An introduction
to sake
An accompaniment to the

WSET® Level 1 Awardin SakeAn introduction
to sake
An accompaniment to the

WSET® Level 1 Awardin Sake

A world of knowledge

Wine & Spirit Education Trust
39–45 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XF
wset@wset.co.uk© Wine & Spirit Education Trust 2016, 2017
Issue 1, 2016
Issue 2, 2017 (update with minor amendments)
Issue 2.0.1, 2018 (update with minor amendment)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or
retrieval system, without the prior permission in writing from the publishers.
PHOTOGRAPHIC CREDITS
2 (Luke Santilli); 4 (top), 5, 12 (bottom) 13 (top and bottom), 14, 26 (Antony Moss MW 酒サムライ); 4(bottom) (Pauline O’Connor); 6, 8, 10, 11 (all), 16, 18 (all), 19 (all), 22 (all) (Rob Lawson); 12 (Akita Shurui
Seizoh); 17 (Chizuko Niikawa-Helton 酒サムライ); 28 (Nishihama/Shutterstock.com)
LABELS6 (left) (Isojiman); 6 (middle) (Shichida); 6 (right) (Taka)
COVER PICTURE
Nishihama/Shutterstock.com
DIAGRAMS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
Diagrams and illustrations produced by CalowCraddock Ltd
Designed by Paul Barrett
Editing by Cambridge Editorial Ltd
Production services by Wayment Print & Publishing Solutions Ltd
Acknowledgements
Special thanks are due to Antony Moss MW 酒サムライ (Sake Samurai), Harriet Furze, Nicholas King,Pauline O’Connor, Karen Douglas, Honami MatsumotoContents
Introduction

1

1

What is Sake?

2

2

How is Sake Made?

43

Categories and Grades of Sake

6

4 An Introduction to Tasting Sake

8

5 Preparing Steamed White Rice

10

6 Making Kōji

127

Fermentation

14

Tasting Notes

15

8 Premium Sake Revisited

16

9 Japanese Labelling Terms

17

10 Speciality Styles of Sake

18

Tasting Notes

20

11 Storage and Service of Sake

22

12 Sake and Food28

Introduction
Welcome to the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake, a one-day sake course
designed for those studying sake for the first time.
Sake is intimately linked with Japan. Indeed, one of the official names for
sake, nihon-shu, literally means ‘Japanese alcoholic drink’. With sake you
have something that is truly, intricately and deliciously Japanese.
This course is designed to show you how a humble grain of rice canbe made to deliver such a diversity of styles with different flavours andtextures. You will also get to know the all-important Japanese names forthese styles. These are the fundamental reference points that will enable
you to navigate the fascinating world of sake.
We hope that you enjoy the course and in the future you experience thebenefits knowledge and understanding brings.
Kampai! (Cheers)

Ian Harris
Chief Executive, Wine & Spirit Education Trust1What is Sake?
Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage that is made from rice. Most sakeare clear and colourless in appearance but some are a pale yellow or
green. They are typically 15–17% abv, slightly sweet and lightly acidic.
They have light and delicate cereal, lactic or fruity flavours.

The Ingredients of Sake
All sakes are made using four main ingredients:● steamed white rice
● kōji● water● yeastThere is one other ingredient that is optional:● high-strength distilled alcohol

Where Does the Steamed Rice Come From?
Sake brewers typically buy rice from suppliers. When it is delivered to the brewery,
the rice has not been steamed. It is hard and dusty.
The brewers steam the rice to soften it so that it can break up in the water.

Where Does the Kōji Come From?
Sake brewers take a small proportion of the steamed rice and grow mould on it tocreate kōji.
Without this ingredient it is not possible to make the alcohol that is found in all
sakes.

Where Does the Water Come From?
Sake brewers use local supplies of water. Almost any water can be used to makesake so long as it is clean.

Where Do the Yeast Come From?
Yeast are tiny microorganisms. Sake brewers use specific varieties of yeast thatthey typically buy from specialist suppliers.

WHAT IS SAKE?

How Do you Make Alcohol?
In order to make alcohol you need to begin by dissolving sugar into water. Yeast
are added to this sugary liquid and they eat the sugar, turn it into alcohol andproduce the gas carbon dioxide.

ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION
yeast

water
sugar

carbon dioxide

Yeast eat the sugar
and turn it into alcohol

water
alcohol

Where Does the Sugar Come From?
There is no sugar in rice, instead it is full of a substance called starch.
Starch is made up of sugar molecules that are bonded together into long
chains. Chemicals called enzymes are able to unlock these bonds and break up
the starch into its individual sugar molecules. This is called starch conversion.
The special kind of mould that the brewer grows on steamed rice creates these
enzymes . This is why kōji is so important.
When the steamed rice and kōji are mixed with water, the enzymes created by
the mould convert the starch into sugar which in turn is turned into alcohol by the
yeast.

Starch Conversion
enzymestarchyeast

Yeast are unable to eat starch.

sugar

Enzymes from the kōji break the starch into sugar,
which the yeast can eat.

32
How is Sake Made?
Once the steamed white rice, kōji, water and yeast are ready, brewing
can get underway. There are three steps that always happen:
fermentation, filtration and bottling. There are three other steps that are
optional: adding alcohol, adding water and pasteurisation.

Fermentation
The ingredients are mixed together. Initially the brewer makes a small starter
fermentation to create a healthy and active yeast population. The starter is thenslowly mixed with more of the ingredients to make a larger batch for the main
fermentation.
● steamed white rice
● kōji● water● yeastFermentation
starter.

Mainfermentation.

In a sake fermentation the enzymes create sugars at the same time as the yeast
eat the sugar. This is unique to sake brewing and is often referred to as ‘parallel
fermentation’.
starch conversion

start of thefermentation

starch + enzymes ➞ sugar
sugar + yeast ➞ alcohol

end of thefermentation

alcoholic fermentation

When the fermentation is finished the new sake typically has about 20% abv.
Fermenting sake. The
white colour comesfrom the rice.

HOW IS SAKE MADE?

Freshly-filtered clear sake.

Filtration

Bottling

Once the fermentation has finished, all sake must,
according to the law, be filtered. This removes therice solids and typically produces a clear liquid.

Nearly all sakes arepackaged in glass bottles
of various sizes.
Filtering machine typicallyused in sake brewing.

OPTIONAL

OPTIONAL

OPTIONAL

Add High-Strength
Distilled Alcohol

Add Water

Pasteurisation

Water is nearly always
added to sake before it
is bottled. This reduces
the alcohol level fromaround 20% to between
15% and 17%.

The vast majority ofsake is heat treated
before it is put on
sale. This prevents
faulty aromas fromdeveloping.

High-strength distilled
alcohol with a neutral flavour
is sometimes added to thesake before filtration. This
helps to extract flavours
trapped in the rice solids.

5

3
Categories and Grades of Sake
Sake is divided into a number of categories and grades. The principal
division is into basic and premium sake. Premium sake is divided into a
number of grades.

Basic Sake
This simple style of sake is known as futsū-shu in Japanese.
Most futsū-shu are clear and colourless in appearance but some are paleyellow or green in colour. They are 15–17% abv, slightly sweet and lightly acidic
with delicate lactic and fruity flavours.

Premium Sake
Here we will cover the six most important grades of premium sake. The majority ofthese sakes have the same alcoholic strength and colour as basic sake. However,these six grades can be broken down into two styles that are quite different fromthe majority of typical sakes:
1. Sakes that typically have pure floral and fruity aromas. The word that indicatesthis style is ginjō. Daiginjō literally means ‘big ginjō’ and these sakes have thepurest fruity and floral flavours.
2. Sakes that typically have cereal and lactic aromas. These sakes typically havemore acidity and umami than the ginjō styles.
These six grades are also divided in another way. Three of the grades feature theword junmai, which means ‘pure rice’. This indicates that high-strength distilled
alcohol was not added before filtration. Bearing this all in mind junmai ginjō is asimilar style to ginjō. The only difference is that the sake labelled junmai has not
had distilled alcohol added.

CATEGORIES AND GRADES OF SAKE

Basic sakefutsū-shu

Grades of Premium Sakejunmaidaiginjōdaiginjō
Fruity, floral aromas withless acid and umami.

junmai
ginjō

ginjō

junmaihonjōzō

NO

YES
added
high-strength
distilled
alcohol?

Cereal and lactic aromaswith more acid andumami.

7

4
An Introduction to Tasting Sake
In order to get the most out of tasting a sake, you need to take aconsistent approach with every sample. If you take this approach you will
be able to write tasting notes that accurately describe a sake, which you
can refer back to in the future.
The WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake will help you to do thisand your educator will show you how to use it.

WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake®
APPEARANCE
Clarityclear – cloudy

Other observations

e.g. bubbles, colour

NOSE
Aroma characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. intensity, faults

PALATE
Flavour intensity

light – medium – pronounced

Flavour characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. sweetness, acidity, texture, umami, riceparticles, bubbles, finish

Preparing for a Tasting
Before you start tasting you should make sure that:● there are no distracting smells● you have a white surface to help you assess the appearance of the sake● you have a glass that has a wide bowl that narrows towards the top. This typeof glass helps to concentrate the aromas, making it easier to assess the nose

● you have a clean palate that has no lingering flavours, such as toothpaste orcoffee.

AN INTRODUCTION TO TASTING SAKE

Sake Name:
Appearance
Nose

PalateSake Name:
Appearance
Nose

PalateSake Name:
Appearance
Nose

Palate95Preparing Steamed White RiceA sake brewer starts with grains of brown rice, which need to go througha four-stage process in order to become steamed white rice. The steps
are: polishing, washing, soaking and steaming.

Polishing
During polishing, the grains are passed between two rough surfaces which, overthe course of a few hours, slowly remove the outer as well as some of the middle
layers of the grains. This creates white rice.
The outer layers are nearly always removed and the brewer can choose howmuch of the middle layers to remove; this has a significant impact on the style ofthe sake produced. The outer and middle layers contain starch but they also havea lot of other components. These can give a sake more acidity and umami as wellas cereal and lactic aromas.
● If a brewer only polishes away some of the middle layers, the resulting sake will

have more acidity and umami, with cereal and lactic aromas.

● If the brewer decides to remove most or all of the middle layers to leave justthe core, which is almost pure starch, then the resulting sake will typically haveless acid and umami and more fruity, floral aromas.

A Rice Grain
Outer Layers
These are brownin colour.

The outerand middle
layers containstarchand othercomponentsthat give sakeextra acidity,umami
and cereal
flavours.

Middle Layers
These are whitein colour.

Starch Core
This is white andalmost pure starch.

PREPARING STEAMED WHITE RICE

Polishing Ratio
The amount of polishing that is required in order to make one of the premium
styles of sake is defined in Japanese law. This is called the polishing ratio. This
ensures that the labelling terms are a good indication of the style of sake.
The polishing ratio is expressed as a percentage. If the law requires a ratio of
60 per cent, this means that only 60 per cent or less of the original grain remains
after polishing.

100%

Rice with a polishing ratio between 100%
and 70% can be used to make junmai but
this is very rare.

70%

honjōzō and most junmai
Rice is polished to 70% or less.

60%

ginjō or junmai ginjō
Rice is polished to 60% or less.

50%

daiginjō or junmai daiginjō
Rice is polished to 50% or less.

Washing, Soaking and Steaming
After polishing the grains have rice dust residue all over them, left over from thepolishing process. This dust is made up of the outer and middle layers that thebrewer wanted to remove and therefore it needs to be washed off.
Soaking and then steaming is necessary to soften the grain and ensure that it
has the correct texture and level of moisture so that it can break up into the water
during fermentation.

washingsoaking

steaming

11

6
Making Kōji
Kōji making takes place in a special series of rooms in a sake brewery. In
these rooms the brewer is able to control the temperature and humidity
very precisely. There are four stages in making kōji. They are:1 cooling the steamed rice
2 spreading the mould over the steamed rice
3 initial mould growth
4 controlling and stopping the mould growth.

1 Cooling the Steamed Rice
When it is taken out of the steamer therice is too hot to make kōji. It is spreadout on mats to cool naturally.

2 Spreading the Mould
When the rice has cooled enough it is moved
into the warmest and most humid part of thekōji room. It is spread out in a thin layer on alarge table and the mould spores (seeds) are
spread over the steamed rice.

Steamed rice.

MAKING KŌJI4 Controlling and Stopping the
Mould Growth
Spreading the mould spores.

The warmest and most humid
part of the kōji room.

The rice is sometimes transferred to racks andmoved to cooler and less humid parts of the kōjiroom. The aim of the brewer is to slow the mould
growth so that exactly the right amount of mould
can be grown. To stop the growth the rice is
moved to the coolest part of the kōji room.

The coolest andleast humid partof the kōji room.

3 Initial Mould Growth
In the warmest and most humid part of the kōji room themould grows rapidly over the rice. The rice is regularly
turned by hand to ensure the growth is even.

Kōji.

13

7
Fermentation
For many styles of sake the steamed white rice, kōji and water give
relatively little flavour. However, in nearly all styles of sake the yeast
contribute a significant amount of flavour.
The brewer starts off the fermentation by using a small amount of the fourmain ingredients to build up a healthy population of yeast. This is called thefermentation starter. This is then moved to a larger vessel where it is carefully
mixed with more steamed white rice, kōji and water to make a larger batch for themain fermentation.
During fermentation, the brewer can use their choice of yeast and thetemperature of the fermentation to affect the style of sake.
Special strains of yeast and lower fermentation temperatures must be used inorder to create the fruity and floral aromas characteristic of ginjō styles.
In contrast, warmer fermentation temperatures produce cereal and lactic
aromas.
● steamed white rice
● kōji● water

Fermentation starter.
● yeastSpecial yeast strains
Cooler fermentation temperatures
Warmer fermentation temperatures

Fruity, floral ginjō aromas

Cereal and lactic aromas

Main fermentation.

TASTING NOTES

Tasting Notes
WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake®
APPEARANCE
Clarityclear – cloudy

Other observations

e.g. bubbles, colour

NOSE
Aroma characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. intensity, faults

PALATE
Flavour intensity

light – medium – pronounced

Flavour characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. sweetness, acidity, texture, umami, riceparticles, bubbles, finish

Sake Name:
Appearance
Nose

PalateSake Name:
Appearance
Nose

Palate15

8Premium Sake Revisited
The information about yeast and fermentation temperature can be linked
to the detail about polishing ratios to create a chart showing how thesefactors combine to affect the style of premium sakes.

junmai daiginjō

daiginjō

Polishing ratio of 50% or less

Polishing ratio of
50% or lessFruity, floral aromas withless acid and umami:● highly polishedjunmai ginjō

ginjō

Polishing ratio of 60% or less

Polishing ratio of
60% or lessjunmaihonjōzōTypically rice is polished to 70%

Polishing ratio of
70% or less

Rice with a polishing ratio up to 100% can beused but this is very rare.

● special yeast strains● cool fermentation

temperatures.

Cereal and lactic aromaswith more acid andumami:● lightly polished● warm fermentation

temperatures.

NO

YES
added
high-strength
distilled
alcohol?

9Japanese Labelling Terms
Most sake labels are written in Japanese with only a few words written in
the Latin alphabet. It is helpful to be able to recognise four key labellingterms: junmai, honjōzō, ginjō and daiginjō.
In the table below the Latin alphabet spelling of the three labelling terms is split
into their sounds. Each symbol, called kanji, represents one of these sounds. Notethat there are only seven kanji to learn because the symbol for ‘gin’ and ‘jō’ arerepeated.

junmai
jun

mai

純 米
honjōzō
hon

jō

zō

本 醸 造
ginjō
gin

jō

吟 醸
daiginjō
dai

gin

jō

大 吟 醸

10
Speciality Styles of Sake
There are four important speciality styles of sake: nama, nigori, sparklingand koshu. They can also be a grade of premium sake or a futsū-shu. For
example, a junmai ginjō could also be nama, nigori, sparkling or even a
combination of some these speciality styles.

Nama

Nigori

Sakes that have not been pasteurised are called
nama. Because they are less stable than othersakes, most nama-zake should be consumed
shortly after release, and should be kept
refrigerated at all times. Skipping the pasteurisation
step means that on release these sake can taste
particularly lively and fresh, but they can rapidly
develop spicy, malty aromas that are not toeveryone’s taste. Note that because Japanesepeople soften the ‘s’ to a ‘z’ when talking aboutnama-sake, it is usually spelled nama-zake.

Sakes that have been roughly
filtered are called nigori. Thesesakes are cloudy, due to thesuspended particles of rice.
The style can vary, depending
on how much solids are kept;
some are lightly cloudy, andothers are thick textured withlumps of rice fragments.

SPECIALITY STYLES OF SAKE

Sparkling Sake

Koshu

In common with any sparkling beverage,
the bubbles in sparkling sake are caused
by carbon dioxide gas dissolved in
the liquid. Various techniques exist for
dissolving carbon dioxide gas in bottled
sake. Some of these sakes are very
light in texture and low in alcohol, andothers are more richly textured andmore complex, and can even be nigori
too. Note, there are Japanese terms forsparkling sakes, but we do not give themhere because they are not widely usedoutside of Japan.

Aged sakes are called koshu. Sake canbe aged in various vessels (storage tanks,
terracotta, glass bottles, wood – though
oak is very rarely used). Some brewers
age sake at room temperature, and others
age it at low temperatures (sometimes
below freezing). This leads to a wide rangeof different styles. Most koshu is amberor brown in colour, richly textured andsweet, and has pronounced aromas ofnuts, dried fruit, and even meat and pickled
vegetables. But aged sakes can be paler
and more delicate.

19

Tasting Notes
WSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake®
APPEARANCE
Clarityclear – cloudy

Other observations

e.g. bubbles, colour

NOSE
Aroma characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. intensity, faults

PALATE
Flavour intensity

light – medium – pronounced

Flavour characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. sweetness, acidity, texture, umami, riceparticles, bubbles, finish

Sake Name:
Appearance
Nose

PalateSake Name:
Appearance
Nose

PalateTASTING NOTES

Sake Name:
Appearance
Nose

PalateSake Name:
Appearance
Nose

PalateSake Name:
Appearance
Nose

Palate21

11Storage and Service of Sake
Storing Sake
Sake is easily damaged if it is exposed to heat or strong light.
The following points should be followed when storing sake:● Keep it cool. Even for short-term storage, sake should

be kept cool and ideally refrigerated. Refrigeration isespecially important for nama-zake and for protecting the
fruity aromas of ginjō sakes.
● Drink it young. Most sakes are intended to be consumed
within about a year of being put on sale. After a year they
typically lose their freshness. Most nama-zake lose theirfreshness in a few months.
● Store the bottle upright. Sake bottles are best stored
upright.
● Avoid bright light. Keep sake away from strong sunshine
and bright artificial light which can cause faulty aromas todevelop.
Once opened, a sake bottle should be sealed and stored ina refrigerator. Open bottles of sake generally last two weeks,
and sometimes even longer. The more delicate ginjō styles
remain fresh for about one week after opening.

Sake Faults
The most common faults are caused by bad storage. The
main ones to look for are:● Oxidation – A bottle that has been open too longdevelops unwelcome aromas of caramel and toffee. It also
becomes deeper in colour.

STORAGE AND SERVICE OF SAKE

● Out of Condition – A bottle that is too old develops unwelcome aromas ofcaramel, toffee and pickled vegetables. It also becomes deeper in colour.

● Nama-hine – Nama-zakes can develop unpleasant aromas of malt, meat androtting vegetables.

Note that aromas linked to oxidation and out of condition are similar to those of
koshu. The processes that cause these aromas to develop are the same but forother sakes they are not welcomed by consumers.

Alcohol and Health
When consumed in moderation, alcohol is not regarded as being harmful to one’s
health. However, alcohol can significantly affect the behaviour of anyone who
consumes too much (often in very socially unacceptable and dangerous ways).
For some people it can be highly addictive and, when consumed to excess, it canhave a negative impact on both short- and long-term health. In some cultures
alcohol is not considered socially acceptable and its consumption istherefore banned as a result.
In countries where alcohol consumption is permitted, most
governments control access to alcohol and limit its potentiallyharmful effects.
For the countries where there are no official government
guidelines, it is recommended that the internationallyrecognised World Health Organization low risk responsible
drinking guidelines are followed. Taking a unit as 12 mL pureethanol (equivalent to about 75 mL or 2.5 US fl. oz. of sake at
15–17% abv), these are:
● Women should not drink more than two units a day on

average.

● For men, not more than three units a day on average.
● Try not to exceed four units on any one occasion.
● Don’t drink alcohol in some situations, such as whendriving, if pregnant or in certain work situations and abstain
from drinking at least once a week.

Men or women who consistently drink more than theserecommended levels may increase risks to their health.

23

24

AN INTRODUCTION TO SAKE

Serving Sake

Service Temperature
Sake can be served at a wide rangeof temperatures, though not all stylesof sake are suitable for serving warm.
Warming sakes makes them seem
more intense, richer in texture andhigher in acidity. This can help when
pairing with food. However, ginjō stylesakes lose their aromas and flavours
when heated and are best served
chilled.

Warming Sake using a
WaterbathPlace the tokkuri in a container filledwith water heated to about 80°C
(176°F). It takes about two to four
minutes to warm a small tokkuri of
sake, and you should always checkthe temperature using a thermometer.

Serving Chilled Sake
Sakes should be chilled in a
fridge. They can either be served
straight from a bottle that has
been refrigerated or decanted
into a tokkuri. Some tokkuri havea compartment for iced water tokeep the sake cool.

Sake Serviceware
Sake can be servedin a variety of different
traditional Japanese
vessels as well as
wine glasses.

Wine Glasses

Masu

These are ideal for serving premium sake either
chilled or at room temperature. The most suitable
glasses are small enough that the sake stays at theright temperature while it is being consumed, andtulip-shaped to enhance the aromas.

This is the Japanese word for a small box made ofcedar. It is not an ideal sake service vessel because thewood adds flavour to the sake. Historically they wereused for measuring rice rather but sake is occasionallydrunk out of a masu at ceremonial occasions.

STORAGE AND SERVICE OF SAKE

Warming Sake using a Microwave
Use a microwave, ensuring that the container
you use is suitable for microwaving. This takes
about 20–40 seconds to warm 180 mL of
sake, depending on the microwave and thetemperature change needed. Because water
heats at almost the same speed as sake, you
can practise first by warming water.

Recommended Service Temperatures
Style of sake

Chilled
6–13°C (43–55°F)

Room temperature
15–18°C (59–64°F)

Warm/hot
40–50°C (104–122°F)

Futsū-shu, junmai, honjōzō

✓
✓
✓

✓

✓
✗
✗

Ginjō styles
Sparkling sake
Koshu, nigori

personal preference✗

These sakes are generally best served chilled, but some can be served
warm.

TokkuriThis is the Japanese word for a sake carafe, used
for heating and serving sake. Like traditional cups,
these come in many shapes, and many materials
are used. The most common are about 150–300
mL (5–10 US fl. oz.) and made of pottery.

O-chokoThis is the Japanese word for a
traditional sake cup. These comein a range of sizes, shapes andmaterials. The most common
kinds are small pottery or glass
cups that have a flat base. The
small size means that they must
be frequently refilled, reflecting a
tradition of Japanese hospitality.

25

26

AN INTRODUCTION TO SAKE

Practical Exercise: Heating Sake
Sake can be served either chilled or warm but not every sake benefits from being
heated prior to service.
In this exercise you will taste two different sakes:● Junmai● Ginjō style

How the Exercise will Work
● Step 1. Taste the sakes once they have been chilled to 6–13°C or 43–55°F andon the opposite page record your impressions of their aromas and texture.

● Step 2. Your educator will then heat both the sakes until they reach 40–50°C

or 104–122°F. This may be done in a waterbath or a microwave depending on
what is available.

● Step 3. Taste the sakes again and note if or how they have changed. In

particular think about how the texture and the aromas of the sake have been
affected. Are any changes positive or negative?

Sake being heated in a waterbath. A thermometer is used to check thetemperature of the sake.

STORAGE AND SERVICE OF SAKEWSET Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake®
APPEARANCE
Clarityclear – cloudy

Other observations

e.g. bubbles, colour

NOSE
Aroma characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. intensity, faults

PALATE
Flavour intensity

light – medium – pronounced

Flavour characteristics

e.g. fruity/floral, cereal/grain/nut, lactic/dairy, other

Other observations

e.g. sweetness, acidity, texture, umami, riceparticles, bubbles, finish

Junmai:
ChilledWarm/hotGinjō style:
ChilledWarm/hot27

12
Sake and Food
Sake does not just pair well with Japanese food. It can be enjoyedalongside most international dishes too. Understanding the principles
behind successful and unsuccessful pairing will help you to have theconfidence to match sake with a wide range of cuisines.

Food and Drink Taste Interactions
When food and drink are consumed together they affect the way each othertaste. This is called a taste interaction and the principles can be applied to any
combination of food and drink. An extreme example of this happens when orange
juice tastes unpleasantly bitter and acidic immediately after using toothpaste.
Taste interactions between food and drinks are typically nothing like thisextreme but changes do happen. Generally, food affects a drink more than a drink
affects food. A knowledge of what interactions can happen helps to enhance adining experience while at the same time helping to avoid potential problems.

Positive Interactions

Negative Interactions

Salt and acid in foods
tend to make a drink
seem less drying andbitter and less acidic.
These components canalso make a drink seem
sweeter; and more fruity.

Umami in foods tends tomake a drink taste more
drying and bitter and more
acidic. These components
can also make a drink seemless sweet; and less fruity. Salt
in food can cancel out thenegative impact of umami.
Sugar and chilli heat in a foodcan have a similar effect toumami. Chilli can also increase
the burning effect of thealcohol.
Bitterness in a food can makea drink taste more bitter.

Food and Sake
As you will discover in the practical exercise sake does not typically have strong
negative interactions with food. These negative reactions are normally associatedwith umami and sugar in the food.
There are therefore only a few key points to consider when pairing sake withfood.
● Most sakes go with most foods. Personal preference is therefore always themost important consideration.

● Food and sakes should have a similar flavour intensity so that one does notoverwhelm the other.

● Sweet dishes should be paired with a sake that is equally as sweet.

SAKE AND FOOD

Practical Exercise: Pairing Sakeand Food
In this exercise you will try four food samples that show sweetness, saltiness,umami and acidity and you will pair them with two different sakes:● Junmai● Ginjō style

How the Exercise will Work
● For each food sample you will need to follow the same routine. Take a small

mouthful of the sample and then take a sip of the first sake. Note if or how thefood affects the aroma and texture of the sake. Then repeat the pairing but thistime use the second sake.

Junmai

Sweet

Salt

Umami

Acid

Ginjō style29

About WSET

Our Qualifications

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
is the world’s leading provider of qualifications
in wines and spirits. Our programmes aredesigned for anyone looking to develop
their knowledge in wines, spirits and sake– from beginners to professionals. We currently
offer eight qualifications; from one-day
beginner courses through to a specialist
level Diploma.

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
WSET Level 1 Award in Wine Service
WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits
WSET Level 1 Award in SakeWSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
WSET Level 3 Award in SakeWSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines and Spirits

For more information about WSET or tolocate your nearest course provider visit
wsetglobal.com/wsetglobal@wsetglobal/wsetglobal

A world of knowledge
Wine & Spirit Education TrustInternational Wine & Spirit Centre
39-45 Bermondsey Street
London SE1 3XF+44(0)20 7089 3800
wset@wset.co.uk
wsetglobal.com

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