It was really an exciting event with the attendees comprised of restaurant owners, bar managers and other food and beverage professionals. I got to meet some brewers and taste some great sakes! I can’t wait for the next Kuramoto US event!

Welcome to the Kuramoto US sake tasting!

Haruo Okasora Introduces Chiyomusubi

Chiyomusubi sake - Cup sake! My favorite!!

Michiko Kanehira presents her delicous Tomoju sake

Hidetomo Suto of Ehime's Seiryo Shuzo

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This was a fun event and I was really pleased to see so many sake brewers in attendance. I love introducing folks to sake and this was a great opportunity to do so!

Welcome to the restaurant show. Photo by Noriyuki Kuroda

Teaching Sake 101 at the International Restaurant Show at the Javitz. Photo by Noriyuki Kuroda

Sake! Sake! Sake! Crowd goes wild at the Javitz. Photo by Noriyuki Kuroda

with Yukari Sakamoto and Monica Samuels. Photo by Noriyuki Kuroda

Born's Kato-san introduces his sakes

Fukuda-san pours Murai Family Nigori Genshu

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With Ambassador & Mrs. Nishimiya

On a very snowy afternoon in February, press, chefs and guests were assembled to learn about the good food (and sake!!!) of Japan. This event was also a kick off for the Japan Pavillion at the international restaurant show.

Ambassador Shinichi Nishimiya welcomed us into his home and I was honored to be ask to speak and present a brief Sake 101 lecture for the assembled guests. After the speech, there was a wonderful tasting prepared upstairs which everyone enjoyed. Many sake companies were represented and provided samples for all the sakes.

Yukari Sakamoto was the MC for the afternoon and she also did a lecture on Shochu.

This was a snowy afternoon but the turn out was still strong. You can read more about this event on the website of the Consulate-General of Japan.

My Sake 101 Lecture at the Japanese Ambassador's Residence. Photo by Noriyuki Kuroda

Sake Tasting

Toshi-san and Sakurai-san introduce Dassai and other sakes

Introducing Tomoju and Ken sakes

Sanjo-san with Sakagura Manager Yukie-san

This time I was in for one of my new favorite sakes…Senshin Junmai Daiginjo!! Today, Sanjo-san, visiting from the brewery that makes Kubota, was serving a special and beautifully presented Kubota Junmai Daiginjo set. This set included Kubota Manju Junmai Daiginjo, Tokugetsu Junmai Daiginjo, and last but not least Senshin Junmai Daiginjo.

I was delighted to celebrate Kubota sake and Chizuko-san of Sake Discoveries joined me! We had fun enjoying sake together and toasting to Niigata sake from Asahi Shuzo. Sanjo-san stopped by and introduced us to his sake. We also got some special gifts, too!

Sanjo-san is of course the gentleman that gave me tour of the Kubota Sake Brewery (Asahi Shuzo) on my 2008 trip to Niigata. I was delighted to come out and support any Kubota event happening in New York.

I hope Sanjo-san makes another trip to New York this year. I’m always happy to toast this delicious sake! Kanpai!

Kubota Junmai Daiginjo Set

Crowds at Sakagura all trying Kubota!

Sanjo-san introduces Kubota sake to some Niigata Fans

Sanjo-san and Chizuko-san enjoy Kubota Sake!

Funky Sake Bar Decibel

Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays the sake samurai from the swift attendance of their appointed sake tastings.

Now, not only was awesome sake being served, but the event was hosted by Masamichi Sanjo. Sanjo-san was the gentleman that gave me tour of the Kubota Sake Brewery (Asahi Shuzo) on my 2008 trip to Niigata.

The tasting on this night was a set of 3 sakes: Kubota Hekiju Junmai Daiginjo, Tokugetsu Junmai Daiginjo, and Kubota Senju Tokubetsu Honjozo

These three sakes were delicious! Sanjo-san served the Senju Honjozo with some yummy rice crackers and some preserved salmon from Niigata. It was an earthy mix and a robust flavor! A really fun way to taste a big of Niigata local cuisine!

I had such a fun time at this tasting and stay tuned for my report on another kubota tasting shortly! Thank you to Sanjo-san for bringing such great sake to Decibel!

Kubota Sake Tasting Set

Sanjo-san Introduces Kubota Sakes

Sanjo-san Explains Kubota Sake to Decibel customers

From left to right Kubota Senju Honjozo, Tokugetsu Junmai Daiginjo and Kubota Hekiju Junmai Daiginjo

AKIRA!

Organic seems to be everywhere you turn these days and now, I’m happy to report that organic is starting to hit in the sake world. A wonderful new organic sake is coming to market that I really enjoyed and I hope you’ll get the chance to taste!

That is a Junmai sake called “Akira” and it’s got a really cool story! It all starts with the owner of the farm that makes the sake, Mr. Akira Imura. Imura-san is Chairman of an organic farming company called Kanazawa Daichi located in Kanazawa Japan. He is incredibly enthusiastic about organic farming and he has a true connection to the spirit of the land. Their farm produces organic barley, wheat, soybeans and of course, rice!

The triple Organic rice (Japan, US and EU organic certified) used to make Akira is called “mitsuhikari” rice and it’s interesting to note that this is not usually a sake making rice! The farmers at Kanazawa Daichi told me they feel this sake best represents their brand and their focus on organic products! Their next idea was to bring this great sake to New York City!

Sake Sommelier Chizuko Niikawa-Helton of Sake Discoveries worked with the folks at Kanazawa Daichi to arrange for some great events:

Akira Kanazawa Daichi Night at Kitano Hotel Hakubai Restaurant

The Elegant Kitano Hotel was the setting for the first Akira event. About 100 especially invited guests dined on the wonderful food at Hakubai restaurant and enjoyed Akira Sake! Chizuko was pouring the sake three ways… chilled, room temperature and gently warmed. The guests that I spoke to were all enthusiastic about Akira and many people told me that they have never enjoyed warm sake so much. This made me very happy!

Sake Samurai with Organic Farmers at Hakubai

Akira Sake Tasting at Sakaya

Our Friends Rick and Hiroko at Sakaya also hosted the organic farmers from Kanazawa Daichi. This event allowed all of Sakaya’s sake fans to taste the delicious organic sake, too! Here, too the folks loved Akira – only problem is it’s not for sale in the USA…yet!!!

Tasting Akira at Sakaya

Kanazawa Daichi Night at Sakagura

Last but not least, Sakagura hosted a wonderful evening of Akira Sake tasting – and eating, too! The farmers from kanazawa Daichi brought over some of their organic sake which was made into the most delicious organic onigiri rice balls. The rice was served along side of Akira served at 3 temperatures. Everyone, including myself, flipped out over the fatastic flavor of the organic rice. It’s not every day you can sample the rice your sake was made from – what a treat! Another magical night at Sakagura!!

Chizuko-san and Farmers Introducing Akira sake at Sagakura

Akira Tasting set: 3 temperatures

Elegant Organic Onigiri! utterly delicious!

All told, this was a wonderful start to the organic sake revolution in New York! I think the organic farmers from Japan were thrilled to spread the joy of the organic farm to the big city – and I for was was delighted they did! Again, “Akira” is not yet for sale in the U.S. but hopefully soon! If these events were any indication, it will be a big success! Kanazawa Kanpai!

This time around, there was a great selection of sakes from Akita but also from other prefectures, too! A great time was had by all and I really enjoyed this chance to taste some old, new and reacquainted sakes.

IF you want to go to the next Akita Sake Club sake tasting event, keep your eye on my Sake Event Listing (subscribe to feed here). I’ll post it there for sure.

Lovely Akita Ladies pour sake!

Fukuda-san is introducing Murai Family Sakes. I served this on the sake cruise!

Kuno-san pours Tengumai

This sake event was BYOB (bring your own Ochoko) to help save the earth.

The crowds love Akita sake!

Wearing Kimono makes sake taste better! Everyone knows that!

Scott, Chizuko-san and I made our reservations for a special event: Naraman Muroka sake at different temperatures! Same sake – 5 different tastes.

Sake Sommelier Chizuko and Tim Enjoy Naraman

Best part of all, Nobuo Shoji-san, Executive Director of Yumegokoro Sake Brewery – makers of Naraman – would be introducing all sake! Shoji-san gave us a fascinating overview of his Brewery and we sampled only Naraman Muroka sake with a little tuna sashimi and increasingly warm sake.

Here is an overview of the different sake temperatures:

Honestly, I liked Naraman at all temperatures, but I think that hitohadakan (body temperature) was one of my favorite. Shoji-san was excited to try this temperature experiment with his sake, too. Everyone in attendance had a great time. I was left with the understanding that served warm or cold, Naraman is hot, hot, hot!

Shoji-san and Tim enjoying Naraman

I’m all for sake mojo so let’s take a look at my latest tasting adventure took me to the Wine of Japan Fall 2009 Sake Tasting event.

When Sake fans hear the word “Shirakawago”, they usually think of one thing: Nigori! This event finally afforded me the opportunity to meet Mr. Miwa who makes the famous Nigoris. I learned something interesting – the Nigori that they export is called “SasaNigori” which is not the thickest they have their full nigori is super, super thick and creamy – I’ve never had anything like it! I was happy to get a taste! If you love Nigori, you gotta check out Shirakawago.

Miwa-san makes the famous Shirakawago Nigori

I also met the president of Nakamura Brewery. They are located in beautiful Ishikawa prefecture. The Sake they are importing now is called Kaga Setsubai and is a wonderfully rounded Junmai. They also had a smaller cup sake that is meant to be frozen and drunk like a slushie. Slushies have never been so fun!

Nakamura-san with the delicious Kaga Setsubai Sake

Takaisami Brewery is another producer I got to know a little better at this tasting. They were serving a Junmai and their Nakadare Junmai Ginjo. Both were excellent and the visiting Brewery reps were super friendly. I really enjoyed drinking their sake.

Takaisami Brewery introduces Nakadare Junmai Ginjo

I didn’t get to try everything at this tasting, but I still had a lot of fun. There were many outstanding brews from Wine of Japan imports that are still to be tasted. Hope you’ll join me to explore their sakes!

The sakes featured were Wine of Japan imports and included Tenzan, Sawanoi, Shirayuki and many others and were being introduced by the brewers themselves!

Tenzan Brewery President Mr. Shichida called on his friend Tenzan Man to step in and help introduce his sake to Americans. Although he looks like he might bodyslam you ala Hulk Hogan, Tenzan Man is all about the sake. His mask even has “Tenzan” written in Japanese Kanji! The most well known of their sakes is the ‘Jizake Tenzan’, which is the very strong Genshu style sake. Powerful and delicious!

Ya gotta love New York! Meet Tenzan Man!

I also met up with Mr. Kodama who was kind enough to show me around Sawanoi Brewery on my recent trip to their brewery. Kodama-san was introducing his Tokyo Prefecture sakes to the large crowd at Decibel. The sakes from Sawannoi are fantastic and despite making a lot of sake, they maintain the hand crafted, micro brewed feeling. Delicious.

Kodama-san from Sawanoi

Shirayuki is a brewery I have not had the chance to visit yet, but I was happy to meet Mr. Minamikawa who let me taste a selection of their brews. They are a large producer of sake and have a big distribution both at home and abroad. Minamikawa-san was great at explaining the ins and outs of each of his sakes.

Minamikawa-san Introducing Shirayuki

This was such a fun event! I hope you all have a chance to visit Decibel sometime soon. It’s the ultimate east village “underground” sake bar! Tell ‘em Urban Sake sent you!

The Crowd at Decibel