Namazake
生酒
定義
Unpasteurized sake that has not undergone hi-ire (heat treatment) before bottling. Namazake retains active enzymes and yeast, giving it a fresh, lively character with brighter aromas and a slightly fizzy texture.
詳細解説
Most sake is pasteurized twice: once after pressing and once before bottling. Namazake skips both steps, preserving the raw, vibrant quality of freshly pressed sake. This comes at a cost: namazake is unstable and must be refrigerated from brewery to glass to prevent unwanted flavor changes. Variants include nama-chozo (stored unpasteurized, pasteurized once before shipping) and nama-zume (pasteurized once after pressing, shipped unpasteurized). The growing cold chain infrastructure in Japan and internationally has fueled a namazake boom, with seasonal releases eagerly anticipated by enthusiasts.