From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
also saki. A traditional Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice, colorless, slightly hazy, non-carbonated and usually served warmed. Contrary to popular belief, sake is not a spirit (because it's not distilled), nor is it a wine (it's not macerated), but rather a special type of beer brewed from a grain base. The rice is washed, steamed and fermented with a yeast-like fungus. Primary fermentation takes 30 to 40 days, after which more rice and water are added to generate a secondary fermentation lasting eight to 10 days. The alcohol content varies between 14 and 17 percent by volume. The word sake comes from Osaka, where it was originally made.
