I was going a bit stir-crazy, what with the cold & the snow. Sure, braising is great for the winter months but I had a taste for grilled meat. I wheeled my trusty Ducane into the garage, and treated myself to a beautiful 45-day dry-aged ribeye. Cooked to perfection. But what to pair with it?
Wine wasn’t going to fly this time; perusing the beer cellar led to some interesting possibilities, but my attention locked on the last of a bottle of the vintage Kikusakari Gekkakow sake – a junmai daiginjo that might do nicely. That it is koshu – cold matured for over three years in stainless steel – just added to the intrigue: an aged piece of beef with a rare, aged sake.
The pairing was transcendent…
The chilled sake (preferred over room temperature, and never heated thankyouverymuch) quickly reminded me of the cold outside – but it was the texture, the mouthfeel, the umami that grabbed me. The beautifully marbled steak dissolved on the palate, with the velvety sake mimicking that texture and cleansing the taste buds between bites — the unctuous beef coating the tongue, but distributing the sake flavors before dissolving. A sake crisp enough to stand up to the bold flavors of the aged meat, yet clean enough to allow the steak to be the star.
The sake’s touch of anise complemented the black pepper dusting, while pineapple, nectarine & coconut nuances hinted at the tropics and the warmer weather to come. Perfect. An unexpected dimension to the meal. These are very traditional flavors for daiginjo sake, and are delivered to virtual perfection by this one.
The Kiuchi’s know how to brew; most recently known for the Hitachino Nest line of beer, they have been brewing sake for far longer – for nearly 200 years, since 1823. Brewed during the Tokugawa shogunate (yes, that far back), Kikusakari sake was born as a tribute to the emporer; “Kiku-“, chrysanthemum, is the crest of the imperial household while “-sakari” is “the property of”. There you go: a beverage fit for the emporer!
The sake is finely polished, with a seimaibuai of 40%. Only the best Yamada Nishiki rice is used. It is very slightly dry with a nihonshudo (SMV) of +3; for those who care, this is a measurement of the sweetness/dryness. The ‘pressing’ is accomplished via shizuku – gentle dripping from a canvas bag. At 17% abv it is best enjoyed in moderation, sharing a bottle over dinner with the closest of friends.
So in my quest to explore more interesting pairings, I eschew the predictable! Trust the finest of sake with the finest of beef. Next time? We play with some slow-cooked barbecued ribs.
Sake isn’t just with fish any more.