Sake. How many degrees in it, and how to use it?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Sake, or as it is also called - Japanese vodka, along with samurai, Fujiyama, kimono and sakura has been a constant symbol of Japan for many centuries. The thing is that this country was artificially isolated from the rest of the world for a long time and developed in its own way, without experiencing foreign influence until the 19th century. So it is with Japanese alcohol. Sake is still not made in other countries, it is the prerogative of exclusively Japanese producers!

Specifics

So, sake - how many degrees is it and what type of drink can it be attributed to? It is quite difficult to attribute sake to any group. Some call the drink rice vodka, as it is made from rice. But mandatory distillation is not carried out. Sake wine (how many degrees, we will tell: from fifteen to twenty) is also not calledright, because the technology of making the drink includes mold fermentation. According to European standards, for example, the drink can be attributed, rather, to rice beer, only with an increased strength, achieved using special technologies.

A bit of history

Sake in ancient times was the privilege of the emperor and those close to him. Then it was called the drink of the gods. In its unchanged form, it was preserved, according to Japanese archaeologists, for two millennia. So there is something to be proud of! Sake was also used for various rituals. In the mythology of Japan, there is even the so-called Rice Warrior (comparable to the European Bacchus). Sake became available for general consumption only in the 18th century. Since then, ordinary peasants began to use the magic drink of the gods. Sake factories appear. Some of them still exist today, maintaining almost three hundred years of tradition of production.

Cooking technology

The process is quite laborious, its recipes have been passed down and preserved for many centuries. For cooking, special sakamai rice is used, which contains a lot of starch. The composition of the water used for the drink is also important.

Rice is polished, aged, washed, soaked, steamed. Then - the stage of m alting steamed rice (decomposition of mold fungi in it). M alt goes to sourdough, is used as the main component for mash. Next, the components are mixed and pure water is added. Next phase- maturation of mash (usually up to thirty days). In this case, the mash must be cooled to five degrees from time to time. This explains the fact that sake used to be made during the winter months. Then the mash is divided into solid and liquid fractions (in ancient times this was done by squeezing out with a load - special bags with a drink were placed under pressure, the liquid was squeezed into a vat). It is said that with this method of production, this type of alcohol acquires additional notes and taste. The solid fraction also does not disappear! It is used to make shochu, another type of alcohol in Japanese. Also for marinating vegetables.

Final stage

In this way young sake is obtained. How many degrees is in it? About fifteen. It settles in a special container for about two weeks. In this case, solid suspensions should precipitate, and the upper part is poured into another tank. Then the liquid is filtered additionally (some manufacturers prefer to omit this process, preferring to preserve the natural aftertaste) - and, in principle, the drink is ready to drink. But true connoisseurs prefer to drink aged sake. To do this, the pasteurization process is carried out (using a steam coil, when the liquid is heated to 65 degrees), corked and kept for six to twelve months.

Japanese sake. How many degrees are in the drink?

During the aging process, the strength of the drink may increase. Get aged sake. How many degrees is in it? Up to twenty, rarely up to twentyfive. Also a low fortress - at least, it is incomparable with Russian vodka or Irish whiskey! But this fortress is usually diluted to 16 degrees. The ratio of vodka-sake (how many degrees): 40 to 16. So in this regard, it is doubtful to call sake rice vodka.

Types of sake

The class of the drink directly depends on the degree of polishing of rice. The fact is that the shell of the grains contains oils and substances that give the drink an unpleasant aftertaste. The greater the percentage of polished rice used for cooking, the more appreciated the drink. Here are some of them:

• 

  Jummai - pure rice, no additives (distilled alcohol, starch, sugar).

• "Ginjo" - 60% polished rice. In the preparation, special yeast is used, the fermentation process takes place at low temperatures. The product has floral and fruity aromas, delicate taste.
• "Daiginjo" - high-quality varieties of rice are used in cooking. Considered the highest sake.
• "Honjojo" - grinding rice at least 70%. In some varieties, a small amount of distilled alcohol is added. Has a rough taste but a light aftertaste.

How to use

Drink sake from special small cups. They say that a good quality drink should be drunk chilled to 5 degrees. Bad sake, according to the Japanese, is drunk warm (warming up to 60 degrees). Then all unpleasant tastes disappear.