How to chill/warm sake?
Then how to make sake cold or warm? As I explained the temperature can influence sake flavour and aroma easily, so it's important to know an appropriate way to cold or warm sake. But don't worry, it's quite easy!
【How to chill sake】
If the sake is So-shu which has fresh aroma and less bitterness or Namazake which means unpasteurized sake, put a bottle in a fridge. In general it takes about two hours to reduce sake temperature (720ml bottle) of 20℃ to 10℃ in a home fridge.
Other kinds of sake shouldn't be too chilled as its bitterness could increase and its aroma and flavour could be diminished. The best way is to put a bottle in a wine cooler bucket like you do for white wine. It can prevent sake from getting too chilled. It's said that in this way the temperature of sake (720ml) will be lowered 1℃ per minute. Don't refill ices too much, as again sake shouldn't be too chilled!
Cooling a glass for sake is also good. Put a glass in a fridge until it gets cold, then pour room temperature sake in it.
Aren't you patient enough to wait for sake chilled? Then let's put an ice in a glass of sake! Although it can dilute sake, it also helps you drink sake easily if you are a beginner of sake yet because it can reduce its strong aroma and alcohol flavour.
【How to heat sake】
The reason why a Tokkuri, a traditional sake bottle got popular is because it's suitable to be put in hot water to warm up. It's not recommended that sake be directly put on to a fire because evaporation of the alcohol begins if sake is warmed at higher than 78.3℃ and it's hard to check the temperature while it's on to a fire. The evaporation causes harsh alcohol smells creating a prickly sensation on the palate.
It's not necessary to have a Tokkuri to warm sake up. Pour sake into a small, heat-proof container and place it in a hot water at 80℃. The temperature of sake will increase to around 40-45℃ after about 2 to 3 minutes and you can enjoy richer aroma and flavour with softer texture.
Using a microwave is an easy way to heat sake, but it's not highly recommended because it's hard to control temperature and temperature in the container can be uneven. If you don't mind the risk, pour about 180ml sake into a heat-proof and microwave-safe container and heat for 50 sec to increase to 40℃ or 60 sec to increase to 50℃. It's recommended that you mix sake with a muddler after it's heat for 20 sec to make the heat even.
【How to chill sake】
If the sake is So-shu which has fresh aroma and less bitterness or Namazake which means unpasteurized sake, put a bottle in a fridge. In general it takes about two hours to reduce sake temperature (720ml bottle) of 20℃ to 10℃ in a home fridge.
Other kinds of sake shouldn't be too chilled as its bitterness could increase and its aroma and flavour could be diminished. The best way is to put a bottle in a wine cooler bucket like you do for white wine. It can prevent sake from getting too chilled. It's said that in this way the temperature of sake (720ml) will be lowered 1℃ per minute. Don't refill ices too much, as again sake shouldn't be too chilled!
Cooling a glass for sake is also good. Put a glass in a fridge until it gets cold, then pour room temperature sake in it.
Aren't you patient enough to wait for sake chilled? Then let's put an ice in a glass of sake! Although it can dilute sake, it also helps you drink sake easily if you are a beginner of sake yet because it can reduce its strong aroma and alcohol flavour.
【How to heat sake】
The reason why a Tokkuri, a traditional sake bottle got popular is because it's suitable to be put in hot water to warm up. It's not recommended that sake be directly put on to a fire because evaporation of the alcohol begins if sake is warmed at higher than 78.3℃ and it's hard to check the temperature while it's on to a fire. The evaporation causes harsh alcohol smells creating a prickly sensation on the palate.
It's not necessary to have a Tokkuri to warm sake up. Pour sake into a small, heat-proof container and place it in a hot water at 80℃. The temperature of sake will increase to around 40-45℃ after about 2 to 3 minutes and you can enjoy richer aroma and flavour with softer texture.
Using a microwave is an easy way to heat sake, but it's not highly recommended because it's hard to control temperature and temperature in the container can be uneven. If you don't mind the risk, pour about 180ml sake into a heat-proof and microwave-safe container and heat for 50 sec to increase to 40℃ or 60 sec to increase to 50℃. It's recommended that you mix sake with a muddler after it's heat for 20 sec to make the heat even.
