Canada ranks as the seventh overall market by value for Sake exports from Japan.ykchan/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
Hailed as Japan’s national beverage, sake exports continue to grow to meet demand from consumers around the world. The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association reported sake exports totalled 47.49 billion JPY in 2022, fuelled by sales to China, United States and Taiwan.
The growth of export value exceeds the volume as foreign markets are focused on premium sake, and more restaurants feature top quality selections. In Canada, which ranks as the seventh overall market by value, sake appreciation continues to improve as events like Kampai Toronto, billed as the country’s largest sake festival, feature 200 sakes from 50 breweries, poured by agents and professionals including producers who have travelled from Japan to attend the 11th annual event.
That level of success might come as a surprise given the confusion surrounding an alcoholic beverage that is frequently misidentified as rice wine.
Sake, which is pronounced “sah-kay,” (rhyming with café, not hockey) is brewed using a two-step fermentation process like a beer. Its key ingredients are steamed white rice, koji (mould used to convert starch from the rice grains into sugar for fermentation), water and yeast.
Depending on the sake’s style and quality as well as the occasion, it might be served from ice cold to hot (50-degrees C). More delicate sakes are typically enjoyed at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Consumers across Canada are faced with a wide range of styles to explore, many of which are high quality examples that are sold directly to restaurants and bars. Speaking in broad terms, most sakes are clear and colourless, typically averaging between 15 and 17 per cent alcohol by volume, with a slightly sweet and lightly acidic character. The delicate flavour profile can shift between more cereal or nutty, fruity or lactic notes.
Sake doesn’t offer the crisp, refreshment of a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, but what they lack in zesty character is made up by the satisfying texture, balance and purity. Those attributes make it extremely versatile to pair with a meal – not just sushi. It complements flavours rather than overpowers them. Sommeliers can creatively pour different styles with cheese courses, seafood entrees and even beef dishes.
Traditionally, sake would be served in small ceramic or earthenware cups. These can be effective for styles that are served at room temperature or gently warmed, like Kimoto Junmai, with its apparent nutty and cereal flavours.
Increasingly, however, good-quality wine glasses are being used in restaurants and at home. They are familiar to many consumers and can help newcomers learn about the aromas, flavours and textures they are experiencing. The classic tulip-shaped white wine glass is preferred for fruity styles, such as Daiginjo, which has appealing melon, apple, green banana notes that are enhanced by a slight chill.
As exports grow so does the innovation behind the scenes at breweries in Japan and abroad. Classic sake styles continue to be refined, while new expressions are being created. The growth of the category could potentially create more challenges for consumers looking to better understand sake, but the same could be said for newcomers looking at the wine or whisky as an outsider.
The 11th edition of Kampai Toronto takes place September 30 at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in North York. The third edition of Kampai Montreal runs Oct. 5 at Bonsecours Market in Old Montreal.