If you want an authentic taste of Japan, nothing beats drinking sake. It’s a traditional beverage in Japan, rooted in history, culture, and even ceremonial practices.
Sake can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, and this is thanks to its unique taste that can be crisp and refreshing or sweet and fruity.
If you love drinking sake but also want to watch your weight and calorie intake, then you’re probably wondering how many calories there are in sake!
Unfortunately, sake varies in calories depending on how it’s brewed and whether the sake is sweetened.
In general, however, 100 milliliters of sake will contain around 120–130 calories. In fluid ounces, 1 fluid ounce of sake will typically contain around 40 calories.
If possible, it’s always better to check the sake bottle to get an accurate idea of how many calories you’ll be consuming.
But if you want to know the amount of calories in common sake bottle sizes, as well as how many calories are in sake masu cups, then make sure to keep reading!
How Many Calories Are In A Bottle Of Sake?
In Japan, sake can be bought or served in four common bottle sizes. These are:
180 ml sake bottle
360 ml sake bottle
720 ml sake bottle
1800 ml sake bottle
Japan also has a unique unit of volume called “go”, which refers to an 180-milliliter serving of sake. As a result, a 180-ml bottle of sake is 1 go, a 360-ml bottle of sake is 2 go, a 720-ml bottle of sake is 4 go, and a 1800-ml bottle of size is 10 go.
A one-go bottle of sake is typically for one person (one serving) while a two-go bottle of sake is for two people, and so on! Ten-go sake bottles are the most common for sharing, often served in Japanese bars, called izakayas.
But how many calories are in these common sake bottle sizes?
A 180 ml bottle of sake generally contains around 237 calories
A 360 ml bottle of sake generally contains around 474 calories
A 720 ml bottle of sake generally contains around 948 calories
A 1800 ml bottle of sake generally contains around 1896 calories
Remember that larger sake bottles are made for sharing, so most people would not consume a 720 milliliter or 1800 milliliter bottle by themselves!
How Many Calories Are In A Masu Cup Of Sake?
There’s a reason bottled sake is sold in “go” measurements, as this measurement is also used in masu cups – the traditional cup, or glass, used to drink sake in Japan.
Old masu cups were 144 milliliters, but new masu cups, now the traditional or standard size, are 180 milliliters.
As a result, a 1 go bottle of sake, which is 180 milliliters, is made to be poured into a traditional sake masu cup! This also means that one masu cup of sake (one traditional) sake serving) will typically contain around 237 calories.
As for the former masu cup measurement, a 144-ml masu cup of sake would have contained around 190 calories!
How Many Calories In A Shot Of Sake?
Traditionally, sake is sipped slowly over the course of a meal or social gathering. In Japan, sake has historical and cultural importance, so Japanese people tend to savor and taste the sake without drinking it too quickly.
However, around the world, sake has grown in popularity as an alcoholic beverage that can be mixed with other drinks or drunk as a shot.
So how many calories are there in a shot glass of sake? A typical shot glass (1.5 fluid ounces or 44 milliliters) will generally contain around 58 calories.
Due to this, you’d need to finish three shots to (just about) drink a traditional masu cup serving of sake!
Does Sake Have More Calories Than Beer?
Like beer as much as sake? Then you might be curious to know which has the most calories! A traditional 180-milliliter serving of sake (one serving from a 1 go bottle or a single masu up) contains around 237 calories.
A standard 330-milliliter beer can, on the other hand, generally contains around 145 calories. As a result, one traditional serving of sake contains more calories than a standard-sized can of beer!
Does Sake Have More Calories Than Wine?
If you prefer wine more than beer, then you might be surprised to know that a traditional serving of sake contains more calories than a standard glass of wine.
A standard serving of red wine typically contains around 123 calories while a standard serving of white wine typically contains around 116 calories.
Since a traditional 180-milliliter serving of sake (from a one-go bottle or masu cup) contains 237 calories, this means that sake has almost double the amount of calories in it than a standard serving of wine!
Can You Mix Sake?
Since sake has grown in popularity around the world, more and more people have started to mix sake with other drinks. Its flavor is versatile, after all, so sake can be mixed with lemon tea, green tea, soda, tonic water, fruit juice, ginger ale, vermouth, and even yogurt.
Don’t forget that if you mix sake with other drinks, this will increase the amount of calories you’ll be consuming.
In Japan, it’s not common to mix sake with other beverages. Most Japanese people will drink sake on its own, either cold or warmed, and sipped slowly in a social group to recognize and savor the flavors of the sake.
Still, there’s nothing wrong with mixing sake if that’s what you prefer!
Conclusion
To conclude, 100 milliliters (1 fluid ounce) of sake will typically contain between 120 and 130 calories. If you plan on drinking sake the traditional way (from a masu cup or in the same measurement), then 180 milliliters of sake will typically contain around 237 calories.
These are general measurements, however, so it’s best to check the bottle to find out how many calories the sake contains, as sake varies in calories depending on how it’s brewed!
Hi, I’m Aura Ruggeri and I want to make sure that no one makes the same mistake that I did.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Japan anytime soon, do exactly that - plan! Read up on all of the amazing things to do here to make the most of your time. I can bet that you’ll still return home feeling like you could’ve explored much more.
