What is nama sake?
Meet Japan’s seasonal sake star: fresh, zingy and always unpasteurised. Alicia Miller recommends great bottles to buy, with tips on storage and serving.
From junmai to daiginjo, nigori to koshu, the sake world has a unique glossary of terms – most of which refer to stylistic choices made by the brewer. One of the most commonly used phrases in this lexicon is ‘nama’. But what exactly is nama sake, and how does it differ from other types of the rice wine? That’s exactly what this article will explain.
Defining nama sake
The word ‘nama’ – signified by the kanji character 生 – means ‘raw’ or ‘living’ in Japanese. It’s often used to denote a fresh, uncooked or natural product in Japan. In the world of sake it refers to bottles that are unpasteurised.
Whereas most sakes will undergo heat pasteurisation twice – once after filtration and before storage, then again around the time of bottling – sakes labelled as ‘nama’ won’t have seen this process at all.
As with other unpasteurised products, nama sake (or namazake – 生酒 – in Japanese) contains active enzymes and live microorganisms. While this brings an added element to the drinking experience, producers must use extra care when making it. ‘That means colder, faster handling after filtration and strict cold-chain storage and transport,’ says Natsuki Kikuya, sake educator at WSET.
Because of the need for cold storage in preservation, nama sake has traditionally been made only during the winter months in Japan – typically from December to March – with bottles designed to be consumed quickly before summer heat spikes.
While modern technology now allows nama to be made year-round, most producers – particularly small ones who might lack the specialised equipment required – still release it only as a seasonal ‘fresh’ bottling over winter and early spring months.
Natsuki Kikuya, sake educator
How does it taste?
There is no single flavour profile associated with nama sake. As with other sakes, character is influenced by a combination of factors. These include the rice variety, growing conditions, koji mold used and local water, as well as other stylistic elements – for example, the rice polishing standard (ie honjozo, ginjo or daiginjo).
Nama can be made with any rice type, in any place. However, in general terms, nama sakes tend to be brighter, fresher and zingier than their counterparts.
‘Nama showcases more lift and zing, often sharper and more vivid aromatics, and sometimes a soft natural spritz or “alive” sensation,' says Kikuya. 'Its flavour profile can feel more immediate and energetic than pasteurised equivalents.'
Storing and drinking
Nama sake has to be drunk cold, insists Ryosuke Mashio, sommelier at Roketsu restaurant in London. ‘While other sakes can be enjoyed warm, or at room temperature, nama has to be cold to preserve its vibrancy and fragrance.’
Maintaining those delicate unpasteurised flavours requires careful storage, and consumption within six months of production date is often recommended. ‘Cellaring is key with namazake,’ says Mashio. ‘As low as possible, between 0℃ and 5℃ or even in minus temperatures.’ Each winter when he buys a dozen bottles for Roketsu, he ensures they are transported in cold storage and keeps them in a dedicated sake fridge.
Once open, even when kept refrigerated and away from light exposure, nama sakes can develop rapidly; which, of course, is part of what makes them interesting to drink. Kikuya recommends finishing any bottles within five to seven days, whereas other sakes may keep for up to two weeks.
Ryosuke Mashio, sommelier
New styles
While nama sake is typically designed to be drunk young and fresh, just as in the wine world, the space is seeing innovation.
‘Aged nama sake is a whole new territory,’ says Anthony Yukio, sake sommelier at Kioku in London. ‘When aged at low temperature, that wild character is tamed slightly, flavours concentrate on the palate.’ He points out that the same bottle served in Japan and London will taste entirely different due to individual storage conditions, and that’s part of what keeps the category exciting.
Certain styles of nama sake can be carefully stored at room temperature too, but this can be a risky business as it pushes things into a wilder, more oxidative and nutty state. It’s best to leave this kind of ageing to venues that know their stuff (like Kioku). Be wary of nama sake that appears too hazy or is unpleasant on the nose, as it may have gone too far.
Buying nama sake: tips
Because nama sake is easily perishable it’s important to buy from quality sources – for starters, somewhere that keeps its bottles in a fridge, notes Mashio. Also do consider when you are buying it. Unless you’re deliberately seeking out an aged example, if you pick it up in late summer or autumn there’s a chance it’s been sitting around a bit too long.
Nama is a specific style and producers will usually state it on the label. Saying that, most Japanese sake labels are written in kanji, and can be difficult for English-speakers to decode – particularly when they contain many other terms.
Memorise the simple kanji character for namazake – 生酒 – and you’ll instantly be able to recognise it. Just don’t be confused by similar kanji such as namazume (生詰め) or namachozo (生貯蔵), both of which refer to single pasteurisations (before and after storage, respectively), rather than nama sake’s characteristic zero-pasteurisation profile.
Six nama sake bottles to try
Kikunotsukasa Innocent 50 Junmai Ginjo Nama Sake
Made in Iwate, in the northern part of Japan’s main island Honshu, Innocent is known for its slightly lower alcohol and easier-drinking style. Produced as a junmai – which means it’s free from added alcohol or sugar – as well as nama, this is richly rice-y and white peachy. Alcohol 14%
Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu
£TBC/720ml, The Whisky Exchange
A higher-alcohol form of nama sake, genshu (‘undiluted’) is bottled straight from the tank without added water. This one is made by Masumi in Nagano, which has roots dating to 1662, and its robust profile can stand up well to white meats and grilled fish. Notes of fresh plum, cherry and apricot. (This year’s edition had not been released at the time of publishing.) Alc 17%
Narutotai Gingo Nama Genshu
Vibrant, sweet caramel and nut notes meet a zippy fruitiness. Produced from Yamada Nishiki rice in Tokushima, on Shikoku Island, this namazake is bottled in UV-resistant aluminium to protect it from light damage. Fruity and generous in aromatics, yet dry. Alc 18%
Tamagawa ‘Red Label’ Yamahai Genshu Junmai
The Tamagawa range is made by Cornish expat Philip Harper, the first non-Japanese tōji or Master Sake Brewer. His ‘3U’ approach (unfiltered, undiluted, unpasteurised) means his range is all nama. The Red Label from Kyoto uses ambient yeasts and delivers a bold profile that can pair with meats and strong cheese. Alc 21%
Tsuji Honten Evolution
Containing only heritage rice variety Omachi, and unfiltered, unpasteurised and undiluted, this experimental sake is brewed using the ancient bodaimoto technique – so it’s really one of a kind. Medium-bodied, rippled with ripe fruit flavour and flecked with nuttiness and sweet spice, it’s higher in acidity and very precise. Alc 16%
Related articles
- How to taste Sake – A Decanter guide
- Sake and food pairing – A beginner’s guide
- The rise of American sake
