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We have two professional qualifications in sake. If you would like to know more, please create an account through this website. We will send you course information by e-mail. Thank you.

sakesommelierassociation

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event

Waza (Technique)

Sake-making is an intricate, labour-intensive process. Toji, the ‘master-brewers’ who head each brewery, require a vast amount of experience and knowledge, working their way gradually up through the ranks responsible for different parts of the sake-making process before reaching this position of responsibility. Under the Toji’s direction, breweries create various styles of sake, with the use of different methods of production. These include the degree to which the rice is polished down, the temperature and speed of fermentation, and the use of any one of a number of yeasts, each giving distinctly different aromas and flavours.

水

mizu

MIZU (water)

Sake contains over 80% water which has a big impact on the final style. Hard water enables a more vigorous fermentation resulting in dry, crisp styles. Soft water allows for a slower fermentation giving softer, fuller flavoured sake. Some water is unsuitable for sake making as it contains minerals which result in unpleasant flavours. As with beer-brewing in the U.K, famous sake-brewing areas, such as Nada, grew up around good water sources.

米

kome KOME (Rice)

Just as grape varieties impact on the style of a wine, so does the rice variety to sake, albeit to a lesser degree. Most sake is made from basic table rice. Premium sake is made from any of the 60+ varieties of sake rice available, many of these having been specifically bred and developed to be suitable for sake brewing. In general, the more the grain has been polished down (removing the outer layers which give off flavours), the finer the sake. Different varieties grow best in different areas and so, historically, have had an impact on regional style.

Sake Sommelier Association

Courses

Finally, the time has come for Sake Sommeliers to get the recognition they deserve, with the launch of the first professional Sake Sommelier Qualifications in the UK. The Sake Sommelier Association is pleased to announce the launch of two courses:

Sake Navigator Course

Certified Sake Sommelier Course

Next courses will be held on 18th and 19th October 2010

at RIBA, 66 Port.and Road, London W!B 1AD :

The 18th is the Sake Navigator Course which is a general beginners

course for Sake.

The 19th is the Sake Sommelier Course which looks in more depth

to how Sake is made, its position on the market and tools for you to

have more knowledge into buying, tasting and selling Sake.

The Navigator course can be taken as a one day course: however you

will need to complete that to be able to continue onto the Sake

Sommelier course.

For more information, and to sign up for either of these courses please

contact Emma, Course Coordinator, email

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

News

Written by Anna
Sake confusingly refers to all kinds of alcohol in Japan. Order sake in Kagoshima in South West Japan and you'll probably get Satsuma-imo shochu (a whisky-like spirit made from sweet potato). Nihonshu (commonly called sake in the West) is a drink made from fermented rice. In the same way that grape varieties give distinct aromas and flavours to wine, so do different rice varieties to sake.
Last Updated on Thursday, 12 March 2009 14:00
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Sake Q&A

What is SUGIDAMA?

It is a spherical bundle of “sugi” or Japanese cedar branches, which is hung ourstide sake breweries. When new sake is ready, a fresh sugidama is hung symbolising that the sake is well made and calling for the blessing of the gods. The sugidama has become a symbol for sake itself. One of photos at the top right of this page is the one!