sake

Japanese wine made from rice. It is usually served heated but may also be drunk at room temperature. There are both dry and sweet types. Sake contains 14%-18% alcohol.

The starch in the rice is converted to glucose by enzymes produced by a mould of the genus Aspergillus, and then fermented. Two-thirds of Japanese sake is made with the same strain of rice; variations in taste and quality depend on the water and on how highly polished the rice is. Sake is aged for up to a year, traditionally in cedar barrels but oak is also used. Mirin is a sweet spirit derived from sake and used chiefly in cooking.