SONOMA SAKE

Welcome to Sonoma Sake, and our journey of brewing sake in Sonoma County, CA!

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TERROIR!

As with wine, or a great scotch, the sense of place is key to creating the finest sake. You cannot make great alcoholic beverages, without great quality ingredients. Nevertheless, mastery of the craft is still needed to turn those ingredients into something extraordinary!

To purchase our available offerings, please click the link at the top of the page.

WHAT IS SAKE? (Sa-kay)

We have all heard people describe sake as "rice wine" or even "rice beer" but in truth, it is neither of those things. Here is s simplified explanation.

After sake rice is polished the rice starch needs to be converted to sugar via koji mold before it can be brewed by the yeast. (Wine and beer need only yeast). During the fermentation process both mold and yeast continue to contribute in what is known as co-fermentation. So, while it shares similarities with both wine and beer in that sugars are converted to alcohol, it is a unique multi-stage process that in the proper hands yield spectacular results.

Did you know, Sake literally means alcohol in Japanese? Yep, in Japan most people commonly refer to the beverage as "nihonshu".

BUT ITS JUST RICE, RIGHT?

Just as with wine and beer, there are many types of sake. Those are determined by ingredients and methods used. With wine, it is grape varietals, fermentation, filtration, and aging methods. With beer its grain types, fermentation, filtration, adjuncts such as hops, and aging. Again, I am oversimplifying here, but you get the point.

With sake it is much the same. Rice type, amount of rice polished away, filtration, addition of brewers alcohol, and aging. Pasteurization plays a roll as well. These steps can create wildly different flavor profiles from a humble grain of rice, including flavors of mushrooms, flower blossoms, and even fruits like apples! There is a sake for every meal.

And in all types of alcohol, using pure clean water is always important!

Did you know, The word for rice in Japanese is"gohan"?

So many choices

Lets talk types... there are two main types of sake, those with added brewers alcohol called Honjozo, Ginjo, or Daiginjo. And those without called Junmai, Jumai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo.

Any sake with Ginjo in the name has had more rice polished away. The more you polish the rice, the more you are left with just the starchy center of the grain, and the finest results.

Remember this, if it has the word "Junmai" in front of it, then it has no addition of alcohol.

This is not to say that only Junmai sake are they best, they are simply a style. Adding a little brewers alcohol to the sake actually lightens the taste and flavor profile, and are often more elegant than those without.

Did you know, Namazake is sake that has not been pasteurized, or undergone very minimal pasteurization? Most imported sake has been pasteurized twice.

Basic understanding

As mentioned, Junmai in the name equals no added alcohol, and any sake with Ginjo in the name has more rice polished away. The "Dai" in Junmai Daiginjo, and Daiginjo means that at least 50% of the rice has been polished away.

So now you have two basic camps, one with and one without alcohol. Now what about cloudy sake you may ask. Well, that simply comes down to the level of filtration. The more rice solids that remain in the final product, the more body, and typically more sweetness will remain.

And just to give you another nugget, often water is added to the final product as well. This is normal practice, and is done with most sake.

Did you know, Sakekasu, or leftover rice from the fermentation process, is often used in cattle feed, and beauty products!

Selection Time! Don't be shy...

The process of selecting a bottle of sake in a store or restaurant can be daunting, and often causes most people to stay clear of the whole thing in the first place. Unfortunately...

However, there are simple steps to help you make the best choices.

Restaurants are easy: When in a restaurant, if there is a sake menu, read it! They often include excellent descriptions and make it easy to choose. And don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation.

Retail: When in a retail shop, you get what you pay for. If you think sake is a cheep beverage, you would be mistaken. If you pay $10. for a bottle, well, that is exactly what you are going to get. If you are looking for a decent quality quaff, be prepared to spend upwards of $25. for a 720 ml bottle. My usual spend is about $35. at my local specialty supermarket if I want t nice glass with dinner. Save the $10. stuff for cooking with, please.

Now, lets determine your taste. Are you making Italian tonight? Risotto, or a hearty ragu sauce? Then I might go with a robust style of sake, like a Ginjo. Perhaps you are making a salad, and roast chicken? Then you might try a Junmai Ginjo, and let the light crisp flavors complement the food.

Rule of thumb, Junmai Ginjo, Ginjo and Daiginjo all have 50% and above rice pollish, and are the words to look for. Junmai will be lighter and match with lighter foods, and Ginjo and Daiginjo will have deeper flavors and match with bigger foods.

Did you know, Hot sake is really only served in winter? Serve your sake chilled, like a white wine.

DRINK WARE

Really, there are no hard fast rules about the glass you choose. From the dainty ochoko (the smallest of sake cups) , or the delicate sakazuki (pictured above), a white wine glass, or a wooden masu, its really up to you. As most people already have white wine glass, or easy access to one, I recommend using those. A good rule of thumb, is that the smaller the glass, the more enjoyable it will be. Remember to sip it, don't shoot it!

Did you know, The wooden masu often associated with sake is traditionally use as a form of grain measurement.

NOT WITHOUT MOLD!

You may have the word "mold" bouncing around i the back of your head after reading above that mold is part of the fermentation process. And you may be thinking 'hold up , mold is bad, I don't want to get sick' . Well, in general, you would be correct, with some exceptions. It may be easiest to think about blue-cheese dotted with penicillin, and its rich flavors. Or a savory slice of salami. Let me assure you, that while most molds are harmful to people, when the correct molds are treated carefully, they can be a key ingredient is some well loved foods. Koji is known to boost amino acids in foods, and that equals more flavor!

Did you know, Koji mold is used in soy sauce production.

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