From Sparkling Styles to Sustainable Rice: The Evolution of Modern Sake
Japan’s sake industry may be facing long‑term domestic decline, but a wave of innovation is reshaping its future in remarkable ways.
As highlighted recently by Kenichi Ohashi MW, IWC Sake co-chairman, breweries across Japan are responding to climate pressures, shifting consumer tastes, and rising production costs with bold experimentation—from in‑house rice cultivation and extreme polishing‑ratio exploration to the rapid rise of sparkling sake and the growing popularity of lower‑alcohol styles.
These developments not only diversify flavor profiles but also strengthen sake’s global identity, with exports now representing nearly 10% of production. It’s an exciting moment to watch how tradition and innovation intersect to shape the next era of sake.
For full story, see the original article at IWC Insight
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