Sound Like a Sake Samurai on Sake Day

With Sake Day approaching on October 1st, now is a good time to start honing your sake knowledge. We’ve put together ten facts that will make even the beginner sound like a seasoned sake brewmaster.

Ten things to know to sound like a sake samurai:

1. An Oldie but a Goodie: Dating back to 4800BC, Sake is the oldest spirit in the world.

2. The Spice of Life: The majority of the flavor comes from the yeast.

3. Sake Spitballing: Spit was once a main ingredient — the enzymes of the saliva were said to aid fermentation.

4. Polished to Perfection: The outer-layer of the rice is removed through a polishing process.

5. More Pulp, More Problems: Daigingo is considered to be the highest quality sake with over 50% of the rice’s skin polished off. As a comparison, table sake is typically 0–10% polished.

6. The “not so” Terrible Twos: The best sake is consumed 12–15 months after bottling.

7. Ice Ice Baby: Sake is best served cold, ideally at 40–50 degrees fahrenheit.

8. Reflux Resolver: Sake has about 1/3 the acidity of wine.

9. The Drink of the Gods: Sake was originally produced in temples and shrines.

10. Never Drink Alone: You should never pour your own sake — pouring sake for a friend, or a stranger, is seen as an act of bonding.

Kanpai Friends — Enjoy Sake Day and stop by the Art of Sake booth for the latest flavors!