Winter is the perfect time for enjoying “Hirezake”

I would like to introduce an interesting way of drinking sake.

It is called, Hirezake.

It is hot sake into which a grilled fin of a fish is put.

This photo is a Hirezake using a fin of a blowfish. It is the representative Hirezake.

It has a very distinctive taste and smell.

The flavor of the blowfish permeates into the sake. If you don’t like fish, it will not be for you. 

I like Hirezake, and I think that winter is the perfect time for enjoying it.

Now, I will explain how to make Hirezake.

At first, make hot sake by placing the sake bottle in water that is about 90 degrees.

I use a small container called a sake warmer.

While making hot sake, toast a dried fin of the blowfish lightly.

Put that fin into the hot sake.

This is complete, but I put in a little effort to improve the flavor.

Bring a lighted match close to the surface of the sake.

After the blue flame spreads, put a lid on it.

Last, steam it for 1 minute.

There is one point to note.

If hot sake is lukewarm, the fishy smell will stand out. It results in a bad taste.

Hirezake has a short history.

It seems that it has spread since the postwar period.

In other words, Hirezake is the modern way of drinking sake.

In Japan, one can easily get a fin of a blowfish for Hirezake.

So everybody can make Hirezake easily.

What kind of sake is suitable for Hirezake?

It depends on the person.

It is my preference, but the dry taste of Honjozo is better. 

This time, I chose “Hitorimusume Honjozo”. 

It is a local sake in Ibaraki Prefecture.

One more thing is that you should heat the sake adequately.