For Sake's Sake!

Sake is a popular alcoholic beverage in Japan. While nobody knows exactly when sake was first made, it is believed to have first been recorded as being produced in China around 500 B.C. (Afshar) The original process to make sake went something like this:

"... villagers would gather to chew rice and nuts, spitting the contents into a communal tub which would then be stored and left to ferment (the enzymes in their saliva aided the fermentation process.)" (Afshar)

But fortunately, a much more hygienic method was found:

"Perhaps for the best, this method was soon abandoned after the discovery of koji, a mold enzyme that could be added to rice to begin fermentation. This brewing technique is believed to have spread throughout Japan in the Nara period (710 to 794), resulting in sake as we know it today." (Afshar)

Sake didn't see much mass production in Japan until the 10th century, when temples and shrines began brewing the beverage and selling it, often as a ceremonial drink. (Afshar) Today, however, there are over 2,000 breweries in Japan making the sweet rice wine!