5 Classic Cocktails That Call for Sake

As appetites increase for low-alcohol drinks, sake is uniquely suited for the moment. But it’s the proliferation of American-made sakes that’s seemingly inspired restaurants to experiment more with the fermented beverage as a cocktail ingredient.

“Products made in the US allow us an opportunity to taste a fresher product,” says Haera Shin, Beverage Director of Momofuku Restaurants. “There is no substitute for Japanese imported sake, but the style of unpasteurized sake that is meant to be enjoyed fresh shines when it’s made closer to home. We’re also able to contribute to supporting our local farmers, since brands like Brooklyn Kura source homegrown ingredients.”

Sake’s history dates to ancient Japan, where it has been crafted since the 3rd century BCE. A fermented rice beverage, sake is made from rice, water, and koji, a culture also used to make miso, soy sauce and mirin.

Coming in at around 14–16% ABV causes many drinkers to associate sake with wine, but it’s made in a complex, unique process called parallel fermentation that’s actually closer to how beer is brewed. During this process, the rice gets converted from starch to sugar to alcohol and is then refined.

Depending on the level of refinement, sake comes in 6 main styles — junmai, daiginjo, ginjo, honjozo, futsushu, and nigori — which vary in their levels of dryness, acidity, and flavor.

“Sake doesn't fight with food, and when used in cocktails, it can lift up certain flavors,” says Andy May, head bartender at New York City’s The Golden Swan, who recently added a drink with two different types of sake to the menu. Or, for anyone interested in a lower-proof option, a sparkling sake is great in a spritz, Bellini or Mimosa, instead of prosecco, cava or Champagne.

As sake continues to pop up on drink menus alongside a range of cuisines that extend far beyond those of Japan, our framing of the beverage is shifting.

“Sake is a great alternative for those for those who do not enjoy wine,” says Jenifer Van Nortwick, luxury activation manager at Sake ONO, a U.S.-based, Japanese-made sake that launched earlier this year. “It’s also incredibly versatile. It’s crisp, clean and lacks the tartaric acid that wine has which makes it easy to pair food with outside the realm of Japanese cuisine.”

Now, bar directors are seeing sake as a creative way to riff on classic cocktails.

At Momofuku’s Noodle Bar in New York City, it’s used in a refreshing, herbaceous Cucumber Saketini; at Majordomo in Los Angeles, ume sake takes center stage in the Green Tuxedo, a complex herbal cocktail that also features Lillet and Chartreuse.

At the Williamsburg, Brooklyn location of buzzy hand roll bar Nami Nori, you’ll find locally sourced Kato Sake Works in the Mother of Pearl cocktail, the team’s interpretation of a classic Martini.

“Being able to feature a product that is made in [Brooklyn] makes us feel even more connected to the community,” says Lisa Limb, managing partner of Nami Nori. “We’re supporting a fellow small business that is making an exceptional product.”