I looked at the most famous and at the same time the most “basic” cocktail that we can think of when we talk about Japanese sake: the Saké Bomb!
A long time ago, while I was a student in the USA, in California, I discovered Saké Bomb. This cocktail is simple:
- Have a pint of beer (Japanese please like Asahi, Kirin or Sapporo)
- A shot of Japanese sake (no need to take a Junmai Daiginjo but rather a “table sake”) placed on two chopsticks above the pint of beer.
Then, this is where it gets fun and this is why this cocktail is so popular: with your closed fists, you are going to bang the table 3 times while saying “Saké Bomb”. With the vibrations, the chopsticks move and then the Sake shot falls into the beer. Then you just grab the glass and say “Kampai” to your friends who have done the same thing. Because yes, it’s a cocktail that we drink together and everyone follows the same process like a game. We drink this cocktail quickly (normally in one shot).
It’s so popular you even have a WikiHow to learn how to make Sake Bomb. However, it is in English and I admit that I have never seen Saké Bomb in France but rather in the United States. It’s a cocktail to drink easily (and therefore be careful, don’t forget that alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Consume in moderation), which we find at student parties…
The origin is murky… It is believed that it originated around American soldiers during the Second World War. But nothing is less certain. It may also come from the famous Boilermaker: a pint of beer with a shot of whiskey. What is certain is that in Japan this cocktail is grotesque: Japanese sake is a strong cultural drink, with a long history and multiple know-how. Also consuming sake in this form is totally “out of mind”!
However, I found an interesting site which talks about alternatives for discovering Sake Bombs. They also advise:
- A stout with nigori sake
- An IPA with an umeshu
- A cider with a Junmai
Remember that Sake Bomb is indeed a drinking game and you have to drink or drive!
#France Bleu Gironde broadcast from June 6, 2024 with Marie-Corine Cailleteau: click on the link to listen to the replay more easily and go to my Instagram @chloeandwines to see my appearance on the radio in Reels!
