Sake is having a moment in the UK

Brat summer, sake autumn? Retailer Waitrose has reported a 241% surge in searches for sake as the drink looks to become the next big trend in the UK and beyond.

According to the latest data, social media sites such as TikTok are also seeing growth in interest in the drink, and it has become a trending topic on Google.

It comes as a number of celebrities have invested in the drink in recent months and years. At the end of 2022, Brooklyn Beckham, the former model, photographer and media personality Brooklyn Beckham became a co-founder and partner of sake brand WeSake.

WeSake is made in one of the old sake breweries in Japan, and aims to be approachable to newcomers to the sector as well as aficionados, the brand claimed.

Beckham said at the time: “Sake deserves attention—there’s a gap in the road. Everyone’s tried it, but most don’t know the history behind it.”

In addition, actress Cate Blanchett earlier this year joined Toku Saké to oversee its creative strategy.

She said: “The thoughtful, reflective craftsmanship that is part and parcel of everyday life in Japan has long been a touchstone for me.”

“Sake reflects these traditional values with its intense focus on method, purity and authenticity. Sitting around a table with friends and family, celebrating and breaking bread together is one of life’s great pleasures, and over the years I have had countless, joy-filled nights sharing sake in this way.”

Rising influence

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jeremy Lithgow MW said that its popularity was benefiting from the “rising influence of Japanese culture” across all areas of the media, including TV, film and food.

‘This brings associations of being cutting-edge yet traditional, precise and refined, little known and interesting. People enjoy sense of discovery but also its versatility and purity – essentially, it is just made from rice, yeast and water, plus it’s extremely food friendly and versatile, with an ability to pair well with almost any kind of food.”

Lithgow also said the packaging was “often very elegant” and there was a “nice sense of ceremony” in the service of sake.

Sake, which is only 15% ABV and therefore less alcoholic than traditional spirits, is also a useful beverage for the creation of lower alcohol cocktails, assisting with the the trend towards low- and no-alcohol options.

TV show

Earlier this year, sake played a critical role in the success of the hit show Shõgun, which has just won a record 18 Emmys.

It was used throughout the series as a method in which to highlight cultural differences between main character John Blackthorne’s Western attitudes, and the systems and structures in place that dictate Japanese society. For example how, and who, serves the saké, how it is drunk, and what is acceptable in terms of the levels of drinking.

When characters are drunk, it often leads to spectacularly bad decision making. And Blackthorne’s approach to alcohol is often seen by the Japanese as typical of his background and outsider status as an ‘Anjin’.

In what was called the ‘sake-off’ on social media, an intense formal dinner scene plays out with Blackthorne and his arch nemesis Lord Toda Buntaro, with saké playing an central part.

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