Bevvy of the Week – The Japanese Rice Wine – Sake

The Japanese Rice Wine – Sake

This weeks Bevvy of the Week is the Japanese rice wine Sake.

I first tried rice wine while aboard a boat in Halong Bay Vietnam many years ago. I didn’t really know much about rice wine or any other bevvy’s from that neck of the woods apart from Korean Soju which my wife introduced me to. Edwina spent a long time in South Korea and as I found out for myself some years later it flows like water over there.

The rice wine we had at the time was of course Vietnamese rice wine. I was taken aback a bit with the first sip I had as I didn’t know what to expect. However once you get in to it, it really starts to develop.

Fast forward a few years to Fukuoka, Japan, to a real Japanese restaurant and to a real bottle of Sake. This time I knew what to expect however I was hoping that it would taste even better than the Vietnamese stuff and as I expected it did. It was served chilled, in a large shot glass and as with most wines it complimented the local cuisine perfectly.

Typical Sake is dry and smooth. Flavours are soft and mellow with a kind of fruity, nutty character. Alcohol content ranges from 6% to 16% but sometimes it may feel stronger. There are a few way you can drink Sake.

1 – Straight (chilled)
2 – On the rocks
3 – Warm – Mix with a little hot water and you are good to go

Choya Sake seems to be the most available one around. It will cost around €15 for a 750ml bottle.

Enjoy, Sláinte,

Patrick