What are sake cocktails? Evolution and Tips
Sake, the Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice (and sometimes referred to as “rice wine”) is most often sipped neat, frequently with a sushi meal. But sake’s flavour characteristics—fruity, nutty, and often slightly sweet—make it perfect for mixing into cocktails as well. Many bartenders around the country are catching on to this and using the beverage for inventive drinks.
Reasons for sake cocktails “Sake cocktails are intriguing to people for a lot of reasons, and they’ve recently gained more attention because sake is gluten-free and vegan-friendly,” says James Buxman, marketing manager at SakeOne, based in Forest Grove, Oregon. It brews Junmai Ginjo sake under the brands Momokawa, g saké, Moonstone and Yomi. “Since sake is a very simple alcoholic beverage, it lends itself to making a really good cocktail,” Buxman says. “It’s certainly become more popular among younger, health-conscious people.”
And speaking of health, there’s a hangover-prevention benefit to sake, some say. In their book Sake: A Modern Guide, Beau Timken and Sara Deseran note: “Sake cocktails that are done well can highlight the delicate flavor of sake,[1] not to mention they can help one avoid the distilled alcohol hangover that can come with alcohol such as vodka or gin. But more than anything, they’re a lot of fun.”
“Sake cocktails play into the trend for lower-ABV beverages, since sake, which is brewed, is much less potent than a distilled spirit,” says Michael Anstendig, co-author, with Masahiro Urushido, of The Japanese Art of the Cocktail “When sake is used as the base, the cocktails can also be very food-friendly. And many bars and restaurants without a full liquor license can still make sake cocktails.”
Sake cocktails then and now
As mainstream as sake cocktails have become, sake had a long, slow on-ramp to cocktail glory. Culinary creator Peter Som says its story began with grim post-war necessity. “The sake cocktail originated after World War II, when Japan suffered rice shortages,” he says. “Sake production and quality suffered, so cocktails masked and embellished the poorer quality. Sake aficionados would balk at mixing sake with other ingredients, but the world soon discovered that sake is perfect for mixing.”
One of the first cocktails that gained name recognition was the Saketini. “From what I’ve read, it was created in 1964 by Chef Matsuda San during the World’s Fair,” Anstendig says. “But it wasn’t until decades later, during the
Martini craze and the mainstreaming of sushi, that it gained wider acceptance.”
One example of that acceptance is the Hinoki Martini, one of the sake cocktails featured in their book, which is currently being served at Urushido’s restaurant, Katana Kitten, in New York. “It’s made with Grey Goose vodka, Spring 44 Mountain gin, fino sherry, Junmai Daiginjo sake and hinoki tree essence, from Japanese cypress trees,” Anstendig says. “It’s served in a conical glass placed in a traditional sake masu, or cedar cup.” The cocktail used to cost around $18.
Another restaurateur who’s made a splash with a sake cocktail is John Sugimura, chef and owner of Minneapolis-based PinKU Japanese Street Food restaurant. His PinKU Elixir is made with sake, rosé sparkling wine, orange liqueur, pomegranate juice, and fresh lime juice. It’s hand-shaken tableside, and it used to sell for around $7.50. “It’s been a hit, and I’d estimate that 75% of eligible drinkers who are in the restaurant order one,” he says.
Types of sake
There are many types of sake and you can classify them by several factors – type of rice used, rice polishing ratio, ingredients, brewing and filter processes, and more. To keep it simple, here are the four types of sake of which I like the most:
- Daiginjo (Daiginjo-shu) – classified by rice polishing ratio
- Ginjo (Ginjo-shu) – classified by rice polishing ratio
- Junmai (Junmai-shu) – differentiate by the brewing ingredients
- Nigori Sake – by brewing technique
DAIGINJO is ultra-premium sake that’s slowly fermented at low temperatures. The flavor is very delicate with aroma and mild flavor. The rice milling ratio is 50% or less.
GINJO is also a premium sake that’s carefully fermented to create a refreshingly fruity aroma and mild flavor. The rice milling ratio is 60% or less.
JUNMAI literally means “pure rice sake”. Junmai is made only from rice and water. The flavor profile ranges from light and mild to full-body. The ingredients are rice and water. Daiginjo or Ginjo brewed without additional alcohol are called Junmai Daiginjo or Junmai Ginjo.
NIGORI means “cloudy”. It’s under the Junmai category. It’s my favorite type of sake. Nigori Sake is roughly filtered after fermentation. Nigori has white and milky appearance. The flavor profile is subtly sweet and the appearance is white with a cloudy look.
Tips for making sake cocktails
“The sake we use for the elixir is the same as my cooking sake, Gekkeikan, a classic Junmai style sake,” Sugimura says. “I love and adore it. It started operations in 1637, and it’s featured in the Sake Museum in Kyoto. It’s not a sexy brand, more like the Grain Belt beer of sake, but it has a story, real authenticity and a product that’s executed well, which is why I use it for cooking and cocktails.”
Look beyond Japanese ingredients
Sake cocktails also have a home in non-Japanese concepts. The New York-based Peruvian cantina
and pisco bar Popular has put sake on its cocktail menu. Amy Racine, beverage director at hospitality
group JF Restaurants, says, “We have a sake program available at Public Hotel, which is where Popular
is located, with about 10 kinds of sake available. We did want to echo that in our cocktail program,
and we’ve showcased how well a mineral-driven pisco can pair to a clean sake.” The Por Las Puras is
made with moscatel, Nigori sake, cucumber and lime. It used to sell for around $19.
Balance is key
Looking for tips in creating your own sake cocktail? Buxman says, “Sake is so versatile, that there really
aren’t any dos and don’ts. It’s all about being creative and having fun with it.” Som says, “There are
different varieties of sake with different profiles, so make sure you taste before you start. In general,
a touch of sweetness plus some acid — I usually love lime — is a good way to go.”
Go light
A light hand is always best, experts say. Racine advises, “Sake can be very easily overwhelmed, so use
items that just emphasize its delicate flavors. Minerally spirits, melon, and citrus are great to build
sake up.” Timken and Deseran note in their book: “Because sake is delicate, the best sake cocktails
are the ones that steer clear of complicated ingredients and a lot of hard alcohol. The trick is to
highlight the flavor of sake, not bury it.”
Finally, Sugimura offers this advice: “Don’t buy expensive sake for cocktails. My feeling is that if it’s
what my grandmother would be comfortable drinking at the table with guests, it’s good enough for
my cocktails.”
Grapefruit Cocktail
This refreshing, bubbly cocktail has it all. It’s tart, tangy, and just a tiny bit spiced and bitter. It’s an interesting flavor combination that’s heavy on grapefruit. The drink uses several ingredients and takes about 10 minutes to make. Still, it’s the ideal drink for summer, especially if you’re not fond of overly sweet cocktails. Don’t let its delicate pink color fool you, either. This one packs more of a punch than you might think.
Grape fruit cocktail is also what you make for happy hours or a romantic evening with your lovers!
Ingredients
Sake – Junmai Nigori Sake (cloudy sake) or Junmai sake (clear sake) that’s either daiginjo or
ginjo
- Gin – pure, distilled gin
- Grapefruit juice – Tropicana
- Ginger
- Grapefruit sparkling water
- Ice cubes
- Shaker with a strainer
- Ground nutmeg (optional)
- Rosemary sprigs (optional)
Procedure
- In a shaker, add the sake, gin, grapefruit juice, ginger, a tiny dash of ground nutmeg powder, and 4-5 medium size ice cubes. Shake 30-40 seconds.
- Pour the cocktail through a strainer filter into two cocktail glasses.
- Add a splash of grapefruit sparkling water. Garnish with rosemary sprigs. Add more ice cubes to the serving glass or without.
Is Sake gluten free?
Premium sake is gluten-free. Premium here means pure rice sake with no additives – starches or sugars other than rice added to the fermenting mixture – were used, and that no brewer’s alcohol was added either. Daiginjo, ginjo, junmai sake, junmai daiginjo, junmai ginjo, junmai nigori are all considered gluten-free.
Which flavour should I choose? Junmai, Nigori, Ginjo or Daiginko sake?
As we discussed above, junmai sake means pure rice sake and it’s considered a premium sake that’s gluten-free. Pure here means there are no additives – starches or sugars other than rice added to the fermenting mixture – were used, and that no brewer’s alcohol was added either. Look for Junmai sake if you are sensitive to gluten. Now let’s talk about the taste and flavor.
Nigori Sake – Nigori style of sake is my personal favorite. Nogori sake is roughly filtered from the fermented rice grains. The “cloudy look” comes from the rice sediment which remains in the sake after it has been passed through a special coarse-mesh filter. The tradition of rough-filtering sake has been used in Japan for many centuries. The flavor is milky, creamy, smooth, and subtly sweet. Best serve chilled and great for cocktails. Shake well before serving.
Daiginjo Sake – Daiginjo is the ultra-premium sake that’s slowly fermented at low temperatures. The flavor is very delicate with beautiful aroma and mild flavor. The rice milling ratio is 50% or less. The appearance is clear.
Ginjo Sake – Ginjo is also a premium sake that’s carefully fermented to create a refreshingly fruity aroma and mild flavor. The rice milling ratio is 60% or less. The appearance is clear.
In our opinion, both daiginjo and ginjo sake have a clean after taste with subtle aroma and are less sweet and not milky, compared to nigori sake. I love all three types of sake and you can use either one for my sake grapefruit cocktail recipe.