How to Heat Sake Like a Pro, According to Experts

Colder temps are here, which means it’s the perfect time for hot sake. “Atsukan, kanzake” or just “okan” are the terms used in Japanese to describe heating sake above room temperature, a process that dramatically alters the aroma, texture, and taste. 

Drinking warmed sake goes back at least a millennium in Japan. An 8th-century anthology of poems called the Man’yōshū (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves) mentions it as a way to ward off winter chills. Other historical records note that in the 10th century, Emperor Daigo had a fondness for drinking warmed sake while hunting. 

Atsukan, and sake itself, was the purview of political and religious elites until the 17th century, when advances in brewing technology made it more widely available. From then on, atsukan was served year-round at Japanese-style pubs called izakayas, becoming a beloved cultural practice preserved in art from ukiyo-e woodcuts from the Edo period to modern films. 

“One of [sake’s] most fascinating traits is how dramatically its flavor profile changes with temperature,” says Tokyo-based chef Jo Takasaki of atsukan specialty restaurant Takasaki no Okan and author of The Book of Atsukan: Japanese Hot Sake. “Chilled or room temperature sake offers a more straightforward expression,” he says. “Anatomically speaking, the human palate is more attuned to sense different flavors at temperatures between 30° to 40°C [86° to 104°F], so naturally with atsukan you are able to explore and discover more flavors.”

Atsukan can easily be prepared at home. For tips to properly warm sake, read on.

What do you need to heat sake?

The basic tools for heating sake are a bain-marie (water bath), a heating vessel, and a thermometer. Using a bain-marie allows for gentle, even heating. 

“I often draw analogies to cooking,” says Takasaki, as he describes the five vessels he uses. Different materials have different rates of conductivity, which draw out different flavors in the same way steaming and grilling do with food, for example.

In his restaurant, he uses three classic vessels: a slow-conducting glass beaker (comparable to steaming), a standard tin chirori jug (simmering), and a fast-heating copper chirori (grilling). 

“The beaker has the slowest heat conduction, so it’s gentle on the sake,” says Takasaki. “And, in my opinion, it yields atsukans that are very well-rounded and without the flavor profile becoming burnt or caramelized.” 

Between the metal vessels, the slower-heating tin is good for overall mellowing, while the conductive copper brings a crispness by sharpening the flavors. Takasaki also uses two rather unusual vessels — a stainless steel decanter with a textured interior and a titanium jug.

“The rough surface of the stainless steel helps with maturation,”he says. “As often happens with wine, you may have a sake that is not quite there yet in terms of maturation, but the steel can expedite that process. The titanium, in contrast, interferes the least, leaving the basic flavor profile intact.”

How to heat sake

The mechanics of heating are simple: place your vessel in the bain-marie until the sake is warmed. The key point is the temperature.

Atsukan is used as a general term for hot sake, but it specifically means sake heated to around 122°F, the ideal temperature to pair well with hearty dishes. Most izakayas serve their hot sake at this temperature. 

However, starting from 86°F, each elevation of 9 degrees has a distinct name and sensory profile. 

Hinatakan (“out in the sun”) is roughly 86°F and enhances smooth, subtle, and sweet flavors. Hitohadakan (“body temperature”) is 95°F and has a rounded mouthfeel. Nurukan (“lukewarm”) is 104°F and balances umami and aroma. Jōkan (“slightly hot”) is 113°F with a clear expression and sharp finish. And tobirikan (“piping hot”) is a bit hotter than atsukan at 131°F and best used for sakes with robust, spicy flavors.  

Tasting a particular sake at each temperature is a good way to compare the possibilities, but Takasaki also suggests following your nose. 

“The sense of smell is not only more accurate, but it’s also more dependable and consistent,” he says, so find a temperature where the aromas really sing.

What types of sake are good for heating?

The stereotype is that only the brasher flavors of cheap, less milled sake (futsū-shu) or sakes fortified with aroma-enhancing distilled alcohol (honjōzō) can stand up to the heating process. The conventional wisdom is that the clean flavors of specialty designation sakes like ginjō or daiginjō are too delicate for atsukan. 

Takasaki finds that thinking too reductive and needlessly restricting. While he agrees that atsukan provides a toolkit for elevating humdrum sakes, he also believes it can be applied to almost any sake in the same way. 

“I wouldn’t flat out reject any particular category, even sparkling sakes,” he says. “Because once the effervescence is gone, you are able to really appreciate the flavor profile that is sort of hiding behind the fizziness.”

While much of the sake brewed today is intended to be drunk chilled or at room temperature, Takasaki says, “It’s not so much what producer or I wants. It is up to you to decide how you want to enjoy [sake]. And I think with atsukan, there is a little bit more room for the drinker to find what they like.” 

In other words, if it tastes good to you, there are no wrong choices.

Tips for hot sake

The choice of cup impacts flavor

“I believe that it’s an iconic part of Japanese culture to have a variety of beautiful drinking vessels to best pair with a particular season, dish, or customer,” says Takasaki. Beyond the esthetic component, the shape of the lip and the material affect the experience of flavor in the same way different glasses do for wine.

You can use what you have at home

If you are giving atsukan a try for the first time, expensive gear isn’t necessary. Though Takasaki recommends using a traditional, rounded tokkuri carafe, a ceramic coffee mug will suffice, as slow-conducting ceramic is quite forgiving. He also recommends a beaker as a good first purchase. “It’s never going to come out too cooked or too burnt, and also it’s a much more economic choice compared to the other metallic vessels.”

Serve others

In a group, you never pour your own sake. Traditionally, you should serve others, who will, in turn, return the favor. Particularly with the tiny cups used for atsukan, everyone has ample opportunities to engage in this little act of kindness and demonstrate their respect and care for one another.