Have you ever come up with the question “What is in Sake?”. When you are new to Japanese culture, perhaps you might be heard of the unique alcoholic beverage from the island in far east “Japanese Sake”, but do not know about Japanese Sake itself.

 Those of you might have many questions about Japanese Sake such as…

-How do they brew?

-How does it taste?

-Why people enjoy?

 This time, ikki delivers information for the beginners of Sake and Japanese culture to answer to the most fundamental question 「What is in Sake?」. For the detail information, please refer to our Basic Knowledge page.

What is in Sake?

 As most of you are aware, Sake is a fermented alcohol made of rice, one kind of crops grown widely in Japan, but what else in Sake? Generally Sake is made of 4 ingredients shown on the label.

 Rice, Water, Rice koji and brewed alcohol. In major scope Sake can be separated in 2 types: Junmai or not. The difference between 2 types are either using brewed alcohol or not. If the Sake is consist of rice, water, rice koji only, then it is called Junmai Sake. Junmai means Rice only. If brewed alcohol added, it cannot be named Junmai.

 In addition to the above, sugar and acidulant such as malic acid are added to control the taste of Sake and if added shown on the label.

 There are ingredients not shown on the label as well.

 Firstly, the Koso(Enzyme) agent. To convert starch into sugar the enzyme of Koji works and the agent assist Koji to work. It balances the fermentation process and make it efficient.

 Secondly, the activated carbon. Carbon makes Sake transparent and makes the life of Sake longer.

Also, Kobo(yeast) and lactic acid bacteria are added to the fermentation process of Sake.

3 health benefits of Sake

Sake has a good effect on your body and helps you keep you healthy as well.

Firstly, Sake improves the blood circulation with their content “Adenosine”. Adenosine works in your body to dilate the blood pipe which makes the blood circulation improves.

Secondly, enhance appetite. The main component of Sake “Ethyl alcohol” promote gastric acid secretion. So people enjoys aperitif as a habit in many countries.

 Thirdly, improve your skin conditions. Kojic acid in Sake suppresses the production of melanin pigment, so it prevents freckles on your skin. Also, ferulic acid in Sake prevents UV rays from being absorbed by the skin.

 Like the effect raised on above, Sake helps your health in good conditions.

Does Sake make you drunk more than the other?

Have you ever heard of the term “Congener”?

 Congener is a by product produced in the process of the fermentation. When distilled alcohol is produced congener is also produced, but they are extracted in distillation process. In fermented alcohol like Sake, it is not possible to extract or filter out congener.

 When there are a lot of congener in the alcoholic beverage, it makes the alcohol decomposition process difficult. So people gets more drunk when drinking Sake than drinking distilled alcohol.

 Depending on who is drinking, of course, there is a difference in how people get drunk, and which kind of alcohol makes people drunk more. Nevertheless, please note that congener in Japanese Sake is playing significant role.

 Congener in Sake brings the complexity in the taste. If most of the congener is extracted from Japanese Sake, it is just a rice alcohol, and nothing interesting.

 How is the post this time? Hope you get an interest in Japanese Sake and enter the world of Sake. It is a great step for you for your entire life in the future! Everything start from the simple question “What is in Sake”.

Thank you very much for your time!

 See you in the next post!