Japanese rice wine

This article uses the word "sake" as it is used in English, as the name for this specific Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice. However, in Japanese, the word sake (Japanese: 酒; usually preceded by the honorific prefix o-) means alcohol or alcoholic beverages in general and not exclusively to this specific single beverage; instead, the word Nihonshu 日本酒 (literally, "Japanese alcoholic beverage") is used to distinguish it from other beverages. In English, the word "sake" always refers to Nihonshu.

Sake is also referred to in English as "Japanese rice wine," but the characterisation implied is not accurate. Wine is made from the single fermentation of plant juices (other than sparkling wine, which can be a double fermentation to create the carbonation). Sake is produced by multiple fermentation of rice, which is more similar to how beer is produced. 

Sake is produced by the multiple parallel fermentation of polished rice. The process of milling removes the protein and oils from the exterior of the rice grain, leaving behind starch. A more thorough milling leads to fewer congeners and generally a more desirable product. Multiple fermentation means that there are multiple steps in the fermentation process — the starch is converted to sugar by enzyme action, and then the sugar is converted to alcohol by yeast. This is typical of beverages created from starchy sources, such as beers.

Sake brewing differs from beer brewing in two significant ways. In sake brewing, enzymes for the starch conversion come from the action of a mold called kōji, but in beer brewing the enzymes come from the malt itself. In sake brewing, the multiple processes of fermentation occur simultaneously in the same step, while in beer these processes occur in different, serial steps.

After fermentation, the product is heavily clouded with grain solids and is generally filtered, except in the case of nigori sake. Generally, the product is not aged because consumers prefer the flavor of the fresh product, which degrades quickly in the presence of light, air, and heat. A few varieties of aged sake serve a niche market, however, and can be purchased for a reasonable price if one knows who and where to inquire.

In Japanese, a sake brewery is called a kura (蔵, "warehouse").