[avaicavum]

If you are Japanese and like Sake, that is fine since it is your national drink. If you are not Japanese and drink Sake, then what do you like about it? I have to admit that I don't like it much. There is much more complexity in western spirits than Sake. However, every Kendo events presents Sake and people just cheer on it. Are we japonile. Sometimes when we have Japanese Sensei come over, we bring Sake to the party. Do they have enough at home and prefer to try something else? I remembered one of the party and I brought a bottle of Hennessy VSOP and it was emptied before any other Sake. Even Japanese Sensei drank it first. Come on, just admit it that you want to be Japanese.

[dolaBeetCeage]

I did not vote in your poll. I like sake a lot, but the most wonderful drink is a tossup between a good amber ale or a well made margarita.

Good sake has nothing at all to do with "trying to be Japanese", and I actually find that pretty insulting. Sake is rice wine, and shares very many of wines nuances of flavor and boquet. There are numerous websites devoted to sake. (John Gauntner's Sake World is a good one ... http://www.sake-world.com/html/best-sake-picks.html )

I know an awful lot of people that adore good wine (I much prefer a good sake myself) but you wouldn't think they are trying to be French. However, if you were attending a class in French cuisine, and you brought in several instructors from France, you would most certainly include several types of French wine at the festivities. Not because you were trying to be French, but because it fits with the theme, even though the French instructors may prefer to drink the Scotch that was there.

Just my two cent's worth on it.

[attackDoold]

Sake is nice, but i dont know enough about it to really make educated decisions. Ill usually stick to Scotch.

[kristloken]

I know an awful lot of people that adore good wine (I much prefer a good sake myself) but you wouldn't think they are trying to be French.

Our Jo teacher, Nishioka Sensei, is said to preferr Western wine rather than saké

[phinno13]

"trying to be Japanese"? Nope. The sake I like is made in Oregon. If I believe the TV, my national drink is Budweiser (not happening).

If you're giving away VSOP, I'm in line, and not because I want to be French. I will not however, touch Pearl or Lone Star beer because one might construe that I'm trying to be Texan. I mean, you have to maintain standards.

[Avoireeideree]

I will not however, touch Pearl or Lone Star beer because one might construe that I'm trying to be Texan. I have actually drank both of those ... shudder ...
It's OK Perry, we understand that everyone else wishes that they were Texans.
Actually, the unofficial drink of Texas is tequila!

[Kolokireo]

Unofficial my A$$. have you seen the new Tequila Slurpy at 7Eleven? I also thing its on the lunch line in Garland school cafeterias...........




It is a joke. Texans dont like to start drinking till you at least a sophomore in high school.

[maniaringsq]

Not a big sake fan but I do like shochu very much.

[itaspCatCriny]

Nigori is probably more accessible to non-sake drinkers since its sweet. The look of it might throw people off, much like unfiltered beer throws some people off.

While techinically sake, I guess, not a lot of people enjoy a big gulp of Il dong. Perhaps because it comes in a plastic bottle, and its unfiltered?

I prefer sochu/soju to sake.

[Stoniaanapy]

I didn't vote on the poll as I hate sake and am definitely not ashamed about it. I'm a scotch/bourbon/whiskey man through and through, it's really the only alcoholic beverage I can stand other than some liqueurs for desert

[hygtfrdes]

Texans dont like to start drinking till you at least a sophomore in high school. Eh, I was always a precocious child.

[Inettypofonee]

I don't drink alcohol because it's a migraine trigger for me (as is caffeine) so i have no idea...

[SQiTmhuY]

I do drink everything as long as it is free

I do not blame that people want to be Japanese. It is just a point to see why do we like Sake. I know it is a must have in any Kendo event and I love Kendo.

For me, nothing beat a Jameson or Bushmill, Chivas with a cigar after meal. Cognac is excellent too. Martell, Hennessy, Hine, and many others.

I haven't tasted any rice wine as complex as red wine. I to our Australian and Argentine friends, your Shiraz and Malbec kick ass and of course, wine from California and Washington state are excellent too. French wine is good either but, for my personal, Spanish wine and Italian wine are not appeal to me much. I know your guys making wine very long time too. Must be your hot blood which spoil it

[shenacatro]

I use it when I cook some meals but I don't drink the stuff. Unless it's a special occasion. New year celebration or something like that. I pretend that I drink it but just take a few sips.
I never drink alcohol and sake is I guess an acquired taste.

[t78VPkdO]

The local liquor stores don't import any decent sake around here. Oddly enough, the sensei seem to do fine with whatever's handy.

[Zaebal]

At a Japan Day event, which also included a Kendo tournament, the wife and I tried some Sake that was actually brought in from Japan. It was great! We bought a bottle from Asda, Walmart to you guys me thinks, and it was nowhere near as nice. I ended up finishing that bottle over some time. The wife didn't touch it again. So, I guess although I enjoy authentic Sake, it's just a pity I can't really buy it over here...

[patrycjakolekk]

I prefer sake over European grape wine.

If the stores here don't import good stuff (and it is pretty darn limited...) I'd love to try the good stuff!!!

I am happy to have a shot of sake every day. I also like a good ale and stout.

[Lypepuddyu]

There's a lot of complexity to nihonzake and a bunch of different types and ways to drink it. Most people just drink random stuff and say "I don't like sake" -- that's like some guy judging Western spirits by buying some random beers in a grocery store in America and declaring beer sucks.

That having been said, I've only encountered one or two types of sake I like; one of them was made especially for hanami. It's a clear sake with a cherry blossom suspended inside and it tastes absolutely amazing.

[Qvqnubpj]

Come on, just admit it that you want to be Japanese.

I'm with Paul et alia. I don't drink sake because I want to be Japanese anymore than I drink Scotch because I want to be Scottish (I want to be Scottish so I can wear a mini-skirt and call it manly...).

For me, it's all about having a close personal relationship with booze.

I like sake. Mostly I like good sake. My personal favorite is Kaiun Dai Ginjo. Could be one word, dunno. But I know what it looks like, and it's pretty good. It's also a bit pricey, usually it runs about $30-$35 for a bottle. But there are plenty others that I like. As long as they're served chilled. I have no idea why folks would drink it warm, when warm booze seems pretty horrid to me.

-Charles

[AAAESLLESO]

The whole "wanting to be Japanese" thing kind of weirds me out. You can like shepherd's pie without "wanting to be English", you can like bagpipe music without "wanting to be Scottish", you can like Celtic crosses and knotwork without "wanting to be Irish"... you can like German furniture without "wanting to be German" although people will most likely think you're insane.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with liking and appreciating another culture. Heaping scorn on people who choose to appreciate other the products of other cultures seems counterproductive in today's global society.

And frankly, we're running around in split dresses wearing smelly gear and hitting each other with bamboo sticks while screaming in foreign language -- if you were going to say someone "wanted to be Japanese", wouldn't you level that charge at a kendoka before someone who likes sake? Seriously.