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Key Points Regarding GEKKEIKAN Sake
Sake & Culture
Making Sake
Sake Varieties
Enjoying Sake
Sake Barrel Ceremony "Kagami-Biraki"
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Commonly Misunderstood Facts about Sake
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum

Commonly Misunderstood Facts about Sake

Misconseption #1: Sake should be served very hot.

Gekkeikan Traditional Sake should never be served as a hot beverage like tea or coffee. If warmed, it may be heated to 40-50°C (104-122°F). It may also be served at room temperature, chilled or over ice.

Premium sakes and special kinds of sake, such as Draft Gekkeikan Sake, however, should never be heated. These sakes are best enjoyed chilled or served over ice.

Warmed sake


Chilled sake

Misconseption #2: Sake must be served in small porcelain cups

Although sake was traditionally served in small porcelain or wooden cups, the modern trend is to drink it in a variety of ways including glass and earthenware. With the growing trend for chilled premium sakes, sake is quite often served in white wineglasses.

Wineglasses

Misconseption #3: Sake is a distilled beverage.

Sake is a fermented beverage which undergoes no distillation process and contains no added sulfites or preservatives. Made simply from water, rice, and a malt-like ingredient known as “koji," sake is truly a natural beverage.

Stirring the fermentation

Misconseption #4: Sake goes well only with Japanese food

Sake is a versatile beverage which goes well with a variety of foods. Whether paired with fish or vegetarian cuisine, whether accompanying a Chinese dish or a light Italian meal, sake is a refreshing complement.

Salad

Chicken