local land and weather condition

The Main Grades of Premium Sakés.

The various grades or classifications of saké are related to the rice-polishing ratio, or seimaibuai (pronounced “say-my-boo-eye”). Saké is graded according to how much the rice used in brewing has been milled or polished.  Brewers mill saké rice to remove fats and proteins from the outer portion of the grain. These fats and proteins cause “off” flavors and inhibit fermentation. The seimaibuai is expressed as the percentage of the original rice grain remaining after milling has been completed.  Premium saké uses rice that has been milled to 70% or less of its original size. In general, the more the rice is polished, the lighter and more refined the saké’s flavor profile is. (Quoted from “Your Guide to Premium Saké” by Johnnie Stroud from Saké Nomi in Ibuki’s first issue.)

How to Store It

To prevent spoilage, it is best to keep saké refrigerated in a cool or
dark room. Th refrigerator is the best place to store saké at home.
Once a bottle is opened, it is best consumed in a few hours to enjoy the flavor. If finishing a bottle in one sitting is too much, try to
consume it in about a week at most.

Sake tempreture

There are many terms to explain the temperature of the saké being served. In summer, chilled saké, called reishu, may be preferred.  Many saké experts think hitohada (body temperature) is the best way to enjoy the fine flavor of premium saké.  On a cold winter day, try drinking gently warmed saké, or nurukan. To warm saké, pour it in a flask, or tokkuri, and sit it in hot water.  Whatever you do, don’t overheat!

Where to Buy It

The Uwajimaya supermarket chain in Washington and Oregon offers extensive saké selections at each of its stores. If you’re in Bellevue, ask for Brian Clark, the saké guide, who can figure out which saké will match your taste or your menu. Clark has been stocking more small bottles (300ml) in the Bellevue store because, he says, “saké-tasting parties are an up-and-coming thing.” He’ll help you set up a tasting party to go with everything from sushi to ham sandwiches.
In Seattle, just a short ride from the Uwajimaya store in the International District is the ultimate saké stop, Johnnie and Taiko Stroud’s Saké Nomi, one of the few saké shops and tasting bars in the country, let alone the Pacific Northwest. Here you can sample saké before you buy and get advice from the Strouds. Taiko comes from a saké-brewing family in Japan and Johnnie is one of the most knowledgeable saké aficionados in the country.