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Is 30+ year old sake safe to drink 2018/12/26 05:12
I was given a very old bottle of sake for a Christmas gift. It was meant to be a decorative piece but my natural curiosity wants to find out what it tastes like. It's not clear how old it is, but a good guess would most likely be between 30 to 50 years old. Would this be safe to drink or would it be too risky? I know there are some aged Sakes that are sold by the breweries but these are usually aged for 5 years or so. I know there are all sorts of other questions to be asked before drinking something this old, such as worth and whatnot, and I do know that some sakes will not taste good with age, but to be clear, the only thing I am asking here is if it would be safe, please don't go into other debates.
by Kristina W. (guest)  

Re: Is 30+ year old sake safe to drink 2018/12/26 08:49
In general terms it would depend most on: the alcoholic strength of the sake, and how good the seal on the bottle is.
Youfre mainly worried about oxidation spoiling the contents.
Stronger alcohol will keep longer. Generally sake is about half the strength of spirits (which keep forever),so it has some preserving possibilities, but this will also depend on how well sealed the bottle is (you can look at the level and guess how much might have evaporated over time).
Sake is not dissimilar in strength to port, and that can keep for a long time. However, good port is deliberately made to keep for a long time. Sake, 30 years ago, was probably made to be drunk quickly.
Much of the taste may be lost or spoiled, but I think youfre asking about safety rather than taste.
by Winter Visitor rate this post as useful

Re: Is 30+ year old sake safe to drink 2018/12/26 09:53
Surely a teaspoon would allow you to taste it and test it. If you do not have any negative results within a couple of days, then go on to a small amount, and then two days later a larger amount - assuming you like the taste.
by Paul (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Is 30+ year old sake safe to drink 2019/1/6 23:47
If it's not bootleg, ask the manufacturer. If you can't read the label with the manufacturer's name printed on it, upload a photo somewhere and post the link. If it's homemade, drink at your own risk no matter how young it is.
by Uco rate this post as useful

Re: Is 30+ year old sake safe to drink 2019/1/7 16:31
changes are high, that it will not be very tasty. generally sake gets worse after it is bottled. opposite to wine, there is no positive evolving effect during to long-period storage, so basically it is better to drink a sake at most early age.

regarding your experiment, it sounds like fun and i think you should survive it, if it is tasteable at all (take a small sip)
by Glimpigumpi rate this post as useful

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