Sake lovers in Karnataka have reasons to rejoice. The traditional alcoholic beverage of Japan could now be available in malls, supermarkets, and small restaurants.
The state government has issued a notification categorising the drink made from rice, koji (a type of fungus) and water, as wine. Sake was classified as liquor earlier.
That it is easy to obtain a wine license may attract more sellers, making sake more easily available. With the reclassification, sake that used to be sold at mind-boggling prices in the state is expected to get cheaper too. “I'm very happy that the Japanese Sake is going to be affordably priced due to the reduction of excise duty,” said Takayuki Kitagawa, consul-general of Japan. “On behalf of the government of Japan and the Japanese community here in Bengaluru, I very much appreciate the decision made by the government. Indeed, this is a clear demonstration of the efforts made by the chief minister to improve the bilateral relations further,'' he said.
A 720 ml bottle of sake costs around Rs 7,000 in Bengaluru. The prices could go up to Rs 12,000 in exotic places. The new notification is expected to bring down the prices significantly.
Amaan Kidwai, general manager of ITC Gardenia welcomed the move. “This is a splendid news not only for the Japanese culinary establishments in Bengaluru but for the ever effervescent food, beverage, and hospitality industry as well,” he said. “The one major concern with the popularity of Japanese sake has always been the fact that local vendors were reluctant to procure it and add it to their supply portfolio due to the high costs associated,” said Kidwai adding that the reclassification will change things for the better.
A fermented beverage, sake is an integral part of Japanese cuisine. Based on the ingredients and the rice polishing rate, sakes can be classified into four categories: Ginjo-shu, junmai-shu, honjozo-shu and ordinary sake.
Despite being pricey, sake is popular in Bengaluru, which is known for its cosmopolitan crowd.