Do you add water to sake at the end?

Japanese sake is not finished when the alcoholic fermented mash is pressed. There is still a lot of work to be done before bottling! The general finishing process is the "removal of solids" process, which we have previously covered in this column.Filtration", stopping the enzyme's action "Burning" After this process, water is added to adjust the flavor and alcohol content. This is the process known as "wari-mizu" or "hydration adjustment." But why is it necessary to dilute sake by adding water after it has been carefully made?

Dilute with water to adjust the alcohol content

There is a special type of sake that is not filtered, pasteurized, or diluted with water; this is called unfiltered raw unpasteurized sake. Unpasteurized sake means sake that has not been diluted with water, and has a fairly high alcohol content of around 18-20%. The appeal of unpasteurized sake is its rich, powerful flavor, but regular sake is adjusted by adding water to bring it down to an easy-to-drink alcohol content of 15-16%.

You might be thinking, "Well, then, why not just brew it to a certain alcohol content from the beginning?" but there's a good reason for this. In the fermenting mash, yeast breaks down glucose to produce alcohol, but during this reaction, acetaldehyde, which is the source of an unpleasant odor, is produced. If fermentation were to be stopped at this point, the alcohol would still have a bad smell, so it's important to let it ferment properly.

The trend towards lower alcohol content in sake

However, in recent years, with the advancement of innovation in fermentation technology, an increasing number of sake breweries are attempting to produce raw sake with an alcohol content of 12-14%. This appears to be influenced by the recent trend towards low-alcohol sake.

Compared to beer (about 5%), highball (about 8%), red wine (11-15%), and white wine (9-14%), sake has a higher alcohol content. For people who like the taste of sake but can't drink it often or find it a bit heavy, low-alcohol sake is perfect. In addition to making it undiluted to 12-14%, there are also methods to adjust the alcohol content by diluting it with a lot of water, but most low-alcohol sakes are light but still have a satisfying taste.

Add water to taste

If you try the sake you bought and find it a bit heavy, or if you feel that a lighter drink would go well with this dish, you can always dilute it with water yourself. The trick is to add water little by little while tasting it. Just a few drops can make it watery, so be careful. It is also recommended to pre-mix it like shochu and let it sit overnight, or to dilute it with water and warm it. It can be particularly interesting to dilute undiluted sake with water to pursue your own original taste.

Writer/Sake Master Eriko Fujita
Expand your world to a sake specialty store in Osaka and encounter a variety of sake and sake breweries. Favorite sakes are Akishika, Ohgi, and others.
Other than drinking, my hobbies include collecting minerals and raising swallowtail butterflies.