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Calories in Sake: Is Sake Fattening?
Taylor Markarian
Is sake fattening? It’s difficult to know with certainty how many calories are in any given bottle of sake. Unlike food, alcohol labels are not require...
How To Host the Best Sake Tasting
Sam Fairchild
Family gatherings, company parties, and nights spent with friends can often become predictable and repetitive. If you’re someone who likes to mix thing...
Roka: What Goes on Before Bottling
Devin Davenport
Of the endless number of options and decisions brewers make before sake ends up in your glass, “roka” might be the easiest to spot as well as one of th...
What Is Nama Sake?
Taylor Markarian
There’s nothing like drinking fresh “namazake” from the brewery tap. As soon as it graces your palate, you get the feeling that it’s somehow alive. Its...
Brooklyn Kura: History, Bottles, Where To Buy
Sam Fairchild
When I was asked to write this profile, I was excited to see that it would be about a domestic sake brewery I absolutely love; one that pays homage to ...
Ozeki Sake: History, Bottles, Where To Buy
Andrew Lamb
In the American sake market, few brands hold the name recognition that Ozeki does. While the brewery is best known for producing the warm house sake of...
5 Best Warm Sake 2023
Taylor Markarian
Back in 2021, we gave our recommendations for some of the best warm sake for you to try. Well, a couple years have passed and we’re at it again. The fa...
What’s an Ochoko? All About the Sake Cup
Jake Lee
The “ochoko” is a traditional drinking cup for sake. It comes in various materials, which can subtly influence the flavor of sake. Though the ochoko is...
Sake: Resurrecting A Dying Art
Taylor Markarian
As a national beverage of Japan, sake is forever intertwined with the country’s cultural identity. The Japanese people have been making sake for millen...
Is Sake Vegan? Certified Vegan Sake Brands
Andrew Lamb
While the diversity of foodstuffs available to our friends who maintain a vegan diet has grown significantly over the last few years, it can still be a...
Sake Yeast: Ambient, Cultured, Engineered, Natural, Blended
Russell King
Editor’s note: The featured image for this article shows three vials of flower-based yeasts. | Courtesy of Amabuki Brewing Company. This article origin...
Sake vs Soju vs Shochu: What’s the Difference?
Taylor Markarian
The fascinating world of Asian spirits is still somewhat unexplored in the West. It’s located somewhere on the hazy horizon of consumers’ awareness, bu...
Sake, Nihonshu or Seishu? What’s the Difference?
Taylor Markarian
Learning about an unfamiliar beverage in a foreign language can be intimidating. That’s definitely part of the reason sake hasn’t yet become as ubiquit...
Does Sake Have Sugar? Sugar Content in Sake
Taylor Markarian
Does sake have sugar? Yes, it does. But how much? If you want to drink but you’re keeping a watchful eye on your sugar intake, you may have a tough tim...
Does Sake Have Carbs? Is Sake Keto?
Andrew Lamb
Carbohydrates: old friend or lifelong nemesis? While plenty of delicious things contain carbohydrates, there are those who avoid them for dietary reaso...
Sake Meter Value and Acidity, Explained
Taylor Markarian
There are many different statistics that can provide insight into the characteristics of a certain sake. At Tippsy, you can find these on each item’s p...
What Is Umeshu? Is It Really Plum Wine?
Domenic Alonge
“Umeshu,” often referred to as plum wine, is a beguiling beverage that leverages the sour characteristics of its namesake fruit, rendering them into a ...
How Climate Change Affects Sake
Kayoko Hirata Paku
The changing climate affects many parts of society, including the sake industry. In recent years, breweries have been challenged to adapt to new soluti...
What Is Sakamai? 20 Types of Sake Rice To Know
Andrew Lamb
We here at Tippsy absolutely, unashamedly, without a doubt love rice. If you’re like us, you’ve grabbed a bottle of sake, spun it around to look for th...
To Drink or Not To Drink? Exploring Japan’s Liquor Laws
Kayoko Hirata Paku
Almost every culture has a long and rich drinking culture, followed by rules and protocols to regulate consumption in the name of controlling order and...
Is Sake Rice Wine?
Domenic Alonge
There is a quote attributed to Socrates that goes something along the lines of, “The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.” Well, befor...
Is Sake Good or Bad for You? Sake Health Benefits
Andrew Lamb
It’s time to tackle the elephant in the koji room. Often when talking about sake we get asked, “Is sake good for you? Or is sake bad for you?” And hone...
What Is a Sake Bomb?
Jake Lee
What is a sake bomb? Explained plainly, it is a “shot” of sake and a pint of beer poured with room so that the sake can be dropped into the glass and c...
Is All Sake Gluten Free?
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
Here at Tippsy, we get a lot of inquiries from curious drinkers about how sake affects one’s health. One of the questions that comes our way concerns o...
What Does Sake Taste Like?
Taylor Markarian
Trying sake just once won’t give you a good idea what sake tastes like. Why? Because there are literally thousands of ways to make Japan’s national bev...
Sakari: Traditional Quality Sake Meets Modern Sophistication
Alice Hama
Sakari is the newest brand released from the prestigious Japanese sake empire Nihonsakari. Nihonsakari was founded in 1889 and it has been the leading ...
Everything You Need To Know About Koji Rice
Russell King
There is an expression in sake brewing: “Ichi koji, ni moto, san tsukuri.” It means: “Koji first, moto (starter culture) second, brewing third.” When i...
Spring Sake Bouquet
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
Finally, spring! And few things reflect the newness of life more than the flowers in bloom. Flowers have always held an important role in Japanese cul...
What Is Nigori “Cloudy” Sake? Unclouding Nigori Sake
Russell King
Nigori sake is a modern rediscovery of the traditional style of sake. Originally all sake was milky-looking, then brewers started making clear sake, an...
The First Sake of the Year: Hatsushibori, Shiboritate and Arabashiri
Alice Hama
There are several Japanese terms to describe the types of winter/spring sake. Even though the terms do not have any legal requirements or definitions, ...
Shizuku Sake Guide
Brad Smith
Is “shizuku” the ultimate type of sake? It’s easily one of the most elegant and stunning styles. But it’s also expensive and hard to find. So what’s t...
What Is Taru Sake and What Gives It Such a Unique Flavor?
Russell King
When I was learning about sake and its history, I wanted to find out what the most authentic sake flavors were. I tried doburoku (unrefined sake), nigo...
Gold Winners from 2021 U.S. National Sake Appraisal
Brad Smith
The results are in for the 2021 U.S. National Sake Appraisal, the most important sake competition held in the States. Learn about why these awards mat...
What Is Cooking Sake? How It’s Different From Drinking Sake
Russell King
Sake is very important in Japanese cuisine. It is a building block in the flavor of marinades and soups. It is used when stir-frying, steaming foods, c...
5 Best Warm Sake Brands (2021)
Brad Smith
A hot beverage on a cold night can be so satisfying. So it’s time to celebrate because warm sake season is here. If you’re looking to take your hot sa...
Hiyaoroshi: Enchanting Fall Seasonal Sake
Alice Hama
What is “hiyaoroshi”? The short answer is it refers to the seasonal limited sake only available throughout the autumn, usually September to November. ...
Celebrate Hello Kitty’s Birthday with Hello Kitty Nigori Sake
Taylor Markarian
What better way is there to celebrate the birth of a Japanese icon than with Japanese sake? Today, we kampai to Hello Kitty, the “kawaii” (cute) Sanrio...
Koshu: Aged Sake Brands, History and How-To
Brad Smith
Aged sake was considered a luxury product for hundreds of years. It was the pinnacle of sake. These days, consumers expect youthful and clean sake. Th...
What is Junmai Sake or “Pure Rice” Sake?
Russell King
“To junmai or not junmai … that is the question,” and one I hope to answer in this article. There are a bunch of different ways to pick sake and unders...
10 Best Cold Sake
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
Last updated: August 12, 2022. There is an expression that sake can be made 10,000 ways. So, when people ask how to drink sake, which one to try and w...
Does Sake Go Bad?
Alice Hama
Last updated: June 6, 2022. Does sake go bad? The answer is: yes and no. It all depends on how well the sake is stored. Before we move on to details,...
Nada vs Fushimi Sake Tasting
Brad Smith
Terroir is a French word meaning a sense of place. The term is often associated with wines from the great regions of the world. The unique traits of ea...
How To Pour Sake: Mokkiri vs Wine Glass
Alice Hama
Have you ever seen sake being served with a wooden box and wondered how you should drink it? This wooden box is called masu. It was originally used as...
How To Drink Sake With the Right Sake Cup
Domenic Alonge
Last updated: September 29, 2022. So, you’ve poured over the incredible selection of sake at Tippsy. Your order arrives, you grab a bottle and, admiri...
Kimoto: The Living History of Sake
Bryan West
Over the past hundred years or so, the sake community as a whole has always had an intimate relationship with the past and the future. There have been ...
Behind The Scenes: Tippsy’s Quality Control
Sachiko Miyagi
Tippsy currently carries 300+ different sake. We are in the process of adding 120 more delicious selections. And I’m the lucky one on the product team ...
Spring Sake for Cherry Blossom Season
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
The Japanese cherry blossoms have arrived in D.C.—spring is here! And with spring comes the best type of picnic, the kind that’s meant for hanami, or f...
Sake and Alcohol Content: The ABC’s on ABV
Bryan West
Recently, Tippsy has been receiving a lot of questions from curious drinkers on the alcohol content in sake. Is it more or less than wine? Is it hard a...
Seven Best Sake Picks for 2021
Bryan West
With the year 2020 happily in the rearview mirror, we’re all hoping for better things to come on the road ahead. It’s been nearly a year now since I st...
U.S. National Sake Appraisal Gold Award-winners
Sachiko Miyagi
On October 17, 2020, nine sake experts gathered at the Hawaii Convention Center to judge 502 sake submitted from Japan, the United States and Mexico fo...
Best Budget Sake Under $30 and $50
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
Last updated: July 1, 2022. Choosing sake can be a little overwhelming at first. It might be tempting to stick to one type of sake or assume that lowe...
Beat The Heat: Cold Sake
Bryan West
Although the days of summer are behind us and autumn is officially here, sometimes the thermometer would make you think otherwise. With plenty of warm ...
One-on-one Sake Tasting with Hakkaisan
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
When I learned that Tippsy would be offering a set of Hakkaisan sake, I couldn’t wait to try it. Hakkaisan was one of the first brands I purposely trie...
A Silver Lining in Every Cloud: An Introduction to Nigori Sake
Bryan West
Nigori, meaning “cloudy,” refers to a style of sake that is coarsely filtered, allowing a portion of the rice sediment to be left in the finished brew....
Dassai Sake: “23,” “39,” “45,” “Nigori” and “Beyond”
Bryan West
Last updated: April 7, 2023. For many sake enthusiasts outside of Japan, myself included, drinking Dassai was a revelatory “wow!” moment. Until very r...
Sparkling Sake Brunch at Home
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
Brunch is a most pleasurable time. In some places, it can begin as early as 9:00 in the morning and end as late as 4:00 in the afternoon, solving the q...
Finding Your Zen with Sake
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
The weeks leading up to cherry blossom season in Washington, D.C., are packed with much anticipation and excitement. Every year, thousands of visitors ...
5 Sake Picks for a Romantic Date
Alice Hama
February is just around the corner! That means that Valentine’s Day is approaching. If you are looking for a perfect gift for your loved ones, how abo...
Top 5 Best Sake for Beginners
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
It’s been an amazing year for Japanese sake and 2020 has much more in store! With sake, “beauty is in the eye of the drinker” and with so much variety ...
Best Hot Sake
Louie Anne Batac-Nguyen
For many people, their first encounter with Japanese sake was through a sake bomb, a spin-off from the popular Irish car bomb but with the added attrac...
Is the Most Expensive Sake the Tastiest? Not Always
Saki Kimura
Sake has a range of prices ranging from reasonable to luxurious. Sometimes, buyers say, "Let's buy higher-grade, more expensive sake than usual as a re...
Fact 5: Sake Complements More Than Japanese Cuisine
Saki Kimura
Where do you drink sake? In San Francisco, where I live, we often see them at sushi spots, izakaya-style restaurants, ramen shops and so forth. Because...
Fact 4: You Should Not Make Sake Piping Hot
Saki Kimura
If you’ve just started becoming interested in sake, you might lean towards serving it warm or hot. If you have a little more knowledge about sake, you ...
Can You Make Sake with Regular Table Rice?
Seika Suzuki
You might already know that sake is made of rice, but most people are probably unfamiliar with the kind of rice used for sake brewing. Do brewers use s...
Fact 2: Sake is Not a Spirit
Saki Kimura
One of the most shocking sake experiences working as a sake sommelier in Tokyo was when I saw a visitor from overseas chugging a glass of sake. Surpris...
Fact 3: Sake should Not Always be Preserved Like Wine
Saki Kimura
When you go to a liquor store in the United States looking for sake, you might be a little frustrated to find that sake that should be refrigerated is ...
Why Is the Brand “Dassai” So Famous?
Genki Ito
How did “Dassai” brand become so famous? See how a small brewery located in a distant town in Yamaguchi Prefecture innovated the sake industry. Global...
What is Rice Polishing Ratio?
Seika Suzuki
When you are looking for sake, you might find a percentage on the bottle label typically ranging from 20% to 90%. This is not the alcohol level but the...
Fact 1: Sake is Made From Rice
Saki Kimura
Sake, Japanese traditional alcoholic drink, is mysterious and complicated. Its flavor can easily change depending on temperature, vessels and food. Tho...
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