Serving Sake With Gekkeian

Serving Sake with Gekkeikan

hether customers seek a

Wglass of chardonnay, merlot, or something more versatile like sake, the key to properly suggesting and selling any wine is to offer something that is balanced, food-friendly, and pleasing to their palate.

Sake can be enjoyed hot or cold, used as a spirit alternative in a cocktail or sipped neat in a glass, and complements an array of cuisine. Sake is made up of four natural ingredients, including water, koji, rice, and yeast. One of the oldest family-owned companies in the world, Gekkeikan Sake, is known for its innovation in the category and continues to help shape our modern understanding of sake.

Here are some important things for bartenders to know about suggesting and selling sake to their guests, according to the team at Gekkeikan.

Sake is quality liquid: Although it may seem complicated, the quality of sake is easy to understand. While different rice varieties can affect the quality, the main factor is the rice milling. The level of rice milling ultimately determines the quality designation of the sake.

The three levels of rice milling:

The most important thing to know about sake is the milling process. Once bartenders have this knowledge, everything else in this category is simple to understand. The three main levels are Junmai (least polished), Junmai Ginjo, and Junmai Daiginjo (most polished). Sake is all-natural: Sake is made from simple ingredients of rice and water and contains no artificial additives, enhancers, or sulfites.

Food-pairing: Classic pairings like sushi and Japanese cuisine are great, but don’t be afraid to step out of the box and try unexpected pairings. Try suggesting sake with bar snacks!

Glassware is key: It is important to treat sake like a high-end wine. Serve chilled in appropriate wine glasses and keep chilled on ice tableside. We suggest serving premium Gekkeikan Sakes (Black and Gold, Suzaku, Horin) chilled in a wine glass.