Sake (pronounced /ˈsɑːkiː/ or /ˈsɑːkeɪ/ in English and [sake] in Japanese) is a Japanese alcholic beverage made from rice. This beverage is called sake in English, but in Japanese sake (酒) or o-sake (お酒) refers to alcoholic drinks in general. The Japanese term for this beverage is Nihonshu (日本酒), meaning "Japanese sake". Sake is also referred in English as rice wine. However, unlike true wine, in which alcohol is produced by fermenting the sugar naturally present in a fruit, sake is made through a brewing process more like that of beer.
Additionally, alcohol content also differs between sake, wine, and beer. Wine generally contains 9–16% alcohol and most beer is 3-9%, whereas undiluted sake is 18-20% alcohol, although this is often lowered to around 15% by diluting the sake to water prior to bottling.
In Japan, sake is served chilled at room temperature, or heated, depending on the preference of the drinker, the quality of the sake, and the season. Typically, hot sake is a winter drink, and high-grade sake is not drunk hot, because the flavors and aromas will be lost. This masking of flavor is the reason that low-quality sake is often served hot.
Sake is often consumed as part of Shinto purification rituals (compare with the use of grape wine in the Christian Eucharist). Those sakes, served to Gods as offering prior to drinking, are called Omiki or Miki (お神酒又は神酒). During World War II, kamikaze pilots drank sake prior to carrying out their missions.
In a ceremony called kagami biraki, wooden casks of sake are opened with mallets during Shinto festivals, weddings, store openings, sports and election victories, and other celebrations. Iwai-zake ("celebration sake"), is served freely to all to spread good fortune.
Enjoy Sake!
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