Cocktails

Bachelorettes are always looking for new and interesting ideas for their bachelorette parties - what better way than to educate your bridesmaids on Sake!

Sake 101
Sake is brewed, more like beer, and less like wine, as many may believe. The alcohol content of sake can vary from 15% to 20%, making sake quite potent. Some sake will have added alcohol, or “brewers alcohol,” which will increase the alcohol content and alter the flavor of the sake. Rice and water are the two main components of making sake; the quality of the rice and where the water comes from are important elements of the process and important elements in determining the taste and quality.

Sake is produced from various types of high quality rice. The rice is literally “polished” to remove the proteins and oils from the outer layers and only leave behind the starch. Most rice is polished where 70% of the kernel remains while the finer sakes are polished down to about 40% or even less. From there, the rice soaked, cooked, cultured, it rests, it matures and eventually it is bottled.


Types of Sake
Junmai: Made of rice, water, koji (cultivated mold spores). The rice is polished to 70% and it has a full, solid flavor. *Tokubetsu Junmai: means “special” Junmai it refers to more polished rice or special rice.

Honzo: Exactly same as Junmai but has added alcohol OR brewers alcohol. You can also have Tokubetsu Honzo.

Junmai Ginjo: Brewed with labor-intensive steps, fermented at colder temperatures and for longer periods of time. Light, fruity and refined flavor. Ginjo: Same as Junmai Ginjo but with added brewers alcohol

Junmai Daiginjo: Sub Class of Junmai Ginjo, highly polished, at least 50%. More precise & labor-intensive brewing process. Pinnacle of brewers art. Light, fragrant and complex. Daiginjo: is the same as Junmai Daiginjo but with added brewers alcohol.


Other fun types of Sake
Sparkling sake and cloudy sake are both really popular.  Sparkling sake is a fun option for a champagne substitute and it can come in fruity varieties.  Cloudy sake is not pasteurized, it has a different consistency than regular sake and sometimes has a tendency to taste more sweet.  Both sparkling and cloudy sake are two of our absolute favorites -- certainly give them a try!