The history of sake

Sake has been Japan's own drink for many centuries. In the olden days a type of sake was probably made by chewing on rice and spitting this out into a collection tray. The enzymes from the saliva resulted in the starch being broken down and the natural presence of yeast resulted in the created sugars being turned into alcohol. We first became familiar with the sake which resembles the sake we now know at the end of the sixteenth century. The production process constantly improved during the course of the centuries.

Up to around thirty or forty years ago, sake's taste - partly as a result of the wooden tanks and barrels used - was much more robust, full, sweet and woody than it is today. The less refined aspects were masked by heating up the sake. Some important changes took place during the last decade: new brewing techniques, the availability of new types of rice and yeast and the use of stainless steel tanks and glass bottles have turned sake into a refined, aromatic and elegant drink which can be enjoyed chilled.