Super Simple Sake Terms

Four little words to set you on the path to enjoying sake

In my quest to turn more people on to sake, today’s post is free for all.

I believe we’re entering a sea change when it comes to sake. The United States is one of, if not the top, export markets for Japanese sake. There’s a growing number of breweries opening domestically. Fashion world magazine darling Highsnobiety highlighted my favorite, Sake Bar Asoko, in a recent issue, and even held the fall issue launch party there.

When I tell people I write about sake, there’s a dual reaction of, “I like sake,” and “I know nothing about it/I find the bottles intimidating.”

We all need to start somewhere, right? It’s like first learning about wine. It seems overwhelming. There’s so much swirling, sniffing, and, let’s face it, posturing.

But once you find a grape variety or two that you like, suddenly wine becomes a bit easier. You have something to point to on a list, or at least a point of reference when asking a sommelier for a recommendation.

It’s the same with sake. I firmly believe you only need to know four terms and you can be off and running.

So, here are four super-simple terms to know.

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Honjozo — A sake with a little bit of alcohol added. Don’t freak out: added alcohol can be a good thing. It gives sake more body and power. And we’re talking just a couple of degrees, not rocket fuel.

Junmai — No alcohol added. Sakes might be a bit more elegant.

Ginjo — A sake where the rice grain is polished to 60% or less. The more a grain is milled, the more elegant and premium the sake is considered.

Daiginjo — A sake where the rice grain is polished to 50% or less. It’s a light and highly fragrant style, and often considered super-premium.

Quick note: Sometimes the absence of a word tells you about a style. “Honjozo” doesn’t always appear on a label. If you see a sake simply labeled “Ginjo,” it indicates a sake where the rice was polished to 60% or less, and most likely a little bit of alcohol was added. So it will be fragrant and elegant, but will also have some body to it.

”Junmai Ginjo,” on the other hand, indicates a sake where the rice was polished to 60% or less, and no alcohol was added. It will be a sake with finesse.

If you see just “Honjozo” or “Junmai” on a label, it means the rice is not as finely polished as a Ginjo or Daiginjo, which will indicate a rich, fuller style of sake.

Questions about sake? Drop in the comments below!