What Is Sake? — Not Rice Wine, Something Better

Sake gets called "rice wine" in English, and while that comparison is convenient, it is also misleading. Wine is made by fermenting the sugar that already exists in grapes. Sake is made from rice, which contains no sugar at all. Before fermentation can even begin, the starch in the rice must be converted into sugar. That extra step changes everything about how the drink is made, how it tastes, and how it should be enjoyed.

We are Kanei Shuzo, a sake brewery in Hadano, Kanagawa Prefecture, about an hour west of Tokyo. We have been brewing sake since 1868 using water from the Tanzawa mountain range, one of Japan's most celebrated water sources. Our flagship brand is Shirasasa Tsuzumi. This article is our attempt to explain what we do, and why sake deserves a place on your table.

How Sake Is Actually Made

The process that makes sake unique is called "parallel multiple fermentation." In beer brewing, the conversion of starch to sugar (saccharification) and the conversion of sugar to alcohol (fermentation) happen in separate steps. In winemaking, the grapes already contain sugar, so saccharification is unnecessary. In sake brewing, both reactions occur simultaneously in the same tank.

Here is how it works. Rice is polished to remove the outer layers, then washed, soaked, and steamed. A mold called koji is cultivated on a portion of the steamed rice. This koji produces enzymes that break down starch into sugar. Meanwhile, yeast is added to the mixture, and it begins converting that sugar into alcohol as fast as the koji produces it. Two chemical reactions, running side by side, in a carefully controlled balance. This parallel process is why sake can reach alcohol levels of 20 percent or higher before dilution, far exceeding what wine or beer can achieve through fermentation alone.

The water matters enormously. Our brewery sits at the foot of the Tanzawa mountains, and the water that filters through those ancient rock formations is soft and mineral-rich. It gives our sake a clean, rounded character that we could not replicate with water from anywhere else.

The Four Main Types of Sake

Sake labels in Japan carry specific classification terms. You do not need to memorize them, but understanding the basics helps you navigate a sake menu with confidence.

Junmai means "pure rice." This sake is made with only rice, water, koji, and yeast. No additional alcohol is added. Junmai sake tends to have a full, rich flavor with prominent rice character. It is excellent warm or at room temperature.

Ginjo refers to sake made with rice polished to at least 60 percent of its original size. The more you polish rice, the more you remove proteins and fats from the outer layers, leaving behind a purer starch core. Ginjo sake is fermented at lower temperatures for longer periods, producing delicate, fruity aromas. When ginjo is also junmai (no added alcohol), it is called junmai ginjo.

Daiginjo takes polishing further, to at least 50 percent. This is the most labor-intensive style. The aromas become even more refined, with notes of melon, pear, and apple. Daiginjo is typically served chilled to preserve those aromatics. Junmai daiginjo is the pure-rice version, and it is often considered the pinnacle of the brewer's art.

Honjozo is sake with a small amount of brewer's alcohol added. This is not a shortcut or a compromise. The added alcohol extracts and amplifies certain aromatic compounds that would otherwise remain locked in the mash. Good honjozo is clean, light, and remarkably versatile with food. It is also one of the best styles for warm sake.

There is a common misconception that junmai is always "better" than honjozo, or that daiginjo is always "better" than ginjo. This is not true. Each style has its strengths, and the best sake is simply the one you enjoy drinking.

How to Drink Sake

One of sake's most remarkable qualities is its temperature range. Almost no other beverage in the world can be enjoyed across such a wide spectrum.

Chilled sake, around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, highlights fruity aromas and crisp acidity. This is the sweet spot for daiginjo and ginjo styles. Room temperature, around 20 degrees, lets the rice character come forward. And warm sake, from 35 to 50 degrees, opens up rich umami flavors and a soothing, round texture. The same bottle can taste like two completely different drinks depending on whether you chill it or warm it.

There is also a newer way to enjoy sake that is gaining popularity in Japan: the sake highball. Mix sake with sparkling water over ice. The carbonation lifts the aromatics, the dilution brings the alcohol down to a refreshing level, and suddenly sake becomes an easy-drinking, food-friendly companion for any meal. If you have never tried sake before, a sake highball is a surprisingly approachable starting point.

Sake and Food

Sake is, at its heart, a food wine. It is meant to be drunk with a meal, and its flavor profile is designed to complement rather than compete with what is on the plate.

The umami in sake creates a natural bridge to savory dishes. Grilled fish, tempura, sushi, roasted chicken, aged cheese, mushroom risotto, even a simple bowl of miso soup. Sake's gentle acidity cleanses the palate between bites, while its umami resonates with the savory elements in food. Unlike tannic red wines, sake rarely clashes with a dish. Its soft, rounded character makes it one of the most food-friendly beverages in the world.

A practical starting point for pairing: lighter sake with lighter food, richer sake with richer food. A chilled junmai ginjo with sashimi. A warm junmai with braised pork belly. A honjozo highball with fried chicken. Once you start experimenting, the combinations are endless.

About Our Brewery

Kanei Shuzo was founded in 1868, the first year of the Meiji era. For over 150 years, we have been brewing sake in the foothills of the Tanzawa mountains, using water that has filtered through volcanic rock over centuries. Our brewery is small by modern standards, and we intend to keep it that way. Scale is not what we pursue. What we pursue is the honest expression of rice, water, and craft in every bottle.

We brew Shirasasa Tsuzumi, our core sake line, alongside specialty products including a sake designed specifically for highballs, a daiginjo-based lemon sour mix, plum wine, and sparkling sake. We believe that the techniques of sake brewing can create far more than just traditional nihonshu.

If you are ever in the Hadano area, we welcome visitors for brewery tours by reservation. There is something about tasting sake in the place where it was made, breathing the same air that fills the fermentation room, that no bottle on a shelf can replicate.

A World Worth Exploring

Sake is not complicated. It is rice, water, koji, and yeast, transformed by time and craft into something that has sustained a culture for over a thousand years. The world of nihonshu runs deep, and this article is just the surface. But if it leads you to pick up a bottle you would not have tried otherwise, then it has done its job.

Start anywhere. There are no wrong first steps.

If you want to try something from our brewery, SAKE for Highball is a great entry point — designed to be mixed with sparkling water, it makes sake approachable and refreshing. For something with a citrus twist, Kura-chu Lemon 40 blends daiginjo lees spirit with 40% lemon juice for a uniquely Japanese take on sour cocktails. And if you want to experience the craft at its purest, Shirasasa Tsuzumi Daiginjo is our flagship, a sake of quiet elegance that rewards every sip.

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