Setting the scene for sake

For sake aficionado Chris Pearce, the tendency for newbies to compare the rice-based alcoholic drink to wine is most disconcerting.

"Sake has nothing to do with something made from grapes," insists Pearce, organizer of the Joy of Sake, taking place Friday at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. "Sake must be accepted on its own terms."

Pearce takes that stance because the Japa­nese beverage starts with rice that is polished and brewed, and the finished product is served fresh, a far cry from aging grapes for wine. Today there are more than 1,200 sake breweries in Japan and at least 10,000 labels, each produced in specific regions using local water sources, specific rice varieties and artisan traditions.

The process: Rice is steamed and sprinkled with mold to ferment into sugar. This fermented state, called "koji," helps account for aroma, taste and balance. The alcohol content of most sake peaks at 15 percent to 16 percent, higher than most wine or beer.

Because sake is best when fresh, bottles bear a stamp indicating the bottling date. In general, sake should be consumed within a year of its date stamp, but understand that it will lose some of its vitality as it ages, says Pearce. Bottles should be refrigerated.

The Joy of Sake will feature 384 varieties in peak condition with appetizers from 16 restaurants. Participants include 3 Chef Hui (Sheldon Simeon, Wade Ueoka and Lance Kosaka), Chef Chai, Halekulani Hotel, Kahala Resort, Nobu Waikiki and Vintage Cave.