DOSE:	1 glass	oral	Alcohol - Beer/Wine	(liquid)
	1 glass	oral	Alcohol - Beer/Wine	(liquid)

BODY WEIGHT:

150 lb

Despite being relatively inexperienced, I enjoy wine, especially when it's paired with the right food. My first experience with rice wine was at a hotel party with cheap, lukewarm sake in a styrofoam cup. It was disgusting (think rubbing alcohol) but I knew better than to generalize based on that experience, and I put sake on the back burner until I could learn more and experiment further.

Through a 'sushi friend' I learned a little more about sake -- the history, how it's made, and what kinds go with what foods. I was really intrigued by a glass of off-white milky liquid called nigori sake, which is a type of unfiltered sake, and set out to find it as soon as possible. I went to a specialty wine shop, and luckily one of the staff had worked at a sake factory and helped fill me in on some of the basics: being unfiltered, nigori sake still has rice sediment in the bottle and turns cloudy when you shake it before serving. It's sweet as far as sakes go, with a rating of -6 (+2 is neutral, anything above is dry and anything below is sweet). As such, I was told that it's typically served as a dessert wine or to balance out spicy food.

I decided to pick up some Thai food pair it with, and I got a very spicy meal of stir-fried mixed vegetables, beef, and tofu. I shook the bottle and poured a glass: it poured a cloudy off-white, and smelled like coconut milk. I swirled the glass, which really altered the scent to a much more fruity smell. I took my first sip, and it had a very rich taste of vanilla, coconut, banana, and something else I couldn't put my finger on. I was very excited but once I started eating I couldn't bear to drink anymore, it really didn't go well with my meal. Looking back, I think the spice really overpowered the sake, and I could hardly finish the glass. The mix was so unpleasant that I put the rest of the bottle in the fridge until I could find someone to take it off my hands, or else throw it away.

The next day I decided to give it one more shot. Remembering how the clerk had said it paired well with desserts, I grabbed a chocolate bar and poured a glass. It was like a light went on. I don't know if it mixed so well with the chocolate or if it was just that my tastebuds weren't paralyzed by Thai food, but this time I could taste an array of subtle, delicious flavors that made up for the previous night. It was was a party in my mouth, no joke. But the best part about sake that I have come to find (and this was the first time I experienced this) is that it puts me in a really pleasant, cloudy headspace. Imagine your typical wine buzz (which FYI is alot different from other forms of alcohol) but much more stoney. It's very relaxing and meditative.

Each subsequent time I have tried nigori sake, I have been more and more impressed. I've realized that sake is not for everyone, and if one is going to approach it, it demands respect -- especially when one realizes the tradition and care that goes into making it.

Exp Year: 2006	ExpID: 57482
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Apr 8, 2018	Views: 1,423
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Alcohol - Beer/Wine (199) : General (1), Retrospective / Summary (11), Various (28)