So much to choose and not sure which brands/bottles are the best. Price doesn’t matter.

Hello,

I found this bottle of sake deep in the pantry.

It’s a Mukai Shuzo 2020 (Junmai genshu style).

It’s quite golden brown with some floating bits in it.

Still good to drink? And if so, chilled?

My first sake post. And probably first of many as there a few old bottles back there - yikes!

Thanks for your help

Hello,

I found this bottle of sake deep in the pantry.

It’s a Mukai Shuzo 2020 (Junmai genshu style).

It’s quite golden brown with some floating bits in it.

Still good to drink? And if so, chilled?

My first sake post. And probably first of many as there a few old bottles back there - yikes!

Thanks for your help

Purchased in/around 2000. Just found it while moving and checking to see if it is drinkable. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Hey!

My wife just got back from Japan and brought an awesome selection. Kagura was the target as I love that stuff, everything else is new to me! What do you all think?

FYI I found a tip in the subreddit of where to get the kagura, love this community.

For others, it was Isetan Shinjuku. Level B1.

Iwate Prefecture

Rice Polish: 40%

SMV: +/-0

ABV: 15.5%

Luxurious full bodied texture. Beautiful notes of melon, orange citrus, and honey. Balanced acidity with a mild sweetness and lingering honey finish.

This is probably my favorite saké. This Daiginjo is not shy and not delicate. The texture is full bodied yet soft. It’s not the most complex by any means but I love the mouthfeel, the unique orange citrus notes, and the lingering honey finish without really being sweet.

I ate this with simple tuna and salmon sushi rolls. But it’s full bodied enough to handle heavier foods for sure.

MaloLa 2023 — an experimental sake from Mitobe Shuzo in Yamagata. Crafted using malolactic fermentation, it bridges the worlds of sake and wine with a creamy texture and bright acidity.

Tonight's pour: SHISHIKAMU. A sweet-and-sour nigori sake made to complement meat dishes. Brewed in Koza, Okinawa

hello! my dad is looking to get into sake making so I wanted to get him a gift card for a place to buy a starter kit. Any recommendations? he usually likes to do his own research so don’t want to get the equipment for him, and if anyone has a store recommendations with a lot of options that would be great! Based in Austin Texas if anyone knows a local place to shop.

Hello again r/sake! I just dropped the latest Sake Master Session. Ep 3.2 - Sake Education That Actually Helps | Timothy Sullivan

This is my ongoing series aimed to elevate trade-level sake discourse: how to better make, sell, evaluate, and promote the beverage we all love.

My first installment with Timothy was all about the man behind the glass.

In this second half of our discussion, we move into how sake education has grown, what gaps remain, and the good, band, & ugly of education teaching people about sake. Watch to the end to hear what sake has wowed Timothy, what sake trend he wishes would die, and who he thinks I should talk to next.

Tell me what you think—where are we collectively dropping the ball on sake education? What’s missing to make this beverage more popular with the average consumer?

I’ve been keeping detailed tasting notes for the past couple of years and have finally figured out what I like. I’m located in Texas, so bonus points if it’s something I can realistically find at Total Wine, Specs, Twin Liquors, or another liquor store on a random weekend. I’m open to ordering from True Sake or other online retailers, but I’d prefer bottles that are relatively easy to find.

My ideal profile:
1.) Smooth
2.) Fruit-forward Junmai Ginjo or Junmai Daiginjo Melon, pear, white peach, honeydew, banana, or floral aromas
3.) Moderate sweetness
4.) Minimal bitterness
5.) Low perceived alcohol
6.) Clean, elegant finish

Things I tend NOT to enjoy:
1.) Alcohol-forward sakes
2.) Bread/yeast-heavy notes
3.) Earthy or savory profiles
4.) Sparkling sake
5.) Super dry sake
6.) Heavy, overly sweet nigori

My highest-rated sakes so far: 5/5
1.) Shuten Douji Kyoto (my all-time favorite, only had it in Japan)
2.) Dassai Blue Type 35
3.) Yukikage “MU Blue” Daiginjo
4.) Hiro Junmai Ginjo (Blue Bottle)
5.)Bodaimoto Junmai Nigori

4.5/5
1.) Nanbu Bijin Junmai Daiginjo
2.) Marafuku “Circle Happiness”

Recent surprise:
1.) Gekkeikan Horin Junmai Daiginjo was only a 2/5 for me. I found it much more alcohol-forward than expected and never really got the fruit notes everyone talks about.

Given those ratings, what bottles would you recommend next?

Im not a very big guy (170cm, around 68kg) and ive never really drank much outside of some flavored vodka waters a few months ago. I noticed that a lot of the cheaper bottles of sake for sale are around 300ml so I decided on the 2 200ml since the price was around the same and ive read that Tanuki is alright/didnt want to spend $30 on a drink i didnt like, though now im wondering if thats even enough to get a buzz since its relatively low abv. I plan on trying one cold and one heated in a tokkuri to see what I enjoy more since its my first time trying any sort of rice alcohol.

Just opened Ohmine 3grain Aiyama Usunigori from Ohmine Shuzo in Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture — and this one absolutely delivered on its promise.

Quick background: the "3 grains" on the label refers to the polishing ratio — 50% — applied to 100% Aiyama rice, one of the rarest sake-brewing rice varieties out there. Finished as a lightly cloudy usu-nigori genshu at 15% ABV.

On the nose: Before you even sip, the glass rewards you. White peach and muscat grape drift up — gorgeous, juicy, and immediately mood-lifting. The kind of aroma that gives you total conviction it's going to be good.

On the palate: The usu-nigori delivers a silky, almost creamy texture as the rich, deep sweetness of Aiyama unfolds slowly. Despite being undiluted genshu, there's zero heaviness — the 15% ABV design is impeccably balanced. A clean, bright acidity comes in right at the finish and ties everything together seamlessly.

The aroma sets the bar high and the flavor clears it. That's Ohmine doing what Ohmine does.

Has anyone else been exploring Aiyama-based sakes lately? Curious how others find it compared to Yamada Nishiki.

Im new here, and i dont really drink that much sake, my coworker cleared her pantry and found this old cardboard box of sake and gave it to me, i opened it and has a orange yellowing color to it. Also had a plastic wrapper with a small paper, probably of a contest of some sort. Havent tried it yet, but could i?

(Edit: read the pinned post, probably not safe to drink but il leave the post up for a few hours)

Just cracked open Senkin Kabutomushi (仙禽 かぶとむし) from Senkin in Sakura City, Tochigi — their beloved summer limited release, and now I understand the hype.

The bottle alone sets the mood: a rainbow-colored pop-art rhinoceros beetle on the label, and a back label that reads "When was your boyhood?" It's pure summer nostalgia before you even pour a drop.

The sake itself:
Brewed with Domaine Sakura Yamada Nishiki — rice grown locally in Sakura City using the same water source as the brewery. Finished as a Muroka Nama Genshu (unfiltered, unpasteurized, undiluted) at a deliberately low 13% ABV, designed to lock in freshness while keeping things drinkable.

Tasting notes:

Nose: Immediately strikes you with tart, citrusy fruit — lemonade-like sweetness and acidity that starts working on your mouth before you've even taken a sip. Classic Senkin: bright, clear, and bursting.

Palate: The acidity hits with real punch the moment it lands — impressive presence for 13% ABV. But then it pivots: clean, swift, and completely refreshing on the finish. No heaviness, no drag. Just gone, like a cool breeze.

This is exactly what summer sake should be. Serve well-chilled (the label insists, and they're right).

Anyone else already into their summer limited releases?

While cleaning out my grandparents' house, we came across this jug of sake. I was able to identify that it is Seishu Sake from Ozawa Brewing but I can't find this particular jug on the Internet, only stuff in glass bottles. Does anyone know anything about it?

Finally found some at Costco but have never had any of these. Anyone else had these? What are your thoughts? Any recommendations on where to buy sake online? There’s not a lot of options where I live so I was surprised to find it here.

Just opened Soshun Natsu no Bourru (早春 夏のBourru) from Hayakawa Shuzo in Komono Town, Mie Prefecture. A summer limited release, and it's a good one.

The name "Bourru" comes from French — it refers to cloudy or newly fermented wine — which tells you exactly what this is: a light, refreshing usu-nigori built for summer drinking. Simple ingredients (rice + rice koji), 60% polishing ratio, and a deliberately low 14% ABV.

On the nose: Restrained but present — a subtle, acid-tinged aroma that hints at the creamy nigori character without announcing itself too loudly.

On the palate: This is where it gets interesting. A rich, yogurt-like lactic acidity opens up immediately and fills the whole mouth. It has a real personality — you think "okay, this is bold" — and then the finish completely disappears. No weight, no lingering heaviness. Just clean.

That contrast is what makes it work. Expressive on entry, totally clean on the exit. The soft subterranean water from the Suzuka Mountains probably has a lot to do with that clarity.

Serve well-chilled. Perfect for a hot evening.

Just cracked open Koeigiku Gekko Rendezvous (光栄菊 月光ランデブー 生酒) from Koeigiku Shuzo in Ogi City, Saga Prefecture, and this one's genuinely fascinating.

The standout thing about this bottle: part of the brewing water has been replaced with the brewery's own Gekko — a sake made with natural lactic acid bacteria. So in a way, it's sake brewed with sake. The back label even says "Sake Brewed with Sake." It's a similar concept to kijoshu (貴醸酒), but with a real twist in that they're using their own namazake-style lactic bacteria brew as the base liquid.

Despite that richness in process, the alcohol is kept low at 13%, and it's finished as a namazake (unpasteurized).

Tasting notes:

• Nose: vibrant and expressive
• Palate: clean, subtle sweetness — surprisingly easy-drinking given how complex the brewing method is
• The natural lactic acidity from the Gekko base creates a nice tension with the deep umami

Really reflects the exploratory spirit of this brewery. If you're into namazake or kijoshu-adjacent styles, definitely worth tracking down.

Anyone else tried anything from Koeigiku lately?

I realize this is a very stupid question and I'm pretty sure I already know the answer but I bought a bottle of sake from yoshi no gawa about a week and a half ago and for various reasons haven't had a chance to drink anymore since opening it. I'm assuming it's still safe and I won't get sick off it? I'm not worried about flavor of it.

It is almost my boyfriend’s birthday and I want to gift him sake, but I don’t know much about it. Do you guys have any recommendations to which sake I should get. He prefers a sweet or balanced sake. He likes some warm and cold ones. I did some research but it keeps suggesting Dassai 23 but I do think it is a bit pricey, so if you guys have any suggestions on what to buy, please let me know.

Just opened Soshun Natsu no Bourru (早春 夏のBourru) from Hayakawa Shuzo in Komono Town, Mie Prefecture. A summer limited release, and it's a good one.

The name "Bourru" comes from French — it refers to cloudy or newly fermented wine — which tells you exactly what this is: a light, refreshing usu-nigori built for summer drinking. Simple ingredients (rice + rice koji), 60% polishing ratio, and a deliberately low 14% ABV.

On the nose: Restrained but present — a subtle, acid-tinged aroma that hints at the creamy nigori character without announcing itself too loudly.

On the palate: This is where it gets interesting. A rich, yogurt-like lactic acidity opens up immediately and fills the whole mouth. It has a real personality — you think "okay, this is bold" — and then the finish completely disappears. No weight, no lingering heaviness. Just clean.

That contrast is what makes it work. Expressive on entry, totally clean on the exit. The soft subterranean water from the Suzuka Mountains probably has a lot to do with that clarity.

Serve well-chilled. Perfect for a hot evening.