Sake glossary: the words on the label, explained

Sake labels and menus can look like a vocabulary test. The good news: a few dozen words cover almost everything you'll see. Here are the ones worth knowing, in plain English, from A to Z. For the bigger picture, start with the complete guide to sake.

A to G

Acidity (sando). A number on some labels showing how much acid the sake has. Higher numbers often feel richer or sharper, lower numbers softer. See sake acidity.

Amakuchi. Sweet, or on the sweeter side. The opposite of karakuchi.

Aruten. Short for arukoru tenka, "added alcohol." A small amount of distilled alcohol added during brewing in grades like Honjozo and Ginjo.

Daiginjo. A premium grade made with rice polished to 50% or less, brewed in the Ginjo style. A little distilled alcohol may be added.

Futsushu. "Ordinary sake." Sake outside the special designated grades. It's the everyday sake of Japan, and it covers a wide range of styles.

Genshu. Undiluted sake. Most sake has water added after pressing; genshu doesn't, so it's often stronger, around 17 to 20% ABV.

Ginjo. A premium grade made with rice polished to 60% or less and fermented cold and slow, which brings out fruity and floral aromas. A little distilled alcohol may be added.

Gohyakumangoku. A sake rice variety from Niigata, known for light, crisp, dry sake. It's the rice in the WESAKE can. Meet it in sake rice explained.

H to K

Hiire. Pasteurization. Most sake is gently heated once or twice to keep it stable.

Hiyaoroshi. Autumn sake, brewed in winter, rested over summer, and released in fall, traditionally pasteurized only once.

Honjozo. A grade made with rice polished to 70% or less and a small amount of added distilled alcohol, often light and easy to drink.

Junmai. "Pure rice." Sake made only from rice, water, koji, and yeast, with no added alcohol. Read more in what is Junmai sake.

Junmai Daiginjo. Pure rice sake with rice polished to 50% or less.

Junmai Ginjo. Pure rice sake with rice polished to 60% or less, brewed in the Ginjo style. Both WESAKE sakes are Junmai Ginjo. See what is Junmai Ginjo.

Kanpai. "Cheers" in Japanese. Literally "dry cup."

Karakuchi. Dry. The opposite of amakuchi.

Kimoto. A traditional way to make the yeast starter that relies on natural lactic acid bacteria, with the mash worked by hand with poles. Often gives a fuller, deeper sake.

Koji. Steamed rice grown with the mold Aspergillus oryzae, which turns rice starch into sugar. See what is koji.

Koshu. Aged sake, rested for years to develop deeper color and nutty, savory flavors.

Kura. A sake brewery. The owner is the kuramoto.

M to N

Masu. A small square wooden box once used to measure rice, now sometimes used as a sake cup.

Moromi. The main fermenting mash of rice, koji, water, and yeast. It ferments for several weeks before pressing.

Moto (shubo). The yeast starter: a small, concentrated mash that builds up a strong yeast population before the main fermentation.

Muroka. Sake that hasn't been charcoal filtered, so it often keeps more color and flavor.

Nama. Unpasteurized sake. Fresh and lively, it needs to be kept cold.

Nigori. Cloudy sake, coarsely filtered so some rice solids stay in. Usually creamy and a touch sweet.

Nihonshu. The Japanese word for sake, meaning "Japanese alcohol." In Japan, "sake" can refer to alcohol in general.

Nihonshu-do (SMV). The sake meter value, a number for density that hints at dryness. Higher numbers usually drink drier, lower numbers sweeter. See sake meter value.

O to S

Ochoko. A small ceramic sake cup.

Sakamai. Rice grown specifically for brewing sake, with large grains and a big starchy core.

Seimai buai. The polishing ratio: how much of each rice grain is left after polishing. 60% means 40% was polished away. See the polishing ratio guide.

Seishu. The legal term for sake in Japan, meaning "refined sake."

Shiboritate. Freshly pressed sake, released soon after brewing, often bright and zesty.

Shinpaku. The opaque, starchy white heart of a sake rice grain.

Sokujo. The modern method of making the yeast starter, adding lactic acid directly. Faster and the most common method today.

T to Y

Taruzake. Sake aged briefly in cedar casks, which gives a woody aroma.

Toji. The master brewer who leads the team and makes the key calls during brewing.

Tokkuri. A small ceramic flask for serving sake, often used for warm sake.

Tokubetsu. "Special." Used in Tokubetsu Junmai and Tokubetsu Honjozo for sake made with extra polishing or a special method.

Yamada Nishiki. The most famous sake rice, from Hyogo, known for rich, rounded, aromatic sake. It's the rice in the WESAKE Sakura bottle.

Yamahai. A variation of kimoto that skips the hand-poling step but still relies on natural lactic acid. Often fuller and more savory.

Yeast (kobo). The microbe that turns sugar into alcohol and aroma. Brewers choose yeast strains for the style they want.

Put the words to work

Now try reading a real label. The WESAKE can says Junmai Ginjo (pure rice, polished to 60%), Gohyakumangoku rice, SMV -1, acidity 1.3, and 12% ABV. Printed right on it: "Dry and light." Meet the can, or see how these grades compare in the types of sake.