November 11, 2021

Tips for tasting 'sake' and 'shochu' in autumn

It's November. Season for sake and shochu! Well, of course you can enjoy those Japanese traditional alcoholic beverages all year round, but autumn is actually one of the best seasons to taste them.

Sake is a kind of rice wine, made from fermented rice. To pair with Japanese dish such as sushi, sake is a must. In autumn, newly brewed sake made from the year's rice harvest is released. They are called sinshu,新酒, meaning new sake, and you can expect fresh aroma and refreshing, clean taste.

If you prefer more matured type of sake, try Hiya-Oroshi, ひやおろし, wich is available in autumn. Because Hiya-Oroshi is matured during summer and released without a second pasteurization, it typically features richer flavour and milder taste.

That means Hiya-Oroshi is also suited for heated sake. Japanese sake is one of a few alcoholic beverages that can be served chilled or heated. Aroma or taste of sake changes according to temperature, so it is fun to find out the perfect temperature for each sake.

Other than sushi, some of Japanese typical home cuisines in autumn to pair with sake include grilled saury with salt, rightly roasted bonito, or Japanese style stew called oden. Oden is a dish made of various ingredients such as fish cakes, radish and boiled egg simmered in soy sauce flavored broth. Hot oden and heated sake are a perfect match for cold winter.

Don't forget Shochu

Also, don't forget the other traditional alcoholic beverage called Shochu, 焼酎. November 1st is the Authentic Shochu Day!

Shochu is a distilled alcoholic beverage like vodka or tequila. They are made from sweet potato, rice, buckwheat or other crops, mainly in Kyushu, the western part of Japan.

Shochu is classified into two categories: Authentic Shochu, or 'Honkaku Shochu', which is made in the traditional style, and 'Ko-rui Shochu', which is made in a more modern style.

Honkaku Shochu is suited for drinking straight, with some ice cubes and / or water. Many people in Kyushu like to drink Shochu with hot water. My favourite combination is Honkaku Shochu, hot water and Japanese traditional plum pickles called 'umeboshi'.

As for Ko-rui Shochu, try a popular cocktail called 'Chuhai' or 'Sour'. It is made of Shochu, soda, fresh fruits like lemon and grapefruits. If you would like more Japanese style experience, umeboshi sour is also a good choice.

At the moment in Japan, COVID-19 restrictions are eased and now we can eat and drink in bars and restaurants again. At KEV, we are planning to offer our sake (and maybe Shochu?) tasting tour when it's no longer a pandemic. Hope we will be able to see you soon over some sake!
by Seiko

pictures of sake taken at 'Rokuden' in Monzen-nakacho, Koto-ku, Tokyo