We’re having a barbecue with company members soon. We plan to prepare sake as one of the drinks. What kind of sake would be suitable? Could you provide recommendations? Also, where on the Sake Matrix would the recommended sake fit best?
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A barbecue with sake sounds wonderful.
From my experience pairing sake with BBQ at many events, considering it’s mostly outdoors and paired with meat, I’ve usually gone with two main options:
One option is a light, refreshing, crisp, and sometimes carbonated Modern-Light style.
The other option is a flavorful sake that pairs well with meat, but still maintains a clean finish — something from the Classic-Light to Medium range.
If you’re planning on experimenting with soda mixers or adding ice, Modern-Full can also be a fun choice.
Here is a list of sake I served at a recent BBQ event. Please use it as a reference.
- Kankoubai Tlese Junmai Ginjo – Mie Prefecture
- Modern-Light
- Refreshing Sweet
- Best as Aperitif/Pre-meal
- Kamotsuru Kinshu Tokubetsu Junmai 13 – Hiroshima Prefecture
- Modern-Light
- Refreshing Sweet
- Pairs well with Caponata/Ajillo
- Hakurakusei Junmai Ginjo – Miyagi Prefecture
- Modern-Light
- Refreshing Dry
- Great with Seafood
- Asamayama Spicy Dry Junmai – Gunma Prefecture
- Classic-Light
- Refreshing Dry
- Pairs with Vegetables, Lean Red Meat (Great for Warm Sake)
- Bunkaijin Liseur Tokubetsu Junmai – Kochi Prefecture
- Modern-Full
- Rich Sweet
- Enjoy in Highball or On the Rocks
- Shichihon Yari Junmai Rice Polished to 60% – Shiga Prefecture
- Classic-Medium
- Rich Dry
- Perfect with All Meats (Great for Warm Sake)
[Reference] Sake Matrix
The “Sake Matrix” is a simple and easy-to-understand classification method for sake, using two axes. The first axis represents “aroma type and intensity,” while the second axis represents “whether the taste is rich or light.”
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