Hiire vs. Nama: A Question of Pasteurization

Pasteurized Sake

Most sake is pasteurized twice before it reaches the consumer. This process is called hiire, which literally translates to “heat treatment”.

After brewing, sake is pressed and filtered to remove sediment, then pasteurized once to stop fermentation. It then goes through a finishing process, which can vary depending on the brewery, but may include carbon filtration, aging, and dilution. At this point it’s ready to be pasteurized a second time, which can happen before or after bottling. Once it’s bottled and pasteurized, the sake is finished and ready to serve.

Unpasteurized Sake

Some brewers choose to forgo one or both pasteurizations to create a nama (生), “fresh,” sake. This results in fresher-tasting sake that still has active enzymes present.

Sake that is pasteurized before storage, but not before bottling, is called nama-zume. This technique gives it better shelf stability than completely unpasteurized sake while still retaining some of the fresh flavors nama is known for.

Sake that is not pasteurized before storage, but is pasteurized before bottling, is called nama-chozo. Nama-chozo sake often has strong umami notes.

Sake that is completely unpasteurized is called nama-zake. This is the most fresh and least shelf-stable of the three types of nama sake.

Unpasteurized sake is best kept under refrigeration to preserve its quality.

Special Terms

Sometimes the terms “draft sake” or “fresh pressed” are used to refer to nama sake.

Shiboritate sake is brewed in the wintertime and completely unpasteurized.

Hiyaoroshi sake is pasteurized, aged for 6 months, then bottled without a second pasteurization. It has a mellow, fruity taste.

Our Products

Check out our nama selection below to explore the fresh, enzyme-filled flavors of unpasteurized sake.