Nama-ka

生香

Tasting & Nosing

Definition

The fresh, vibrant aroma characteristic of unpasteurized (nama) sake. Nama-ka features lively notes of green apple, yogurt, rice, and sometimes a slight effervescence from residual carbon dioxide.

In Depth

Nama-ka exists because the enzymes and yeast in unpasteurized sake continue to produce aromatic compounds after pressing. These volatile aromas are heat-sensitive and are largely destroyed during pasteurization. The fresh, zippy quality of nama-ka is part of the appeal of namazake, but it also means the sake must be kept cold and consumed relatively quickly before the aromas degrade or develop off-notes. Some drinkers detect a slight prickling on the tongue from dissolved CO2, adding to the sensation of freshness.

Related Terms

Hi-ire 火入れ Namazake 生酒

Embed on your site — NihonshuFYI

Add the widget to any webpage using a script tag.

<div data-nihonshufyi="glossary" data-slug="nama-ka"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/nihonshufyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

Embed using a standard iframe — works in any CMS.

<iframe src="https://nihonshufyi.com/iframe/glossary/nama-ka/" width="100%" height="480" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="NihonshuFYI glossary widget"></iframe>

Paste the URL into WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-aware editor.

https://nihonshufyi.com/glossarys/nama-ka/

Add a badge linking back to NihonshuFYI.

<a href="https://nihonshufyi.com/glossarys/nama-ka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  <img src="https://nihonshufyi.com/badge/site.svg" alt="NihonshuFYI" height="20">
</a>

Preview:

Use the NihonshuFYI WordPress plugin shortcode.

[drinkfyi-glossary site="nihonshufyi" slug="nama-ka"]

Use as a native HTML custom element in modern browsers.

<nihonshufyi-glossary slug="nama-ka" theme="light"></nihonshufyi-glossary>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/nihonshufyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

Docs →