What is “Amazake”?
Amazake (甘酒) is a traditional sweet, low or non-alcohol Japanese drink made from fermented rice. We’ve been drinking this thing for more than 2000 years to date, according to my Wikipedia search.
You see, I love amazake. It’s my go-to winter drink, ever since I was little. Since there was almost no alcohol, I felt compelled to mix it with coffee this year, because I love coffee as much as love sake. *giggles*
What is “Sakekasu”?
Sakekasu (酒粕) are the lees left over from sake production. We Japanese use it as the main ingredient of amazake, or a cooking paste to add flavor to food.
Left over lees might not sound appetizing, but let me tell you this – Sakekasu is the bomb; It is jam-packed with nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, organic acids, and minerals. All of which have very worthwhile health benefits that help people suffering from ailments like Diabetes, high blood pressure — not to mention the fact that it makes your skin beautiful. This is one by-product of sake that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The benefit of Sakekasu:
- Make strong bones
- Prevention of virus infection
- Lighten body fatigue / inflammation
- Prevention of diabetes
- Prevention of high blood pressure
- Prevention of cerebral infarction
- Decrease cholesterol level
- Improvement of allergy symptom
- Prevention of cancer
- Prevention of osteoporosis
- Prevention of obesity
- Improvement of better skin
I usually buy Kubota San‘s Sake and Sakekasu. Here’s what it looks like: 
So I know a lot of my readers are from outside of Japan, but I heard some international Asian market sell sakekasu.
These are the main ingredients and it’s really simple. I used brown sugar this time, but I sometimes use maple syrup instead, and it’s not too bad either. I experimented a bit and used banana instead of sugar, but I won’t recommend it. It killed the beautiful fragrance of sake and tasted kind of like porridge. I like porridge, but not with my glorious sakekasu. 
The instant coffee can melt very easily in the warm amazake and I think it tasted so amazing that I almost saw heaven.
- • 300~400 grams Sakekasu
- • 2~4 cup water (This is based on preference. I do 2 cups.)
- • 2 tbsp brown sugar
- • 1~2 tsp instant coffee
- • A pinch of salt
- • 1 tsp shredded ginger
1: Shred ginger. 
2: Put the Sakekasu in hot water and wait till it melts.
Heat the pot with water to the lowest temperature, add Sakekasu, and leave it for 20~30 min. Make sure you sometimes come back to the kitchen and mix it with a spatula.
Sakekasu is a great resource of the enzymes, but they are very fragile. If you heat it with high heat, the enzymes will all die. Try heating below 60 degrees, so you are not going to waste the goodness.
3: Mix. 
4: Add sugar and salt.
5: You just made regular Amazake! 
6: Put Instant coffee.
Sprinkle the instant coffee and slowly mix it with Amazake.
7: Add ginger on top, and you are done! 
I thought I was crazy mixing sake and coffee, just like everyone else did. But when I tasted it for the first time, I felt like I was next Einstein or something. It is SO GOOD.
The flavor of coffee goes perfectly with sake and I’m really, really happy about this recipe.
By the way:
I tried Matcha powder instead of coffee, and it was also great. I prefer coffee one more, but this one also is the bomb! 
Thanks for reading.
-Yuki
Woooooo 😭 unbelievably delicious💕
Thank you!! xx