100+ Free WSET Sake Level 1 Practice Questions

Main Categories of Sake (Tokutei Meisho-shu)

The eight Tokutei Meisho-shu Special Designation categories defined by seimaibuai and whether a small amount of brewer's distilled alcohol is added — Junmai, Honjozo, Junmai Ginjo, Ginjo, Junmai Daiginjo, Daiginjo, Tokubetsu Junmai, Tokubetsu Honjozo — plus Futsu-shu (ordinary sake) which makes up the majority of production. Junmai = no added alcohol; Ginjo requires seimaibuai ≤60%; Daiginjo requires seimaibuai ≤50%.

Production Process

Polishing (seimai), washing, soaking, steaming, koji-making (seigiku) with Aspergillus oryzae, yeast starter (shubo/moto), multiple parallel fermentation (moromi), pressing (joso), filtration, pasteurization (hi-ire), maturation, dilution to bottling strength (~15-16% ABV), and bottling.

Styles & Classifications

Speciality styles beyond Tokutei Meisho-shu — Nigori (cloudy, coarsely filtered), Nama-zake (unpasteurized), Genshu (undiluted), Koshu (aged), Taruzake (cedar-cask), sparkling sake, Kimoto and Yamahai (traditional lactic acid yeast starters), Shiboritate (freshly pressed), and the Arabashiri/Nakadare/Seme pressing fractions.

Serving Sake

Service temperatures from yuki-hiya (5°C, snow-cold) through hana-hie (10°C), suzu-hie (15°C), jo-on (20°C room), hitohada-kan (35°C, skin-warm), nuru-kan (40°C), jo-kan (45°C), atsu-kan (50°C), up to tobikiri-kan (55°C+). Vessels — tokkuri and choko, masu, guinomi, wine glass — and when to chill Ginjo/Daiginjo versus warming Junmai/Honjozo.

What is Sake?

Definition of sake (nihonshu) as a fermented — not distilled — beverage produced from rice, water, koji, and yeast. Typical ABV ~15-16%. Difference from shochu (distilled) and from grape wine. Why sake is biochemically closer to beer than to wine because of starch-to-sugar conversion.

Aromas & Flavours

WSET categories for sake aromas — fruity (apple, pear, melon, banana, lychee, tropical), floral (cherry blossom, elderflower), vegetal/herbal, rice and cereal (steamed rice, cream), dairy (yogurt, fresh cheese), umami and savoury (mushroom, soy, nuts), and aged (caramel, dried fruit, soy). Ginjo-ka (esters — ethyl caproate, isoamyl acetate) is typical of Ginjo and Daiginjo styles.

Basic Ingredients

Rice (specialised shuzo koteki mai brewing rice or table rice), water (soft water → lighter style, hard water → firmer; iron and manganese are faulting contaminants), koji (steamed rice inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae), and yeast (Kyokai #7, #9, #1801 and others). Some sakes additionally use a small amount of brewer's distilled alcohol.

Polishing Ratio (Seimaibuai)

Seimaibuai = percentage of the rice grain remaining after polishing (so a lower number means more polishing). Honjozo/Junmai ≤70%, Ginjo ≤60%, Daiginjo ≤50%. Polishing removes outer fats, proteins, and minerals to produce cleaner, more fragrant sake. Tokubetsu designation requires ≤60% or another defined special production method.

Koji

Koji = steamed rice cultured with koji-kin (Aspergillus oryzae) whose amylase enzymes convert rice starch to fermentable sugar. Koji-making (seigiku) is proverbially the most important step of sake brewing — 'ichi koji, ni moto, san tsukuri' (first koji, second yeast starter, third main fermentation).

Sake Rice (Shuzo Koteki Mai)

Specialised sake brewing rice has large grains, a starchy white core (shinpaku), and low protein/fat in the outer layers. Key varieties: Yamadanishiki (Hyogo — 'king' of sake rice), Gohyakumangoku (Niigata — clean, crisp), Omachi (Okayama — rich, savoury, heritage variety), Miyamanishiki (cold-tolerant northern variety).

Food Pairing

Sake's low acidity, lack of tannin, umami content, and range of sweetness/body make it highly food-versatile. Ginjo/Daiginjo — delicate seafood, sushi, sashimi. Junmai — yakitori, grilled fish, richer dishes, cheese. Nigori — spicy food and desserts. Sparkling — aperitif and shellfish. Warmed Junmai/Honjozo — braised, fried, and winter fare.

Storage

Store sake cool (ideally refrigerated), upright, and out of direct sunlight and temperature swings. Nama-zake (unpasteurized) must be kept refrigerated continuously. Most pasteurised sake is best consumed within a year of bottling; after opening, refrigerate and consume within 1-2 weeks. UV light and heat cause hineka (off-aromas).

Reading Sake Labels

Label elements: brewery (kuramoto) and brand (meigara), classification (Junmai/Ginjo/Daiginjo etc.), seimaibuai, rice variety, nihonshu-do (Sake Meter Value — positive = dry, negative = sweet), acidity (sando), amino acid level (amino-san-do), ABV, production/bottling date (seizo nengetsu), and prefecture of origin.