Most Americans enjoyed their first cup of Sake served in a style the Japanese call atsukan, or very hot, which is not really the best way to enjoy fine Sake.

While it is certainly pleasant and healthy to drink warmed Sake (some brewers even craft their Sake specifically to be served slightly warmed or nurukan style) if you want to appreciate the subtlety of flavor, you really ought to serve it chilled.

Modern rice-milling techniques, carefully isolated yeasts, and newly crossed “heritage” strains of rice all collaborate to create a remarkable diversity of flavors in Sake that are simply overwhelmed by high temperatures. All those melony notes and subtle earthy, herbal tones will just disappear with the introduction of heat.  

There are a broad variety of good seasonal Sake choices. Try Nigorizake,  an unfiltered Sake  style now gaining popularity outside of Japan. The word nigori, which means “cloudy,” refers to the white rice remnants that did not fully ferment in the process of brewing. In refined Sake, these remnants would have been removed, but in Nigorizake  the rice remnants remain in order to enhance both texture and flavor. 

Another type of Sake that is at its best during a brief period at the start of the year, is freshly-pressed Namazake or unpasteurized Sake. Nama means raw or fresh, and this type of Sake has not gone through the brief heating process designed to kill off enzymes and stabilize the drink for longer bottle-life. As with many things in life, what you lose in stability you also gain in flavor. and this fragrant and fresh style of Sake provides a complex flavor profile.

Since heating-up a bottle of Namazake would defeat the whole point of drinking it fresh and unpasteurized, careful refrigeration is essential. Unpasteurized Namazake must be kept very well chilled in order to prevent the enzymes from activating and spoilage to occur. If it does occur, you’ll certainly notice. Sake-gone-south starts to smell disturbingly yeasty and to taste both cloyingly sweet and unpleasantly acidic. The best way to avoid this risk altogether is by simply finishing the entire bottle in one sitting, perhaps accompanied by raw oysters or steamed spring rolls served with a citrusy sauce.    

A priceless jewel

Can it surpass

A cup of Namazake?

       -Tabito