How to Serve Sake

Sake is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice. You can serve it hot or cold. Sake comes from Japan, where it is still popular. Follow proper etiquette when serving and drinking sake. Consider these steps.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Hold the bottle of sake in the middle. Pour with only one hand.

2. Move only your wrist when tipping the bottle. The back of your hand should face up. Women can lightly support the bottle with their other hand while pouring.

3. Hold your cup or someone else's cup while filling it with sake. Fill the cup about 80 percent full. Twist the bottle slightly when you are finished pouring so it does not drip.

4. Grasp your cup for drinking between your thumb and index finger with your middle and ring fingers resting on the stem. It is impolite not to take a drink from your sake cup before resting it on the table.

5. Bring the sake cup toward your chest and pause slightly before bringing the cup to your mouth. Savor the taste before swallowing.

6. Finish drinking your cup of sake before receiving a refill. Leave your cup almost full when you are finished drinking sake. Otherwise, someone refills it.

Tips & Warnings

• If the bottle doesn't have a lip, make sure the design on the bottle faces up while you are pouring.
• When receiving a cup from an older person or superior, always hold it with both hands and say, "Thank you."
• When you return your cup to an older person or superior after using it, clean it first if there is a washbowl nearby.
• Never pour sake into a cup sitting on the table. Always hold the sake cup when filling it.
• Do not touch the bottle to the edge of the cup while pouring.
• Do not shake the bottle or look inside to see how much is left.
• Do not pour your sake from your cup into another cup.
• Never hold your cup up expecting an older person or superior to serve it.

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