Brewed like a beer, but enjoyed like wine, Japanese sake is (depending on how much you drink) touted as the hangover-free way to consume alcohol.
Traditionally the rice beverage was an integral part of celebrating the harvest as an offering to the gods but its popularity is increasing and it is now one fifth of wine-like beverages consumed in the world.
Penrith brewery Sun Maramune has been the only producer of sake in Australia since April, 1996.
About 90 per cent of the Go-Shu sake produced in Penrith is shipped to Japan and the rest is bottled for local consumption and export markets.
Managing director Allan Noble runs a detailed tour discussing Japanese traditions and explaining how mixing rice, water and koji (rice malt) creates sake.
"In Japanese culture, drinking sake is a good way to talk over issues," Mr Noble said.
"Life is all about being tipsy, that's a Japanese saying."
The drink’s production takes three months of polishing, washing, soaking and steaming of the rice, incubation, fermentation, filtering and pasteurisation.
Fragrances and flavours can also be added.
Mr Noble said his philosophy was that "sake is all about the experience it provides".
So bottom's up — or kanpai (pronounced gahn-pie).
■ Tours of the brewery will begin in late June and visitors will be able to learn about sake history, have a look at production and sample some of the sake available for sale. Cost: $3 for adults, $2 concession. Click here for details.
