The Rice Wine Often referred to as rice wine, saké is not
technically a wine. Instead, it is an alcoholic beverage made
from brewing and fermenting rice and water, somewhat similar to
brewing beer. Saké is made from different types of rice, like
grape varieties in wine. These breeds of rice, which are usually
big and fat grains, have varying flavor profiles that carry over
into the saké produced. Saké is also made from water – in fact,
80% of saké is water. So the water used in making saké has a
strong influence in the resultant saké’s flavor – hard water
usually equals crisp saké, while softer water leads to smoother
saké. Saké can be enjoyed hot, cold, or room temperature, with
the best saké served chilled, giving a balance of sweetness and
acidity. Saké begins with the polishing of rice. The grains are
polished and milled to remove non-starch material, known to
impart bad flavors in the saké. The amount that the rice is
polished and milled controls its classification – the more
polished the rice, the purer