Summertime is finally here! What pairs well with hot summer weather? Cold nigori sake (nigorizake).
I bet some of you are asking yourselves “What is nigori sake?”. Nigori sake or nigorizake is often referred to as cloudy sake. It is the sake you see that often looks like milk. Most people refer to it as unfiltered sake and that is wrong. Nigori sakes are filtered. In fact, there is a law in Japan that requires all sake to be passed through a filter. Nigori sake is coarsely filtered. This filter allows the bigger rice solids to pass and remain in the sake.
So why do I think nigori sakes go great in the summer? First most nigori sakes are meant to served cold. It makes sense that people would want to drink something cold on a hot day. Another reason that nigori sake should be enjoyed on a summer day is the fact that most nigori sakes are on the sweeter side and pair well with some of the foods people tend to eat in the summer. It pairs well with spicy food (such as some BBQ or a curry). It will also go nicely with some of the sweeter foods people tend to enjoy in the summer as well such as fruit, ice cream, and other deserts.
There is one nigori that I have found to be a hit with people. The Kurosawa nigori seems to be a favorite of my friends and family that try it. It is sweet and it does have a lower ABV (alcohol by volume). Because it is sweet and does not have too much of an “alcohol” taste people will be surprised by it. My wife who does not really drink alcohol really enjoys this sake.
So on your next summer outing open up a bottle of this cloudy magic and enjoy it with some friends and family.