Kampai: Let's Talk About Sake! (Sake 101) - Meat N' Bone

Kampai: Let's Talk About Sake! (Sake 101)

· Updated Posted by Meat N' Bone

At Meat N' Bone, we are in love with all things Japan. From manga to Wagyu A5 beef. There is just something about the fine craftsmanship that the Japanese can achieve that is worthy of admiration.

A few months ago, we started working on our latest venture, Miami's first casual steakhouse that focuses on selling proper meats. By chance we met Carrie; one of the few actual Sake Sommeliers in the US. She was kind enough to come to our restaurant to help us develop our Sake menu and gave us a lesson in Sake which we will now share in this post.

What Is Sake?

Sake is an alcoholic beverage made from polished rice. A lot of people will tell you it is "wine" made of rice, but it really isn't. Sake is its own kind of beverage and in fact, the process of brewing it is closer to that of beer. That said, sake is meant to be drunk like wine.

Sake has four main ingredients: Water, Rice, Koji (a type of mold) and Jozo (alcohol, optional). It is brewed using water and yeast and the rice.

Each ingredient can make a huge difference. The style of the sake will vary by something as simple as what region in Japan the water comes from. Carrie works with Sake from the prefecture of Niigata, which is renowned in Japan as one of the best areas for growing rice and for its heavy snowfall resulting in an abundance of soft clear pure water

Sake will be much stronger than your typical beer or wine, with alcohol levels that hover between 14% and 18%.

How Is Sake Brewed?

When you make wine, you are simply fermenting grapes where the sugar in the grapes converts to alcohol. Sake is made out of rice and unlike grapes, rice does not really ferment. So in order to make alcohol out of rice, "Koji" (enzymes) are added to turn the starch into alcohol and to ferment the alcohol. As a result, sake is brewed which is why we say it is more similar to beer.

The process goes like this:

The Sake Making Process

Sake Grades

Sake is graded. The grade of any particular sake is determined by how much of the rice grain is polished away. The more polished the grain, the more refined and smooth the sake. 

When it comes to sake, Premium often means it is more expensive. It does not necessarily mean it's better. The expense is due to the quality of the ingredients and by how much labor is into creating the sake.

The 4 Grades Of Sake

There are 4 grades of sake based on how much the rice is "milled".

The 4 Grades Of Sake
  • Futsu: Regular sake; the rice is not very refined. This is akin to what in America we would consider "table wine." Inexpensive, great for cooking and not very refined.
  • Honjozo: The first tranche of premium sakes, the rice has been milled by 30% so that 70% of the rice grain remains and contains a small amount of Jozo (brewer’s alcohol) which is added for different flavor & aroma profiles. Honjozo sake is usually excellent to pair with a wide range of foods.
  • Ginjo: Means sake that it has been milled by 40% so that 60% of it remains and contains a small amount of Jozo (brewer’s alcohol) which is added for different flavor & aroma profiles. It is more aromatic and lighter, making it easier to sip and a great compliment to sushi and fish.
  • Daiginjo: The most refined sake. This sake takes a lot more time, effort and skill to hand craft. It has rice that has been milled by more than 50% and contains a small amount of Jozo (brewer’s alcohol) which is added for different flavor & aroma profiles. But that milling standard is often surpassed by brewers looking to push the rice milling envelope that results in sakes that can be milled down to 35%, or down to 23%, and even 7% remaining figures. They are excellent on their own and are often served for sipping, chilled. When sake maker’s send their brews to National Sake Appraisals and Competitions, they usually send their Daiginjo sake.

What Is Junmai?

Remember how we mentioned that Jozo (distilled brewer's alcohol) can be the 5th ingredient of sake? When distilled alcohol is NOT used in the production of sake, then the sake is considered a PURE rice sake and it is considered "Junmai".

Junmai-Ginjo is the same as a Ginjo sake but WITHOUT any Jozo added. And Junmai-Daiginjo is the same as Daiginjo WITHOUT any Jozo added.

Why add alcohol? Because it's fun and it can create a more complex and richer product. The idea is to add alcohol to draw more flavour and aroma compounds from the fermented mash.

Pairing And Buying Sake

Sake is gaining popularity in the US. We love to pair a sake with a good steak or fish. It is also a cool ingredient to use in the kitchen. At Meat N' Bone, we sell Sake in our boutiques and ship it inside of Florida.

We also invite you to join us at The Wagyu Bar where you can try many different sakes!

Checkout our lineup of Sake:

 

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About Kampai: Let's Talk About Sake! (Sake 101)

There is something about the fine craftsmanship that the Japanese can achieve that is worthy of admiration. Japanese Sake is no exception. Learn Sake 101 here.

Questions

What is sake and how is it made?

Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from polished rice, water, koji (a type of mold), and sometimes brewer's alcohol (Jozo). Unlike wine, which ferments grapes, sake is brewed using enzymes (koji) to convert rice starch into sugars and then alcohol. The brewing process is more similar to beer than wine, though sake is meant to be drunk like wine. Sake typically has alcohol levels between 14% and 18%.

How is sake graded?

Sake is graded based on how much of the rice grain is polished away. The more polished the grain, the more refined and smooth the sake. There are four main grades: Futsu (regular sake with minimal polishing), Honjozo (rice milled by 30%), Ginjo (rice milled by 40%), and Daiginjo (rice milled by more than 50%). Premium sake is more expensive due to ingredient quality and labor, but premium does not necessarily mean better.

What does Junmai mean in sake?

Junmai designates pure rice sake, meaning no distilled brewer's alcohol (Jozo) is added during production. Junmai-Ginjo and Junmai-Daiginjo are premium versions made without added alcohol, offering a pure rice sake experience.

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Why is brewer's alcohol added to some sake?

Brewer's alcohol (Jozo) is sometimes added to enhance flavor and aroma complexity. It draws out more flavor and aroma compounds from the fermented mash, creating a more complex and richer product.

What are the four grades of sake?

The four grades of sake are: Futsu (regular sake, inexpensive, great for cooking), Honjozo (first premium grade, rice milled 30%, excellent for pairing with food), Ginjo (rice milled 40%, aromatic and lighter, great with sushi and fish), and Daiginjo (most refined, rice milled over 50%, excellent for sipping chilled).

Where can I buy or taste sake from Meat N' Bone?

Meat N' Bone sells sake in their boutiques and ships within Florida. You can also sample a curated selection at The Wagyu Bar in Miami, where you can try many different sakes paired with premium meats.

What region of Japan is known for quality sake?

The prefecture of Niigata is renowned in Japan as one of the best areas for growing rice and for its heavy snowfall, which results in an abundance of soft, clear, pure water ideal for sake brewing.

How should sake be paired with food?

Sake pairs excellently with steak and fish. Different grades pair differently: Honjozo sake is excellent with a wide range of foods, while Ginjo is a great complement to sushi and fish. Daiginjo is often served for sipping on its own, chilled.

What is the difference between sake and wine?

While sake is often called rice wine, it is its own kind of beverage. The brewing process is closer to beer than wine because enzymes (koji) are needed to convert rice starch into fermentable sugars. However, sake is meant to be drunk like wine.

Who is Carrie and what is her role in this article?

Carrie is one of the few certified Sake Sommeliers in the United States. She helped Meat N' Bone develop the sake menu for The Wagyu Bar in Miami and provided expert guidance on sake education shared in this article.