5 Benefits of Buying Sake at a Liquor Store

Have you ever used a liquor store?

There is a vague image that it is difficult to enter, and many people have never even considered it as an option for a place to buy alcohol.

I myself had hardly ever been to a liquor store until I was in my mid-30s. However, after I became interested in sake, I bravely went into a liquor store and became completely hooked on it. At the time, I thought , "I wish I had started buying alcohol at a liquor store sooner..." After that, I visited many liquor stores and experienced their greatness for myself. Here are five points that I think people who don't use liquor stores should know because they are missing out.

Discover authentic Japanese sake that pursues deliciousness

Liquor stores mainly handle sake from small and medium-sized breweries that pursue deliciousness . I call products that pursue deliciousness rather than profit "authentic," and the brewers (breweries) who brew these authentic products want people to enjoy the products they have carefully crafted, so they often only sell to liquor stores that can properly preserve, manage, and sell their products , and there are many products that can only be purchased at liquor stores . It is also interesting that some liquor stores handle products from breweries they want to support, products that the brewer likes, or products that are not normally available because they have a relationship with the brewery.

Available at a reasonable price

This was the most surprising point for me, but the products sold at liquor stores are priced at prices that I feel are cheaper than those sold at convenience stores and supermarkets, let alone department stores and high-end supermarkets . Specifically, many 720ml bottles can be purchased for 1,000 to 1,500 yen , and even slightly more expensive products are around 1,500 to 2,000 yen. 1,800ml (1.8L bottles) are large, but start at 2,000 yen, so if you can drink a lot, it's even more of a bargain.

Additionally, some stores offer tastings, sales by weight, and even drinking services so you can enjoy the drink on the spot .

Meet unique and interesting people

Good liquor stores have good people. Some liquor stores that are passionate about alcohol have strong preferences and quirks, but at heart they love sake and want to convey its goodness, so they are good people who will kindly teach beginners about sake. Don't worry, they will never belittle you just because you are a sake beginner, or use technical terms to explain it to you (we should decline such stores), so just be honest and tell them that you are a sake beginner. If you become friends with them by going there a few times, asking for their recommendations and telling them your impressions, they will let you drink their special sake or put it on hold for you, and you will be able to enjoy the sake at a higher level, so please enjoy meeting unique liquor stores.

They will tell you the best products from a wide variety of products and how to enjoy them.

As explained earlier, liquor stores often purchase their products directly from sake breweries, and so they will know a lot about the breweries as well as the products they stock. So be sure to ask them about the brewery's story and how to enjoy each product, such as recommended pairings and temperatures .

In addition, many liquor stores wholesale products to restaurants, and in doing so, they act as sommeliers for each restaurant, being professionals who select and recommend products, so as long as you clearly communicate your needs, they will be able to choose the best product for you from among the many products available . With products changing frequently with each season, try using the services of a liquor store that will give you recommendations at that time.

You can buy unpasteurized sake

There is a type of sake called "namazake" that is as fresh as its name suggests. This is like sashimi, and since it is enjoyed raw, freshness is important and it must be kept refrigerated. Namazake cannot be purchased at supermarkets or convenience stores, and is a limited edition product that can only be purchased at liquor stores that sell it during the season . As such, there are probably many people who have never tried namazake. In addition to grilled or boiled fish, why not try sake with sashimi?

It is no exaggeration to say that my life changed when I started buying sake at a liquor store. The joy of sake would be unthinkable without a liquor store, and I started this business to take advantage of the wonderfulness of this liquor store. I also discovered the joy of buying from specialty stores in my personal life, and started buying things from coffee beans, fishmongers, greengrocers, and other stores that I had somehow avoided before. My enjoyment of food has increased dramatically compared to when I unconsciously bought things from supermarkets because they were convenient.

Next time you are buying sake, please try going to a liquor store instead of a supermarket, convenience store, or department store.