Winter, brewery season is the only chance to enjoy freshly-made vibrant cloudy sake. We are able to find normal cloudy sake throughout the year, however, those sake is different from ones only available in Winter.
The largest difference is pasteurization. As same as unpasteurized nama sake, winter limited cloudy sake is not pasteurized. Besides, they contains some amount of unfiltered rice solids, so that its taste and quality is easier to change than normal unpasteurized nama sake. Therefore, it is normally available in winter brewery season.
We have explained the basic of cloudy sake previously. Please check the basics here.
In this article, I will touch more professional points of cloudy sake. SAKEMARU offers a label of slightly cloudy sake(Usunigori)for January. Let’s learn more about cloudy sake and appreciate it!
Type of Nigori
There are several types in cloudy sake. Each type is generally defined by the amount of unfiltered rice solids. Just to make sure, there are no official rule. This information is based on SAKEMARU’s original research. Since there are no official regulation, some cloudy sake don’t fit this rule.
Kasumi
Amount of rice solids:A little
Appearance:Almost transparent, lines of rice solids are floating
Taste:Not different from unpasteurized nama sake, but little sweeter
Origarami
Amount of rice solids:Very tin layer of rice solids on the bottom of bottle
Appearance:Misty white, but still transparent
Taste:Aroma gets little fruitier, taste becomes sweeter, more sparkling. The balance between sweet and dry is brilliant
Nigori
Amount of rice solids:Around 1cm layer of rice solids on the bottom of bottle
Appearance:Milky white
Taste:Authentic sweet and fruity taste. Texture is thicker and more sparkling
DoroDoro
Amount of rice solids:About 1/4 of entire liquid
Appearance:Totally white, shapes of rice is visible
Taste:Very sweet, rich and sparkling. Feel like chewing rice
Enjoy twice
For professional sake lovers, let’s try to enjoy cloudy sake in 2 ways.
How to enjoy.1
Not mix with sake lees, and enjoy only clear part of sake. Rest the bottle and wait until rice solids goes down to the bottom and slowly pour it into the glass. The taste is lighter and cleaner.
How to enjoy.2
Mix with sake lees and enjoy cloudy sake. Open it slowly and pour it into the glass. The taste is richer and sweeter.
Amazing health benefit
Have you guys seen solid sake lees? This is left in the sake bag after pressing moromi and it’s recently been gathering attention due to its plentiful nutrient.
Cloudy sake contains this very nutrient-rich sake lees, which means cloudy sake is good for your health, if you don’t drink too much…
(Source)Ministry of education in Japan
Sake lees mainly contains protein, Dietary fiber, VitaminB1, B2, B6 and PGA. As written in the following chart, the quantity in 100g is much higher than normal rice.
Moreover, protein of sake lees is called “resistantprotein” and takes different effectwork from normal one.
Nature of this protein is indigestible and absorbs unnecessary fat and cholesterol in the small intestine, then excretes them from body. In addition to this effect, it is said that sake lees is effective against diabetes and cancer. I am sure sake lees is one of the super food.
Also, I have a great news for female. Sake lees will make you more beautiful. If you read this article until here, it’s very easy to image how good it is. Having sake lees will improve your heath condition from inside of you body. It’s also able to have a benefit of sake lees from outside.
Dassai Sakekasu SoapSake lees is used for cosmetics as well. Dassai produces soap contains sake lees. Fukumitsuya, which is most famous brewery in Ishikawa extracts only good components for beauty and produced lotion, cream and soap.
FukumitsuyaCloudy sake is delicious and healthy! Let’s enjoy special taste limited in this season with sake loving friends!!