Sake Tied to Local Food. How to Enjoy Hiyaoroshi, a Sake that Heralds Autumn

Hiyaoroshi is a new season’s sake produced during the colder months, heated once, left to rest over the summer, and tasted in the fall. While contemporary sensibilities would argue that it is better to drink sake while it is still fresh, Imada says this was not the case with sake in the old days.

He elaborates, “Until about 20 years ago, freshly brewed sake was undrinkable. It was bitter, astringent, harsh, and unpleasant. After being aged over the summer, the sake’s flavor mellows and becomes suitable for drinking. Hiyaoroshi was traditionally a way to enjoy the freshly brewed sake of the new season. As brewing technology improved, producing sake with a delicate, clean taste became possible. The term “shinshu” (new season’s sake) now refers to freshly brewed sake drunk around January or February. Sake is often consumed nowadays in its fresh and unpasteurized form.”

Sake undergoes a heat sterilization process called “hi-ire” to stabilize its quality. In the past, it was common to perform hi-ire twice, once after pressing and once when bottling. However, hiyaoroshi is heated only once and shipped at room temperature to maintain freshness. This is why it came to be called hiyaoroshi, which means “sold at room temperature.” Curiously, resting mellows the flavor. What happens to sake while it is in storage?

Imada explains, “The distinctive tingling sensation of freshly made sake comes from the alcohol. When sake is aged, the alcohol and water combine through polymerization, resulting in a mellow flavor. Freshly brewed sake also contains gas, creating an unpleasant “koji odor.” Over several months of aging, elements like gas, bitterness, and astringency dissipate. That’s why hiyaoroshi is easy and enjoyable to drink.”

Sake is made all over Japan, and its flavor is intimately connected to the climate, water, and food culture of the region where it is produced.
Imada says, “Sake, soy sauce, and miso breweries used to be found in every town. When the distribution network was not as developed as today, everyone cooked with soy sauce and miso from their town and drank sake to go with them. A sake brewery could not survive if it had no support in the community, so it inevitably developed a taste that suited the local food.”

Despite the decline in sake breweries, the unique regional characteristics remain strong. The flavors are diverse even within the same prefecture, but for the purpose of simplicity, we have categorized them into four regions: Tohoku, Kanto Koshinetsu, Hokuriku-Kinki-Chugoku/Shikoku, and Kyushu. We asked Imada to tell us about the flavor profiles of hiyaoroshi, referring to those produced in each area.

Hiyaoroshi is finally ready to drink in the fall. The optimal way to savor the unique flavor of each brand is to consume it at its recommended temperature. When you go to an izakaya, you are often served icy cold sake, but drinking it cold is ideal for enjoying the freshness of sake, such as namazake (unpasteurized sake). Other sake will taste bitter if the temperature is too low. To determine the right temperature, we should still rely on the expertise of a professional.

Imada explains, “I recommend drinking sake at the right temperature. The best temperature depends on the sake, and even among the hiyaoroshi sake I selected today, some are delicious chilled, while others enhance in flavor at a warmer temperature. Since it’s difficult for an amateur to judge and adjust the temperature, try going to a restaurant serving it at an ideal temperature. Establishments featured in reliable, professional magazines are a safe bet. In addition to the serving temperature, the storage temperature of sake is crucial. Storing sake at a consistent temperature of 15°C (59°F) will age it, much like wine. This is one of the charms of sake: you can savor its evolving flavors over time.”

Hiyaoroshi is a traditional autumnal treat. This season, how about savoring the flavor by paying attention to temperature?