What is nigori sake?

If you've seen a bottle of sake that looks like milk, that's nigori. It's one of the easiest sakes to spot on a shelf and one of the friendliest to try: creamy, soft, and often a little sweet. Here's what makes it cloudy, how it tastes, and how to enjoy it.

What nigori means

Nigori comes from the Japanese word for "cloudy." You'll also see it called nigorizake, or simply "cloudy sake" or "unfiltered sake" on American menus.

"Unfiltered" is a helpful shorthand, but it isn't quite right. Most sake is pressed to separate the liquid from the fermented rice, then often filtered again to make it crystal clear. Nigori is still pressed, just through a coarser mesh, so the finest bits of rice pass through. Those suspended solids are what you see swirling in the bottle.

How nigori is made

Every sake starts the same way: polished rice is steamed, koji turns the rice starch into sugar, and yeast turns that sugar into alcohol, all in the same tank. You can follow the whole process in how sake is made.

At the end of fermentation, the tank holds a thick mash called moromi: liquid sake mixed with rice solids. For clear sake, the brewer presses that mash to leave the solids behind. For nigori, the brewer uses a coarse cloth or mesh, or adds some of the fine sediment back in, so the finished sake keeps a share of the rice.

How cloudy it ends up is the brewer's choice. Some nigori is just faintly hazy; some is as thick as a smoothie.

What nigori tastes like

The rice solids change both flavor and texture:

• Creamy, rounded texture. Nigori feels fuller in the mouth than clear sake.
• Rice and cereal notes. Think rice pudding, fresh mochi, or sweet cream.
• Often a touch of sweetness. Many nigori sakes are on the sweeter side, with fruit notes like banana, melon, or coconut.
• A soft finish. The texture rounds off the edges, so it can feel gentle even when the sake isn't very sweet.

Not every nigori is sweet, though. Dry nigori exists too, and the sake meter value on the label is a good clue: a negative number usually means sweeter, a positive one drier.

The main styles

You'll come across a few kinds of nigori:

Style	What it is
Usu-nigori	"Lightly cloudy." Just a gentle haze, closer to clear sake in body.
Sasa-nigori	Another name for a lightly cloudy sake with a fine, delicate sediment.
Classic nigori	Clearly milky, with a creamy body. The style most people picture.
Sparkling nigori	Fermentation continues in the bottle, so it's naturally fizzy. Sometimes labeled kassei nigori, or "active."

Nigori is a style, not a grade. It can be made at any grade, so you'll find Junmai nigori, Junmai Ginjo nigori, and even Daiginjo nigori. The grade tells you how the rice was polished and whether alcohol was added; the word nigori tells you how it was pressed. Our guide to types of sake explains the grades.

How to serve nigori

Chill it. Nigori tastes best cold, roughly 5 to 10°C (41 to 50°F), straight from the fridge. The chill keeps the sweetness fresh and the texture lively. See hot or cold sake for how temperature changes sake in general.

Mix it gently. The sediment settles at the bottom. Before pouring, turn the bottle upside down slowly a few times, or swirl it, until it's evenly cloudy. Some people like to pour the clearer top first and mix the rest later to taste both sides of the sake.

Be careful with sparkling nigori. Never shake it. Like any sparkling drink, it can foam up. Chill it well, open it slowly over the sink, and let the pressure out bit by bit.

Use a glass you like. A wine glass shows off the color and texture, but a small cup works too. Pour a little at a time and sip slowly, the same as any sake.

Keep it cold after opening. Recap the bottle, store it upright in the fridge, and enjoy it within a few days to a week or so. Some nigori is unpasteurized (nama), which needs to stay in the fridge at all times. Read more in how long sake lasts.

What to eat with nigori

Nigori's creamy, slightly sweet character makes it a natural partner for bold flavors:

• Spicy food. Thai curries, Korean fried chicken, spicy tuna rolls, and hot wings. The creaminess and sweetness soften chili heat.
• Tacos and salsa. A cold nigori with chili, lime, and cilantro is a fun match.
• Barbecue and grilled meat. Sweet glazes, teriyaki, and smoky char all work.
• Dessert. Fruit tarts, mochi, and light cakes. Try it with fresh fruit.
• Cheese. Soft, salty cheeses play well against the sweetness.

For more ideas, see our sake food pairing guide.

Nigori vs clear sake

Neither is better. They're two different experiences:

	Nigori	Clear sake
Look	Milky, cloudy	Clear
Texture	Creamy, fuller	Smooth, lighter
Taste	Often sweeter, rice-forward	From dry to sweet, often more aromatic
Serve	Cold, mixed gently	Cold, room temperature, or warm, depending on style

If you love creamy drinks and bold food, nigori is a great place to start. If you prefer something crisp and light, a clear Junmai Ginjo is a good match.

Where WESAKE fits

WESAKE is a clear sake, not a nigori. Both of our sakes are Junmai Ginjo: the can is dry and light with soft umami and a crisp, clean finish, and the Sakura bottle is elegantly dry with soft floral notes. If you're comparing styles side by side, a chilled can next to a glass of nigori is a great way to taste how much pressing changes a sake. Meet our sake.