Count down and pound the table until your Sake Bomb is ready to drink.
There are more than a few traditions that go with imbibing alcoholic beverages. Tonight’s drink is a libation that carries one such tradition with it, the Sake Bomb. It is simply a beer (preferably a Japanese lager) that has a shot of sake balanced atop the glass between two chopsticks. One is required to pound the table with their hands, knocking the sake right into the suds. Voilà, a Sake Bomb.
Basically, this recipe is a stylized Boilermaker, which is usually a shot of whiskey chased by half an ice-cold pint of oat soda. Most folks outside of Japan might think this libation originated from the Land of the Rising Sun, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, it is said that many in that country don’t look too favorably on the Sake Bomb, as the rice wine is meant to be sipped and enjoyed calmly, not slammed into a beer.
So where did this concoction come from, if not from Japan? While there’s no concrete evidence as to the exact origin of this drink, it is widely believed to be a post-World War II invention by American servicemen stationed abroad. Some claim that GIs in occupied Japan were adapting the Boilermaker using the local sake and beer, and over time, the combination caught on. In the 1970s and 1980s, it became a very popular drink of choice in Japanese restaurants across the United States as they began to grow in popularity.
Just don’t hit your table too hard when enjoying a few of these at home.
What is the best alcohol to use in a Sake Bomb?
A Sake Bomb requires two ingredients: beer and sake. For the beer, there are a few easy-to-find brands from Japan that you can procure at your local liquor or grocery store, such as Sapporo, Kirin Ichiban or Asahi. For the sake, it is best to choose an inexpensive style or “table sake” to drop into your beer. One very popular suggestion is Sho Chiku Bai, due to its low cost and crisp flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Japanese lager beer 1/2 pint
- 1 1/2 ounces sake 1 shot
- 2 chopsticks to hold the shot glass
Instructions
- Fill a pint glass halfway with the beer. Fill a shot glass with sake.
- Place the two chopsticks parallel to each other across the rim of the pint glass and carefully balance the shot glass filled with sake on top of the chopsticks.
- When ready, slam your fists on the table on either side of the glass. The vibration will cause the shot glass to fall into the beer. You can scream “Sake… Sake… Sake… SAKE BOMB!” at the same time.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
You’ll need a pint glass, a shot glass, and two sturdy chopsticks to enjoy a Sake Bomb. Just make sure you only fill the pint glass halfway with beer, otherwise it’s going to get messy.
What is the ritual that goes along with this drink?
There is a chant that goes along with enjoying a Sake Bomb. Before hitting the table to knock the shot in, drinkers will shout: “Ichi, ni, san, Sake Bomb!” Which is simply counting to three in Japanese.
Similar Drinks To The Sake Bomb
If you have a taste for both beer and sake, then the Sake Bomb will probably satisfy your cravings whenever they hit. But if you’re curious about other mixed drinks that feature both beverages, check out some of these recipes found right here at Twist & Toast.
- Saketini – Sake takes the place of vermouth in this Japanese-inspired take on the classic.
- Sake Grapefruit – A fizzy favorite that features gin, sake, and grapefruit juice.
- Beer Margarita – Two libations combine in this refreshing treat.
- Shandy Beer – Lemonade and beer make for one of the all-time tastiest and most thirst-quenching tipples.
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