For Those Who Think They Don’t Like Sake

“Anything but sake.”

I had a friend who said this definitively. In college, she was forced to chug cheap sake at a drinking party and spent the next day with a brutal hangover. Since then, even the smell of sake made her nauseous.

I had her try a certain sparkling sake.

”…Wait, this is sake? It’s like champagne.”

Her eyes went wide. From there, gradually, she started drinking regular sake too. Now she says “I’m in a sake mood tonight.”

Most people who dislike sake don’t hate “sake.” They just had a bad first encounter.

What’s Behind the Aversion

”The Alcohol Is Too Strong”

This one comes up a lot.

Average sake is 15-16% alcohol. Three times beer’s 5%. Feeling it “hits hard” on the first sip is natural.

But sparkling sake at 8% exists. Low-alcohol sake at 12% exists. Writing off all sake as “too strong” based on alcohol content alone is premature.

”I Can’t Handle That Smell”

The so-called “sake smell.” There’s a reason for it.

Cheap futsu-shu with lots of added distilled alcohol. Sake that’s deteriorated from bad storage. Sake left open for days at a bar—these definitely smell.

But try a properly made ginjo. It smells like apple or melon. The opposite of “sake smell.” A different world exists.

”Too Sweet” or “Too Dry”

This is about preference.

Whether your first sake was sweet or dry can lock in your impression. Show something dry to people who think “sake is sweet,” show something sweet to those who think it’s “harsh”—completely different reactions.

”The Hangover Is Brutal”

I’ll be honest. Drink lots of cheap sake and yes, you’ll get a hangover.

Drink quality sake in reasonable amounts and hangovers are unlikely. Even less likely if you drink “yawaragi-mizu”—water as a chaser.

Three Types to Try First

I won’t force “junmai daiginjo” on people who resist sake. There are stages.

Sparkling Sake

The lowest first hurdle.

Ichinokura Suzune (5% alcohol, around ¥1,500 for 720ml) Pioneer of sparkling sake. Fine champagne-like bubbles. Muscat-like aroma. I’ve never seen anyone drink this and say “I don’t like sake.”

Mio (5% alcohol, around ¥500 for 300ml) Available at convenience stores. Sweet and light. Start here.

Jozen Mizunogotoshi Sparkling (7% alcohol) For those wanting “sake character even in sparkling.” Milder bubbles, slightly more adult taste.

Low-Alcohol Sake

Reduced from the usual 15% to 8-12%.

Fukucho Seafood 8% alcohol. Light like white wine. Pairs with seafood.

Various “Light” Versions Many breweries now make low-alcohol products. Ask for “something low alcohol” at a sake shop and they’ll show you options.

Fruity Ginjo

The opposite of “sake smell.”

Dassai Junmai Daiginjo 45 (16% alcohol, around ¥1,800 for 720ml) Fruity and easy to drink, but properly sake. Perfect introduction.

Dewazakura Oka Ginjo Famous Yamagata sake. Gorgeous aroma, reasonable price.

Hououbiden Popular Tochigi brand. Fruit-like sweet aroma.

Drinking Method Matters

Drink It Cold

Suggesting lukewarm kan to someone resistant is cruel.

First, chill thoroughly in the fridge. 5-10°C. Aroma calms, drinks clean. “Sake on the rocks” works too. Ice dilutes alcohol, making it even easier.

Use a Wine Glass

Drinking from ochoko triggers the “definitely sake” feeling and revives the aversion.

Try pouring it in a wine glass. Change the appearance and strangely, the taste impression changes. Easier to enjoy the aroma too.

Alternate with Water

One sip sake, one sip water.

This “yawaragi-mizu” method is used by pros. Harder to get drunk, palate resets so the next sip tastes better.

The Cocktail Option

For those who “can’t do it straight no matter what.”

Sake Highball Sake and sparkling water 1:2. Squeeze lemon and you barely notice it’s sake.

Sake Orange Sake and orange juice 1:1.5. With fruity ginjo, drinks like juice.

Nigori Ice Cream Pour nigori over vanilla ice cream. Dessert style. Enjoy without “drinking sake” awareness.

The Overcoming Sequence

Here’s what I did with my friend:

Step 1: Sparkling Start with Mio. Get the “this doesn’t seem like sake” reaction.

Step 2: Low-alcohol or sweet ginjo Once comfortable with sparkling, step up slightly. Still prioritize “easy drinking.”

Step 3: Chilled junmai ginjo Tell them “this is where real sake begins.” But chilled, in a wine glass, with yawaragi-mizu.

Step 4: Choose freely By now, the aversion should be gone. Dry and warm sake become possible with curiosity.

I’ve converted three “sake haters” this way. All now say “sake is actually good.”

If You Still Don’t Like It

No need to force it.

There are beer people and wine people in this world. People who don’t suit sake exist too.

But if your rejection is based solely on “one cup at a college party 20 years ago,” try once more. Different sake exists now compared to back then.

Sparkling sake, chilled in the fridge, in a wine glass.

If that still doesn’t work, you genuinely don’t like it. But if you think “actually not bad”—the door to sake’s world just cracked open a little.

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For more about sake, see Your First Bottle: A Beginner’s Guide.

For details on sparkling sake, visit The World of Sparkling Sake.