Sake Cocktails Are The Next Big Thing - Here’s How To Make Them At Home

Sake is one of the most interesting alcoholic beverages from Japan. It is also one of the most versatile as it can be served in a wide range of temperatures. The temperature of this beverage actually affects its flavor profile, which goes from dry to sweet. It is a significant part of Japanese culture and is always served on special occasions. Just like Matcha and Yuzu from Japan, Sake cocktails are getting a lot of limelight these days! So, we thought of bringing some really easy sake cocktail recipes for you so that you don't miss out on the trend! 

What is Sake?

Sake is actually a Japanese alcoholic beverage that is made out of fermented rice. It is made using four ingredients, namely water, rice, yeast, and koji mold. 

 It is generally referred to as rice wine, but its brewing process is very much similar to that of beer. This beverage goes through a process known as multiple parallel fermentation. Unlike wine, which ferments natural sugars from fruit, sake starts with a grain (rice) and uses koji mold to convert starches to sugars before fermentation with yeast. Most sakes are clear or have a pale yellow color. 

Must-Try Sake Cocktails 

1. Sake Mojito

Sake Mojito actually combines the smooth, slightly sweet, and very clean essence of this Japanese beverage. It is combined with the sharp coolness of the lime and fresh mint, offering a dash of citrusy flavor. This cocktail offers a very fresh aroma with zesty notes, producing a very light and immersive experience with a soft mouthfeel and gentle sweetness, which is balanced by the mint’s cooling effect. 

Ingredients

• 5 oz sake
• 6 fresh mint leaves
• 1 oz club soda
• ½ lime cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp sugar
• Ice 

Procedure

• Take a cocktail shaker and muddle fresh mint leaves, sugar, and lime. 
• Now add some ice and sake to it and shake well. 
• Lastly, strain it into a glass filled with ice and top it with club soda. 

Also Read: How To Taste Sake Like A Sommelier: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

2. Sake Paloma

This cocktail features the softness of sake, smoothness driven by rice, and tangy bitterness with the fruitiness of grapefruit. The blend of these sweet and tart layers actually creates an energised yet soft flavour profile with a very subtle fizz. Sake Paloma has a very lingering citrus finish, which enhances the natural umami and fruity facets of the beverage. 

Ingredients

• 3 oz sake
• 3 oz grapefruit juice
• 2.5 oz gin
• Freshly grated ginger
• Ice
• Grapefruit sparkling water (optional)

Procedure

• Take a cocktail shaker and add gin, sake, grapefruit, ice, and ginger. 
• Shake it well and then strain into a glass filled with ice. 
• You can top it off with a dash of grapefruit sparkling water (completely optional)

3. Classic Sake Sangria

If you are looking for a cocktail that is very light and absolutely not overpowering the basic taste and flavor of sake, try classic sake sangria for once. It offers a harmonious blend of sake’s delicate and light sweetness of rice with a vibrant fruity flavor from various fruits. 

This results in a crisp, refreshing drink with a touch of natural acidity that enhances the floral and subtly sweet characteristics of the sake base. 

Ingredients

• 750 ml bottle of chilled Sake
• 1 thinly sliced lemon
• 1 thinly sliced orange
• Fresh mint leaves
• 1 apple chopped fine
• 1-2 tbsp of honey
• 1 cup club soda
• Ice 

Procedure

• Take a large picture. Add honey and sake to it and mix until the honey is fully dissolved
• Add all the fruits and gently combine them well. 
• Refrigerate the pitcher for 2 hours or overnight. 
• Top it up with club soda when you serve. 

4. Cucumber Saketini

Cucumber Saketini offers sake’s clean, refined flavor, which is paired with the crisp, cool freshness of cucumber. The combination results in a delicate vegetal note balanced with light fruitiness, offering a cool, smooth, and elegant taste. The best part about this cocktail is its subtle herbaceous undertone and a soft texture, which is beautifully refined too. 

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Sake
• 2.5 oz simple syrup
• 1.5 oz vodka
• 4-5 small Fresh cucumber pieces
• Ice

Procedure

• Take a cocktail shaker and muddle the cucumber pieces in it. 
• Now add sake, vodka, ice, and simple syrup to it. 
• Shake it well and then strain into a martini glass. 
• Garnish with cucumber and serve. 

Also Read: Where To Drink In Mumbai This Weekend (14th To 16th November)

5. Sake & Tonic

This cocktail falls into the category of easy-to-make, two-ingredient, no-nonsense sake cocktails. Sake and Tonic brings out the subtle smoothness and sweetness of sake, which is perfectly balanced by the bitterness offered by tonic water. The flavor profile is refreshing, crisp, floral, nuanced, bitter, and also a bit citrusy if you decide to squeeze some lemon drops into it. 

Ingredients

• 3.4 oz sake
• 5 oz tonic water
• Ice cubes

Procedure

• Take a highball glass and fill it with ice cubes.
• Add sake and tonic water.
• Now mix it well and serve.
• You can add orange peels for flavor if you like

Summing Up

From Sake Mojito to Sake & Tonic, we have listed some very easy and beginner-friendly sake drinks that you can easily try at home. If you are someone who is trying sake for the first time, well, this drink will surely make you a fan of this Japanese alcoholic beverage. And if you have already tasted it, you will surely explore its versatility with these drinks. Let us know your review!