Sake is an alcoholic beverage of Asian origin.
Sake is an alcoholic beverage made with rice . For its production, this cereal is fermented . That's why sake is also often mentioned as rice wine .
It should be clarified, however, that in the Western world , sake is called drinks with different characteristics that have their origin in Asia in common. That is why it is difficult to establish a single definition of what we understand by this term.
Sake making
In the broadest sense, we can say that sake is an alcoholic drink that is made from rice grains. Its production requires the fermentation of rice through the action of various fungi .
Typically, a type of rice is used whose starch is concentrated in the center of the grains. Making sake requires eliminating the proteins and fats that surround the starch, which requires grinding .
Once the rice grain is ground, sake production continues by washing the rice and steaming it. The process continues with pressing , filtration and pasteurization of the product, while the yeast is in charge of fermentation.
Sake is made by fermenting rice.
How to drink
Sake can be drunk hot, at room temperature, or cold. Japanese tradition grants certain ritual uses to sake; It is even used in the tea ceremony to accompany different foods.
Other options, which are popular especially in Western countries , are drinking sake to accompany sushi or as an aperitif .
History of sake
Although the history of sake has not yet been documented, there are many theories about its origin, which is why it is interesting to study them all, since each one provides unique data.
On the one hand, some people say that rice cooking first took place in China , approximately 4800 BC. C. around the Yangsté River, and then this method reached Japan , something that is not difficult to believe given that the Japanese also adopted part of the Chinese alphabet, for example.
another version
Another theory says that it all started in Japan around 200 , along with the arrival of wet rice cultivation : combining this cereal with water gave rise to fermentation and mold. The first known version of sake was called kuchikami no sake , which in Spanish can be translated as "chewy sake" , and was made with chewing rice, millet, acorns and chestnuts. It is worth mentioning that one of the key ingredients in this recipe was the saliva of the person who prepared it, since he had to chew some of the products and then spit them into a barrel, so that the enzymes could convert the starch into sugar .
This mixture had to be left to ferment naturally, and this resulted in a sake with little alcohol content , which was ingested as porridge. As a curious fact, the aborigines of America also used this method.
Continuing with the supposed antecedents of sake, already in the 14th century BC. C. , several Chinese inscriptions mention a millet wine that was made in the same way and used as offerings to the gods during certain sacred rituals. A few hundred years later, around 800 BC. C. , a Chinese rice wine called mǐ jǐu whose recipe was practically identical to that of sake became very popular.
When the Japanese discovered the mold Aspergillus oryzae , whose enzymes allowed rice starch to be converted into sugar, it was no longer necessary to chew rice. This ingredient is also used in the production of soy sauce, miso and amazake, among other products. It is important to note that this increases the alcoholic content of the sake considerably.