Dr.Grace Beauty and Health Seminar

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A Small Universe in a Bottle

Do you think that sake will taste better if you keep it a long time? Just because some wines or whiskeys, which are often stored for long periods, are considered precious, many people think that all alcoholic beverages follow the same logic. However, alcohol that can be preserved for a long time is in fact a minority group, and in the case of sake, taste cannot be improved by merely holding on to it.   We would like to talk about methods of maintaining sake and its taste.
Japanese sake is very sensitive, so it is important to know how to store it. People sometimes say, "Japanese sake has a bad smell." However, that is not the true flavor of sake, rather it has been influenced by the way it was stored. There are three hints to keep sake's taste: 1. Keep it in a dark place, 2. Keep it in a cool place, and 3. Drink it as soon as possible after opening.
Masumi and Kubota Manju

Keep in a dark place: In the way that the sun is not good for our skin, sake is also susceptible to ultraviolet light. This includes not only direct sunlight but also fluorescent light. If you store sake in a bright room, sake will get discolored and its flavor will get spoiled. Like wine bottles, sake bottles are usually brown or green, because ultraviolet light has a harder time passing through them. These days, we can find bottles specially made to block ultraviolet and it says so on their labels. Yet there is no bottle that can cut 100% of ultraviolet rays, so it is better to store them in a dark place.

Keep in a cool place: At the change of the seasons, when we have a huge range in temperatures, we find we are susceptible to sickness. Similarly, sake is not good at dealing with temperature differences. At high temperatures, the essential amino acids that constitute flavor in sake are changed. Thus, sake matures too quickly and produces an unpleasant flavor. Also, the components of aroma decrease. Direct sun exposes sake to not only ultraviolet light, but also high temperature. If possible, it should be preserved in a place that is under 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degree C ) and does not undergo much temperature difference. Sake is not sealed with a cork like wine is; so there is no need to lay them down. It is OK to stand them up. (After opening, if you store them lying down, you should watch for leaking. Don't waste sake!)
Drink soon after opening: I know we want to enjoy drinking a luxurious sake, such as Daiginjou-shu, little by little. However, in that case, I recommend sealing it tight and keeping it in a dark, cool place. Once sake is opened, it has a high probability of having contact with air (oxygen), gradually becoming damaged. Occasionally, sake gets exposed to unwanted bacteria, causing it to become muddy. This is a kind of lactic acid bacteria. It reproduces within sake and creates lactic acid, making it taste sour. An expensive, delicious sake would lose its original flavor, so it is the best to drink it as soon as possible once you open it. This can be said of all sake.
Is there an expiration date for sake?
           For Japanese sake products, the manufacturing date is printed, but there is nothing to indicate expiration date. Sake drinkers sometimes ask, "Can we drink sake after 1 year?" A rule of thumb, for an unopened bottle is:
            General Sake:                          365 days
            Special Name Sake:                  300 days
            Raw Sake:                               180 days

If unopened and properly stored, sake should be consumed in about 1 year. If it passes 1 year and its taste and flavor is lost, however, it is not bad for your health. Special Name Sake, such as Dai-ginjo, Junmai-shu and Honjouzou-shu, and raw sake that has not been heat pasteurized, have to be consumed earlier in order to enjoy their fresh flavor and taste.
            If sake is over-matured, it becomes bitter and astringent. Almost all sake is kept 3 to 6 months before shipment and is adjusted to be best consumed when it arrives in consumers' hands. Thus, when you buy sake, it is the best time to drink it.