can expired sake be consumed?

i have an unopened bottle of sake, manufactured date is september 2005, and the name is Ban Sha-Qu. the bottle has never been opened before so can it be consumed now that it's already expired? or can it be used for cooking to not waste it?

Hmm...it depends on how you kept it but if the liquid is cloudy or there're sediments at the bottom, I suggest not to drink/use it.

Many sake are produced to be deliberately cloudy, so if it looked that way when you got it it will probably be ok.

Some sake brewers, Suehiro in Aizu-Wakamatsu for example, age some of their sake just like aged wine. However, once a bottle has been opened it will start to change flavor and sour after a few weeks.

Since your bottle is unopened it may be fine. Try a little and if it doesn't taste sour its probably ok. You won't get sick or anything, just the flavor changes like an opened bottle of wine.

See this thread for more info:

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+9947