On Sunday, October 6, 2024, the Badeschiff in Vienna’s first district was dedicated to Japanese specialties such as sake and soy sauces. This year’s Sake Fair, which was held as part of the Veinna Sake Week, was small but nice.
Sake, also known as Nihonshu, is a traditional Japanese drink that is referred to exclusively as « rice wine, » although it is a fermented drink and not a distilled one. The roots of sake go back deep into Japan’s history and have deep cultural significance, be it in religious ceremonies, festivals or everyday consumption.
The drink is made by fermenting polished rice, water, yeast and koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae). There are different types of sake, which differ in the degree of polishing of the rice, the brewing method and the taste.
Manufacturing processes
The sake making process begins with polishing the rice. The degree of polishing indicates how much of the outer layer of the rice grain has been removed. These are the layers that contain fats and proteins that can affect the taste of the sake. The more the rice is polished, the purer and subtler the taste of the finished drink becomes. For example, a 50% polishing level means 50% of the grain has been removed, resulting in high-quality sake categories such as daiginjo.
After polishing, the rice is washed, soaked and steamed. Some of the rice is then inoculated with koji mold, which converts the starch in the rice into sugar. The rice treated in this way is fermented in large tanks together with the remaining rice, water and yeast. The fermentation processes can only be used after drying, before the sake is filtered, pasteurized and absorbed.
Important varieties
The best known and best types of sake differ in the degree of polishing and the addition of alcohol:
- Junmai: A pure sake with no added alcohol, where the rice is only slightly polished.
- Ginjo: A sake with a polish level of around 60% that offers more fruity and floral aromas.
- Daiginjo: The top tier of sake with a polishing level of 50% or less, resulting in a very refined and aromatic sake.
- Nigori: An unfiltered sake that looks cloudy and has a richer flavor.
Sake’s role in Japanese culture
Sake plays a central role in Japanese culture. During Shinto ceremonies, weddings and New Year celebrations, sake is often used as an offering to the gods. There is also the custom of performing “Kagami Biraki” on official occasions, during which a barrel of sake is ceremonially opened. Sake also has its place in Japanese cuisine, be it as a drink or as an ingredient in cooking. Sake is more than just a drink – it is an integral part of Japanese tradition and culture, valued both in Japan and internationally.
Small but nice
The Sake Social Club has been organizing the Sake Fair every year for a long time. This year this took place on October 6, 2024 on the Badeschiff in Vienna. Local dealers as well as importers and wholesalers presented themselves. Even an Austrian producer, Kuri Sake, was represented. Many visitors did not want to miss the opportunity to taste high-quality sake. It was not possible to buy at all stands because, for example, importers and wholesalers referred to their trading partners and/or online shops.
In addition to the alcoholic drink, there was also Confusion, an Austrian retailer that specializes in the distribution of high-quality soy sauces and Japanese spices. The entrepreneur has also been organizing cooking courses for many years to introduce interested parties to Asian cuisine.
The Sake Fair is a comparatively small trade fair, but a fine trade fair because the quality of the products presented is very high. Even spring water was flown in from Japan so that visitors could learn about the raw materials. In addition to the famous sake, other Japanese drinks were also presented. For example, vodka, gin and whiskey produced in the island state were also available in various places. The peculiarity is that in most cases the raw material is rice.
Austrian producer and All Nippon Airways
In this context, it is almost unknown that rice is also grown in Austria. For example in parts of Styria and Marchfeld. These are dry rice varieties. The Austrian sake producer Kuri Sake uses this as a raw material for the production of Austrian sake. Currently a novelty on the market, as almost all other products on display were imported from Japan.
Of course, All Nippon Airways could not be missing from such an event. Of course, the general manager responsible for Austria, Katsuhiro “Katsu” Suzuki, didn’t bother to be there in person. He was supported by two colleagues, one of whom came especially from Düsseldorf. ANA is traditionally deeply anchored in the Japanese community in Austria and offers non-stop flights to Tokyo Haneda from Vienna-Schwechat.
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