Here's the best sake at the supermarket. 7 recommended brands for easy drinking for beginners

Here's the best sake at the supermarket. 7 recommended brands for easy drinking for beginners

Are you looking for good sake that you can easily buy at grocery stores?

-I’m looking for good sake, but liquor stores are too much to deal with.
-I wish I could buy good sake while shopping at grocery stores.
-There is sake at grocery stores, but I don't know which one to choose.

There might be those who want to buy sake at grocery stores but end up not buying it because they don't know which sake tastes best. In this article, we will introduce some recommended sake that can be purchased at grocery stores. We have selected only those that are easy to drink and recommended for sake beginners, so please check them out.

 

How to identify easy-to-drink sake in supermarkets

For sake beginners, it is difficult to identify what kind of sake is easy to drink. Basically, sweet sake is easier to drink than dry sake, and low-alcohol sake is also preferable. For easy-drinking sake, check the label for the following three things

-Sake Meter Value
-Acidity
-Alcohol content

1. Sake Meter Value

Sake meter value indicates the specific gravity of sugar to water. The higher the sugar content, the more negative the Sake degree, whereas the lower the sugar content, the more positive the Sake degree. In other words, negative means sweet and positive means dry. The standard is "0," while "-1.5 to -3.4" is slightly sweet, "-3.4 to -5.9" is sweet, and "-6 or higher" is heavily sweet. It is written on the label, so check it out when you drink sake.

2. Acidity

Acidity is another important indicator for determining the sweetness of sake. Sake acidity is a numerical value of acidity such as lactic acid, succinic acid, malic acid, etc, which are produced during the fermentation process. It is not a standard for acidity, but rather a measure of sharpness. Sake with a lower acidity tends to be sweeter than sake with the same sake meter value. Some sake can be sweet even though it has a high acidity, so it is best to look at the label as a guide.

3. Alcohol content

Low-alcohol cocktails and beer are becoming popular in Japan. In fact, sake is also gaining popularity with a number of low alcohol content products appearing on the market. For beginners, it is recommended to start with low alcohol content sake rather than high alcohol content sake. 

 

 

7 recommended sake that you can buy at supermarkets

1. Mio

We recommend Mio, a sparkling sake that is reasonably priced and can be found at supermarkets, especially for beginners among sweet sake. This sparkling sake has a light and effervescent taste, just like sparkling wine. It has a low alcohol content and is recommended for beginners. It has a slightly sweet taste with a hint of rice and a fruity flavor reminiscent of freshly harvested muscat.

 

 

2. Suzune

Suzune has an appealing sweet and sour taste with bubbles that gently pop in your mouth. The bubbles are created by the natural carbon dioxide gas generated by fermentation in the bottle, just like champagne, and when poured into a glass, they rise up and make a sound like the tinkling of bells. It is recommended as a base for cocktails and dessert drinks. When served well chilled, it can also be used as a substitute for beer as a toast. It is also a popular summer sake.

 

 

3. Funaguchi Kikusui Ichiban Shibori

This is a single-cup of kikusui sake that you can buy at supermarkets and convenience stores. While most one-cup sake is dry, this one is characterized by its rich, fruity, brandy-like flavor. The alcohol content is high at 19%, so beginners are recommended to chill it well and drink it on the rocks. It is also good in easy-to-drink quantities of 200ml.

 

4. "Hakutsuru Daiginjo

This sweet sake, also known as "sake for enjoying with a glass of wine," is recommended for beginners. It goes well with appetizers such as sashimi, salads, and appetizers, so it is also a perfect toast sake. it also has the effect of refreshing the fat in the mouth, so it is good to enjoy it with food. As a daiginjo, it has a refreshing taste with a slight sweetness, fruity and unctuous. It is also a reasonably priced sake.

 

5. Oshaberi Whale (Talking whale)

This sake is specially designed for sake beginners. It is said to be perfect for women who spend their busy days around the dinner table with family and friends, or for relaxation. The design of a whale and a seagull, like the cover of a picture book, is also adorable. It has a youthful, fresh aroma reminiscent of muscat, with a sweet banana-like flavor that is truly fruity.

 

6. Dassai Sparkling

This is available at Kinokuniya, Seijo Ishii, and other slightly upscale supermarkets in Japan. This sake has the gorgeous aroma of Junmai Daiginjo and is made from Yamada-Nishiki, the most famous sake rice, polished to 45%. It is characterized by its rough-polished moromi (main mash). It is the pursuit of ultimate tastiness. It is a bit pricey, so please enjoy it on special occasions or as a reward for yourself. The unique sweetness of rice, and the fine, soft bubbles from the secondary fermentation in the bottle. It is also recommended to be paired with fruit after a meal as a dessert.

 

 

7. Superb sweetness 

This is a rich, sweet sake that is said to be a premium sweet for adults. The elegant sweetness of the rice is balanced with just the right amount of acidity for a full-bodied taste that is very popular among women. It is also available in cans, making it an attractive and reasonably priced sake to try. The old package won the Monde Selection Gold Award in 2013 and 2014. It has a beautiful design and is the perfect sake for women.

 

 

 

Finding Delicious Sake at the Supermarket

In this article, we have introduced some good, easy-to-drink sake that you can buy at supermarkets. For sake beginners, we recommend sweet rather than dry sake. And it is a good idea to start with a lower alcohol content to give it a try. Please find delicious sake in the sake corner of the supermarket. We offer a variety of delicious sake cups in our online store, Kaku-uchi Tokyo! You can start with a small amount and easily try them out. Please take a look at our page.

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