# Is 4-month-old unpasteurized saké safe to drink? Need answer fast! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2010, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890 "2010-05-10T07:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/1 "2010-05-10T07:58:34Z")
Hi all. No, I haven’t had any yet. I was thinking about putting ‘need answer fast,’ in all caps, but I did not wish to alarm anyone. The situation is one merely of a bored kid who has run out of beer, yet has a liter-jug full of home-brewed sake in his fridge. I had some at a house party 4 months ago, and I was able to take home aforementioned jug. Sadly, I forgot about it until a few weeks ago. I did some googling, and it seems that some crazy vintners in Japan leave their sake out for months to years (one owner even did so on his back porch during the summer heart), and then serve their brew to customers. It seems from this that the worst that could happen is it’s either sour or tastes completely foul. But, that reassuring research has been mitigated somewhat by the 2-inch thick layer of white sediment on the bottom of the jug. I’m not sure if it’s rice, mold, or something far more sinister. At least it’s not Marmite, so I’m safe from any Chthonic madness. The sake itself is partially cloudy. In any case, up to now I’ve been too afraid to drink any. So, what do y’all think? Is it safe? Is it maybe unsafe but non-lethal? I’m on my last beer, and the liquor stores are all closed (not that I would drive now anyway.) In summation, Help! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/2 "2010-05-10T08:31:49Z")
I did more research, and I ended up learning a lot! So, apparently that white sediment is a bacteria known as lactobacillus homohiochi. Basically, it’s an alcohol-resistant bacteria that feeds off the acids produced by the yeast in sake. It produces funky flavors and is a brewer’s worst nightmare. However, apparently some people like this flavor of sake, called ‘hiochi’ in Japan: [SAKE, KIMONO, and TABI: Hiochi Sake Tastes Good?](http://sakeandkimono.blogspot.com/2009/04/hiochi-sake-tastes-good.html) Then, would you believe it, I found out that there exists a Japanese manga (graphic novel of sorts), all about bacteria! The plot is that a young man can sense and communicate with bacteria: [Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moyashimon) I watched a 5 minute clip on Youtube specifically regarding spoiled sake: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h8J7XPj6N0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h8J7XPj6N0) It seems that if I put some ash into the jug, I may even partially neutralize the bacteria! Wow! Soooo, it appears that this stuff won’t kill me. It may taste god-awful, but I think it’s worth trying some. Here goes nothing 😛 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/3 "2010-05-10T08:51:01Z")
And? I know it hasn’t been that long yet, perhaps you are in the bathroom suffering drastic results … 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/4 "2010-05-10T09:05:24Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > And? > > I know it hasn’t been that long yet, perhaps you are in the bathroom suffering drastic results … 😕 Well, I opened the Grolsch-esque stopper and took a whiff. Old socks… not a good sign. Still, ‘never give up, never surrender,’ is one of my mottos, not the least when it comes to exotic or dangerous foodstuffs. I poured about 4 oz into a glass cup (alas had I been thinking properly I could have used one of my actual sake cups), and took a swig… The verdict? MMMMM!!! Delicious! It’s tart, sweet, and crisp. It tastes nothing like it smells. It tastes almost like a cross between a dry white wine and a sweet sake. After the initial acidic kick, it has definite hints of grape and honey. It probably wouldn’t win any awards, but it’s an excellent drink none-the-less. All hail bacteria, giver of fermented beverages, cheese, and penicillin! _Hic_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/5 "2010-05-10T09:06:26Z")
And you said you weren’t a weaboo. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/6 "2010-05-10T09:08:02Z")
Don’t make me hit you. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/7 "2010-05-10T21:52:15Z")
I should have died. That would have made this thread garner more replies 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/8 "2010-05-10T22:05:05Z")
It’s my understanding that there are no known pathogens that can live in beer. Indeed, beer has quite often been the ‘beverage of choice’ in areas where the water quality is less than ideal. Since ‘regular’ beer is 4-5% alcohol, and sake is more like 15-20%, the same is true. The worst thing that can happen to you from drinking ‘old’ alcohol (of any type) is that it tastes really, really bad. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/9 "2010-05-10T22:27:41Z")
Hey give credit where it’s due! That’s Acid Lamp brand hooch your swiggin there bucko. Glad you like it. 🙂 you could have called. We’ve been drinking it all along. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/10 "2010-05-10T22:33:04Z")
Oh. and at least half of that sediment is rice lees. If you like strong flavored stuff, some people press it into a sort of rice cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/11 "2010-05-10T22:47:18Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Hey give credit where it’s due! That’s Acid Lamp brand hooch your swiggin there bucko. Glad you like it. 🙂 you could have called. We’ve been drinking it all along. Oh yes, thanks! How rude of me! You probably wouldn’t’ve appreciated a call at 5AM in the morning though 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/12 "2010-05-10T22:53:38Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Oh yes, thanks! How rude of me! You probably wouldn’t’ve appreciated a call at 5AM in the morning though 😉 Believe it or not I was up and on my way to work. Your life sounds more interesting.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/13 "2010-05-10T23:03:59Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Believe it or not I was up and on my way to work. Your life sounds more interesting.😃 Nooo, just lazier and drunker 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dobro4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dc4da7/32.png) [@dobro4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dobro4)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/14 "2010-05-10T23:47:05Z")
12 hours between first drink and the next reply. Must have been an easy recovery 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![may\_be\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@may\_be\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/may_be_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/15 "2010-05-10T23:52:20Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Oh. and at least half of that sediment is rice lees. If you like strong flavored stuff, some people press it into a sort of rice cheese. The initial discussion of the rice goo made me twitch, but that damn near pushed me over the edge. Jesus fucking christ. > [@](#): > > …it seems that some crazy vintners in Japan leave their sake out for months to years (one owner even did so on his back porch during the summer heart), and then serve their brew to customers. You know, they also intentionally eat shit over there that has been known to kill people. I love to drink, but generally thick layers of mold and or goo of any type is a turn off. Anyway, cheers I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/16 "2010-05-10T23:53:30Z")
excellent =) I prefer unfiltered sake to filtered, there is one at my favorite sushi place that I like chilled. I think it is supposed to be served warm or room temp though, they act odd when i order it chilled =( ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/17 "2010-05-10T23:58:31Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > excellent =) > > I prefer unfiltered sake to filtered, there is one at my favorite sushi place that I like chilled. I think it is supposed to be served warm or room temp though, they act odd when i order it chilled =( Is it Japanese-owned and operated? Most restaurants only serve super-hot, hand-burningly warm sake, because it masks the unpleasantness of the cheap swill they provide. Japanese servers won’t bat an eye at serving sake chilled, although some are still best slightly warm. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/18 "2010-05-11T00:14:27Z")
I have Moyashimon around somewhere, but I never got around to reading it… ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/19 "2010-05-11T00:35:28Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Hey give credit where it’s due! That’s Acid Lamp brand hooch your swiggin there bucko. Glad you like it. 🙂 you could have called. We’ve been drinking it all along. Wait just a damn second - are you guys saying there’s people on the boards getting together and drinking, WITHOUT ME?! ---
**Author:** ![dobro4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dc4da7/32.png) [@dobro4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dobro4)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890/20 "2010-05-11T01:28:28Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Wait just a damn second - are you guys saying there’s people on the boards getting together and drinking, WITHOUT ME?! I wasn’t invited either ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-4-month-old-unpasteurized-sake-safe-to-drink-need-answer-fast/538890.md?page=2)