Sake Hs Code

Sake harmonized system code

Product Overview Sake, classified under HS Code 220600, is a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage produced through the fermentation of polished rice. It is defined as a clear to slightly opaque, typically colorless liquid with an alcoholic strength generally ranging between 13% and 16% by volume. The production process involves multiple stages including rice polishing (milling), koji mold inoculation, fermentation, and pasteurization, which influence the final product's sensory and quality attributes. Key characteristics include clarity, aroma profile, acidity, and residual sugar content, which vary according to classification within the HS Code 220600 subcategories. These subcategories encompass junmai (pure rice sake), honjozo (with added distilled alcohol), ginjo, and daiginjo grades, distinguished primarily by rice polishing ratios and brewing techniques. Commercially, sake is utilized widely in food service sectors, including restaurants and bars, retailed for consumer consumption, and incorporated into culinary processing industries as a flavor enhancer or ingredient. Its market positioning is defined by its cultural heritage, distinct production methods, and niche appeal in global alcoholic beverage markets, offering importers and distributors a product with specific regulatory and quality compliance requirements. HS Code Classification & Trade Specifications The HS Code 220600 corresponds to "Fermented beverages (other than beer), including sake," structured hierarchically as follows: Chapter 22 – Beverages, spirits and vinegar; Heading 2206 – Other fermented beverages (for example, cider, perry, mead, sake, cider and perry); Subheading 220600 – Sake. This classification is based on the product’s nature as a fermented alcoholic beverage derived from rice, differentiating it from distilled spirits and beer. Trade considerations for sake involve packaging predominantly in glass bottles or hygienic, food-grade containers ranging from 180 ml to 1.8 liters, with stringent preservation protocols such as refrigeration or pasteurization to maintain quality during transit. Shipping requires adherence to temperature control and protection from light to prevent degradation. Quality standards conform to international benchmarks including alcohol content verification, microbial stability, and compliance with Codex Alimentarius guidelines. Documentation supporting customs clearance must detail product origin, ingredient specifications, and compliance with WTO agreements on tariffs and trade facilitation, ensuring seamless import-export operations and regulatory adherence.

Sake Chapter Note

1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Products of this Chapter (other than those of heading 22.09) prepared for culinary purposes and thereby rendered unsuitable for consumption as beverages (generally heading 21.03); (b) Sea water (heading 25.01); (c) Distilled or conductivity water or water of similar purity (heading 28.53); (d) Acetic acid of a concentration exceeding 10 % by weight of acetic acid (heading 29.15); (e) Medicaments of heading 30.03 or 30.04; or (f) Perfumery or toilet preparations (Chapter 33). 2.- For the purposes of this Chapter and of Chapters 20 and 21, the “alcoholic strength by volume” shall be determined at a temperature of 20 C. 3.- For the purposes of heading 22.02, the term “non-alcoholic beverages” means beverages of an alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 0.5 % vol. Alcoholic beverages are classified in headings 22.03 to 22.06 or heading 22.08 as appropriate.