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Sake is a cornerstone of Japanese culture.
Sake is a distilled and brewed from rice and is wine that is usually served warm but can be served cold.
The inside part of rice kernels contains the starch, the part of the rice that will ferment. The outer parts of the rice kernel contain oils and proteins. The remainder of oils and proteins affects the taste of sake. Polishing or milling the rice removes the outer parts and leaves only the starchy core. The basic types of sake in increasing order of quality, complexity and price are:
honjozo-shu with a slight amount of distilled alcohol added. The distilled alcohol helps pull some extra flavors out of the mash.
junmai-shu made from rice only, at least 30% of rice polished away, no alcohol added
ginjo-shu from rice polished 30-50%. Junmai ginjo-shu is made with no added alcohol.
daiginjo-shu rice polished 50-70% away. Junmai daiginjo-shu is made with no added alcohol.
As with other alcohol in Japan, sake is poured with the palm of the hand facing down and the back of the hand facing up, particularly when it is poured for another person. Traditional social customs dictate that dining companions pour each other’s sake and is considered in poor form to pour your own sake.