How to make a sake highball

The highball is one of the easiest drinks there is: a spirit or wine, ice, and something bubbly in a tall glass. Swap in sake and you get a long, crisp, refreshing drink that's perfect for warm evenings, dinner on the patio, or anytime you want something long and bubbly to sip slowly. Here's how to make one with a WESAKE can.

What is a sake highball?

A highball is a simple mixed drink: a base, a carbonated mixer, and plenty of ice, served in a tall glass. In Japan, the highball (haibōru) is a fixture of bars and izakaya, usually made with whisky and soda. A sake highball uses the same idea with sake as the base.

Because sake is brewed rather than distilled, a sake highball is gentle and aromatic rather than boozy. The bubbles lift the sake's fruit and rice notes, and the ice and soda make it long and refreshing.

Sake works well here because it's clean and smooth, with no tannins and soft acidity. A dry, light Junmai Ginjo is ideal. If you want to know more about the grade, read what is Junmai Ginjo.

The classic sake highball recipe

You'll need:

• 1 WESAKE can (180 mL, about 6 fl oz), well chilled
• 3 to 4 fl oz (90 to 120 mL) cold sparkling water or club soda
• Plenty of ice
• A strip of lemon or yuzu peel

How to make it:

1. Chill everything. Keep the can and the soda in the fridge. Cold ingredients keep the bubbles lively and the ice from melting too fast.
2. Fill a tall glass with ice. A highball or Collins glass, about 12 oz, filled to the top.
3. Pour the sake. Add the whole can over the ice.
4. Top with soda. Pour the sparkling water gently down the side of the glass or along a bar spoon so you keep the bubbles.
5. Stir once. One gentle lift from the bottom is enough. More stirring flattens it.
6. Garnish. Twist the citrus peel over the glass to release its oils, then drop it in.

Sip it slowly, the way you would a glass of wine, and enjoy it with food.

Getting the ratio right

The classic ratio is about 3 parts sake to 2 parts soda, which is one can plus 3 to 4 oz of sparkling water. That keeps the sake's flavor front and center.

• More sake character: use 2 to 3 oz of soda.
• Longer and more refreshing: use up to 6 oz of soda (1 to 1 sake and soda).

Remember that adding soda makes the drink longer, not weaker in total: one highball made with one can still holds the whole can's alcohol, about 1.2 US standard drinks. Our guide to how strong sake is explains standard drinks.

Five easy variations

Yuzu highball. Add a teaspoon of yuzu juice along with the peel. Bright, floral, and very Japanese.

Cucumber and mint. Lay two thin ribbons of cucumber inside the glass before the ice, and add a sprig of mint. Cool and garden fresh.

Grapefruit. Top with grapefruit soda instead of plain sparkling water, or add a splash of fresh grapefruit juice. A little bitter, very crisp.

Ginger. Swap the soda for a dry ginger ale and add a thin coin of fresh ginger. Warm, spicy, and great with fried food.

Shiso and lime. Gently press a shiso leaf in your palm to wake up the aroma, add it with a wedge of lime. Herbal and bright.

Keep any sweet mixers light. Sake is delicate, and too much sugar will hide it.

Tips for a better highball

• Use good ice. Big, clear cubes melt slower and keep the drink from going watery.
• Don't shake it. Shaking kills the carbonation. Build it in the glass.
• Chill the glass if you have time. A few minutes in the freezer helps.
• Make it fresh. Highballs are best poured to order, one at a time.
• Serve the sake cold. Junmai Ginjo is happiest chilled anyway. Our hot or cold sake guide explains why.

Making highballs for a group

Hosting? Set up a highball station instead of a pitcher, so the drinks stay fizzy:

• A bucket of ice and chilled WESAKE cans
• Sparkling water and one or two flavored sodas
• A board of garnishes: citrus peels, cucumber, mint, shiso, ginger
• Tall glasses and a bar spoon

Guests build their own as they go, one can per highball. Keep plenty of food and a pitcher of cold water on the table, and let everyone set their own pace.

What to eat with a sake highball

The bubbles and citrus make a sake highball a great match for salty, crispy, and fried food:

• Fried chicken and karaage
• Tempura and fries
• Tacos, especially fish tacos with lime
• Sushi rolls and poke
• Salted edamame and grilled skewers

For more ideas, read our sake food pairing guide, and for other ways to serve sake, see how to drink sake.

The can makes it easy

A WESAKE can is exactly one highball: 180 mL of Junmai Ginjo from Niigata, 12% ABV, dry and light with a crisp, clean finish. No measuring and no half-open bottle in the fridge. Just ice, a can, and some bubbles.

Meet the can and pour your first one.