Hot or Cold?
Sake Articles > Hot or Cold?
Sake is one of the rare beverages that can be enjoyed both hot and cold. But some sakes are better cold, and some sakes are better hot. How do you tell the difference? Read on to find out!
Terms
In Japanese, the word for hot or warm sake is "kan" (燗, khan) and the word for cool or cold sake is "hie" (冷え, he-yay). These are divided into the even finer classifications below.
| Temperature | Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5°C | 雪冷え | yuki-bie | Snow Hie |
| 10°C | 花冷え | hana-bie | Flower Hie |
| 15°C | 涼冷え | suzu-bie | Cool Hie |
| 30°C | 日向燗 | hinata-kan | Sunshine Kan |
| 35°C | 人肌燗 | hitohada-kan | Skin Temperature Kan |
| 40°C | ぬる燗 | nuru-kan | Warm Kan |
| 45°C | 上燗 | joh-kan | Upper Kan |
| 50°C | 熱燗 | atsu-kan | Hot Kan |
| 55°C | 飛切間 | tobikiri-kan | Top Kan |
Chilled Sake
Sake with a fruity flavor or strong fragrance is generally best drank chilled. This would include types such as daiginjo, ginjo, nama-zake, and low-alcohol sake.
Hot Sake
Sake with a savory flavor and high protein content are good candidates for a hot sake. These include kimoto, yamahai, and honjozo sakes.
Search: Now that you know what type of sake to look for, try visiting our search page and find the sake that's right for you.
Credits: Much of this information was provided by Mr. Minatomoto Masakazu, sake sommelier for Kobe Shu-Shin-Kan Breweries.
Some pictures used with permission of Nadagogo Brewers Association. All company logos are property of their respective owners.