Notes on sake

Short reads for the glass in front of you — the season, the label, the temperature. Each one links to the matching chapter and quiz.

Autumn · 生酒と季節

Hiyaoroshi: the sake that waited for autumn

Brewed in winter, rested through summer, released when the air turns cool. Here is what hiyaoroshi is, why it tastes the way it does, and how to drink it.

4 min readRead →Winter · 温度

How to warm sake at home

No special gear needed — a pot of water and a little patience. How to warm sake gently, which sakes to try it with, and what to avoid.

5 min readRead →Any season · ラベルの言葉

Choosing sake in a shop: six checks, in order

A wall of bottles, most of the label in Japanese. Here is the order we read a bottle in — from the fridge door to the numbers on the back.

5 min readRead →Any season · 生酒と季節

Nama, nama-chozo, nama-zume: what “nama” really means

Three labels, one character, three different sakes. A one-table guide to pasteurization — plus two “nama” words that have nothing to do with it.

4 min readRead →Winter · 造り

Sake kasu: three forms, four lives

What is left after pressing is one of Japan’s great pantry ingredients. How to tell the forms apart, and four ways to use it at home.

5 min readRead →Any season · ラベルの言葉

Pairing sake with food: five simple rules

Sake is one of the most food-friendly drinks there is — and not only with Japanese food. Five rules of thumb, and a table to start from.

5 min readRead →