Eat Japanese food without worrying about the wine choice anymore with this sake introductory knowledge science!

There is no way to go wrong with sake when you're eating Japanese food, and sake is most prevalent in Japan.

Sake, a long-standing favorite in Japan, is truly deserving of its reputation. The delicate and refreshing nature of Japanese cuisine, featuring a variety of seafood dishes, makes it an ideal pairing with sake. Choosing whisky as an accompaniment may prove overpowering and diminish the intricate flavors of the food. Similarly, beer can lack depth and leave the palate unsatisfied. Opting for a refined sake to complement Japanese fare results in a flawlessly delicious dining experience.

After reading this article, I'm sure you'll have a plan for choosing a sake the next time you eat Japanese food.sake tasting hong kongis very good.

Sake: What is it?

In ancient Japan, only cloudy sake existed, not sake. Saka is made by fermenting steamed white rice with sake brew, water, and yeast. It can be said that sake is the artistic crystallization of rice, water and brew. The name "sake" was not given to the cloudy sake until later when it was precipitated by adding carbolic acid and consumed as clear sake.

Turbid wine is still available today. If you want to taste the flavor of ancient China, you can buy a jug of turbid wine and compare it with Japanese cuisine.

During the Yayoi era (300 B.C. - 250 A.D.), when rice cultivation was introduced to Japan, the history of sake had already begun. The steamed rice was chewed, spit out, and mixed with water. The amylase enzyme in the saliva converted the rice starch into sugar and fermented it with wild yeast in the air. It is the simplest way to brew sake, and it is also called "chewing sake."

During the 7th century A.D., when the ancient Korean state of Baekje was regularly in contact with China, the Chinese technology for brewing wine with sake was transferred to Japan, and the Japanese brewing industry was greatly developed.

Prior to the Nara period (710-794 A.D.), sake was typically filtered either through vessels or cloth, resulting in a cloudy appearance. However, in 1967, the Japanese imperial court implemented new laws and regulations for sake brewing. This led to the establishment of a dedicated brewing division and significant improvements in the brewing process. During the Heian period (794-1185 AD), sake gained significance in ceremonial events, but was not accessible to the general public. It wasn't until later, when monks began producing highly sought after sake, that it became more widely available. This particular type of temple-brewed sake came to be known as "Monk's Square Sake". As society and economy progressed, so too did the demand for sake, resulting in a period of prosperity.

Throughout the past century, wars, political turmoil, and reforms have complicated the history of sake in Japan.

After a series of black history through the development, because we discovered suitable for brewing, known as Miyamizu "quality water, and produced the main raw material for sake, including high-quality rice, and coupled with China's maritime enterprises have become more convenient, Japan's Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, Nadan Gogo gradually became renowned as Japan as a nation, becoming the first Japanese sake brewery. As a result of the Meiji Restoration, this area has been the most important for the production of sake in Japan since the Meiji Period.

Ginjo and Seimi Buho in 02

Despite its age, Japanese sake is not as old as we think. It is mostly influenced by European wines and spirits and is produced in a developed country.

Japanese believe that the top layer of rice contains too many impurities, including proteins, fats, and vitamins, so the sake's flavor is affected. After a lot of polishing, only the starch in the heart of the rice is left, giving the sake the best taste, slim, light and pure, with a flavor and aroma similar to bananas and apples.

Before brewing sake, the Japanese mill the rice, which is the outermost part of the ground. To measure the degree of polishing, the Japanese use the term "speed of rice polishing". The rice will be the outermost part of the ground, and the remaining sake will be part of the ground.

The rice before and after peeling

Each grain contains a certain proportion of refined rice, called Seimi Buho. In traditional Japanese, people use the term "a few cuts and minutes" to express the rice polishing rate, for example, four cuts and five minutes, which is 45% of the rice polishing rate, meaning that 55% of the whole grain has been polished off, leaving only 45%.

The following criteria can now be used to roughly grade Japanese sake.

The finest sake is Junmai: brewed from pure rice with less than 50% refined rice and no alcohol.

Oyin: less than 50% of the rice is milled, and distilled spirits may be added to enhance its flavor and aroma.

The highest step of refined rice is 60% in Junmai Drinking, and no alcohol is added.

When fine rice is below 60%, distilled spirits can be added in small amounts.

The rice step makes up to 70% of the beverage, and a small amount of distilled spirit can be added.

Temperature for serving

The serving temperature should be adjusted according to the sake's grade.

Generally speaking, if it belongs to the stronger flavor and higher aroma wines, such as pure yellow wine, this kind of brewed wine, ordinary wines, warm drinks, and iced drinks, it should be consumed at room temperature. When the wine is heated, the aroma can also be brought out, making it richer and mellower.

The aromatic and flavorful mashes, such as pure rice mash, grand mash, and pure rice mash, are more suitable for slightly cooler or room temperature consumption. As steamed rice loses its aroma when heated, a warm brew drowns out the light aroma.

How to serve

After all that has been said, how do you pair sake with a good meal and wine?

Sushi, sashimi, and other cold and fresh seafood are enhanced by the elegant aromas of wine, wine, wine, wine. For cooking, Junmai Sake's rich aroma and roundness complement broth-rich soft foods; savory, sweet, and rich sauces in thick, succulent risottos are balanced and counterbalanced with similarly robust Junmai Sake.

Japanese cuisine is not the only dish that can be served with sake. The insurance policy is to refer to the pairing suggestions given above, determine what Japanese cuisine your meal is similar to, and match the meal with the appropriate sake. You may be surprised by trying different combinations.