Sake Guide: Types, Tasting and Food Pairing

Sake (日本酒, nihonshu) is Japan's traditional rice drink. It is often called "rice wine", but it is brewed more like beer: the starch in the rice is turned into sugar, and the sugar into alcohol. Most sake ends up at around 15% alcohol, a little stronger than wine. Every sake named below is on Momo's drinks menu.

How sake is made

Sake needs only four ingredients: rice, water, koji (a mould grown on steamed rice) and yeast. The koji breaks the rice starch down into sugar while the yeast turns that sugar into alcohol, both in the same tank at the same time. Brewers call this multiple parallel fermentation.

Before brewing, the rice is milled (polished) to remove its outer layers. The more that is milled away, the lighter and more fragrant the sake tends to be. The grade on the label tells you how far the rice was milled and whether any distilled alcohol was added.

The main types of sake

Junmai (純米)

"Pure rice" sake: nothing but rice, water, koji and yeast, with no added alcohol. Often fuller and more savoury, and many junmai are good warm as well as chilled. Momo serves two by the masu, the traditional wooden cup: Tosatsuru Junmai from Kochi, and Shirakabegura Kimoto Junmai, made with the traditional kimoto starter method.

Honjozo (本醸造)

A small amount of distilled alcohol is added during brewing, which tends to make the sake lighter and smoother. On Momo's list: Ozeki Karatamba Honjozo from Hyogo, served cold.

Ginjo and Junmai Ginjo (吟醸)

Made from rice milled until no more than 60% of each grain remains, then fermented slowly at low temperatures. Expect fruity, floral aromas. Try Kubota Senju Ginjo from Niigata or Gassan no Yuki Junmai Ginjo from Yamagata.

Daiginjo and Junmai Daiginjo (大吟醸)

The rice is milled until no more than 50% of each grain remains. These are delicate, highly aromatic sakes and are almost always served chilled. Momo's list includes Tamanohikari Junmai Daiginjo Bizen from Kyoto.

Nigori (にごり)

Cloudy sake that is only coarsely filtered, so some of the rice solids stay in. Usually sweeter and creamier, and an easy first sake. Momo has Hakutsuru Junmai Nigori Sayuri and Kikusui Perfect Snow Nigori, plus Sawasawa, a sparkling nigori.

Namazake (生酒)

Unpasteurised sake, fresher and livelier in flavour, which has to be kept cold. Momo's list has Sekiya Jozo Houraisen Jukusei Namazake Wa from Aichi.

Hot or cold?

There is no single right temperature. As a rule of thumb, fragrant ginjo and daiginjo are served chilled so their aromas stay fresh, while fuller junmai and honjozo can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature or warm. Warm sake (kanzake) is a comforting choice in winter: at Momo, Shochikubai is served warm in 125ml or 250ml measures.

Sake and food pairing

• Ginjo and daiginjo suit delicate dishes such as sashimi and white-fish nigiri like suzuki (sea bass).
• Junmai and honjozo stand up to richer, savoury food: tempura, yakitori and teriyaki from the grilled dishes.
• Nigori works with spicy or salty food, such as Spicy Tuna Maki, and after a meal.
• Warm sake goes well with grilled fish such as Saba Shio Yaki (mackerel grilled with salt) and with hot noodle dishes.

Treat these as starting points rather than rules.

Beyond sake: shochu, umeshu and whisky

Momo's drinks menu also lists shochu, a distilled spirit, made from barley (Kannoko) or sweet potato (Shiranami, Kirishima, Ikkomon and Tomino Hozan), by the 50ml measure or the bottle. There is umeshu plum wine, and three Japanese whiskies: Hibiki Harmony, Yamazaki and Suntory Hakushu.

Not sure where to start? A 300ml bottle of cold sake is an easy size to share between two. Book a table and ask the team for a suggestion on the night.