Are There Styles of Sake?
There are two main sake style-systems. Normally, sake is finished out at genshu (full strength, about 18-19 percent ABV), after which the brewer usually adds water to reduce the alcohol content to the expected 16 percent. This is something like what the Bud-Millers group does to their beer in a process called heavy brewing. It saves space in brewing and aging and with no loss of quality when diluted to the usual strength at the end. The resulting beverage is called Junmai-shu (rice only).
Unfortunately, some sake is treated differently. In the case of Honjozo sake, companies add extra water down to about 13 percent, and then a dose of brewer’s alcohol to raise the ABV back up to 16 percent. Although not really fortification, it has the effect of reducing the character and intensity of the sake, especially regarding the pH level, making it less acidic.
Not in my sake cup, however, I want the real thing. Fortunately, Junmai (rice only) sake is how almost all sake imported into this country is classified. If it says Junmai somewhere on the label, it’s OK, and even if it doesn’t say that, as long as it is not labeled Honjozo.
The second level of qualification is based on the rate of polish used in the rice. The more the outer layers of the rice are removed (fatty acids and crude proteins mostly), the higher the quality of the finished product. Dinner rice is polished to about 93 percent remaining, but most sake is brewed from rice polished until only 70 percent of the original grain remains.
The most expensive sakes are made from highly polished rice. Junmai ginjo, (rice-only singing brew) for example, is polished to 50 percent or less, while that labeled Dai-ginjo (“great singing brew”) is very highly polished; sometimes leaving only 25 percent of the original grain. That much polish often takes close to two day’s time in a small brewery! No wonder it is so expensive. Most of these are very small operations that have been in business since the eighteenth century or even longer. If it were wine produced in such circumstances, in France for example, we’d rush to buy it and never even think about the price. These fine Japanese artisans deserve an equal chance.
Another price-enhancing ferment is called Kimoto, a yeast culturing method dating at least to the fourteenth century or even earlier. This is the original and lengthy natural production method similar in concept to the spontaneous ferment used in Belgian lambic brewing. The rice mash, when ready, is allowed to develop naturally. A modern variant is called Yamahai Kimoto, which is not as lengthy, because cultured yeast is added directly. In each of these, the brewer waits for a natural Lactobacillus growth to reduce the pH, as necessary for a ferment after the yeast has appeared. This rather complicated system takes about a month longer to produce finished sake. Today most brewers add liquid lactic acid with a system (sokujo-moto) developed in 1909. As the reader may note, sake production is historically a very labor-intensive operation.
Finally, there is nigori saké This is what we beer people might call hefe-sake. Nigori is cloudy from coarse filtration, removing all but a little of the tiny milky white rice particulate matter. It is usually sweeter, too. Thus, nigori sake takes the place of dessert wine in dining situations. It works quite well in that role.
And of course, one can find sake that is not pasteurized; which is quite a prize, because almost all sake is pasteurized (since as early as the beginning of our modern era, and not later than 1000 c.e.), not once, but often two or even three times. It is this almost constant pasteurization that popularized the consumption of warm sake in public venues. Why was that? Because unpasteurized sake will definitely go sour if it is not refrigerated or pasteurized soon. The taste of sour sake will haunt you to the last days of your life―don’t risk it! Fresh, unpasteurized sake is called nama. But it must be kept under refrigeration from the brewery to the store where it is sold. If namasake is on the open shelf in a store; that will be proof enough that it is not actually nama. You search for genuine nama in a refrigerated case, where it is often found at genshu strength (around 17.5 to 18 percent ABV).
Some Brands to Look For
One of my favorites of these new sakes is Kasumi Tsuru (“the Crane”) Junmai Yamahai Kimoto Extra Dry. The primitive yamahai kimoto ferment provides unique character, which doesn’t give much perception of dryness due to its low total acid level. There’s some subtlety here with fruit character and caramel notes. Best at room temperature, or modestly chilled at about 57F/14C. Good with shellfish and such, $29 for 720 ml, and also in 300 ml at about $16.
Yaegake Mu (“Emptyness”) black label Dai Ginjo, with an almost whiskey smokiness character along with some pear on the nose. This is a long time favorite of mine at just under $50. Serve chilled.
Watari Bune Junmai Ginjo 55 has an interesting lineage. It comes from Ibaraki-prefecture above Tokyo in Eastern Japan. The “55” refers to the polish rate percent of the very special rice this brewery brought back to life. The Watari-Bune rice is the parent of Japan’s most famous sake rice, Yamada-Nishiki. Watari-Bune fell out of use in the middle of the last century, but was resuscitated by Huchu Homare brewery’s owner, Mr. Takaaki Yamauchi. In 1991, he obtained 14 grams (1/2-oz) of seedlings from Japan’s National Research Institute to grow enough seedlings for local farmers to revive the rice as a crop. This produced 430 gallons of sake for a gold medal in Japan’s national sake competition. This is one of the best sakes of this new wave, with luscious fruit hints. I rate it at 88. Costs about $39/720ml and $17/300ml. Their Junmai Daiginjo is even better (35 percent polish), but the $100 price tag is not particularly genteel.
