How to Serve Sake

How to serve sake??? Two words, "Chill Out"!

Good sake is always served chilled, mediocre sake can be served warm and bad sake should be boiled or stay away! Economy sake may be served warm and this has its place on a cold winter night with that special someone (forget foreplay, this is a prelude to an excellent boom-boom). The ceremony of serving sake warm, where you don't pour for yourself, but pour for others, sends a sign of respect (Ahhh...that honor vs. disgrace bs).

Chilled premium sakes were first introduced in the late sixties. Sake-making technology, particularly in rice milling or polished, had improved dramatically that it enabled sakemakers to make sakes so delicate they are can damaged by heat.

Some people enjoy using the traditional square masu boxes to sip sake. This was a traditional rice-measuring device, typically made from aromatic cedar, which infuse aromas to the sake. Other people enjoy their sake served a tumbler. My way to serve sake is chilled in a wine glass, which enhances the enjoyment of the subtle aromas and flavors of premium sake. When serving it chilled, I recommend serving it at 7 degrees C (45 degrees F for all y'all folks outside of the US of A); this yields wonderfully refreshing first taste. By serving the sake in a wine glass, its temperature gradually increases, which changes the aroma and flavors!!!



These "Water of Life" from the East should be stored in a cool place and stay away from strong light. Also, it's not gonna age like wine, and is best when fresh. So, if some dude from a liquor store tried weaseling you a "vintage" clear or Nigori (unfilterd) sake, tell him to go eat sh*t. There is only one type of aged sake and it is Koshu. Koshu or old sake is basically sake that has been aged for a year or more before bottling. Koshu is classified by brewery year (BY). "3BY" means it was brewed in Heisei 3 (1991). "Shinshu" (new sake) is the opposite of koshu. A good Koshu has all the characters of Xiao Xhing (Shao-Shing) wine from the Xiao-Xhing region of China. Also, if the same f*cker misformed you that to serve sake on the rocks, then you must jab him in the face for such ignorance! One more thing, once opened, sake will stay fresh for about a week in the fridge.

Kanpai!!!