The sake is a drink tasted for millennia in Japan. The term « sake » designates, in French, a Japanese alcoholic drink based on rice. It is a rice alcohol produced by fermentation ranging from 11 ° to 20 °. In Japan, the word sake brings together all alcoholic beverages, it literally means « alcohol ». To talk about the sake, the Japanese use the word « nihonshu », signifier « Japan alcohol ». The Japanese sake is soft and aromatic, approaching wine in its structure.
The origin of the sake
The sake has old origins dating back more than 1000 years in Japan. Initially, it was developed as part of Shintoist religious rituals, where the sake was considered a sacred offering to the gods. This ancestral drink would have appeared in Japan around the 3rd century, coinciding with the development of rice farming. At its beginnings, the production of sake was reserved for the priestesses, which chewed rice before letting it ferment thanks to the enzymes present in their saliva. Initially tasted during funeral ceremonies, this alcohol was then mainly manufactured by the Imperial Court and the Shintoist monks.From the 12th century, the brewing method evolved towards more modern techniques, sanctuaries adopting tanks to mix water and rice. It was from the 1900s that we entered the era of the industrial sake, with the introduction of the rice polishing machine.
Saké ingredients
The four main ingredients of sake are rice, water, koji - the ferment - and yeasts gradually added.
Rice
THE « sakamai » is the name given to the rice used specially for the sake.
He gives the sake aromas, a texture and an identity. There are a dozen varieties of rice. Each has its typicity according to the culture region.
The water
Water is classified according to its hardness and minerals. Strong water gives more taste to sake. For a liter of sake, we use an average of 40 liters of water, used to cultivate rice, wash, dip it, cook, support yeasts and lower the alcoholic degree.
Koji
Koji is a microscopic fungus that will be used for the fermentation of the sake. It activates the process that changes the starch into sugar.
This typically Japanese ferment is found in various foods such as soy sauce, mirin or miso.
Man's work
Saké's brewers are called the Sakagura. They select the rice and carry out all the steps of manufacturing of the sake until the bottling.
Yeasts
The yeasts are microscopic fungi that transform sugar into alcohol. They also greatly participate in the structure of the flavors of the sake.
How is the sake produced?
Saké production involves multiple fermentation. Rice is polite to eliminate impurities but also to classify it (Ginjo or Daiginjo) according to its degree of polishing. It is then fermented by the koji enzymes to produce sugar, which is then converted into alcohol by yeast. This complex process gives the sake its distinctive aromas and flavor.
The purity of spring water is essential, as is the degree of rice polishing.
The more polished the rice, the greater the quality of the sake. After the polishing stage, the rice is washed, soaked, then steamed. Fermentation lasts about a month. The Koji - The ferment - and the yeast are then added to the rice.
The starch then turns into sugar, then into alcohol. Once filtered and pasteurized, the sake is bottled and is ready to be tasted in the year following its production, after several months of maturation.
The different types of sake
There are different levels of sake depending on the polishing of rice. The quality of the rice used, as well as the brewing method, influence considerably on the final taste of sake.
Polishing categories:
100%: rice is polished between 100% and 70%. It corresponds to the category of certain Junmai.
70%: rice is 70% or less polished. It corresponds to the Junmai and Honjôzô categories.
60%: rice is 60% or less polished. It corresponds to the categories Ginjô or Junmai Ginjô.
50%: rice is 50% or less polished. It corresponds to the Daiginjo or Junmai Daiginjo categories.
The traditional sake
A discreet aromatic profile, there are notes of cereal or quenching sensation. This is called the type « water » or type « rice ». Often crystalline style, aromas burst and disappear. The nose is not very powerful and the finish is clear and clear.
Tasted rather hot or at room temperature, the types « water » are more appreciated fresh.
Modern sake
The aromatic profile is more explosive in the mouth. It approaches wine with fruity or flowery aromas. This is due to the fact that its rice grains are more polite. The more polite the rice, the closer we get to the heart of the grain, the more aromatic the result.
The sparkling sake
Very fashionable since the 2000s, the sparkling sake is a variant of traditional sake. While some effervescent sakes follow a process of second fermentation in the bottle, similar to that used to create champagne, others are carbonated by adding carbon dioxide.
This is an interesting option for those who seek to explore new horizons in the world of sake.
How to drink the sake?
In general, the sake is tasted at room temperature or slightly fresh to appreciate all its nuances. However, it can be tasted hot up to 55 ° C. The important thing is not to exceed 60 degrees, as it could alter the flavors of the sake. For a hot tasting prefer traditional sakes rather than modern (often fruity or floral).
The contant
Traditionally, the sake is drunk in a « masu », A small traditional container in square wood or in small glasses. It can also be tasted simply in a glass on foot as well as for wine, This allows you to appreciate its color and smell more widely. For some sakes, you must first pour the sake into a carafe then into the glasses, to release its aromas. The tasting of the sake, just like wine, is a journey through the sense.
It is enjoyed in the same way as wine, in 3 steps:
View : Admire its color, some are colorless and others have rather pale or golden yellow tones. You can also examine its transparency and shine.
The smell : gently turn the sake in the glass to release its aromas. Approach the nose of the edge and breathe deeply to discover notes ranging from fruity to floral, passing by terreous accents.
Taste : Take a small sip and let the sake spread out on your palate. Try to perceive the different flavors, sweet notes with more complex shades. Breathe lightly through your mouth while tasting to enrich the experience.
How to choose the sake?
Japanese high quality Japanese sakes are defined by the quality of their ingredients such as rice and water, as well as by the reputation of the producer.
They offer a varied sensory experience: some are distinguished by their taste and olfactory intensity, typical of modern sakes, while others favor subtlety and a crystalline texture, characteristic of traditional sakes.
Your choice will depend on the preference you give to one or the other of these experiences.
What differences between sake and wine?
Unlike wine, no preservatives, like sulfites, is added. Again, the sake differs from wine: it does not belong to a particular terroir. Its refinement is more based on rice, selected from around fifty varieties such as Yamada-Nishiki (Hyôgo prefecture), Omachi (Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures), Miyama-Nishiki (Nagano prefecture) or Gohyakuman-goku (Niigata prefecture).
On the other hand, it is tasted, like wine, both as an aperitif and during the meal and marries Japanese gastronomy, as with French gastronomy. The sake offers a palette of 400 distinct aromas, twice as much as wine. It can be kept in the same way, that is to say cool and blocked, for 15 days to 1 month.
How to succeed in a Mets & Saké alliance?
As is the case for wine, sakes agree with your plate, from aperitif to dessert (a bit like champagne). Ginjō and Daiginjō sakes will accompany simple dishes based on fruits and vegetables, white fish sashimi, steam chicken…
An aperitif : Sashimi, sushi, maki, tempura, tsukemono (marinated vegetables).
Main dishes : white fish, seafood, chicken, duck, grilled vegetables, tofu.
Desserts : Mochi, matcha, fruit.
Type sakes Ginjō And Daiginjō will accompany simple dishes based on fruits and vegetables, white fish sashimi, steam chicken.
The sakes of the family of Honjōzō Rather, will accompany the recipes with a light taste based on tofu, wild vegetables, seaweed, fresh cheeses, crustaceans.
The sakes of the family of Junmai, thanks to their powerful aromas, will be able to support more tasty dishes, marked Umami. Meat dishes, simmered dishes, quality cold meats or fatty fish will be sublimated. Also dare the junmai with French cheeses.
Here are some suggestions for food & sake chords imagined by the Sakaba barmaid head:
· Dassai 23 & cheese (for example of old county)
· Monsay Purple & grill (duck and vegetables)
· Senjo Kuromatsu Muroka Genshu & shrimp tempuras
Kanpai!
