Brewing sake in Kobe

And why we should probably stop calling it "rice wine"

3 Jun 2025 — 3 min read

Hey friend,

I’m not gonna lie: I used to think sake was boring.

I respected it as something that’s been around a long time, and is an important part of a culture. I ordered it at Japanese restaurants because that’s the thing to do, and even enjoyed it. It just wasn’t exciting to me, you know?

But, as with most drinks, as soon as I started learning more about it, I had a… wait, what? moment.

That moment was learning that sake was first made by young Japanese women chewing rice and spitting it out into a common container. 👀

The enzymes in their spit broke down the rice starches into sugars, which could then be converted into alcohol by naturally occurring yeasts. #wild

Thankfully, things have gotten a bit more hygienic and systematic since then! But production is still rooted in tradition and craft, and all the things I love in a good drink.

As I’ve tried more sake, I’ve also realized how large the category is, how much the flavor can vary across styles, and how instrumental sake was to not only the history of other drinks in Japan, but the country itself.

So, now that I’ve properly built up expectations, let’s talk about the day I spent brewing sake, shall we?

When I hopped on the train to visit the Akashi Brewery just outside of Kobe, I was only expecting to see the process. But, upon arrival, I was quickly handed a hairnet and hurried into the heart of the brewery.

Akashi only produces one batch of sake per day (and I was running late 🙈), so they didn’t want me to miss my chance to “help.”

It’s not wine or beer, it’s sake

Sake is often described as a “rice wine,” but it’s actually more of a rice beer… and yet it’s neither one of those things.

Wine is made by fermenting fruit (like grapes), which has enough sugar that yeast will convert those sugars to alcohol without much intervention.

Beer, meanwhile, is made by fermenting grains like barley or wheat. These cereals don’t have much sugar, so you first have to convert their starches into sugars.

This is how sake is made, too. Except both steps (conversion, fermentation) happen simultaneously, thanks to a little mold called koji.

This unique production process is part of why sake has its own category, rather than being lumped into the larger beer or wine categories.

Sake also distinguishes itself with:

A higher alcohol content (15-20% ABV),
Unique flavor profile,
And different methods of serving.

Sake can be made anywhere, but it’s inextricably linked to Japan, where people have been making it for nearly 2,000 years.

Choosing a sake

We’ll be diving deeper into sake (and other Japanese beverages) in an upcoming episode of the podcast.

In the meantime, I want to share a few things I’ve learned so far:

Price doesn’t indicate quality. Because of the way sake is produced, some categories just take more time (and rice) to make. If you’re not familiar with the categories and which ones you tend to like, ask your server or store clerk for a rec!
Junmai means no extra alcohol was added. The only ingredients are rice, water, yeast, and koji. “Non junmai” bottles, on the other hand, have a small amount of distilled alcohol to help extract more flavor and aroma. One isn’t better than the other, it’s a matter of preference.
Serving temperature is your call. Sake is one of the few alcoholic drinks regularly served hot. Producers will provide a suggestion, and some bottles do ‘open up’ when warmed, but there’s nothing “wrong” with always ordering it hot, cold, room temp, etc. (I talked to one sake bar owner with a regular who drinks all sake heated to a precise temperature, regardless of the season.)

Are you sensing a theme here?

Sake is all about your preference, and there’s something for anyone who drinks alcohol.

And for those who don’t? There’s amazake.