Seasonal sake

Much like beer, sake follows a seasonal cycle. Brewing traditionally begins on October 1st and ends the following Spring, sometime between February and June depending on the workload.
When the sake is unpasteurized, fresh and brand new, it might carry the name shiboritate or hatsushibori, which means fresh press. If it's the prime cut of namazake, gently aged for a month or two to settle down for Spring release, it might be muku no sake. Styles designed for Summer enjoyment are called natsuzake. And finally, Autumn brings sake from the previous brewing year, that has aged over summer: hiyaoroshi, also called akiagari.
Each season brings new flavors, food pairings, and activities. Embracing seasonality is a huge part of sake enjoyment, and is something to look forward to every year!