What is SAC: the truth about the traditional Japanese drink, which you didn't expect to hear

What do we know about sake? Usually, all confined to the two facts: it is a traditional Japanese alcohol and it is made from rice. Most other information that we used to hear about this drink, is not true and relates to legends or tales. What we will tell you about sake, but far more surprising is widespread speculation and that you're a Japanese alcoholic beverage, is not expected.

To begin with, that we err in calling the alcohol derived from rice, sake. The word in Japanese refers to any alcoholic beverage, regardless of its origin. Rice drink the inhabitants of the Country of the rising sun called "nihonshu". If you see somewhere in the menu this way, you can be sure that in this place know a lot about drinking.

Another common mistake we make, calling this product a rice vodka. This definition casts a shadow over all Japanese drinkers, as the strength of nihonshu is only 15 degrees. In addition, the technology of production of liquor has nothing to do with vodka. By the way, wine sake (so we will continue to call nihonshu to avoid confusion) is also in nature. So what is it?

Japan — very unique country, so alcohol it is prepared in an usual way. To sake can only be special varieties of rice with large grains and high starch content. Before the mystery of cooking, the rice is carefully polished to deliver him a shell of a substances that can leave an aftertaste.

Rice for sake is not cheap

During the operation of grinding is determined by the grade of the product — the more processed the grain, the higher the quality of an alcoholic drink. After preparing the rice is washed, fill with water and leave it for some time in the soaked condition. By the time the rice is put in another container and steamed — this opens the pores, which is very important.

The mixture is fermented for at least two weeks in vats and then add steamed rice and koji. Mold converts starch into sugar, and the yeast made from sugar alcohol. So another three weeks and it turns out the must of another type, which is called moromi. Out of it and press the finished alcoholic drink, which is then filtered and pasteurized.

Need to add that filtering is a compulsory stage, so as sake with sediment is considered substandard and drink it none of the Japanese would not. Pasteurization is also important — it helps to interrupt the processes of microorganisms that can spoil the beverage during the storage in the shortest possible time.

We described the technology briefly and primitive, but actually it is very responsible work, in which all actions are painted almost by the minute. Deviation from the canons immediately affects the taste, colour and strength of the product and brings it to the status of marriage.

Who first thought to bother to get a drink with a strength of only 15 degrees, history is silent. Know that sake is produced from ancient times and the predecessor of the drink is obtained using "kuchikamizake".

Under this unpronounceable word that has no analogues in other languages, you know chewing the rice with the addition of saliva. Unappetizing and absolutely unsanitary substance the ancestors of the samurai spat in special containers where the resulting liquid was wandering and gaining strength.

To the production of alcohol didn't look quite so disgusting to chew the rice was entrusted with beautiful virgins. Some of the alcohol left for consumption for the purpose, and the part devoted to the spirits and translated in vain, pouring out on the altar of the temple and just splashing on the ground, to retrieve the location of the gods of fertility.

Finally we got to the question that inevitably arises in every conversation about sake. It is important to remember that if you without warning tray hot drink, it may mean that it is of poor quality. Raise the temperature of this alcohol to eliminate odors and tastes left after a bad grinding rice grains. The Japanese call this sort of the sake fucus and consider it vulgar drink, as we have cheap moonshine.

But you must remember that sake can warm up and at the request of the client there are connoisseurs of warm rice ugliness. Gourmets there are two types of heated ginataan (30 degrees) and tobikiri (55 degrees). For supplying the beverage are not suitable European decanters and wine glasses. If you hit the table to real connoisseurs of Japanese culture, sake will bring in special bottles tokkuri.

But if you want to have a snack of sake can be — it does not violate the rules and not cause disapproving looks of the islanders. Yes, do not forget that drinking the sake, it is customary to not say "cheers" and "Your health", and exotic "Kampai", meaning "bottoms up".

For us, Japanese cuisine, drinks and customs is more than a strange exotic. But imagine that we are citizens of the country of Nippon look like cranks, alien to any logic.