Tasting the History in your sake

Japan’s traditional rice wine developed together with the economic and cultural situation of the country. The beginnings of Sake is traced in China in approximately 4, 000 B.C. Sake was introduced in Japan in 300 BC at the time when wet rice cultivation was also introduced.

This wine is made through community efforts. The preparation for the mixture of the wine includes milling the rice kernels and which will later on be mashed. The community or village usually helps in polishing for the wine. Each village member is requested to mash the rice and nuts by chewing. After ensuring that each particle is thoroughly chewed, the village member will then spit the substance in a pit. The liquid produced from the pit becomes the sake. This was discontinued after discoveries that a mold enzyme and yeast can similarly produce the same traditional rice wine.

Sake was first made for the consumption of village families. When the rice wine was later on mass produced, it was the richer and upper class families in Japan who continuously patronize the rice wine. The mass production of sake developed during the 1300’s through sake breweries. The Industrial Revolution in Japan also made significant improvements on how the sake was being produced. Machinery resulted to more sake being made available for the consuming public.

The World War II however, affected the production of sake. Rice shortages caused modifications in the recipe for making the traditional rice wine i.e. use of glucose and pure alcohol with

the mashed rice. The traditional rice wine became more than just a part of Japanese cuisine. Sake plays a significant role in the cultural developments of Japan. It is deeply integrated in the day to day living of the Japanese people. Sake is often served in reverence, during occasions involving family and friends. Tradition dictates that sake must be poured by another person for an individual and the same tradition should also be extended to the one pouring the drink.

Today, Sake can be produced at home without the complexities of the mass produced versions. To make sake, the work area must first be clean. Containers to be used must be sterilized. The rice must be washed then soaked later on from 30 minutes to 8 hours in cold water. Afterwards, the rice must be cooked and then cooled. The rice must be distributed evenly in every container. Each container must have a cup of rice, ½ cup of Koji, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of yeast, and one and one half cups of water. After mixing the ingredients, close the lid tightly and shake the container.

The containers with the mixture must be stored at room temperature and in a dark area. Each day, the container must be shaken, tightening the lids then loosening them again to ensure gas exchange. In 16 days, the rice wine will be ready for drinking. During this last process of fermentation, the sake must be filtered with cheesecloth for easier consumption.