Pairings

Sake and Food:
Sake Pairings and Methods of Enjoyment

Sake goes well not only with Japanese food,
but with cheese and seafood as well.
The contents of this video are based on the research results of the NRIB.

Pick up Sake Terminology

The sake terminology is explained in the video,
so check it out.

Fruity sake, such as ginjo-shu, and unpasteurized sake (nama-zake) are recommended to be served chilled (around 10°C (50°F)) to fully enjoy their flavors.

Basic pairings

The delicate tastes and aromas of sake bring out latent tastes from the food you pair with it. Try pairing dishes with a strong sweetness or umami with equally sweet sake for balance. Light and delicate sake pairs well with dishes that have a refreshing taste. Sake enhances the taste of food.

Nihonshu-do and sweetness/dryness of sake
Many bottles of sake show a sake meter value.
This value represents the amount of sugar in the sake.
In general, the lower the value (minus) the sweeter the sake, and the higher the value (plus) the drier the sake.

Nihonshu-do (sake meter value)

Nihonshu-do (sake meter value) image

What is umami?

Umami (savoriness) is one of the five basic tastes along with sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness.

Dishes that pair well with sake

Sake is great on its own, but even better when enjoyed together with a meal.
You might think that sake naturally gets paired with Japanese dishes,
but did you know that there are plenty of other dishes that pair well with sake?

Level of umami in mouth

bar graph "Level of Umami in Mouth"
Does sake pair with cheese?
Everyone knows that wine and cheese pair well together, but did you know that sake is a fantastic match also?
While wine washes away the umami-rich taste of the cheese leaving your mouth feeling refreshed, sake draws it out so that you can enjoy it.

Unpleasant fishy odor

bar graph "Unpleasant fishy Odor"
Does sake pair well with seafood?
Have you ever experienced an unpleasant fishy odor when pairing seafood and wine? This happens when components in wine react with the polyunsaturated fatty acids in seafood.
Sake has few of these components, making it a much more suitable match for all kinds of seafood.

Enjoy sake at different temperatures

Sake can be enjoyed at a variety of temperatures. The best temperature varies by sake and by personal preference, so experiment until you discover something you like.

The taste of sake varies by temperature. Our perception of sweetness and bitterness changes depending on temperature. (Based on Hahn’s Graph)

Strength of taste

The taste of sake varies by temperature
Should all sake be heated?
Not all sake should be heated.
Highly fragrant varieties like ginjo-shu lose their aromas when heated, so we recommend enjoying them chilled.
Nama-zake gives off its best aromas and flavors when it is chilled to 10°C before drinking.

Resources

You can check the detailed information of the introduced contents from the link below.