Sake (Japanese: 酒; pronounced [sa.kɛ] Listen (help·info)) is a Japanese word meaning "alcoholic beverage", which in English has come to refer to a specific alcoholic beverage brewed mainly from rice, and known in Japan as either nihonshu (日本酒 "Japanese alcohol") or sake. This article uses the word "sake" as it is used in English.
Sake is widely referred to in English as "rice wine". However, this designation is not accurate. The production of alcoholic beverages by multiple fermentation is more characteristic of beer than wine. Also, there are other beverages known as "rice wine" that are significantly different from nihonshu.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sake
2007-02-23 04:57:06 · 4 answers · asked by LAUGHING MAGPIE 6 in Food & Drink ➔ Beer, Wine & Spirits
good point, i don't know why , sake is referred to as wine fairly widely in literature also...most people have read James Clavell. i know it is brewed (like soy sauce) it is tasty served heated. I guess people just have to become educated :)
2007-02-23 06:14:56 · answer #1 · answered by johnkmayer 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
All that I can think of is 1) it is served in a decanter/carafe, which is similar to wine service then beer, 2) it is not carbonated like beer and 3) that is how most Japanese restaurants and even liquor stores have displayed and sold it. The intrepretation has been that it is a rice wine, and I ma sure that in Japan it is referred to correctly. But until it is forced to change, sake is still going to be7 rice wine.
In addition, it has come to my attention that Sake means salmon when ordering sushi!
2007-02-23 07:00:03 · answer #2 · answered by Living for today and a good wine 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its not alone. The wine coolers that we sell in the US are malt beverages also not wine.
2007-02-23 05:07:44 · answer #3 · answered by p_doell 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Who cares it be nasty stuff, they may as well call it kerosene
2007-02-23 05:02:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 6⤋