The Bar
What is Sake?
Sake is Japanese rice wine made during a brewing process by fermenting rice, during which the starch are converted into sugar, and then to alcohol. Sake may be served either hot, cold or at room temperature, this usually depends on individual preferences, the type of sake and the season.
Sake Meter Value (SMV) is used to measure the density of sake compared to water. Higher the positive number is, the drier the sake becomes, and the lower the negative number is, the sweeter the sake gets.
Rice polishing ratio (P.R) is the percentage of the rice that remains after the outer layers of the brown rice is polished off. The outer layers of rice contain more fats and protein than the inner portion, which can produce undesirable aromas and negative flavours in the sake. Therefore, sake made with more highly polished rice is cleaner and more refined.
What is Shochu?
Japanese distilled liquor made from barley, buckwheat, rice, sweet potato, shiso or sugarcane.
Has higher alcohol content than sake and can be enjoyed straight, on the rocks, with water, hot water, soda or mixers.