Kanpai!

Sake season officially started on October 1st. Much like wine grapes, sake rice is harvested from August- October and now the fermentation and brewing process begins.
Check out Sake-World if you want the step by step.

Here's a phrase that can be helpful if not taken too literally.
Sake is brewed like beer and drinks like wine.
Premium, chilled sake has as many flavor and aromatic nuances as wine. There are varying levels of acidity, mouthfeel and body.
Just like wine, the only way to find out which style you prefer is to line up several sakes and conduct a tasting.

If you haven't tasted much sake, this process will be an eye-opener.
Just go to your local Japanese grocery store or a Wholefoods and buy some takeout sushi and several 300ml bottles of premium sake.
Invite friends. Enjoy.
Trust me , they will love it.


There is a treasure trove of amazing sakes out there beyond the hot, cheap table sake and sake bombs we have all endured in the past.

Here are a couple of sake recommendations:
Koshi no Kanbai "Tokusen" Ginjo grade - very pretty, honeydew melon notes and lovely flower aromatics
Kanbara "Bride of the Fox" Junmai Ginjo grade - round in the mouth, full, rich, aromatic
Matensei Junmai Ginjo grade - nice bright acids, cherry aromas and flavors