Sake. How many degrees in it, and how to use it?

Sake, or as it is also called - Japanese vodka, along with samurai, Fujiyama, kimono and sakura is an invariable symbol of Japan for many centuries. The thing is that this country has been artificially isolated from the rest of the world for a long time and developed in its own way, without experiencing foreign influence until the 19th century. So with Japanese alcohol. Sake is still not done in other countries, it is the prerogative of exclusively Japanese manufacturers!

Specificity

So, sake - how many degrees in it and to what kind of drinks it can be attributed? It is quite difficult to attribute it to a group of sake. Some call the drink a rice vodka, since it is made from rice. But mandatory distillation is not carried out. Wine sake (how many degrees, we will tell: from fifteen to twenty) is also not true, because the technology of preparation of the drink includes mold fermentation. By European standards, for example, the drink can be attributed, rather, to beer from rice, only increased fortress, achieved using special technologies.

A bit of history

Sake in ancient times - the privilege of the emperor and those close to him. Then it was called the drink of the gods. In its unchanged form, it was preserved, according to the testimony of Japanese archaeologists, for two millennia. So there is something to be proud of! Sake was also used for various rituals. In the mythology of Japan there is even the so-called Rice warrior (comparable to the European Bacchus). For general use sake became available only in the 18th century. Since then, simple peasants have begun to use the magic drink of the gods. There are enterprises for the production of sake. Some of them still exist, supporting almost three hundred years of production tradition.

Technology of preparation

The process is rather laborious, its recipes have been transmitted and preserved for many centuries. For cooking, a special sakamai rice is used, which contains a lot of starch. Also important is the composition of the water used for the drink.

Rice is polished, aged, washed, soaked, steamed. Then - the stage of addition of steamed rice (the decomposition of mold fungi in it). Malt goes to the leaven, it is used as the main component for the mash. Next - mix the ingredients and add pure water. The next phase is maturing of the brag (usually up to thirty days). At the same time, it is necessary to cool up to five degrees from time to time. This explains the fact that the sake was made earlier in the winter months. Then the brag is divided into solid and liquid fractions (in ancient times it was done by extrusion using a load - special bags with a drink were put under pressure, squeezed out liquid into a vat). It is said that with this method of production this type of alcohol acquires additional notes and taste qualities. The hard fraction also does not go away! It is used to produce a shochu - another type of alcohol in Japanese. And also in order to pickle vegetables.

The final stage

In this way they receive a young sake. How many degrees are there in it? About fifteen. It settles in a special container for about two weeks. In this case, solid suspensions should precipitate, and the upper part is poured into another tank. Then the liquid is filtered in addition (some manufacturers prefer to omit this process, preferring to preserve the natural flavor) - and, in principle, the drink is ready for use. But true connoisseurs prefer to drink seasoned sake. To do this, the pasteurization process is carried out (with the help of a coil with steam, when the liquid is heated to 65 degrees), is sealed and kept for six to twelve months.

Japanese sake. How many degrees in a drink?

In the process of aging, the strength of the drink can increase. Get a seasoned sake. How many degrees are there in it? Up to twenty, rarely - to twenty-five. Also a low fortress - at least with Russian vodka or Irish whiskey is incomparable! But this fortress is usually diluted to 16 degrees. The ratio of vodka-sake (how many degrees): 40 to 16. So in this regard, calling sake rice vodka is doubtful.

Types of sake

The class of the drink directly depends on the degree of grinding rice. The fact is that the shell of grains contains oils and substances, giving the drink an unpleasant aftertaste. The more percentages of ground rice used for cooking, the more valued the drink. Here are some of them:

• "Dzummai" - pure rice, without additives (distilled alcohol, starch, sugar).
• "Ginjo" - 60% of polished rice. The preparation uses special yeast, the fermentation process occurs at low temperatures. The product has floral and fruity aromas, delicate taste.
• "Daigindzo" - high-quality varieties of rice are used in cooking. It is considered the highest sake.
• "Honjojo" - grinding rice not less than 70%. In some varieties, a small amount of distilled alcohol is added. Has a coarse taste, but a slight aftertaste.

How to use

They drink sake from special small cups. They say that a good quality drink should be drunk chilled to 5 degrees. Bad sake, the Japanese say, drink warm (warming up to 60 degrees). Then all unpleasant taste qualities disappear.