Women Are Now Revitalizing The Sake Industry: In The News: 05-07-2020

Women Are Now Revitalizing The Traditional Male-Only Japanese Sake Industry

by Akiko Katayama via Forbes.com
July 5, 2020

Human right movements are taking place all over the world to fix racial disparity. In Japan where racial issues are much less obvious than many other countries, gender inequality has been a serious matter for many years.

The Japanese sake industry is a classic example. Historically sake brewing had been done exclusively by male workers for obscure reasons such as protecting women from intense labor and superstitions.

However, more women are now playing an essential role in sake production. Some of them have proven their excellence too.

Read the Full Article >

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On June 11, 2020, Timothy Sullivan gave a live lecture on sake Etiquette and manners via YouTube Live for the New York Japan Society’s annual sake tasting event. This one hour lecture is now available for replay. If you were not able to watch the event live, you can now catch up and re-watch online anytime. I hope you enjoy! and what is there left to say, other than… Kanpai!

I’m excited to share my interview on the Small Business Japan podcast with host Josh Smith! During our chat we talked about my entrepreneurial journey, creating my own path in the world of sake, and digging deeper into Japanese culture in order to better translate this cultural product to Americans.

If you’re ready to explore my world of sake, then Take a Listen! If you like what you hear, please be sure to subscribe to Josh’s awesome Small Business Japan Podcast on your platform of choice!

Any serious fan of Star Trek (such as myself) would know their favorite starship captain’s drink of choice when standing in front of the replicator, that machine that can synthesize just about any food or drink item on demand. Imagine 3-D printing on steroids. For the Enterprise’s Captain Picard, it is “Tea, Earl Grey, Hot” and for Voyager’s Captain Janeway, it is “Coffee, Black“. As for me, I know for sure what I would do first if I had access to the Star Trek replicator… I’d order “Daiginjo Sake, Chilled”. Of course, Star Trek makes it clear that replicated foods and drink are different – and some contend quite inferior – to the “real thing”. They re-create drinks from the sub-atomic level putting matter together, for any item on file, bit by bit – molecule by molecule.

This futuristic replicator technology is exactly what sprung to mind for me when I heard about a new sake called Kazoku (Kazoku means ‘family’ in Japanese). Now, what would you say if someone told you you it’s possible to make sake from start to finish in less than 24 HOURS and with NO RICE. Huh?? Sounds totally preposterous, and honestly, without rice, it is indeed, by its very definition not really possible to make sake. BUT, what is possible is to build an ethanol-based sake-analogous beverage that walks, talks and possibly even tastes just like the real deal. The folks at San Francisco startup Endless West are the literal mad scientists behind this effort to build a sake-like drink – without rice – from the molecules up.

This Kazoku branded sake-like drink, sold legally as a “Grain Neutral Spirits with Natural Flavors”, starts with a pure ethanol base and then water and flavor tinctures are added until the taste, aroma, texture and finish of a real sake is apparently replicated. This can be done quickly and without using any rice. According to the Endless West website, as they don’t use rice … “it requires 75% less water, 60% less land, and 40% less carbon emission to produce compared to conventional sake brewing.”

The company also makes a whiskey and a muscato-like wine using the same methodology… that is to say: deconstructing the flavor and aroma components and then adding them to the appropriate amount of pure ethanol to create a wine or whiskey-like beverage. Now, the lower impact on the environment would be an attractive feature for any beverage, but the question we just can’t escape is – how does it TASTE?!

Luckily for me, it should be easy to find out! I’ve ordered some and will taste it as soon as it arrives from San Francisco. Until then, stay tuned and I am sure the debate will rage well into the 24th century – does replicated taste as good as the real thing?

Photo: © Endless West.

The government has decided to apply to have Japanese sake listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

by the-japan-news.com via The Yomiuri Shimbun
February 07, 2020

The government has decided to apply to have Japanese sake listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, with the aim of boosting name recognition and brand power as part of efforts to expand overseas exports.

The government expects to file the application in early 2020s.

In April, the Cultural Affairs Agency will set up a team of a dozen or so officials to prepare the application. They plan to visit breweries across the nation and exchange opinions with master sake brewers, known as toji. These conversations will contribute to their study of the range of brewing processes and techniques to be covered by the UNESCO application, and of ways to support branding.

The UNESCO listing process starts with the government making a decision in consultation with the Council for Cultural Affairs, then a proposal is submitted. UNESCO’s intergovernmental committee then decides whether it will be approved for inclusion on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Read the Full Article >

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Looks like the Government of Japan is going to ramp up support for sake as an export product!

Govt support for sake exports to get more punch
by the-japan-news.com via The Yomiuri Shimbun
November 5, 2019

SAKAIMINATO, Tottori — The government will strengthen its support for the expansion of sake exports, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Monday during his visit to a sake brewery in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, that is committed to exporting its products.

Specifically, Suga said the government would support development of new products targeting overseas consumers; invite foreign buyers to Japan; and make use of the Geographical Indication system that regulates the intellectual property rights of agricultural products.

Read the Full Article >

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New York has its first sake brewery and it is fantastic. The Taproom at Brooklyn Kura opens today and serves the freshest sake you can get this side of the Pacific: Just pressed sake on draft, lightly filtered Orizake as well as raw sake mash from the Tank. All of it delicious.

Born in Japan, and Now Made in Brooklyn: Sake
by Rachel Wharton, New York Times
March 2, 2018

At first glance, Brandon Doughan certainly fits the mold of the professional brewer in Brooklyn: The Portland, Ore., transplant has a tidy beard, a penchant for plaid button-downs, and is a former home-brewer well-versed in advanced fermentation.

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Nice article from a major media outlet about the growth of sake in the export market.

As Japan falls out of love with sake, brewers look to the West
by DANIEL HURST, NBCnews.com
February 21, 2018

KYOTO, Japan — Sake runs in Tokubee Masuda’s blood. He’s the 14th generation of his family to operate one of the many sake breweries in Fushimi, a small district in Japan’s old capital of Kyoto.

Masuda’s passion shines through as he escorts visitors around the Tsukino Katsura facility, explaining how high-quality rice and fresh groundwater is used to produce the traditional Japanese drink, sometimes described in simple terms as rice wine.

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Sake seems to be hitting its stride. Sake Exports increased 19% in 2017 and has tripled in volume over the last 16 years. Awesome news that speaks to the growing interest in and knowledge about sake with consumers outside of Japan!

Sake exports reach record high again
by The Yomiuri Shimbun
February 20, 2018

Japan’s sake exports increased 19 percent in 2017 from the previous year to 23,481 kiloliters, setting a record high for eight years in a row.

Partly boosted by a growing interest in Japanese cuisine overseas, sake exports have enjoyed an upward trend since 2006, when exports topped 10,000 kiloliters. Last year, the volume passed the 20,000-kiloliter mark for the first time, and the rate of increase was also the highest ever.

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I was honored recently to be able to speak at the Japan Society in NYC about my year living and interning at Hakkaisan Sake Brewery.  It was an amazing experience, and if you want to learn more, you can check out my lecture posted on YouTube.

Is Sake too cheap in Japan? I often hear that prices for premium sake in the USA are too high. But I always enjoy the very low premium sake prices whenever I visit Japan. This article raises many interesting questions!

Is Japanese sake too cheap? Many in the industry think so
by HISAO KODACHI, Nikkei Asian Review
February 14, 2018

TOKYO — Japanese sake is gaining enthusiastic fans around the world. Yet foreigners who are familiar with sake after drinking it at places like upscale restaurants are often surprised at how cheap it is in Japan.

“Sake tastes good but it is priced too low,” said Shinya Tasaki, president of the Japan Sommelier Association. Tasaki has a sake refrigerator at home and introduces sake to sommeliers from around the world.

Read the Full Article >

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OOOOH, I love stories like this! Local Colorado sake brewers are working to change their state laws for our industry. Good luck guys!

Denver Sake Maker Pushes for Change in Brewing Laws
by MARK ANTONATION, Westworld.com
February 14, 2018

Colorado seems like the perfect place to make alcoholic beverages; just look at the proliferation of breweries and distilleries around the state, and the growing number of wine and cider makers. So what if your drink of choice is sake? That shouldn’t make too much of a difference when it comes to producing and selling something that’s not so different from beer and wine, right?

Read the Full Article >

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I’m quoted in this article about the sake industry’s move to expand its market overseas. The Export market for Japanese brewers is an area of growth and I think they will continue to put lots of effort into growing demand for sake outside Japan.

Learning To Love Sake: Japan Ramps Up Efforts To Entice Foreign Markets
by JIM CLARKE, NPR: The Salt
January 30, 2018

Outside of Japan, sake is somewhat of a mystery, with its own terminology, styles and drinking traditions. But the country’s recent push to make sake more comprehensible to non-native drinkers is making an impact, especially in the U.S.

Sake can easily fall between the cracks for American drinkers. Because sake is brewed, relying on a mold called koji to convert the rice’s starches into sugars for fermentation, “it’s made like a beer but drinks like a wine” in texture, character and strength. A pint of 5 percent alcohol beer makes a sensible serving; a pint of 16-to-17 percent alcohol sake is a whole night of drinking.

Read the Full Article >

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I was interviewed on the Japan Eats radio show. Host Akiko Katayama talked with me about my year in Japan. If you like please take a listen below! What did I think of my year?? Was I skilled at Sake Brewing?? What were my fun cultural activites?! Listen and all will be revealed!

On this week’s episode of Japan Eats, Akiko is joined in studio by Tim Sullivan, Brand Ambassador for the Hakkaisan Sake Brewery. Tim was the first person ever to receive a Cultural Activities Visa to study sake making in Japan! He founded UrbanSake.com, America’s longest-running sake website, and was awarded the title of “Sake Samurai” by the Japan Sake Brewer’s Association in recognition of his work promoting sake outside of Japan.

No one is more excited than me to see a news article, restaurant review or blog post mention sake! This means there is interest in my favorite beverage and the more the word gets out there the better! I want everyone to know about sake. However, every time I come across such a sake article, my joy quickly turns to slight trepidation. Most articles get a lot right (yea!), but more often then you’d think, there are some mistakes, misstatements or downright misinformation about sake reported in the news. A big part of the job for people in the sake industry is to dispel myths and fallacies about sake. I thought it might be useful to put together a list of the most common mistakes I’ve seen mentioned about sake in the media. Let’s start to get this misinformation cleared up! Inspired by critical cats restaurant reviews, I thought it might be nice to have cute kittens help me to get my message across and clear the air about my sake article pet peeves!

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Do you have any sake info pet peeves you’ve seen in the media? Let me know!

Mastumoto Brewery is a well known Kura in Fushimi, Kyoto. Recently, they’ve produced a video that shows the beauty of the sake production process unlike anything I’ve seen before. Looks like the filmmakers also used a drone to get aerial shots of the brewery. However they did it, it’s stunning and worth a look for any sake fan. Check it out here:

Brewed in Kyoto with Shuhari Spirit from Shuhari – Sawaya Matsumoto on Vimeo.

I recently came across this century old description of Japanese sake and was thrilled to learn about it’s author, Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), a greek born writer who became one of the first western writers to document Japan. He had a Japanese wife and lived in Japan from 1890 until his death in 1904.

The article I found is from a 1907 Colorado newspaper, the Littleton Independent, and was published about 3 years after Hearn’s death. The article outlines his musings on Japanese sake.

It is fun as it describes drinking traditions at Japanese banquets, which many modern day visitors to Japan will well recognize. I also love the description of the intoxication effects of sake: “Luminous exhilaration… then you get very sleepy.” Hope you enjoy this fun time capsule from the early days of sake’s introduction to the west.

POTENT LIQUOR IS SAKE

Lafcadio Hern’s testimony as to Strength of Japanese Wine.

There is no liquor in the world upon which a man becomes so quickly intoxicated as Japanese sake (rice wine), and yet none of which the effects last so short a time. The intoxication is pleasant as the effect of opium or hasheesh. It is soft, pleasant, luminous exhilaration, everything becoming brighter, happier, lighter; then you get very sleepy.

At Japanese dinners it is the rule to become slightly exhilarated, but not to drink enough to talk thickly or walk crooked. The ability to drink at banquets required practice – long practice.

There are banquets of many kinds, and the man who is invited to one at which extensive drinking may be expected is careful to start in upon an empty or almost empty stomach. By not eating one can drink a good deal. The cups are very small and of many curious shapes. One may be expected to empty 50. A quart of sake is a good deal; two quarts require iron nerves to stand. But among the Japanese there are wonderful drinkers. At a military officer’s banquet a captain offered me a tumbler holding a good pint of sake. I almost fainted at the sight of it, for it was only the first. But a friend said to me: “Only drink a little and pass it back,” which I did. Stronger heads emptied cup after cup like water. – Letters of Lafcadio Hearn.

Littleton Independent Newspaper Feb 8, 1907

Do you want to take your sake knowledge to the next level and get certified as a Sake Adviser? Open to hospitality industry professionals as well as serious sake enthusiasts, this Sake Adviser course will dive deep into the world of sake. Learn about the history of sake, all about sake ingredients, sake tasting and the sake classification system. During the course of the seminar, we will also taste and examine 16 unique sakes to show you the depth and breath of sake production today.

CERTIFIED SAKE ADVISER
Introductory Sake Course for Professionals and Serious Sake Enthusiasts. The Sake School of America is endorsed by the Sake Service Institute International (SSI), the largest organization of sake sommelier certification in Japan.

Upon completion of the course and passing the Sake Adviser exam, you will receive the Sake Adviser certificate and pin.

Topics:
HISTORY OF SAKE
INGREDIENTS
PRODUCTION METHODS
READING SAKE LABELS
SERVING SAKE
SAKE TASTING SESSION (16 Sakes tasted)

Fee: $475.00

Instructor: Timothy Sullivan

Course #: SSA-148 English

Location: New York Mutual Trading, Inc.
77 Metro Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094
NOTE: Free Shuttle bus from Manhattan will be provided

Lecture Date: December 1 (Monday) Time: 8:30 AM ~ 4:00 PM

Exam Date: December 1 (Monday) Time: 4:00 PM ~ 5:00 PM

[On the Registration page, enter course #: SSA-143 English]

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About the Sake School of America
SAKE SCHOOL OF AMERICA is an education and training center of Sake, Shochu, and Japanese liquors, for Sake professionals and enthusiasts to expand knowledge and to explore further enjoyment of the category.

SAKE SCHOOL OF AMERICA aims toward fostering higher appreciation and memorable drinking and dining experiences. We are fully committed in educating trade professionals and enthusiasts alike, to promote Sake in faraway countries at the same level of understanding and of enjoyment as is in its homeland of Japan.

In the 1980’s in Japan, Jizake fine artisan Sake climbed to popularity as consumers discovered tantalizing flavors and aromas from microbrewers crafted in remote breweries, some with legendary tales which date back centuries. When this best kept secret arrived in US during the 1990’s, Americans too were quickly enamored, charmed by “the novel Jizake”, the finesse, and pure joy. Then came Shochu, Ji-Beer, and now, a resurgence of Junmai and Honjozo Sake.

Nowadays, with a variety of specialized foods covering the spectrum, from casual dining, trendy Sushi bars, authentic Izakayas, to fancy Kaiseki, there’s a Jizake suitable for any dish and Nigori Sake, shochu, Japanese Ji-Beer, Umeshu, and other interesting brews. The world of Sake is a joyful exploration into Japanese culture, cuisine, and the brewing art.

Longtime readers of Urban Sake will know that I am a devoted fan of Cup Sake! So much so, I organized a cup sake week back in 2009! Cup sake week never took off, but I still love my single serving cup sake every chance I get.

My hopes for a cup sake renaissance got a big boost this year with the opening of Azasu, a new cup sake izakaya on the lower east side. The masterminds behind Azasu are none other than Christy and Gaku Shibata, owners of the more upscale and much loved Yopparai.

The name “Azasu” is a fun and more informal contraction of the polite “arigatou-gozaimasu”, which means “thank you” in Japanese. The keyword here is informal, as Azasu strikes the perfect note between casual and cool. The seating is mostly large shared tables which is perfect for gathering in groups and making new friends.

A word about the food. The offerings are yummy Japanese comfort foods with an emphasis on deep fried deliciousness. Don’t tell my cardiologist, but the french fries at Azasu are darn near the best fried potato thing in New York. Another highlight is the Takoyaki or octopus pancake balls, which are house made and heavenly. The menu is rounded out by classic crust-less white bread sandwiches and potato salad.

What pairs perfectly with all these izakaya classics? Well, if you said Cup Sake, you get an A+! There are a wide variety of cup sakes on offer at Azasu. Some of my recommended favorites include:

• Aomori Otokoyama by Hachinohe Shuzo in Aomori. Don’t be confused as there are two “Otokoyama” or Man’s Mountain sakes on the list at Azasu. I prefer the one from Aomori. This brewery is also the maker of the cult Mutsu Hassen sake that is currently only for sale in Japan. Their Junmai sake is rice-y, smooth and quite clean.
• Panda Cup by Miyozakura Brewery in Gifu. The appeal of this Junmai cup starts with the playful panda design on the cup itself, but extends to the taste as well. You’ll appreciate the noticeably dry body of this sake with hints of lactic acid. Rice steamed rice aroma, too.
• Houraisen Honjozo by Sekiya Shuzo in Aichi. Being an alcohol added honjozo style of sake, look for an enhanced aroma on this sake. It has a nice dry finish and full, round flavor on the mid-palate.

Whichever sakes you choose, no one goes home empty handed as one of the highlights of a night at Azasu is being able to take all your empty cups home with you at the end of the night. Frolicking panda cup pen holder anyone?

Azasu
49 Clinton Street NYC
212-777-7069
[email protected]
https://twitter.com/azasunyc
http://instagram.com/azasunyc
https://www.facebook.com/azasunyc

Do you want to take your sake knowledge to the next level and get certified as a Sake Adviser? Open to hospitality industry professionals as well as serious sake enthusiasts, this Sake Adviser course will dive deep into the world of sake. Learn about the history of sake, all about sake ingredients, sake tasting and the sake classification system.

CERTIFIED SAKE ADVISER
Introductory Sake Course for Professionals and Sake Enthusiasts. The Sake School of America is endorsed by the Sake Service Institute International (SSI), the largest organization of sake sommelier certification in Japan.

Upon completion of the course and passing the Sake Adviser exam, you will receive the Sake Adviser certificate and pin.

Topics:
HISTORY OF SAKE
INGREDIENTS
PRODUCTION METHODS
READING SAKE LABELS
SERVING SAKE
SAKE TASTING SESSION

Fee: $475.00

Instructor: Timothy Sullivan

Course #: SSA-143 English

Location: New York Mutual Trading, Inc.
77 Metro Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094
NOTE: Free Shuttle bus from Manhattan will be provided

Lecture Date: June 30 (Monday) Time: 8:30 AM ~ 4:00 PM

Exam Date: June 30 (Monday) Time: 4:00 PM ~ 5:00 PM

[On the Registration page, enter course #: SSA-143 English]

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About the Sake School of America
SAKE SCHOOL OF AMERICA is an education and training center of Sake, Shochu, and Japanese liquors, for Sake professionals and enthusiasts to expand knowledge and to explore further enjoyment of the category.

SAKE SCHOOL OF AMERICA aims toward fostering higher appreciation and memorable drinking and dining experiences. We are fully committed in educating trade professionals and enthusiasts alike, to promote Sake in faraway countries at the same level of understanding and of enjoyment as is in its homeland of Japan.

In the 1980’s in Japan, Jizake fine artisan Sake climbed to popularity as consumers discovered tantalizing flavors and aromas from microbrewers crafted in remote breweries, some with legendary tales which date back centuries. When this best kept secret arrived in US during the 1990’s, Americans too were quickly enamored, charmed by “the novel Jizake”, the finesse, and pure joy. Then came Shochu, Ji-Beer, and now, a resurgence of Junmai and Honjozo Sake.

Nowadays, with a variety of specialized foods covering the spectrum, from casual dining, trendy Sushi bars, authentic Izakayas, to fancy Kaiseki, there’s a Jizake suitable for any dish and Nigori Sake, shochu, Japanese Ji-Beer, Umeshu, and other interesting brews. The world of Sake is a joyful exploration into Japanese culture, cuisine, and the brewing art.

Calling all Sake Sommeliers! SSI and Sake School of America are hosting the 4th World Sake Sommelier Competition! Are you a sake professional and want to get in on the action? Email by May 20th to apply your spot for regional competitions in LA, Chicago or NYC. Details below!

Sake Service Institute International presents
4th World Sake Sommelier Competition
Application Inquiry: [email protected]
Application Due : May 20th
US Pre-Selection : May 27th
Los Angeles Regional Competition : June 12th
Chicago Regional Competition : June 16th
New York regional Competition : June 25th
Semi-Final in Tokyo : September 19th & 20th
Final in Tokyo : September 20th

Apply Now!
Application Inquiry: [email protected]
To qualify, enter in: US Regional Competitions in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York

Competitors traveling to the Semi-Final and Final World Competition in Tokyo receive US$ 1,000 to cover travel fees, plus two nights’ hotel stay.

Have you ever dreamed of traveling to Japan’s best Sake regions, meeting the sake brewers and drinking the very best sake on the planet? Now you can!

I hope you’ll consider joining me on our next Sake Journey to Japan from March 12-19! The best way to learn about our tour is to visit the Sake Journey’s website. You can see our Detailed itinerary and learn all the details! Here are some highlights:

The Tour cost includes all accommodations in Japan, almost all meals and all travel within Japan. See our itinerary for all details on costs. I hope you’ll consider joining our tour! I can’t wait to visit Japan’s Sake Country with you!!

Another year has come and gone. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the sakes of 2013… Year after year, I produce this semi-serious “Golden Masu Award” roundup, which is my totally biased take on the superior sakes, bodacious brews and nihonshu of note of the past year.

The biggest change for me was that this year I began working as Brand Ambassador for Hakkaisan Sake Brewery. This has given me the amazing opportunity to travel, teach and introduce Hakkaisan sake to the world. That’s a wonderful thing, since Hakkaisan was my first premium sake back in 2005 and really changed my life. To avoid any whiff of conflict of interest, going forward I’ll exclude Hakkaisan from my all-in-good-fun “Golden Masu Award“, but for me, Hakkaisan is already an Golden Masu All Star in the Sake Hall of Fame.

That being said, there is a lot of fun sake to celebrate. So with a fond memory of the ghost of kanpais past, and an eye towards the spirit of kanpais future, let’s check out the Golden Masu winners of 2013. No Sake, No Life…

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“Best Sake Kicking it Seriously Old School”

And the Masu goes to:
Yatagarasu Junmai Taru

When life gives you lemons – as the saying goes – of course, you make lemonade. And when your sake brewery is located smack dab in the middle of the famous Yoshino cedar forests of Nara Prefecture, it goes without saying, you make a Taruzake, or cedar cask aged sake. Taru sake was once very common in Japan as sake was brewed and stored in wooden barrels until steel brewing tanks came along in the early 20th Century. As such, Taru evokes an extremely old school and nostalgic sake vibe.

I’ve found that Yatagarasu Junmai Taru from the Kitaoka Honten Sake Brewery is a true classic of the Taru genre. For this style of cedar-laced sake, subtlety is king. Too much cedar and it’s like sipping grandma’s closet. For my taste, the Yatagarasu gets the balance just right. Enough cedar to invoke a lovely warm woody taste, but not at all overpowering. The clean, dry sake used is the perfect backdrop for the cedar taste. So, for the closest thing to sake time travel, transport yourself back to the days of the Samurai with just one sip of taru sake.

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“Standout Muroka Sake”

And the Masu goes to:
Naraman Bin Hiire Junmai Muroka

Most premium sake you see out there as been charcoal filtered before bottling to achieve a clarity and crystal clear body you just can’t achieve otherwise. There is a growing movement, however, towards “muroka” style sakes, which skip this charcoal filtering step and lets a sake show more of its ‘back-to-nature’ character. Murokas can be more dimensioned, slightly amber-ish in color and full of personality.

One of my favorite muroka sakes is the Naraman Bin Hiire Junmai Muroka from Fukushima’s Yumegokoro Sake Brewery. This junmai offers a flavor-forward palate laced with a nice minerality, all while maintaining its balance. Great full flavors that speak to the depth of what a muroka style sake can offer. A slightly higher alcohol at 16.5% adds a bit of vrooom that murokas need to get off the ground. If you’re just getting started exploring muroka sake, be sure to try this offering from Naraman. No better way to get a splash of sake personality than with a muroka.

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“Best Use of a Rare Sake Rice”

And the Masu goes to:
Wataribune 55 Junmai Ginjo

If you press any sake enthusiast for the name of a sake rice variety, almost everyone will say “yamadanishiki” which is well loved in the industry for its ease of use, outstanding quality and great taste. It turns out however, that Yamanishiki may be too well loved, as rumors about shortages abound – demand simply outstrips supply. This got me thinking about other rice varieties and what some brewers are doing with heirloom rice and one name sprang to mind instantly: “Wataribune.”

7th Generation Sake Brewery President Takaaki Yamauchi of Ibaraki’s Huchu Homare Sake Brewery is a legend for his revival of the heirloom wataribune rice strain. Yamauchi-san was looking for a local sake rice to use at his brewery and heard tell of wataribune, but local farmers were no longer growing it. In fact no one was growing it. He thought it lost to history until he found some frozen seedlings at a local agricultural research center in Ibaraki. Using a mere tablespoon of seed, he worked with a local farmer to revive the lost rice varietal and in 1990 produced his first sake using wataribune.

Today, this amazing legacy gives us Wataribune 55 Junmai Ginjo. I can sincerely say this sake is always a joy to drink. It’s exceedingly smooth and has a hint of richness on the palate that just entices you to take another sip – and then another. Also, Wataribune 55 is an exceptionally well crafted and technically masterful sake. You can taste the history, hard work and dedication in every ounce. I think perhaps Wataribune was destined for success here in the U.S. – who could resist the story of this ultimate sake rice comeback kid?

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“Best Nigori Lover’s Nigori”

And the Masu goes to:
Kamoizumi Ginjo Nigori

Whenever I’m pouring sake at an event, I always get asked “Do you have any of that cloudy white sake? What’s it called?” Well, it’s called Nigori, and I’m always happy to introduce people to this unique style of sake. Nigori style sake is coarsely pressed after brewing, leaving bits of rice starch behind, which lend the milky white/cloudy character to its appearance. Styles of nigori vary widely from sticky sweet to quite dry and from thick and viscous to wispy and light.

If you find yourself with at least one foot in the nigori lover’s camp, take a gander at the much loved Kamoizumi Ginjo Nigori from the Kamoizumi Shuzo in Hiroshima. I know from personal experience, this is a Nigori Lover’s Nigori. It’s a ginjo grade sake, so you’ll note it’s lightly fortified with distilled brewer’s alcohol, which contributes much to the round and rich character of this creamy treat. The body is quite full and thick and will readily coat your glass. As this sake achieves a great balance between sweet and dry, you can pair it with many foods, but, with a nod to my sweet tooth, I especially enjoy it with desserts. A few sips of this nigori alongside a decadent wedge of chocolate cake or an over-sized chocolate chip cookie is a little slice of heaven. What better way to get your nigori on?! Kanpai!

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“Best Mega Sake From a Micro Brewery”

And the Masu goes to:
Oze no Yukidoke Junmai Daiginjo

Once upon a time, a wise gift recipient once said “The best gifts come in small packages.” Now, this person was probably someone who had just received a diamond ring or the keys to a Porsche. When it comes to sake brewery size however, I know there are top quality sakes made by large, medium and small sized breweries. And as for me, I’m always fascinated with top tier sakes coming from extreme micro breweries. We’re talking 2-4 people brewing a limited amount of sake. With a small team and a lot of determination, micro breweries can make magic.

One such place I got to know a little better in 2013 was Ryujin Shuzo in Gunma. Of the handful of brewery workers at Ryujin, TWO are guild-licensed Master Brewers known as “Toji”. Needless to say, having two master brewers on the team doubles the expertise and delivers some pretty outstanding sake. One such sake is the exquisite Oze no Yukidoke Junmai Daiginjo. This sake is smooth as silk and made with 100% yamadanishiki sake rice milled to 40% remaining. The palate sings with tropical fruit and banana notes paired with an enchanting aroma to match. Elegant, luscious, commanding and masterful – it is a sake to sip, savor and study. Truly a mega sake from a micro brewery.

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Congratulations and Kanpai to all the Golden Masu Honorees! I am sincerely hoping that 2014 will bring many wonderful sake journeys to us all. Kanpai and Happy New Year to everyone!

See Previous Golden Masu winners here: http://www.urbansake.com/category/golden-masu-awards/

Recently, I had the good fortune to get invited to introduce some sakes at a cooking class – but this wasn’t just any cooking class, this was a cooking seminar from the chefs of Nobu New York, Nobu Next Door and Nobu 57 at the renowned De Gustibus Cooking School inside Macy’s.

I was presenting 5 stellar sakes to pair with their wonderful omakase course which we were not only going to eat but also learn how to make.

Each course was presented by a different chef from Nobu and I introduced each sake at the start of each course. The pairings were fun and there was a lot of playing around with “umami”, that concept of savory deliciousness, in both the sakes and the nobu dishes.

The reaction from the students was enthusiastic! Everyone seemed to love the food and sake pairings as well. Check out the food pairings and lots of photos below to get a sense of the evening. If you’re interested in De Gustibus Cooking School, I can’t recommend it highly enough – it’s a great place study fine cuisine!

• Salmon Tataki with Sancho Salsa
  Paired with: Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo
• Shitake Sashimi Salad with black sesame Parmesan
  Paired with: Amabuki Daiginjo
• Lobster and Corn with house-made Tofu and smoked Tomatoes
  Paired with: Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo
• Kani Dashi with Seafood Shinjyo
  Paired with: Tengumai Umajun Junmai
• Gyuhi with Koshi An and Matcha
  Paired with: Nanbu Bijin Muto Umeshu

We’re all sake friends here, right? Well, lucky us because I have a discount code for friends and family of Urban Sake to get $15 off the cost of admission to the Joy of Sake! When you are buying your tickets use code “FAFNY”. Act fast this offer expires Sunday Sept 8th!!

Friends & Family $80/person ($15 off)
use code “FAFNY”
Expires Sunday, September 8
The Joy of Sake
The Altman Building (135 W. 18th Street)
Thursday, September 26, 2013, 6pm–9pm

The Joy of Sake has a record 384 sakes for you to taste plus amazing appetizers from 15 top New York restaurants. And the best part? We’re offering this to our Friends & Family at an exclusive $15 discount!

It’s our way of saying thank you for all your support. We love kicking off the Joy of Sake season with this offer, but like all good things, it must come to an end. So get your orders in at the online ticket store at www.joyofsake.com (promo code FAFNY) or at the Joy of Sake hotline at (888) 799-7242. Remember, our Friends & Family discount expires at midnight on Sept. 8!

A few facts about The Joy of Sake:

This year there are 384 sakes come from every sake brewing region in Japan.
More than half are ultra-premium daiginjo sakes.
Sixty percent—223 sakes—are not available in the U.S. except at the Joy of Sake.
The sakes were bottled in July and arrive in New York in peak condition after an unbroken chain of refrigerated transport.
There are outstanding restaurants and appetizers this year.

For more information, go to www.joyofsake.com

Back in 2006, just one year after starting my website, I was proud as a new papa of my fledgling Urban Sake website redesign. I was crowing about my new Sake Directory filled with a whopping 20 sakes! Well, as they say… times have changed!

I’ve known deep down it was time for a facelift, so instead of undergoing microdermabrasion myself, I directed my energies on a long overdue Urban Sake website overhaul. I’ve added a lot of new features and functions that I hope you will find useful for your sake learning and loving. Without futher ado, check out what awaits you in Urban Sake 2013. …and as always Kanpai!

Urban Sake 2013

1) Urban Sake Membership
You can now sign up for UrbanSake.com and become a FREE member. This allows you to establish a profile, record your tasting notes, communicate with and friend other members, add sake events as well as add sake locations to our City Guides. Check out the activity stream to see who’s doing what! You can also ask questions and get answers on our Urban Sake Forum.

2) Urban Sake Directory
Using the new and improved Urban Sake Directory, you can browse, research and comment on 500+ sakes. If you visit the directory home, you can use the filters on the right hand side to filter the results and browse through many sakes. For example, If you’re looking for a Daiginjo from Akita that uses Yamadanishiki sake rice, we’ve got you covered. You can also leave tasting notes, create custom sake lists and Mark sakes as your favorite. Keep all your sake stuff in one place!

3) Urban Sake Events Calendar
Visit my new and refreshed sake events listing to stay up to date on all the events happening around the nation related to sake. Don’t see your event listed? If you sign up as an Urban Sake Member, you are free to post your own events and get the word out about your sake happenings anytime! Let’s make some events happen!

4) Urban Sake City Guides
Want to know where to find a sake retail shop in Seattle? or sake bars in NY? or sake restaurants in Honolulu? Use our convenient Sake City Guides using google maps and directory listings to zero in on the best of the sake world wherever in the world you might find yourself. Don’t see your favorite sake place? No problem, you can add your favorite sake spots to our guide yourself. Let your fellow sake lovers know what you recommend!

I hope you’ll take the time to join us at Urban Sake and become a FREE member! If you have any questions about sake or about using our new website, don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to helping you discover your new favorite sake! Kanpai!

I’ve visited many sake breweries over the years and always have my camera or video camera in tow. I am always sure I’ll capture the perfect video to help convey the magic of sake making on film. Well – it doesn’t quite work out that way. Reviewing my raw footage, I am usually foiled by the lighting, sound, steamed up lens, bad camera angle, low battery or some other glitch. You can’t imagine my thrill when I heard about a new film being made called The Birth of Sake, which endeavors to capture the art, complexity, humanity and beauty of sake making on film.

The Birth of Sake is a documentary film about the workers and production seasons at Tedorigawa, a fifth-generation, family-owned sake-brewery in Ishikawa, Japan. Tedorigawa has been producing some of the world’s top award winning sakes since 1870, and still relies on time-honored techniques to hand craft sake in a traditional way. We love Tedorigawa and it’s the perfect place to show some of the real beauty in sake making.

The filmmaker Erik Shirai was a cinematographer for The Travel Channel’s ‘No Reservations’ with Anthony Bourdain, and just started a Kickstarter campaign running through September 2, 2013 to raise money for finishing the film. I was lucky enough to attend a launch event for the kickstarter and got to see a short preview of the film and… it’s amazing. It really does sum up everything that is great about sake making in a visual way. Beautiful editing, cinematography, lighting and everything you would expect.

When completed, it will be an vital film to help champion the sake industry and well worth supporting! Can’t wait to get to see a full screening someday, but in the meantime, you can join me in lending your support over at Kickstarter:

you can watch a short preview clip here:

Well, good heavens! I’ve been teaching about sake since 2007 and believe me, I get it – sake can be confusing and even downright intimidating for those just getting started.

I always thought it would be a good idea to pull together a cheat sheet of core concepts to help everyone understand more about sake basics. Thus was born the 10 Commandments of Sake, my guide to get your bearings and to start enjoying the wonderful world of sake. Can I get an “Amen” in here?

Ⅰ. Sake is Japanese Culture in a Cup.
Right off the bat it’s important to understand that Sake is deeply connected to Japanese culture. I call it “Japanese Culture in a Cup.” Sake is known in Japan as the “drink of the gods” and it has deep ties to both religion, ceremony, traditions and everyday social interaction. Get to know sake, and you’ll get to know Japan. Like so much in Japanese culture, on the surface, sake may seem simple, restrained or perhaps even plain, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover a vast and colorful world of styles, tastes, methods and lore – and a devoted group of acolytes, committed to the quiet pursuit of perfection.

Ⅱ. Thou Shalt Pair Sake With More Than Just Sushi.
For better or for worse, America’s omnipresent sushi restaurants are the place where almost all of us get our first exposure to sake. This has lead some to conclude that sake should only be served with raw fish. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Sake pairs beautifully with a stunningly wide array of cuisines and dishes. Some of the top restaurants in the world have sake on their wine lists. Give premium sake a try with any of your favorite dishes – Roast Beef, Pizza or even Thanksgiving Dinner… There is a sake you can pair up with any of these. Experiment and enjoy!

Ⅲ. Thou Shalt Not Even Think About Calling Sake a ‘Rice Wine’.
Ok, I’ll admit it, this is not the biggest sin in the book, but it is a major pet peeve of mine, so I’m gonna get up on my soapbox. Sometimes people want to dumb down sake for the masses and rely on the crutch of calling sake a “rice wine”. Blasphemy I say. If you get out the dictionary and actually look up the definition of wine, it says a wine is alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of a fruit, such as grapes. Rice is not a fruit nor is it a plant that can produce juice. So, rice cannot produce wine. The finished product may drink like a wine, or even be served in a wine glass, but I think sake is important enough to merit it’s own category in the beverage world.

Ⅳ. Thou Shalt Not Bomb nor Shoot.

I feel that the Sake Bomb and Sake Shot are unfortunate vestiges of what I’ll call an unenlightened medieval period in the history of sake in the States. For the uninitiated, Sake Bombs involve dropping a small cup of cheap sake into a beer and drinking both quickly and Sake Shots involve slamming back an entire small cup of sake in one swift gulp. Both of these behaviors are now most likely seen during get-me-drunk-quick shenanigans during college, but in the wider world, we are happily moving well beyond the image of the sake bomb. More and more people recognize premium sakes as true artisinal works of art with craftspeople devoting their lives to its production and betterment. So leave the Sake Middle Ages behind and join us in the Sake Renaissance. Oh, and if someone asks you to do a sake bomb, do what Mr. T and Nancy Reagan recommend – “Just Say NO!”

Ⅴ. Thou Shalt Avoid Heat and Light When Storing Sake.
Heat and light are the enemies of sake. If you want extend the shelf life of your sake, keep it in a cool, dark place. If you have room in there, the refrigerator is the obvious choice! Pasteurized sake does not need to be refrigerated, but it is always a better option if you’re able. Please note that those yummy unpasteurized “nama” sakes must be refrigerated at all times. Oh, and don’t patronize that liquor shop that put all their sake on display in the front window. That’s literally not cool.

Ⅵ. Thou Must Pay a Premium for Premium.
It’s worthwhile knowing that cost and quality classifications are attached at the hip in the world of sake. If you want to enjoy an extra special sake with a Daiginjo or Junmai Daiginjo super premium classification, be prepared to pay more. There is not much bargain hunting for undiscovered gems as you may have in the wine world. Rice milling directly effects raw material costs for sakes. As sakes rate higher on the premium classification scale, the rice used to make those sakes is more finely milled and that means raw material costs are going up, too. To be clear, yummy and quality sakes can be had in all classification levels, but the more finely milled sakes most often cost more. Explore and see what style you (and your wallet) like best.

Ⅶ. Thou Shalt Not Pour For Thyself.
In Japan, the most basic etiquette rule of serving sake is known as o-shaku. The main tenant of o-shaku is that it is considered most polite to pour sake for others but never directly for yourself. This little ritual of pouring for others creates an atmosphere of social interaction and bonding and the small sake cups typically used in Japan allow for many opportunities for everyone at the table to pour and receive sake. I have often seen a friendly tug of war over a sake carafe as guests jockey to be the first to pour for the other. Be sure to note that when you are receiving sake, it’s viewed as most respectful to lift your cup up off the table, hold it with two hands and be sure to take a sip before setting it back down. Why worry about this here? Well, I think it’s a fun and endearing custom that gets everyone at the table interacting and gets the sake flowing – the perfect way to jump start any sake event!

Ⅷ. Thou Shalt Not Fear the Screw Cap.
Some wine people seem to have a true phobia when it comes to screw caps. They are reputedly the domain of inexpensive, low quality wines. Sake manufacturers, however, have taken a different tack and use screw caps almost exclusively for all bottles, from the bargain basement sakes to the most expensive Junmai Daiginjos. I couldn’t be more thrilled. Screw caps just make sense. They are easy to open, easy to re-seal and do the best job of keeping the sake protected from oxidation. Once you start drinking more sake, you’ll come to much prefer that ‘craaack’ sound of opening a sake screw cap to the crumbly pop of a wine cork, as I have. But please – don’t sniff the screw cap.

Ⅸ. Thou Shalt Experiment With Serving Temperature.
What is the correct serving temperature for sake? Hot? Cold? in between? In a nutshell, there is no strict right and wrong in serving temperature as both warm and chilled sake can be wonderful. It’s all about finding the right sake for the right temperature for your palate. In general, fragrant, floral and aromatic sakes are best for serving slightly chilled as that will enhance their aroma. And again, in general, full bodied, robust and dry sakes tend to be a great choice for warming as that brings forward the alcohol notes on the palate and will suppress aroma. But whatever temperature you pick, it’s good to note that sake is so flexible in this area. You can drink it warm when you come in from shoveling show, or drink it cold to escape the summer heat. Serving temperature is actually sake’s secret weapon in the battle of the alcoholic beverages. Sake 1, other booze 0.

Ⅹ. To Thy Own Palate Be True: Drink Whatever Sakes You Enjoy!
Last but not least is the true Golden Rule of the sake world, and the easiest sake commandment to follow. Never forget that at its core, sake is about enjoyment and having fun. Be sure to give yourself permission not to worry too much about pairing rules, milling rates or serving temperature. You can simply start out by finding a sake you like and really enjoying it – simple as that. If you want to dive deeper down the road, you can certainly geek out with me about all the classifications and regions and rice types of the sake world, but none of that really matters for sake’s most basic function: to bring people together for having fun. Trust your own likes and drink whichever sakes speak to you regardless of price, reviews or expert recommendations. Simply put: “To thy own palate be true.” Well, hallelujah, I’ll drink to that!

Daishichi

is a sake brand that is famous for two things – its exclusive use of the Kimoto brewing method, and it’s extreme elegance. That elegance was on full display at a recent sake dinner featuring Baccarat Crystal at the Hakubai Restaurant in the Kitano Hotel.

This was another amazing night at Hakubai. When I sat down, I couldn’t help but notice the table setting which was full of refined looking stemware from the the Château Baccarat line of Baccarat Crystal.

We also had some special guests – Mr. Hideharu Ohta, the 10th Generation Owner of Daishichi, and Mr. Ad Blankestijn, a sake sommelier from Daishichi. Ad-san introduced each sake as it was poured.

These are the sakes we enjoyed from Daishichi:
• Daishichi Yuki Shibori
• Daishichi Masakura
• Daishichi Minowamon
• Daishichi Yamadanishiki Junmai
• Daishichi Myoka Rangyoku

Ms. Kaoru Parker from Baccarat was on hand to introduce her glasses and she encouraged us to try Daishichi Minowamon Junmai Daiginjo in both a standard wine glass and the Château Baccarat glass. It was amazing, but I must admit, the Baccarat glass somehow concentrated the flavor.

This event also gave me the rare opportunity to try the stunning Daishichi Myoka Rangyoku, which is without a doubt or any exaggeration one of best sakes on the planet. Supplies were understandably limited, and we got a small serving each and I really enjoyed that with a finish that doesn’t quit, you can really savor each delicious sip.

What a fun night! Stay tuned to the Urban Sake Event Listing to find out about upcoming sake tastings near you!

Welcome to our Masumi Arabashiri Tasting Giveaway! To enter, log into the widget below and answer our trivia question about Masumi sake! All entries with the correct response will be entered to win a ticket to the April 10th Masumi Arabashiri Tasting at Cherry (355 West 16th Street, New York) from 6-8pm. This is a $50 value! Good luck! The winner will be notified by email at 2pm,Tuesday April 9th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The upcoming “Sake and the City” event on February 12th in NYC is going to be an amazing evening of enjoying Nihonshu. As part of the promotion for this event, I was invited to appear on NBC as part of their live (LIVE!!) 7pm local NYC newscast to talk about sake and the event. Luckily, everybody at NBC put me at ease and I really enjoyed the segment. I was interviewed by Pei-Sze Cheng who couldn’t have been nicer. You can check out the video and some pics below.

2012 zipped by in a flash. Where has the time gone!? I can only stare into the bottom of my empty sake cup and wonder.

For me, this year was a whirlwind of great sakes, old and new. It’s also been a year of learning and teaching. I’m discovering that sharing my love and passion for sake is becoming one of the great joys in my career. If you’re interested in learning more about sake, I hope to see you in one of my seminars in 2013!

My yearly “Golden Masu Awards” roundup is my biased take on the best, boldest and most bodacious brews that caught my eye and tickled my taste buds in 2012. Without further ado, I give you the winners…

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“Best 720 Under $30”

And the Masu goes to:
Okunomatsu Tokubestu Junmai

It seems our economy improved some in 2012, but that didn’t stop me from looking high and low for sake bargains. For a high quality 720 ml bottle of sake under $30, I found myself returning again and again to Okunomatsu Tokubestu Junmai. Retailing for a price between 25.00 and 27.99, this Fukushima sake has become a reliable standby for everyday enjoyment. Dry, smooth and delicious, this sake will pair well with many different kinds of food and I’ve enjoyed it with everything from roast chicken to pad thai. In New York City, the local grocery delivery service “Fresh Direct” even offers this sake for home delivery. What could be better than getting Okunomastu right along with your bananas, butter and brussel sprouts?! Without a doubt, this sake is an incredible value for the price – and a great way to support Tohoku! Kanpai!

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“Best Junmai Ginjo Debut”

And the Masu goes to:
Fukuju Junmai Ginjo

These days, Junmai Ginjo is a crowded category in the sake market. Given this, it’s hard to make an impression, but one sake this year did just that. Fukuju Junmai Ginjo was a sake I tried for the first time in 2012 and boy oh boy, what a treat. Made in Japan’s Kobe region, this sake is smooth, delicious and an important achievement. The quality of sake coming over from Japan is always improving and Fukuju is a prime example of this. A smooth and delicious brew which is exceeding balanced and light on palate, this sake will seduce you. You can enjoy it with a wide range of foods – a true sign of a high quality sake. Try Fukuju and believe!

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“Most Delicious Sake in Custom Packaging”

And the Masu goes to:
Tenryo Hidahomare
Junmai Ginjo

Some sakes try to distract from their lack of quality with a fancy bottle shape or a unique wrapping or bow. This kind of trickery only works once for most consumers. One brand that knows about handmade quality is Tenryo. They make the famous Tenryo Hidahomare Junmai Ginjo with its unique, hand-woven and locally-sourced bamboo basket packaging. This basket is not just a thing of beauty, but a reflection of the hand made quality of this most famous sake from Gifu prefecture. You can expect a versatile and delicious Junmai Ginjo with hints of its unique Hidahomare sake rice on the palate. This is one case where the packaging does match the beauty of the sake within.

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“Best Nigori Debut”

And the Masu goes to:
Shichihonyari Junmai Ginjo Nigori

It’s not everyday that a new nigori sake hits the market. Nigori, or cloudy sake, can be divisive among sake fans. Some love it, some… not so much. But I think the new Shichihonyari Junmai Ginjo Nigori maybe changing some hearts and minds this year. This nigori strikes the delicious balance between sweet and dry with a consistency that is a touch on the fuller side. It’s perfect for pairing with grilled or fried foods. The Brewer even encouraged me to try this nigori on the rocks. What the? Well, I did and it was great! This was just the reminder I needed that our tastes and preferences are an ever evolving thing. When it comes to sake, let a fun new nigori get you out of your sake rut.

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“Best Expensive Sake Worth the Price”

And the Masu goes to:
Tedorigawa Mangekyo Daiginjo

Some sakes in the upper echelon of quality can give you a serious case of sticker shock. However in some cases, the high price is worth it. Such is the case with Tedorigawa Mangekyo Daiginjo. The cost for a bottle of this elixir is upwards of $420 in a restaurant. Mangekyo has the transcendent taste of a perfect daiginjo. Smooth, soft and silky, this beautiful sake is aged at a low temperature for two years for added depth. Production of this sake is limited to only 400 bottles per year, adding rarity to it’s many allures. I had the good fortune to taste this sake this year as part of a tasting set at a Tedorigawa event at Sakagura. Rare, expensive and worth it.

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“Best in Show”

And the Masu goes to:
Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu

For the first time, my “Best in Show” sake is going to a junmai ginjo… and what a jumnai ginjo it is. The yearly release of the Masumi Brewery’s Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu is an event anxiously awaited by many a sake fan, myself included. The reason this sake was picked is its infallible drinkability. When in season and fresh, this nama is so good, I’d take it on an IV drip – you just can’t get enough. Bold, rich in fruit flavors on the palate and exceedingly smooth despite the 18% alcohol content, this dreamy unpasteurized brew is a consistent winner. So here’s a toast to what you can call “Springtime in a bottle” a.k.a Masumi Arabashiri. This could very well be the perfect Nama!

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So there you have it! Congratulations and Kanpai to all the winners! I’m looking forward to a sake filled 2013 with lots of sake sipping, learning and loving. My special thanks to all sake producers and drinkers I met in 2012 – let’s make next near the year of sake in the USA! Kanpai and Happy New Year to everyone!

See Previous Golden Masu winners here: http://www.urbansake.com/category/golden-masu-awards/

I recently visited Gifu Prefecture for the first time. I was lucky enough to be invited to tag along on Sake Discoveries’ tour of Gifu guided by JETRO this past October. Over just a few days, we crisscrossed the Prefecture, visiting many sake breweries and experiencing some truly unique parts of Gifu’s culture. It was like discovering a new side of Japan’s sake scene that I didn’t know existed. Below is a brief outline of what I experienced and the highlights of this unforgettable trip exploring sake in glorious Gifu!

Moments after arriving in Gifu City’s Shinkansen Station, I was already walking into my first Gifu Sake Brewery. This is because Nihon Izumi Shuzo is just steps away from the station. It’s an extremely unique brewery run by the Takeyama brothers. What makes this small Brewery special is that all their production takes place in an office building basement! The production scale is small, but the sake they produce is top notch and really delicious. Given its compact size, touring the Brewery took just minutes, but I wanted to linger much longer over the tasting. This first stop in Gifu really surprised me. Sake can be made anywhere and Nihon Izumi proves it deliciously.
http://www.nihonizumi.co.jp/

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Our next stop was a short drive from Gifu City, taking us to the town of Kakamigahara. This is the home of Hayashi Honten, makers of Eiichi brand of sake. The Toji gave us a personal tour. The first thing that struck me was the size and vast scale of this Brewery. They are currently making a lot less then their capacity, but now their focus is on quality over quantity. Specialty items include a oak barrel aged sake and a fun pop art influenced “sakedelic” brew. They certainly get points for creativity! I really enjoyed visiting Eiichi.

http://www.eiichi.co.jp/

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Cormorant fishing, known as Ukai in Japanese, is synonymous with Gifu’s Nagaragawa River. It’s an ancient form of fishing practiced at night, under a bright burning wood fire, where captive cormorant birds are used to retrieve river fish using their natural hunting instincts. We met Cormorant Fishing Master Masahiko Sugiyama who gave us the low down on how this all works. The title of Cormorant Fishing Master, as designated by the Emperor, is strictly hereditary and handed down from father to son only. Ukai watching parties are popular and you can go out on a boat and watch the birds up close. it’s an amazing experience, and we got so close, that I could feel the heat from the fire on my face. Incredible to see up close. Our boat even had a Gifu Maiko who entertained us non stop until the birds were ready to do their thing. truly and unforgettable night!

http://www.gifu-sugiyama.com/ukai/secret/index.html

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Sake culture extends beyond just what you can drink. A perfect example of this was our visit to the Ohashi Ryoki Masu Factory. Now a masu is a square wooden box traditionally used for drinking sake. Mr. Ohashi’s family has been making these masu for over 60 years.

In the sake business, you see these masu everywhere, but I had never stopped to think how they were made. A visit to Mr. Ohashi’s factory cleared up all that. I learned about the elegant Japanese Cypress, better known as “Hinoki” that is used to craft these beautiful boxes. Hinoki is the wood chosen to make the oldest wooden temples in Japan and is also often used to build Japanese baths as well.

The wonderful morning spent at Ohashi Ryoki Masu Factory really opened my eyes to the work that craftsmen like Mr. Ohashi are doing not only to preserve the ancient craft of making a Masu, but also to advance the art. A case in point is the fun new shapes that they are using – not just four corners any more! and also laser etching designs on the boxes allows for fun and exciting design! Kanpai for masu! the best is yet to come.
http://www.ohashiryoki.com/index.html

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Located in Ogaki city, Gifu, Takeuchi Shuzo is a brewery with a little something extra – namely, a wonderful tribute to the history of sake brewing. Up the stairs and to the left, behind the door is the old Koji room, which brewery president Mr. Takeuchi has converted into a makeshift museum. Here you can see many of the implements used to make sake in the past centuries – most interesting of which is the husk fill in the koji table itself… a 19th century solution on how to retain heat and keep the koji warm.

Mr. and Mrs. Takeuchi welcomed us with a wonderful tasting and a spirited discussion of all things sake… from bottle shape and size to taste and preferences of the foreign market. A beautiful time and a wonderful brewery.
http://www.takeuchi-shuzo.jp/

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Located in Gifu’s Gero City, Tenryo is arguably the most famous sake from Gifu.

Gero is famous around the world for it’s hot springs and osen culture. what better place to look than Gero city for some of the best water there is. Tenryo does not disappoint with a rich but clean taste. I learned from the Brewer’s family that their taste matches particularly well with the local cuisine and I had a great chance to try that out for myself.

One of the most famous treats was the local Aiyu (sweet fish) that was caught locally and is absolutely delicious. Since Tenryo is widely available in the U.S., I hope you get a chance to try this great sake soon! And there is no law against drinking this sake in the onsen, that’s for sure!
http://www.tenryou.com/en/

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Next we visited two sake breweries in Hida Furukawa, Gifu. This charming town is laced with wide canals filled with bulky koi fish swimming against a strong current. First we visted Kaba sake Brewery with a tour guided by their toji. After the tour, the Managing Director Atsuko Kaba gave us a delicious tasting of their sakes.

Next we walked down the street to Watanabe Sake Brewery, makers of Horai brand Sake. Brewery President Mr. Watanabe toured us around his beautiful brewery and we also met Cody-san, their American Kurabito. We sat down for a wonderful tasting and discussion about promoting sake in both Japan and the States. Furukawa is a beautiful town with beautiful sakes!

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Last but not least was our wonderful visit to Takayama, Gifu. This town is very well known within Japan as a major tourist destination, and once I arrived there, I understood why. The old city of Takayama is beautifully preserved in the Edo style, and feels quite a bit like stepping back in time. Another beautiful thing is the number of sake breweries that are concentrated in this quaint little town. We visited at least five in one day. They are all visitor friendly and within easy walking distance of each other.

The breweries we visted included Hirase Shuzo, makers of Kusudama brand sake, Harada Sake Brewery, Makers of Sansha brand sake, Niki Shuzo, Funasaka Sake Brewery and Kawashiri sake brewery, Makers of Hidamasamune koshu sake. In short, Takayama was magical… for now it feels like my hidden little secret, but won’t be for long!

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When I was a small child, our dentist would (if we navigated the appointment without too many tears) let us pick out a toy from this giant toy chest in his office. I remembered those fun moments of rummaging through Dr Woods’ toy chest when I found out my recent trip to Kyoto in Japan was overlapping with the latest and greatest sake ceramics exhibit by the cutest sake couple in Kyoto, Ren and Rie Uehara of Koyoido Ceramics Atelier.

The exhibit was a blast with the theme being nothing less than: “The Joyful Toybox for childlike Drinkers“. Yes, we’re talking toy-inspired sake cups, carafes and all kinds of extremely fun sake stuff. The Ueharas recently welcomed a new addition to their family, their daughter Horo, and I can only surmise that tripping over a baby toy or two may have been the inspiration for the toy box sake exhibit.

I was completely charmed not only with the cute as a button Uehara family, but also with their smart and funny sake ceramics. Everything they created for the show demonstrated dedication, skill, and a keen wit keeping with their history of intelligent design.

Lots of Cups, Ochoko and Masu have funny winking smiling faces on them, which I think gets to the core of their exhibit – exploring the smiley, child-like state we can get into after a few rounds of excellent sake.

One of my favorite pieces included a working spinning-top sake cup with a bold red stripe design that would appeal to any child-like drunkard. How they got that balance to work so perfectly is beyond me, but it was a wonderful sake toy to be sure.

Another winning piece was what I call the “Matchbox ochoko”. a cute sake cup on a pair of matchbox wheels. If it wasn’t spilling my Daiginjo, I would be popping wheelies all the way down the kitchen table. These cups were serious FUN!

My special thanks to Ren, Rie and Horo for welcoming me to their wonderful exhibit. I haven’t had this much fun since my last filling!

I first saw Tomita Shuzo in Japan’s Shiga Prefecture on a visit I took there in 2008. It’s interesting to note that it seems both a lot and nothing has changed. The brewery is still making small batches by hand with a small staff and achieving amazing results. But on the other hand, you can sense that Shichihonyari is now a more famous and sought after brand and even a destination for sake-loving tourists, whom I saw popping into the brewery sake shop with regularity on this most recent trip.

Hanging right above the entrance to the brewery is a wooden plaque carved with the name “Shichihonyari”. This plaque is famous as it was carved by Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883 – 1959), who is widely acknowledged as a creative genius in Japan and is most well known for his works in ceramics and as a master of calligraphy. It also doesn’t hurt that Shichihonyari was Rosanjin’s favorite sake.

On the day we were there, we saw rice steaming in action. This was a hot, fast-paced maneuver. Rice was steamed and hoisted over to the cooling conveyor belt on which the warm rice, that was heading for the koji room, also got a sprinkling of koji spores. As Tomita-san supervised and regularly checked the rice temperature, the kurabito shuffled the rice into bins that were then whisked to the koji room. Speed was of the essence and everybody brought it – working together, sweating and working hard. So much goes on behind the scenes that translates into that bottle of sake on your table. It was amazing to watch.

I think the magic of Shichihonyari is that it is an ancient brewery – one of the oldest in Japan, still working on an artisanal scale, but powered by young people wanting to make a difference. If that doesn’t qualify as “craft sake”, nothing would. In the U.S., Shichihonyari is now selling 3 sakes which will give you an excellent idea of the taste and vision of this brewery. I hope you get a chance to try Shichihonyari soon, and experience for yourself everything that made Rosanjin such a big fan.

One of the most well known sakes in Ishikawa Prefecture is Shata Shuzo’s Tengumai. I recently had the opportunity for return trip to Ishikawa and didn’t want to miss another chance to see the latest goings on at Tengumai. We were lucky enough to get a tour of the brewery by the Master Brewer (Toji) and I enjoyed sampling sake right from the moromi tank… this is a rare treat!

We also spent a fair amount of time touring the Koji Muro or Koji making room. Outside the koji room itself were large trays of stacked koji, fished and waiting for it’s next step – addition to the main mash or yeast starter. Each batch of Koji was marked with unique markings that tell which step of the brewing process the koji is meant for. These markings are quite beautiful and fun to look at… and a piece of living sake history too

At the end of the tour, we got to sample some sakes which included Shata’s Go-Rin brand as well as Tengumai. The weather was beautiful this day and coming off such a beautiful brewery tour, it make the sake taste just that much more delicious.

Miyasaka Shuzo’s Masumi is a well known and well loved brand of sake in the U.S. and one that was among the very first sakes I ever tried. It was therefore a long, long overdue visit, when the stars aligned and I got a chance to visit Nagano Prefecture for the first time and see the home of the beloved Masumi Arabashiri for myself!

Mr. Miyasaka, President of Masumi, gave us a tour of the two Masumi Breweries, the original “Suwa Kura” and the larger “Fujimi Kura” which opened in 1982. The Suwa Kura is still in operation and has the distinction of being the birthplace of the famous “nanago” or Number 7 sake yeast, first identified in 1946, when Masumi swept the national Sake appraisal awards using this newly discovered yeast. A plaque marks the location of that first fermentation tank that used number 7 yeast… a yeast that is still used by 60% of breweries throughout Japan and a true point of pride for Masumi Brewery.

The Brewery Tour concluded at the Cella Masumi Shop – a wonderful store managed and curated with great love and attention to detail by Mr. & Mrs. Miyasaka. The shop is one of the most beautiful stores of it’s type I’ve ever seen. Certainly, there is sake for sale in a beautiful refrigerated cabinet. But the shop also features a glorious selection of sake cups, carafes, trays, sets and the like, all of the highest quality. The shop also features food, gifts, and all manner of wonderful goodies for the sake inclined. If you’re anywhere near Nagano, it’s worth a trip to Suwa to drop in on Cella Masumi Shop, for sure.

My sincere thanks to the Miyasaka family for welcoming me so warmly to their home and brewery. I have a deeper appreciation for their wonderful sakes having seen where they are made up close and personal. Now I know next year’s Arabashiri will taste all the better for it.

Last night was a night of beautiful sake and Kutani Porcelain at the elegant BoConcept store in Chelsea. Organized by our friend Chizuko of Sake Discoveries, the event featured a range of top end sakes and a display of gorgeous porcelain made by Kaburaiki Kutani Ware and on hand as a special guest was kinomo-clad Mr. Motoyoshi Kaburaki, the 8th generation owner.

The sakes presented were really an all star lineup! There was Dassai, Tengumai, Hakkaisan, Amabuki, Tatenokawa, Daishichi and Nanbu Bijin. I think that premium sake and the beautiful porcelain from Kanazawa was a match made in heaven. I am a firm believer that sake tastes better from more beautiful glassware. It certainly enhances the experience and heightens the senses.

The setting of BoConcept was also fun. It felt like being in an elegant Manhattan loft… well, one that had 7 stylish living rooms! Oh, and yummy hors d’oeuvres provided by Moto Creative Services. Loved the chicken teriyaki bites over rice.

All in all, a beautiful night of sake, fun and wonderful people… and it doesn’t hurt that I was able to pick out a new sofa and coffee table for my dream apartment along the way.

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Learn more about Kaburaki Kutani Ware here:

Kaburaki Shoho Kutani Ware
1-3-16 Nagamachi,Kanazawa city, Ishikawa, 920-0865
Telephone +81 76 221 6666
http://kaburaki.jp/en/

The genius behind the Akita Sake Club’s bi-annual tasting event is that, contrary to the name, they don’t limit their sakes to Akita sakes only. About half are from Akita, but it’s a wonderful chance to taste sakes from all over Japan with an emphasis on Akita.

This event was also the debut of some spiffy new Happi coats (featuring Akita’s famous Namahage) worn by volunteers pouring sake.

The event was packed! Lots of sake fans came from all over the city to eat some traditional Akita foods and pair that with wonderful Akita Sakes.

A special treat this year was the Daiginjo Fukukomachi from the Akita Kimura Shuzo. This sake was the International Wine Challange Champion Sake for 2012. What a treat to try this brew! I went back a few times for a taste of this delicious, smooth and subtle sake. It had a wonderful rounded flavor with a short finish – and sublime balance. Well done!

If you want to attend a Akita sake event in the future, Check out the Urban Sake Calendar regularly or like us on Facebook to keep up to date on all the Akita events!

Last night, I enjoyed another fun night of sake at Sakagura. Fukuju brand, made by Hoygo’s Kobe Shushinkan Brewery was celebrated and they offered a tasting set for all the guests.

Visiting directly from the brewery was Mr. Kubota. Each guest who ordered the tasting set received a cute ochoko (sake cup) with the Fukuju logo. Mr. Kubota visited each guest and introduced his sakes personally. This type of one on one connection is something I feel really helps the sake industry to connect with the U.S. market.

The three sakes in the set included the delicious Fukuju Junmai Ginjo and the Fukuju Mikageko Junmai as well as the delicious Fukuju Junmai Unpasteurized (not yet for sale in the U.S.).

The event was a wonderful exploration of this sake from Kobe. Smooth, delicious and food friendly, all the things you want in a well-crafted sake. Look for Fukuju on a sake menu near you!

Last night was the second Urban Sake Tasting Club Event! We held our event at Sakagura and focused this time on Hiyaoroshi Sakes, which are also known as “Fall Namas”.

We started the meeting with a fun “kagami biraki” which is a ceremonial breaking open of the sake barrel. We had a handy tabletop version (from Shichihonyari Brewery) that we used to formally open our event. It was a lot of fun cracking open the barrel! The first sake was then poured for everyone to enjoy and to do our Kanpai!

The three Hiyaoroshi sakes we sampled at this meeting were Denshin Aki Namazume Hiyaoroshi Genshu Junmai, Urakasumi Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi Namazume and Wakatake Aki No Ki-Ippon Namazume Hiyaoroshi Tokubetsu Junmai. Phew! those are some long names, but Hiyaoroshi boils down to the fact that it is only pasteurized once, before storage/cellaring for about 6 months. It’s released in the autumn season and had a distinctive, fun flavor that pairs beautifully with autumnal foods.

Speaking of foods, Sakagura prepared a wonderful appetizer of seared scallop over cucumber with a mango-egg yolk sauce. Delish!

After a brief lesson on Hiyaoroshi, we tasting all the sakes and compared our notes. Everyone had their own favorite! Then for the final hour of our meeting, we just let our hair down and had a lot of fun.

If you’re interested in joining the club yourself, you can sign up for our December 2012 Urban Sake Tasting Club event now! See the event listing here. Hope to see you there!

Thanks to Sakagura and to all the Urban Sake Tasters for joining me! See you in December!

Hyogo’s own Kobe Shushinkan Brewery recently made their debut of their “Fukuju” brand at New York’s most famous sake store Sakaya.

Mr. Kubota came directly from the Brewery to introduce his sakes here in New York. On this night, he was pouring Fukuju Mikageko Junmai and Fukuju Junmai Ginjo.

Fukuju Mikageko Junmai is an elegant but full bodied junmai sake. it was fun to try this sake at room temperature to really pick up on the lovely Hyogo rice taste on the palate. Hyogo Prefecture is so famous for rice, so this was a perfect fit.

The delicious Fukuju Junmai Ginjo was served slightly chilled which brought out the delicious fruity aromas and smooth body of this premium sake. Clean and beautiful, this sake is milled to an astounding 50% which lends such an air of elegance to this sake. It’s really enjoyable!

Be sure to check out Fukuju sake the next chance you get. The quality is superb and it’s a sake from the heart of Japan’s most famous sake rice region of Hyogo. Get ready to be wowed!

Earlier this year, Mr. Philip Harper, master sake brewer at Kyoto’s Kinoshita Sake Brewery came to NYC to promote his outstanding Tamagawa brand of sake. I used the opportunity to snag not only an interview with Philip, but also finagled an opportunity to visit his brewery in Kyoto.

When I was planning my trip to Japan, Philip warned me that his workplace was, well, let’s say ‘off the beaten path’. While it’s certainly within Kyoto Prefecture, it’s a solid 3 hour train trip each way from Kyoto City itself. I persevered, as there was, outside of touring the brewery and having the amazing opportunity to taste the full time of Tamagawa sakes, one thing driving me: the chance to taste the famous Tamagawa sake soft serve ice cream, which I really enjoyed.

Below is a gallery of photos from Tamagawa. Check them out and be sure to give Philip’s sake a try if you can. It’s unique, bold and really popular on both sides of the pond. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to taste the aged sakes. My special thanks to Philip Harper and Kinoshita Brewery for the wonderful tour, which I won’t soon forget.

Masuda Tokubee Shoten, makers of Tsukinokatsura brand sake are famous in Japan and throughout the world. They sell their sakes from Kyoto to New York, Paris, Berlin and beyond. I received an invitation to visit the brewery and got to see what makes Tsukinokatsura special. This brewery was founded in 1675!

Tsukinokatsura makes several wonderful sakes for sale in the U.S., but one thing I learned on this trip, was that they have been aging sakes for years. Seeing their storage room for aging sakes was a revelation! I got to try some of their aged sakes too – just fantastic. Unfortunately, not for sale in the U.S. yet, but I got to sample a few of their aged sakes and they were fantastic.

Visiting the Tsukinokatsura brewery left me understanding better their dedication to sake and it’s traditional methods. But they also help forge a new path and have been aging sake for decades! Look for their sake everywhere!

This month, I had the wonderful the opportunity to travel to Kyoto, Japan to celebrate with three friends who were each awarded the title of Sake Samurai 2012!

I had the good fortune to be awarded Sake Samurai in 2007, and I’m over the moon to relive these good memories with good friends!

First up is Ayuchi Momose. I first met Momose-san when she was a sake sommelier at Sakagura restaurant. I always had lovely memories of Momose so kindly introducing me to new sakes and so many good nights at Sakagura. Momose has gone on to become the owner of a hot new sake bar in Hong Hong called Sake Bar Ginn. Check it out if you’re ever in Hong Kong!

Next is Sylvain Huet, who runs the popular La Passion du Saké Sake Blog in Paris. Sylvain is the premier sake authority in France and a wonderful guy to boot! We first met in NYC several years ago and connected as fellow sake bloggers. He’s spreading the good word of sake in the capitol of wine. Salut!

Last but not least is our dear friend Chizuko Niikawa Helton. Chiz also started her sake career at Sakagura Restaurant and went on to found her own sake PR and promotion company called Sake Discoveries, LLC. Chiz is well known in NYC for organinzing all kinds of sake event, tastings, fundraisers and, well, you name it! Anything related to sake, and Chiz is most likely a part of the action. I’ve had the good fortune to work closely with Chiz for several years. Congratulations!!

The Ceremony itself was little changed since 2007. I’ve found more than anything, I’ve changed! Since I became Sake Samurai 5 years ago, I’ve left my day job and devoted my work full time to the sake industry. It’s been quite the evolution! I still remember how nervous I was in 2007, but I hope I’ve grown a lot since then.

I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Momose, Sylvain and Chizuko. Three fantastic Sake Samurai doing good sake work around the globe! Here’s a Kanpai for lots of good sake events ahead!

One of my big sake goals for this year was to start a tasting club in New York City. My idea was to create a monthly meeting where folks can come together and learn a little something about sake, taste something delicious and, of course, have some fun!

Well, as of Oct 8th, we’re wheels up on Urban Sake Tasting Club!

The Genshus for our tasting set were Jizake Tenzan Junmai Genshu, Narutotai Nama Genshu Ginjo and Born Muroka Nama Genshu Junmai Daiginjo.

Sakagura also provided us with a wonderful appetizer to enjoy with our Sake. This time it will be a delicious “Kinoko no Ohitashi” (Seasonal Mushroom seasoned with Bonito Infused Soy). This was a great mix of several fall mushrooms! yummy!

Check out our Urban Sake Tasting Club page for updates and info about our next meetings! Hope to see you there!

Mutual Trading Company has a wonderful trade show each year showcasing their food and sake products. It’s not open to the general public, but for industry folks, it’s something to look forward to each year.

Somehow, this year again, I managed to finagle my way in and enjoyed a lot of good sake. Check out the gallery below for snapshots and comments on the different sakes to discover at Mutual Trading! Kanpai for lots of good sake!

Santa Claus has Christmas, Leprechauns have St. Patrick’s Day and I’ve got Sake Day. Designated as the official start day each year to the fall sake brewing season, it’s also a darn good reason to get out there and taste some sake.

Sakagura had an offer I couldn’t refuse. We’re talking about 7 Daiginjo sakes by the glass for a special price of $10.01 each (regular price $50 -23 per glass each). Mama mia, that’s the way to celebrate Sake day!

I started with Tedorigawa Mangekyo Daiginjo. This sake has the transcendent taste of a perfect daiginjo. Smooth, soft and silky, this beautiful sake is aged at a low temperature for two years for added depth. Production of this sake is limited to only 400 bottles per year. Clean, light, bright and seductive, drinking this sake at $10.01 a glass was virtual highway robbery, but I enjoyed very sip.

Next I tried the iconic Daishichi Horeki Junmai Daiginjo Kimoto. This is a pristine, perfect Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo as only Daishichi can do it. If you think Kimoto type sake is rough and tumble, you haven’t lived until you’ve tasted Daishichi. Elegant, effusive, beautiful and pure, this sake is a masterpiece!

Finally I ponied up for a fantastical Junmai daiginjo from Fukui. We’re talking of course about Born’s Yume Wa Masayume Junmai Daiginjo aka “Dreams Come True”. This aged sake is beautiful and rich with a clean palate that leaves you wanting more. It’s said that if you drink this sake, then you have dreams of our future that night. I think I clearly had dreams of drinking more Yume wa Masayume.

To wash down all this sake, I ordered a simple Sakagura appetizer of grilled squid. This was perfect to balance out all the fine flavors of sake with some clean grilled ika. delicious!!

Here’s hoping you had a wonderful, sake filled “Nihonshu no hi” or “Sake Day”! Sake production has stared in Japan and we’ve only got more and more wonderful sakes to look forward to in this brewing year! And here’s a big Kanpai to that! Thanks to Sakagura for the wonderful Sake Day celebration! Here’s to next year! Kanpai!!

The Annual Joy of Sake Event is the largest sake tasting outside of Japan, featuring over 350 sakes to taste, study and enjoy in an action packed 3 hours. This year’s Joy of Sake was a fun whirlwind as usual with table, upon table, upon table of delicious sakes to explore and lots of great sake friends, old and new, to catch up with.

Separated over two levels, sake and food from several top restaurants, are well placed and easy to navigate. The sake was judged back in July at the U.S. National Sake Appraisal held in Honolulu.

The results of that blind tasting are discernible on the tables – The entries that receive the highest scores at the Appraisal are marked with gold and silver stars accordingly. These stars let you know what the team of 10 judges liked, but the true test for anyone is to sample for yourself!

Going up against this many sakes is certainly overwhelming to mind, body and palate, so I try to keep it fun and enjoy myself along the way.

This event also gives you the chance to talk to Sake Brewers who fly in just for this tasting. If you didn’t make it this year, don’t miss your chance next September!

One thing is for sure, by attending this mega-tasting, you’re certain to befriend a new sake… and find a new sake friend! Here’s to both! Looking forward to seeing you next year, Joy!

JFC is one of the premier importing companies that bring sakes into the U.S. and as such they have a yearly trade show which I was lucky enough to attend this year.

JFC has some wonderful sake brands in their portfolio and this year, I got to do one of my favorite things – to meet sake brewers from Japan and talk to them about their sakes. I got in a few questions in my broken Japanese, but in the end we all spoke the language of Nihonshu!

Let’s start with some of the brands that were new to me this time!

I really enjoyed trying this sake from Kobe – we’re talking about Fukuju sake from Kobe Shinshukan Brewery. This sake in the beautiful blue bottle was extremely balanced and elegant. Refined and pure – Loved it! Brewery President Takenosuke Yasufuku introduced me to this gem. Delicious!

Next I enjoyed a brew from Yamagata Prefecture. I’m talking about a delicious sake from Hatsumomidi Brewery: Harada Muroka Nama Junmai Ginjo. I enjoyed speaking with Brewery President Mr. Yasuhiro Harada. I think I surprised him when I mentioned I’ve been to Yamaguchi several times. This sake was rich and delicious. It’s a satisfying, full bodied, undiluted Muroka style sake.

Later, I got a chance to try some brands that I knew already and really enjoyed trying again, looking under the hood and kicking the tires.

One recent favorite was Kuroushi Black Bull Junmai Ginjo from Nate Shuzoten Sake Brewery in Wakayama. This Junmai Ginjo is milled to 50% and is a fresh, smooth and citrus-y brew with a touch of richness. It’s instantly like-able and so easy to enjoy.

I got a chance to talk to Brewery President Takakazu Nate and he seemed quiet and reserved, but I think I know – he let’s his sake do the talking. Once sip and you’ll get it.

Next I enjoyed meeting Mareko Shinjo, Senior Managing Director at Suehiro Sake Brewery. This Fukushima brewery has a wide range of sakes being imported into the USA. The most well known may be the Suehiro Ken Daiginjo. It has a fruity aroma and a bit of a dry finish.

Now JFC has lots of well known breweries, which made this event such a wonderful experience. In addition to the above, I also enjoyed talking to Akiko Ohashi representing Akira Organic Junmai Sake. I had the pleasure of visiting Kanazawa Daiichi and it was great to see Ohashi-san again! I also caught up with Kubo-san from Ippongi Kubo Honten Sake brewery and I got a taste of his secret Umeshu – Spicy! Plus they had their wonderful seasonal Nama selection on display – watch for it around town.

I also had the pleasure of seeing Mr. & Mrs. Murai from Asabiraki Sake Brewery. I’m still dreaming of my sip of Kyokusen Junmai Daiginjo. Last year I also visited Masunobu Shindo in Yamagata. He brews the outstanding Gasanryu Sakes. Always delicious!

Last but not least, I also tasted the wonderful sakes of Daishichi Sake Brewery in Fukushima. These sakes are wonderful and really transport you to another place and time. Really wonderful to enjoy these sakes and taste the full range again. They represent a true achievement in Kimoto sake brewing technique! give them a try!

The JFC event was so much fun, and I learned, and tasted a lot, too. It is always so eye opening to meet the brewers who make the sake happen. Always a thrill. Can’t wait to explore the JFC brews next year!!

I didn’t know much about Asabiraki Sake Brewery in Iwate, but Sakagura gave me a chance to fix all that. They invited Brewery President Mr. Yoshitaka Murai to introduce his sakes at a special tasting event last week.

First things first. As soon as I got there I sat down and ordered the tasting set – it was an eclectic, engaging and ranged from Junmai Daiginjo to Honjozo to Umeshu. Here is a rundown of the Asabiraki tasting set I enjoyed at Sakagura:

Asabiraki Tasting Set:

• Asabiraki Kyokusen Junmai Daiginjo


• Asabiraki Honozo Namachozo


• Asabiraki Ume Kanon Junmai Umeshu

The Kyokusen Junmai Daiginjo was dreamy and intricate. Hints of dark fruit on the palate with a light handed finish. This sake is expensive and extremely high quality. I chose to drink this sake first and as I was waiting for my food, I simply savored every sip. It’s wonderful as an aperitif.

Next I tried the Honjozo Namachozo. Brewery President Mr. Murai told me that it’s been his longtime dream to bring this sake the the U.S. This sake is light and clean with a definite brightness. I really enjoyed this sake with my Sakagura tuskune Japanese chicken meatball. This Honjozo is almost tailor made for some yummy izakaya food. Another point is that this sake is delicious but made to be affordable. The bottle is also cool. Murai-san told me it was his custom design. It looks like a frozen ice, which reflects the recommendation to serve this sake a bit colder. delicious.

Finally, I enjoyed the Ume Kanon Junmai Umeshu. This sake is made from pure junmai and has a nice balance between sweet and tart. I also enjoy plum sake like this that is lower in alcohol. the Ume Kanon clocking in at a light and breezy 12.5%. Enjoy this chilled, with dessert or even AS dessert!

Even though I didn’t know a lot about Asabiraki Brewery before, I’m sure glad I got a chance to acquaint myself with them last week. They import quite a few sakes, so I’m looking forward to learning even more. But the one thing I do know for sure – trying new sakes always leads to great, and delicious, discoveries!

It’s always fun to try a new restaurant, but it’s especially fun to try a new restaurant when they are having a big sake party! This was my recent experience with Family Recipe, a Japanese home style cooking place open since 2011 down on Eldridge Street.

On August 29th, they held their first Family Recipe’s Sake Social Night! Sakes were provided by KuramotoUS with a wonderful food menu made by Family Recipe.

One of my favorite dishes of the night was the delicious Heritage Pork Belly Buns. I wish I had a picture to show you, but I was so focused on actually eating them, there was absolutely no time for snapshots. There was time however for pairing with sake – and speaking of sake, here is an overview of the evening’s sakes:

Sake Selection at Family Recipe’s Sake Event!

• Shiragiku Taiten Honnama Outouka Honjozo Nama
• Chiyomusubi Ryo Junmai Ginjo
• Suehiro Kira Honjozo
• Harada Muroka Nama Junmai Ginjo
• Choshu Roman Tokubetsu Junmai
• Kawashima Matsu No Hana Junmai
• Ippongi Ginkobai Umeshu
• Shiragiku Junmai Nigori
• Yuzu Omoi Junmai

As for pairing, The Chiyomusubi Ryo Junmai Ginjo was an excellent match for the pork bun – it had a great dry backbone that worked exceedingly well with the juicy heritage pork.

As for dessert, they served super cute mini ice cream cones with either sake kasu or green tea icecream. Again, I was eating too fast to take any pictures, but trust me – super cute and yummy. For the dessert-y beverages, I really enjoyed both the plum-y acidity of the Ippongi Ginkobai Umeshu and the refreshing bit of the Yuzu Omoi Junmai, which one guest described as “Sake Limoncello” – yup, that pretty well sums it up!

Thanks to Family Recipe for the great event – Can’t wait to try this place again for dinner. And I promise I’ll eat slowly enough to get pictures next time.

Sake Season is upon us! Things seemed to really get cooking with a recent event at Blue Ribbon izakaya. It was a lovely evening at the event was hosted out on the “kanpai garden” terrace – a really beautiful setting… with the backdrop of the setting sun!

Chris Pearce got things rolling with an introduction to the event, how we would be tasting and of course a mention for the main Joy of Sake event happening on September 20th. But, this event was like an appetizer… a sake amuse bouche, if you will, to get our palates in shape for the main event.

This was my first time to Blue Ribbon Izakaya and I have to say the space impressed. The Joy of Sake kickoff party was in the “kanpai garden” space – a beautiful outdoor terrace… and it was a perfect night to be outside – not to hot, not too humid – just perfect!

The sake selection was perfect, too! There were over 40 sakes in all to try and about 18 of those were not for sale in the U.S. Of the 40 sakes on offer tonight, a full 50% were Daiginjo grade – not bad! One of my favorites was a non-imported “shizuku” or drip sake from Tochigi prefecture called Saran Daiginjo Shizukuzake. It was light, delicate with the slightest hint of minerality on the palate. Imminently drinkable and a smooth operator.

On the Ginjo table, I loved a favorite of mine, the Dewazakura “Omachi” Junmai Ginjo. Wonderful Omachi Rice flavor with that signature Dewazakura fruity-melon component. Like all their sakes this one is an absolute pleasure.

This event left me wanting more and excited for the main Joy of Sake event on Sept 20th. Get your tickets now, if you haven’t already. The Joy of Sake is the big event of the year and you DON’T want to miss it! See you there and check the Urban Sake Events Calendar for all upcoming sake events. Here is to the utter joy of the Joy of Sake! See you in September! Kanpai!

Philip Harper is well known in the world of sake as Japan’s first foreign-born Master Sake Brewer or Toji. He arrived in Japan in 1988 to teach English on the Jet Program and later began working in sake breweries. By 2001 he had passed the test to become a Toji and since 2008 he’s been working at Kinoshita Shuzo crafting the award winning and delicious Tamagawa brand sake.

Philip recently visited New York after several years absence and I had the good fortune to see him both at Sakagura Tamagawa Night, and at a Aftertaste event at EN.

It was a rare, rare treat to be able to freely talk to a real Toji from Japan in English, instead of my usual broken down Japanese. Due to this linguistic freedom, I most likely talked his ear off during his time in New York… Kindly overlooking this, Philip allowed me to pepper him with even more questions for an official Urban Sake interview.

Timothy Sullivan: After coming to Japan on the JET program, how did you first get involved in the sake industry? What was it about sake that attracted you?

Philip Harper: In the twenty-five years since I started drinking sake, I have been ever more deeply impressed by sake’s extraordinary facility with food, and the fantastic range of pleasures to be had playing around with drinking temperatures. In the early days, though, mine was a pretty unremarkable,　hedonistic debut. I was a fairly unreflective, enthusiastic consumer of alcohol in general, and sake was another drink to enjoy.

I made friends with two Japanese guys, originally more about music than sake. We joined a sake club, and did tastings, brewery visits, rice planting and so on. In my second year in Japan, I went with one of them and stayed and worked in a Shiga brewery for a few days over New Year. By my third year in Japan, we had all given up our previous jobs to become sake brewers. All three of us still make sake for a living, more than twenty years on. I am going tasting (and, I admit it, drinking) with one of them today!

Timothy Sullivan: What motivated you to want to become the first foreign-born Toji in Japanese history? What is the process for becoming a Toji?

Philip Harper: Toji in traditional breweries (and I entered a seriously old-school version) were a revered and awe-inspiring presence. I never said to myself, “Right, I’m going to be a toji.” Not everyone who fancies the idea makes it, as there is only one toji to a team. But apart from the hubris it would require for an entry-level bod to say that, I really didn’t have toji in mind as a goal.

I was always occupied with the challenging business of keeping on top of whatever job I was given, without aspirations to the toji crown. But I kept on brewing, and one day (many years into the game) it started to be seen as a possibility

You do not necessarily need a formal qualification to become a toji. In the old days, the various toji guilds would judge the capacities of individual brewers, and make introductions where necessary to brewery owners (who in the traditional system were never involved in the practicalities of brewing). In theory, if you can find a brewery owner to employ you as toji, then that’s all you need. But, as I say, in the old days (in whose twilight I came on board), people followed shop-floor apprenticeships, and those with the skills were promoted through the team hierarchy. Those with the ambition, ability (and possibly also family connections) would eventually become a Master with their own team. The guild I belong to (Nanbu from Iwate Prefecture) actually has a very thorough formal exam to qualify as a toji, which I myself took (and was surprised to pass) in 2001. I didn’t actually take on the role of toji until four years later, when I took over the reins from a departing master, at the previous brewery I worked at. So this winter will be my eighth season as Master Brewer.

Timothy Sullivan: Do you think some aspect of being a foreign-born Toji expresses itself in any way in your sake? How has your sake been received in Japan?

Philip Harper: We have two products with English names (Ice Breaker and Time Machine), but that’s all. I came to Japan straight out of university, and apart from two years teaching in Japanese schools and another working in a sake bar, my entire working life has been spent in sake breweries, in a 100% Japanese environment. I was a literature student at university, with no background in brewing science or microbiology or anything useful. So I learned brewing from Japanese veterans. Japanese people often think I do whatever I do because of some wine or whiskey or beer influence or philosophy, but it just isn’t so.

In the end, you learn to brew by feeling what microorganisms do (and do not want to do), and there is nothing more blind to race than a microbe.

I can say with confidence that the sake has been well-received, as we have doubled production in the five years I have been at the reins. Though medals have a limited relevance in my view, we have had two Gold Medals in the nationals in that time, if you want to take that as a criterion of technical excellence.

I have heard from a few customers that when they heard of a foreign brewer, they assumed no foreigner could possibly master the subtleties of sake, and avoided Tamagawa. As those same people are now customers, they clearly changed their minds when they actually tried the stuff. So there certainly some people out there who won’t drink the sake if they know it’s made by a foreigner. We could use the rarity value of a foreign toji as a tool, but I am happy that my colleagues are far too bloody-minded for that, and prefer to stress the quality of Tamagawa sake rather than the fact of this odd Brit doing the brewing. Though my name is on the back label of Tamagawa sake sold in the USA, it is not on Japanese labels. Though the cat is rather out of the bag now, for the first three years or so, almost all of our new customers asked to carry Tamagawa after drinking it, and only found out that the brewer was an alien after the fact.

Timothy Sullivan: As a master brewer, what, in your opinion, is the most challenging/difficult part of the sake brewing process?

Philip Harper: Well, each of the many stages has its own complexities, and there are infinite possibilities for dovetailing them into a set. In the end, it all comes down to having a dedicated and enthusiastic team, and keeping everyone focused and motivated through the season (seven months from beginning to end for us) is a challenge for everyone. I am in the process of drawing up the schedule for this winter, which is a very complicated business itself, as our brewery is very small and brewing pretty much at capacity. I only have fourteen fermentation tanks, and we have to do almost five cycles in one season.

Timothy Sullivan: What are you suggestions & ideas to help promote the popularity of sake outside Japan? What do you think needs to happen to make sake a well known and popular beverage in the U.S?

Philip Harper: It’s not rocket science: PR and marketing. There is no problem with sake, only the way it is presented.

Fascinating! My special thanks go out to Philip Harper for taking the time for an interview. His Tamagawa brand is a delicious sake you should check out if you haven’t tasted it already. They sell both a standout Daiginjo and Tokubetsu Junmai here in the States. The future of sake is very exciting and with folks like Philip Harper in the game, we surely know the best is yet to come!

Who doesn’t love a twofer?! You know, a good old fashioned two-for-one deal? I recently enjoyed two times the fun in one night exploring consecutive sake events both dedicated to Yamagata’s fantastic Tatenokawa Brewery.

The evening started at a free tasting of Tatenokawa 33 Junmai Daiginjo at Sakaya. Doling out the goods was Brewery Rep Kurosu-san. It was great to taste this elegant sake again. With an insane milling rate of 33%, this luxurious treatment of the rice ensures a smooth as silk and easy drinking sake experience. Well priced and well received, this is a sake to savor.

The next stop was just down the block from Sakaya – we’re talking Robataya. Oh, ya ya ya! Robataya was offering a special tasting set on this night – a tasting of Tatenokawa 33 Junmai Daiginjo and Tatenokawa 50 Junmai Daiginjo. Priced at only $10, this tasting set was the steal of the century – incredible sake quality for a song.

At Robataya, I paired my sake with some grilled dishes. The summer white asparagus and purple Japanese imo potato caught my attention and we really enjoyed them with the delicate sake. This left me as one happy sake camper. Made me wish once again, every night could be a sake twofer.

As a frequent traveler to Japan, when it comes to “challenging” food items I’ve come across (think fish eye collagen, fermented squid intestine, slimy natto soybeans) I own up to my limits and know when to wave the white flag and admit defeat. Raised on the standard American diet, sometimes my palate just goes on strike when faced with an exotic Japanese delicacy worthy of Fear Factor.

As I learned on a recent visit to Takashi Yakiniku Restaurant for an outstanding Tedorigawa Sake event, I don’t have to travel all the way to Japan to have my gastronomical limits tested. The event was hosted by World Sake Imports and featured special guest Yasuyuki Yoshida, the 6th Genergation Kuramoto from Yoshida Sake Brewery, makers of Tedorigawa brand sake.

The Sake

Sakes served at this event:

• Tedorigawa Kinka Daiginjo Nama
• Tedorigawa Yamahai Junmai
• Tedorigawa Ikinaonna Daiginjo
• Dewazakura Tobiroku Sparkling Ginjo
• Tedorigawa “Kokoshu” Daiginjo (Surprise Sake!)

The event description for this evening promised “four fantastic sakes plus a special surprise sake”. Now, when a sake brewer says he’s bringing a “special surprise sake”, you pretty much have to go. (Spoiler Alert: I kinda fell in love with the special surprise sake.)

Yoshida-san did a sake brewing internship at Dewazakura Sake Brewery, so he included the delicious Dewazakura Tobiroku Sparkling Gingo in his sake selection. It was a genius choice – the clean and dry sparkle and bubble tasted great with the steak!

The highlight of this group of really, really good sake was the surprise Tedorigawa “Kokoshu” Daiginjo. Aged for 3 years at very cold temperatures, this Koshu/aged sake was a dream. The body of this sake was ultra smooth and the palate had a ‘loft’ to it that was truly remarkable… it was akin to drinking clouds, if they were made of sake, of course. Needless to day, I heart Tedorigawa “Kokoshu” Daiginjo! From start to finish, all the sake was flawless and flowed generously!

Shock and Eeeew

On to the food. I stumbled a bit with a few of the “Horumon” dishes served at Takashi. Horumon literally means “discarded goods” and refers to serving organs, guts and offal. (I PROMISE no offal/awful jokes!!!).

The first dish that caused me pause was Nama-Senmai: Flash boiled cow third stomach with spciy miso sauce. This didn’t get better when I was presented Takashi’s Testicargot: Cow testicles served escargot style. The final stumbling block was the Horumon Moriawase: Chef’s selection of offal including cow first stomach, cow fourth stomach, heart, sweetbreads (thymus gland), and liver, all to be grilled at the table yakiniku style. I didn’t touch any of the above with a ten foot pole. But did I go hungry? Not on your life!

Other Meats
Where Takashi really shines for me is in the standard cuts of beef, dressed in delicious marinades and grilled right in front of you at the table. These cuts included beef belly, kobe short rib, harami skirt steak and thinly sliced beef tongue. Followed by a nori wrapped rice ball and some fantastic salty caramel soft serve, I was set!

Hands Across the River

As the event was winding down, Yoshida-san thanked all the guests for coming and said a few parting remarks. He explained the meaning of his brand name “Te-Dori-Gawa” which roughly translates to “Hands bridging across the river”. This is a reference to they way people used to cross the river before a bridge was there – people would join hands and form a human chain to span the water.

Then suddenly, without prompting, all the guests at Takashi spontaneously clasped hands down the length of the restaurant and cheered for Te-dori-gawa! Ladies and Gentlemen, that is sake magic at work!

This was a delightful, really fun and gastronomically adventurous event, even if I skipped the really scary stuff. And, seriously, you can’t beat that delicious Tedorigawa Sake. I’d stare down a whole corral of Testicargot for just one more sip of Kokoshu!

Thanks to my friend Chiz over at Sake Discoveries, I was recently able to get a front row seat to something unusual – a bluefin tuna butchering at Inakaya Restaurant. Now, I know the mere mention of bluefin tuna sets off all kinds of eco alarm bells for those of us rightly worried about overfishing and depleted oceans, but this was tuna with a twist. A product of Ten-Qoo Maguro, this tuna was billed as the first farm raised, environmentally friendly and sustainable bluefin tuna production in the world.

When I arrived, we were greeted with a wooden masu full of Sawanotsuru Junmai Genshu as a welcome sake. The 70 lb tuna was laid out on the table and I snagged a front row seat to catch all the Kill Bill action close up. If you’ve ever filleted a whole fish at home, it’s just like that, but just a whole lot bigger.

The first step was to remove the head, which was held aloft triumphantly, once it was finally separated from the body. Next the fins and then the top flank were removed to essentially cut the fish horizontally in half and expose the backbone. Next, the other flank was removed and the tail and backbone finally removed.

The big hunks of tuna were then quickly processed down into smaller uniform slabs and removed to the kitchen. Before I knew it, there was very fresh o-toro sushi in front of me ready to eat! Now I know why sushi is considered the original fast food! The taste? it was delicious. And great to enjoy with the Junmai Genshu from Sawanotsuru Brewery.

If you want to see the spectacle of a huge tuna fillet for yourself, Inakaya is offering two more shows on August 17 and 24th, 2012. Check the Urban Sake Event Calendar for details.

The good folks at Sakagura have put on another fun and exciting sake brewer event! This time it was Mr. Yasunobu Tomita, executive director of Tomita Shuzo from Shiga. I visited this brewery waaaay back in 2008.

Tomita-san arrived with a trick up his sleeve… he brought with him a new kid on the block: Shichihonyari Junmai Ginjo Nigori sake. I asked him about the profile for this new sake and he told me his goal was to create a nigori with a thick body that was not sweet but more dry and clean. Next, Tomita-san kinda shocked me. He recommended I try his nigori Junmai Ginjo on the rocks. I’d had Nama Genshu sake on the rocks, but not really a nigori.

Well, I gave it a try and wowza, was it good. I actually tried on the rocks side by side with the identical nigori with no ice. There really was a difference. I think it effected the temperature, chilling the nigori a bit more and also bringing down the alcohol just a touch with the melting of the ice. Whatever it was, it works! I might have ordered a second carafe of Tomita’s nigori to experiment more with temperature – all in the name of sake science mind you.

The Shichihonyari tasting set was rounded out with their elegant but strapping Shichihonyari Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo and the classic, robust and beloved junmai for serving warm, the Shichihonyari Junmai. Everything was delicious and truly indicative of their artisanal nature – hand crafted, solid and elegant.

As a young sake brewer, Tomita-san is part of the new generation of Kuramoto leading us to find unique and fresh ways to enjoy their sake. On the rocks, gently warmed, room temp, chilled in a wine glass – sake can do it all. Now let’s get out there and start experimenting with temperature! I’ll bring the ice.

Last night was another fun sake tasting event at Sakagura! This time, we were enjoying the sakes from Tenryo Sake Brewery. On hand to introduce the sakes was Mr. Matasuke Uenoda, marketing director of Tenryo Brewery. Tenryo is in Gifu Prefecture – a place I’ve never been and honestly don’t know much about. Uenoda-san brought some brochures showing the beauty of Gifu Prefecture – beautiful landscapes, Japanese hot springs and cultural heritage sites… it all looked very intriguing. I think I have to make a plan to visit Gifu soon!

The Tenryo tasting consisted of 3 sakes:

Tenryo Tasting Set:

• Tenryo Tobikiri Tokubetsu Junmai
• Tenryo Hidahomare Junmai Ginjo
• Tenryo Junmai Daiginjo Koshu

Each sake had it’s own unique character. The Tenryo Tobikiri Tokubetsu Junmai doesn’t appear to be sold in the U.S. and uses the special Hidahomare sake rice from Gifu. The second sake, the Tenryo Hidahomare Junmai Ginjo is a beautiful sake that goes well with izakaya food. this sake was so good, I ordered a carafe for myself after my tasting set was long gone. Last but not least I enjoyed the Tenryo Junmai Daiginjo Koshu. This smooth operator of a sake uses pink nadeshiko flower sake yeast and a three year aging process in the bottle in cold temperatures to deepen and round out the flavors. It’s very easy drinking and just plain delicious.

Well, the Olympics may be going on in London right now, but I feel like I won a gold medal in sake appreciation right here in New York City. All those years of training paid off! Thanks to Tenryo and Sakagura for making my Olympic dream come true!

Do you have questions about Japanese Sake?! Well I’m serving up sake answers! Today we’re launching a new sake web video series called “Sake Q&A Tuesday!” You can send me your sake questions and each Tuesday I’ll answer one reader’s question in a web video. To submit your question, you can email me at [email protected] or visit UrbanSake.com/Questions and fill out the form to submit your question!

Here is our first question and video, a great question about how to store sake. You can see all videos in the series here. Thanks for watching!

The event packed schedule at Sakagura rolls on! Last night’s event centered around a beautiful Tedorigawa sake tasting set featuring three standout Tedorigawa Sakes. Each set was presented by Yasuyuki Yoshida, the 6th Genergation Kuramoto from Ishikawa Prefecture’s Yoshida Sake Brewery, makers of Tedorigawa brand sake. Yoshida-san visited every table that ordered the tasting set and introduced his sake and his brewery to the guests. Here is the skinny on the tasting set:

Tedorigawa Tasting Set:

• Tedorigawa Kinka Daiginjo Nama
• Tedorigawa Yamahai Junmai
• Tedorigawa Mangekyo Daiginjo

The three Tedorigawa sakes were standouts. The Tedorigawa Kinka Daiginjo Nama is a wonderful summer unpasteurized sake, fresh and juicy. Next, the Tedorigawa Yamahai Junmai was a classic yamahai style sake that is a real winner for the lovers of dry sake. Last but not least is the super luxurious Tedorigawa Mangekyo Daiginjo. Yoshida-san told me that they only produce a mere 400 bottles of the beautiful sake every year, making it exceedingly rare. It’s an ephemeral daiginjo with a smooth, silky and elegant body. It’s expensive and worth it.

Yoshida-san treated me to a Ishikawa specialty. Ishikawa prefecture is world famous for it’s production of gold leaf. The Japanese believe that consuming gold leaf is good for your health. I received a sprinkling of gold leaf to top off my cup of Tedorigawa Kinka Daiginjo Nama. You can’t taste the gold when you drink it down, but I couldn’t help feeling like a million bucks on the inside.

As Yoshida-san explained to me, creating the Tedorigawa Kinka Daiginjo Nama was a way to try to express the beauty of Ishikawa Prefecture in a sake. “Kinka” means golden blossom and represents two things Ishikawa is famous for, the plum blossom and gold leaf. The taste is fresh, elegant and evocative, just like beautiful Ishikawa Prefecture. This sense of place and depth of meaning in their sake is one thing that makes Tedorigawa so special. Remember, all that glitters is not gold – it may be your sake!

Fukuoka Prefecture may not be the most famous for sake, but it could be the most fun. Fukuoka’s own Kitaya Sake Brewery, recently had a tasting at sake mecca Sakagura Restaurant and proved they know how to have a good time. In addition to some fantastic Kitaya Sake, The company President Mr. Kinoshita was there to introduce his sakes to everyone. Based on what I saw, everyone was into it. Mr. Kinoshita’s enthusiasm to introduce his sake was contagious!

The sake set on this night consisted of three Kitaya Sakes. One of them, not for sale in the U.S. Here is a look at the sakes:

Kitaya Tasting Set:

• Kitaya Kansansui Junmai Daiginjo
• Kitaya Souden Yamahai Junmai (Not for sale in U.S)
• Kitaya Kansansui Kasumizake Junmai Daiginjo Nigori

The Kansansui Junmai Daiginjo is one of the first premium sakes I ever had back in the day at Sake Bar Decibel. It’s a classic example of a Junmai Daiginjo, it’s delicious, fruity and elegant. The Kitaya Kansansui Kasumizake Junmai Daiginjo Nigori has been imported for a while now, but this is my first chance to try it. Verdict is: Loved it! I loved it so much I ordered a carafe for myself after my tasting set was done. Lastly, I got to try the rare Kitaya Souden Yamahai Junmai, which is not for sake in the States. This sake was hand carried from Japan, just for this night! It’s a rice-y yamahai that is great for pairing with food.

Speaking of food, I had some very, very delicious sashimi and some great tsukune chicken meatballs. Both were excellent and I fell in love with Sakagura yet again. This was a great night that I really enjoyed. If you don’t know Fukuoka sake, it’s time to say hello.

Last night I spoke at a fun and unique Dassai Sake Brewery Tasting. The event was held at The Brooklyn Kitchen and featured four kinds of Dassai Sake, food cooked to prefection with Dassai Sake Lees by Chef Mori of Kyoya and outrageously awesome artisanal meats and cheeses.

I did a short lecture and slideshow featuring a sake 101 and showed some pictures from my visit to Dassai in Yamaguchi, so that all the guests could get a feel for the place that Dassai is made. Mr. Sakurai, 4th Generation Kuramoto from Dassai also spoke about his brewery’s policy on quality and wonderful ingredients.

Dassai Sakes served at this event:

• Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo
• Dassai 39 Junmai Daiginjo
• Dassai 50 Junmai Daiginjo
• Dassai 50 Junmai Daiginjo Sparkling Nigori

This event was outrageously fun! There were so many unique tastes (Hello, hand-crafted Lamb Bacon!) that I felt as if I learned something new with each bite and sip. The class was split on their favorite Dassai! Some Loved the Dassai 23 while others swore allegiance to Dassai 50 and some were on my team – team Dassai 39! It’s all in good fun and I think everyone really enjoyed. Can’t wait for the next Dassai event! Check out the gallery below to see more pictures from the event.

I found myself in the east Village this past weekend and made it in time to stop by Sakaya for a nice tasting! This day, Rick and Hiroko were featuring a sake from the Tenryo Sake Brewery in Gifu, Japan. Mr. Matasuke Uenoda, Marketing Director from the Brewery was there to pour and introduce their delicious Tenryo Hidahomare Junmai Ginjo.

The sake catches your eye on the shelf. Each and every bottle comes swaddled in a cool bamboo sheath that you can certainly reuse as a neat catch-all when your sake is gone. The taste of this junmai ginjo is bold and has a nice flavor of rice on the mid palate. Overall smooth and very versatile. I imagine pairing this sake with many different foods!

Again, I think here that versatility is the name of the game. The rice used here is also special – it’s a Gifu specialty known as “hidahomare” sake rice. Unique and only from Gifu.

If you haven’t had a chance to try Tenryo yourself, join me for a Tenryo Sake Tasting at Sakagura on July 31st 2012. Mr Uenoda promised me there would be delicious and exciting sake to try! Can’t wait to see what surprises await.

Sing it with me: “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens and Shichida Sake are a few of my favorite things!” Well… that being the case, I would never miss a Shichida Sake Brewery tasting! Brewery President Shichida was in town and a festive night at Sake Bar Kirakuya was planned… It’s on!

When I arrived, the place was packed! It was one of those steamy Manhattan summer nights and it felt like half of midtown was finding shelter and chilled sake at Kirakuya. After snagging a spot at the bar, I didn’t waste any time in getting my hands on the tasting set. On this night, the Shichida tasting set consisted of:

Shichida Tasting Set:

• Shichida Junmai 75
• Shichida Junmai
• Shichida Yamahai Junmai
• Shichida Yamahai Junmai Ginjo

What is it about the Shichida Sakes that I love so much? Well, the best I can describe it is that their sakes live on the crossroads of smoothness avenue and depth-of-flavor street.

Last year I awarded their Shichida Junmai a 2011 Golden Masu Award for this very reason. As I said then, whatever you’re doing down there in Saga, it’s working!

President Shichida also has a great sense of humor and really has fun in the sake business. Also in attendance were some sake all stars! Yukie-san from Sakagura, KC from NihonshudoNYC, Hiromi Iuchi from Kuramoto US, Yoshida-san from Tedorigawa and Akaboshi-san, in house Sake Sommelier at Kirakuya. It was a lot of fun!

On this night, for anyone who ordered a bottle of sake, he had a box where you could draw a ticket for a chance to win one of three prizes like a shichida t-shirt or a shichida sake cup. Unfortunately, I drew the “sorry, better luck next time” ticket… twice! But, even though I didn’t win, I felt like a winner just drinking the sake. If you haven’t yet, give some Shichida Sake a try, and I know you’ll feel like a winner, too.

Another Night, Another Kagatobi! The good folks from Fukumitsuya Brewery have been in town and hosting events all over the city. Last Thursday was a special night with Kagatobi sake flowing freely, all poured by Mr. Yageta vising all the way from the brewery! They were offering a special price on the bottle of Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo with appetizers included. Who could resist?

I enjoyed myself a lot on this trip to Shinbashi. Chef Nakajima commands the sushi bar and is the very image of what you expect in a sushi chef. White coat and hat? Check. Deadly serious knife skills? Check. Encyclopedic knowledge of fish? Check. Funny wit and unexpected joke to keep you laughing? Check!!

The fish I enjoyed this night at Shinbashi was delicious! Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo is a wonderful sake for pairing with the best fish. It’s clean, smooth and round with a whisper of rice essence on the palate. You should also know that Fukumitsuya Brewery is located in kanazawa City, Ishikawa Japan. Kanazawa is world famous for it’s high quality fish… so these brewers know good fish and good sake. IN addtion to the Junmai Ginjo, We also enjoyed the refreshing and creamy Kagatobi Junmai Nigori Sparkling.

As Yageta-san continued to pour delicious Kagatobi, Chef Nakajima also wowed our palates with delicious fiddlehead fern tempura and clam miso soup – just yum! If you missed Kagatobi Night at Shinbashi – check out these pics to see what went down. Hope to see you at the next sake event! Kanpai!

Nishimoto Sake Importers hosted it’s annual big sake blowout on June 3rd at the Astor Center in NYC. The tasting this year was a big deal because the event marked the 100th anniversary of Nishimoto in the U.S.

This Nishimoto event was open to businesses only, but I was able to get inside to take some photos to share with you!

First, if you’re interested in learning about these breweries, check out this list below. You can get an overview of their companies and see the sakes they are importing now:

Learn more about Select Breweries at this event:

• Sawanotsuru Sake Brewery
• Urakasumi Sake Brewery
• Echigo Denemon Brewery
• Shirataki Sake Brewery
• Yaegaki Sake & Spirits Inc
• Okunomatsu Sake Brewery
• Tohoku Meijo (Hatsumago)
• Hananomai Sake Brewery
• Kurosawa Sake Brewery
• Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery (Kagatobi)
• Sawanotsuru Sake Brewery
• Yumegokoro Sake Brewery (Naraman)
• Homare Sake Brewery
• Kizakura Sake Brewery

The Nishimoto Event was packed and popular with folks from many restaurants, bars and lounges tasting all kinds of sake. But it wasn’t just drinks – There were three great chefs doing live cooking demos as well: Greg McCarty from Tribeca Grill, Christopher Lee from Huntington Social and Katsutaka Iimori from Blue Ribbon Sushi.

The sake being served was in a wide range of styles and I can honestly say there was something for everyone. In addition, some new and interesting brews were on the scene! I enjoyed a new Shirataki Jozen Mizunogotoshi Junmai sake which was sturdy and quite dry, a delicious new direction from the clean and light Niigata style they are known for. I also had fun tasting a very unique sake, the new low alcohol Homare Strawberry Nigori… a smoothie-like confection that will convince you Jamba Juice has gotten into the sake game. Another sake I went back to again and again to sample was the Kagatobi Ai Junmai Daiginjo Shiboritate Nama – rich and smooth with a fresh edge that woke up my palate and always left me wanting one more sip!

Exploring the well-edited selection of breweries represented at this event was such a great way to spend the afternoon. So be sure to ask for sakes from all these breweries at your local bar or restaurant. There is truly something for everyone. Congratulations Nishimoto on the first 100 years in the U.S. – here’s a toast to the next 100! Kanpai!

This past Saturday, the Brooklyn Kitchen hosted a sake tasting. The 3 hour tasting cost a mere $25 and was sincerely an amazing opportunity to meet some sake brewers live and in person and immerse yourself the intoxicating world of Nihonshu. So, as you can well imagine, this Manhattanite I got out his passport and headed across the river to Williamsburg.

Brooklyn Kitchen is an amazing place – consider it a grocery store/artisanal butcher/cooking school/event space. When I arrived, the space was packed to the rafters with Brewers… and hipsters! But all joking aside, it was wonderful to see so many younger folks literally lining up to try sake. The brewers pouring on this day came from all over Japan and there were a lot of diverse styles to taste.

I enjoyed all the sakes I got to try, but it was a special treat to re-visit some of my tried and true favorites! Of course, just the day before this event in Brooklyn, I had a blast at Sakagura’s Kagatobi Night, and lo and behold, they were here again serving their delicious Kagatobi Ai Junmai Daiginjo. I also always enjoy seeing Mr. Shoji from Yumegokoro Brewery, makers of Naraman, serving his delicious Naraman Bin Hiire Muroka Junmai.

Other treats included meeting the Toji (Master Brewer) of Echigo Denemon Brewery Mr. Ozaki. He was very keen on practicing his English and I asked him about the long hours a Toji puts in on the job – It’s hard work, but – in any language – you can’t argue with the results!

I also enjoyed catching up with Ms. Funyu from Urakasumi Brewery. I had the pleasure of meeting her last year during our 2011 sake volunteer trip to support Tohoku. Urakasumi is always a wonderful treat… a delicious brew from Miyagi! Funyu-san updated me on the progress of reconstruction at the Brewery – the news was good and all construction and repairs are almost completely done! Great!

Before too long, it was time to head back into Manhattan after this fun afternoon of sake sipping, Billyburg-style. I hope Brooklyn Kitchen plans many more sake events in the future. Can’t wait to try more sake across the River!

I recently attended a fun evening at Sakagura Restaurant featuring Kagatobi sakes. Kagatobi is one of the flagship brands of the Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery.

Visiting all the way from the Fukumitsuya Brewery were Mr. Fukumitsu and Mr. Yageta to introduce their sakes to Sakagura’s guests. This night there was a special sake tasting set featuring three unique and different kagatobi sakes, namely, Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo, Kagatobi Sparkling Junmai Nigori and Kagatobi Sennichi Kakoi Junmai Daiginjo Koshu.

The tasting set was a lot of fun and the unique range of sakes (koshu, nigori, junmai ginjo…) served at once, allowed for a big range of pairing options – and I took full advantage! I tried some grilled squid, yellowtail sashimi, shrimp balls, white asparagus, tsukune grilled chicken… Oh, my, I was a little bit in hog heaven with these sakes to taste alongside the yummy food from Sakagura.

Fukumitsu-san and Yageta-san stopped by each table that ordered the tasting set and gave a wonderful thank you gift of a bottle of “shikomi mizu” or brewing water from the brewery along with a cute kagatobi ochoko sake cup. Neat – and I can tell you from having visited the Brewery in 2008, that the brewing water is off the hook fantastic. What a treat! I don’t think I’ve gotten this excited about bottled water in a while. Watch your back Perrier!

What a fun evening – Please check out the event the UrbanSake.com Events Calendar to keep an eye out for future events at Sakagura and around the City.

You can learn more about Kagatobi and Fukumitsuya here:

Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery
Kagatobi Sakes

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Another spring, another Akita Sake Club tasting! And let me tell you, those Akita folks know how to enjoy their sake! This event is always a lot of fun and recently, has graciously included sake from other prefectures as well.

All the Akita sakes where on one table and allowed you to taste your way through Akita and go right down the line. I tasted such delicious sakes as Taiheizan Tenko Junmai Daiginjo, Kariho Namahage Junmai, and Akitabare Shunsetsu Honjozo Nama.

A wonderful tasting and fun for all… Next Akita event should be in the fall. Stay tuned to the UrbanSake.com Events Calendar for an announcement!

New York’s biggest nihonshu blowout, The Joy of Sake 2012, is heading our way soon. As a run up to the big day, there are some fun events taking place.

The first of these was an evening of sake sipping and a little bit of sake learning with Tamagawa Toji Mr. Philip Harper. After a nice intro from World Sake Import’s Chris Pierce, Philip addressed the group about the ins and out of Kimoto and Yamahai sake production as it compared to the modern Sokujo yeast starter method. This may sound complex, but Philip made it easy to understand. Loved it. It was a great event and it really made me look forward to the main Joy of Sake event coming on September 20th. EN Japanese Brasserie provided a beautiful backdrop for the event as usual with some yummy nibbles to boot.

Some of the great sakes featured in this aftertaste event Shichida Yamahai Junmai Ginjo, Urakasumi Zen and of course all the Tamagawa sakes that Philip brought from Kinoshita Brewery. Can’t wait for the other Aftertaste events in New York!

In Japan, a master sake brewer is known as a Toji. They train for years and it’s their job to manage the day to day operations of sake production. And it’s not everyday that a Toji superstar blows into town, so I wasn’t about to miss my chance to talk sake with the Kyoto toji who makes Tamagawa Sake. Besides making some kick-ass sake, this Toji is a little, well… different from his colleagues in the Toji Guild. I’m talking of course about Philip Harper, the only non-Japanese toji in Japan.

Hailing from Cornwall, England, Philip became a Master Sake Brewer the old fashioned way… he earned it. Arriving in Japan in 1988, Harper worked his way up the sake industry ladder, taking and passing the Nanbu Brewer’s Guild Exam in 2001, whereby he became the first and only non-Japanese person to earn the title of Toji. In 2007, he joined Kyoto’s Kinoshita Sake Brewery, makers of the Tamagawa brand and became their toji.

This week, Sakagura Restaurant hosted Philip Harper at a tasting event featuring four of his Tamagawa Sakes, two of which are not available in the U.S. All of the sakes served were very interesting – each in their own way. Two are currently imported, the delicious Tamagawa Kinsho Daiginjo and the loveable Tamagawa Tokubetsu Junmai.

The scene stealers, however, were the rowdy Tamagawa Junmai Yamahai Nama Genshu “White Label” and the outrageous Tamagawa “Time machine 1712” Junmai Kimoto. The Yamahai Nama Genshu is brewed letting the house yeast fermentation run pedal-to-the-metal until the alcohol tops out at a staggering 20-21.5%! This makes for a strong, seasoned and sneaky yamahai – sneaky because it is still so smooth, drinkable and enjoyable as such sky high alcohol percentages.

The “Time Machine 1712” is brewed using a sake recipe from the year – you guessed it – 1712. This funky brew gives us a window into what sake lovers in Edo may have been enjoying. The taste is suprising – quite sweet with noticeably higher acidity. Pairing this sake with ice cream or blue cheese is a shogun slam dunk. Sakagura reserved the back room for the tasting with delicious appetizers served between generous pours of all the sakes in a socialble stand up style reception. Fun!

Tasting all these marvelous Tamagawa sakes, you can tell without a doubt that Philip is deeply devoted to his craft, and has a true love of creatively and deliciously pushing the sake envelope. But you know what? My sake spidey sense is telling me even more adventurous sakes from Harper are yet to come. What does the future hold? We’ll just have to wait and see where the Toji of Cornwall leads us next.

Sake Bar Yopparai kicked off May with a fun evening of yummy-sake-drinking and good-food-eating by partnering with Dassai Brewery for an event called “Deeply Dassai, Yopparai Style”. The event focused on a 5 course set menu, all paired with Dassai Sakes. Sounds good, but wait – there’s more… the little surprise is that many of the dishes were cooked using Dassai Sake Kasu (lees), the rice solids left over after pressing the sake. Dassai Sake Kasu is impossible to get here, but some was brought in especially for this one night.

Drumroll please – Here’s a glimpse at the menu:

Deeply Dassai Tasting Menu

Aperitif: Yopparai Cocktail w/ Dassai 50 Sparkling. Dassai 23 Sake Lees Wasabizuke.

1st Course: Daikon Radish Salad/Tomato Salad. Sashimi Assortment. Pairing: Dassai 50

2nd Course: Ebi Shinjo. Kurobuta Black pork Belly. Pairing: Dassai 39

3rd Course: Dassai 23 Sake Lees Marinated Grilled Fish. Pairing Dassai 23.

4th Course: Dassai 23 Sake Lees Kasu Jiru Miso Soup. Rice. Pickles.

Dessert: Dassai 23 Sake Lees soft serve ice cream.

If you’ve never tasted sake lees before, it’s important to know that not all lees are created equal. The Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo Lees are considered a rare and premium product. The taste is reminiscent of sake, but with hints of rice, a whiff of premium alcohol and light fermentation. Lees are used a lot in Japanese cooking and this menu allowed us to sample a wide range of uses for sake lees in one meal – from the Wasabi appetizer to the sake flavored ice cream – Genius! It’s a subtle taste that pairs so well with the sake, but doesn’t overwhelm. The folks at Sake Bar Yopparai got it right!

I think if I had to pick one, I most enjoyed the grilled fish that was marinated in Dassai 23 sake kasu and then served with Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo to drink. Simply delicious!

The Sakes themselves were served by Sakurai-san, 4th Generation Owner of Dassai Brewery as well as Dassai Sales Rep Asumi-san who came all the way from Japan for the event! The Dassai signature style is smooth, easy drinking, light fruit on the palate and delicious. You can read my interview with Saurai-san here.

The whole evening was a study in enjoying the essence of Dassai with a Yopparai twist. And, yes, I’ve think I’ve fallen again – you guessed it – Deeply, Madly, Truly for Dassai.

There’s one event each year you can rely on to provide some exotic food and sake, a dash of glamour and some killer views of the Park. We’re talking about the Lucky Rice Grand Feast. Held annually and benefiting City Harvest, the Grand Feast is a celebration of good food, good drink and SAKE! Some of the top producers donate their sake for this fun and exciting event. I was on hand this year to help pour and introduce the sake to the guests.

This event is fun and filled to the rafters with serious foodies wanting to sample everything the event had to offer. Most guests start off sampling the appetizers and then make their way to the sake table. The represented brands included Born, Dassai, Tatenokawa, Tengumai, Amabuki and several others.

Several quests came up to me and, pointing to the sakes said, “I’m an absolute beginner with sake. Walk me through what we’ve got here.” For me, this was the most fun – being able to introduce the various sake brands that I know and love to enthusiastic folks wanting to get on board the sake soul train.

Giving the guests their first taste of a premium sake is a great feeling – it always recalls my first “a-ha” moment with premium sake, too – good times!

If you want to experience Lucky Rice for yourself, get on their mailing list and get your tickets early for next year. It’s a great way to sample food from some star chefs and also drink you fill from some of the best sakes in the world – who can ask for more than that?! All aboard!!

Tatenokawa Sake Brewery is one of those rare outfits that focuses exclusively on producing super-premium grade sake. That’s right, nothing but Junmai Daiginjo will do for the folks at this brewery. If you’re a fan of Junmai Daiginjo like I am, get to know the name Tatenokawa. Two of their sakes selected for import to the U.S. were recently approved for sale and the Brewery had a launch party of sorts with a tasting event at Kirayuya Sake Bar.

The two new sakes in question are Tatenokawa 33 Junmai Daiginjo and Tatenokawa 50 Junmai Daiginjo. The number in the name refers to the seimaibuai or rice milling percentage.

These are two wonderful sakes to taste together for the fun of a ‘contrast and compare’ milling rate experiment. Both sakes have a lot in common… same brewery, both Junmai Daiginjo, same Dewasansan sake rice, same water, same alcohol content and only extremely minor variations in SMV and acidity. The biggest difference is rice milling alone – 33% remaining vs. 50% remaining. The fun comes in when you realize how unique and different these sakes are from each other. Milling alone makes a big difference! I found the Tatenokawa 33% to be cleaner, quieter and super, duper stealthy smooth with enjoyable light juicy fruit flavors on the palate. The Tatenokawa 50% in comparison came across more full-bodied, rounder and heavier on the palate. Because of this, it also stood up better to the yummy grilled and fried izakaya food I was eating at the time. Both of these sakes shared the same Tatenokawa DNA, but each had a unique body. Now this is a scientific method I can really get behind.

Mr. Kurosu was the Tatenokawa representative who was on hand at Kirakuya and introducing these sakes to everyone. Those who bought a bottle received a Tatenokawa wooden masu as a gift – a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of a new V.I.S. (Very Important Sake) to the American market. Can’t wait for the other Tatenokawa brews to debut!

In Japan, sake has long been known as “The Drink of the Gods”…but coming soon, sake will also be designated as the “National Alcoholic Beverage” by the Japanese Government. My initial reaction to this news was, HUH? Sake isn’t already officially the “National Alcoholic Beverage”? But the more I thought about it, I realized that whatever the timing, any effort the Japanese Government makes to promote sake is a great thing for the industry, so let’s celebrate! Grab your Japanese ‘National Alcoholic Beverage’ of choice and Kanpai with me! Below is a link to the full article:

Govt to Designate Sake, Shochu as ‘National Alcoholic Beverages’
by The Yomiuri Shimbun
April 16th, 2012

With a view to boosting the overseas market for Japanese traditional sake and shochu, the government will soon designate them as “national alcoholic beverages,” according to Motohisa Furukawa, state minister for national policy.

The planned designation is aimed at encouraging the revitalization of local economies concerned and expanding demand for rice, Furukawa said Saturday.

Rice is the raw material used for making sake, a fermented beverage, as well as shochu, a distilled spirit. Shochu also can be produced using other crops, such as sweet potatoes and barley.

Read the Full Article >

I was recently honored to help support an event called “Kibō: A Taste of the Tohoku” here in New York featuring well known Japanese cookbook author Elizabeth Andoh. Living full time in Japan since 1967, Andoh-sensei is famed for teaching the complexities of Japanese cooking to an English speaking audience through in person classes and award winning (and beautiful) cookbooks such as Kansha and Washoku.

The Kibō e-cookbook is Andoh’s precious way of both helping Tohoku with proceeds from the cookbook sales as well as preserving Tohoku specific dishes and cuisine culture. Andoh-sensei prepared a bento for each guest at the event featuring highlighted dishes from the cookbook, whose she also explained in detail using a slideshow and an engaging presentation.

I was asked to introduce the sake. The Tohoku sakes featured on this evening were Miyagi’s Urakasumi Zen Junmai Ginjo, Iwate’s Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai and Fukushima’s Daishichi Kimoto Junmai. I gave the guests a quick sake 101 along with a brief profile of each brewery and the steps they’ve taken to recover from the March 11th disaster. Many Students came up to me afterwards and commented on the pleasures of pairing real Tohoku sake with Tohoku Dishes made by an expert. I couldn’t agree more!

On the food front, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed the delicious dishes and Downloaded the Ebook myself as soon as I got home. “Kibō” itself means “brimming with hope” and after eating these dishes, I’m brimming with hope myself that I will cook them at home and can’t wait to have my own Tohoku sake and food pairing.

I’ve got a lot of admiration for Andoh-sensei using what she knew best to reach out and help the people of the Tohoku in their recovery and, to help the rest of us learn about this fascinating regional cuisine. Here’s a big Kanpai for the recovery and rebirth of Japan’s Tohoku! Here’s the link of you want to get the Kibō e-cookbook yourself:

I recently discovered a new sake bar gem on the lower east side called Yopparai. In English, “yopparai” means ‘drunkard’, or ‘I’m drunk’. This hidden away sake sanctuary has a large selection of premium sakes by the carafe and an even larger selection of wonderful sakes by the bottle.

When I spoke with owner Gaku Shibata, he told me his intention was to transport an honest-to-goodness Tokyo sake bar to Manhattan – and I can tell you this has been achieved. No detail was too small from the bag locker under the seat, to the shaved ice chilling every carafe as well as the custom made ochoko cups. Every aspect of this place is right in line with what you would expect in Japan. How awesome is that?!

The food selection is also really, really good. I enjoyed some superior sashimi (with super cute custom cut daikon and carrot butterflies – never seen that before!), some wonderful grilled asparagus and a delicious salted salmon. Everything was top notch and just the sort of food you want to drink with premium sake!

Speaking of sake, over the course of the evening, I ordered three “Go” of sake. A “go” is a single 6 oz serving that is served in a small carafe. you can order 1 or 2 “go” at a time. On this trip, I enjoyed clean and sexy Kudoki Jozu Junmai Ginjo from Yamagata, then rich and umamai-ful Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo from Fukui and finally the smooth and ricey Denshu Tokubetsu Junmai from Aomori.

No joke, the selection is top notch – you can’t ask for much more if you’re looking to explore the world of premium sake. There is no better way to get yopparai then at Yopparai! See you there!

April 4th was a special night at Sakagura Restaurant celebrating the annual Springtime U.S. launch of Masumi Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu sake from Miyasaka Shuzo.

The tasting set on this night consisted of Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai, Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu and Masumi Yumedono Daiginjo Genshu. Keith Norum and Katsu Miyasaka were on hand from Masumi Brewery to introduce these delicious sakes to everyone at Sakagura.

The star of the night was of course, the Masumi Arabashiri. It tasted as fresh and bold as ever – a wonderful full bodied Genshu nama with lots of fruit and fullness on the palate.

I hope you get a chance to taste these wonderful sakes, too. After my tasting set, I enjoyed some sashimi and some more Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai. Delicious together! As usual, the staff at Sakagura was amazing and I felt so welcomed.

Keep an eye out for Arabashiri in your neck of the woods – it’s always a wonderful harbinger of spring… after one sip you can say without a doubt “Spring has Sprung”!

There are a few signs of Spring that are unmistakeable… That first warm day when you step outside and smell that fresh clean air, the blossoming of the nearby trees and of course, the arrival of Masumi Arabashiri!

Miyasaka Brewery just arrived in town and have kicked off a week of events all around New York to herald the arrival of this luscious, full throttle nama. The seasonal Arabashiri arrives this year with a taste we sake lovers covet and with a limited availability we also lament. Tying in nicely with the Japanese notion of seasonality, it’s only available in the Spring… so let’s drink up.

I’ve already got a head start on most as I attended an Arabashiri kick off event at Kibo restaurant this past Monday. Keith and Miyasaka-san Jr. were in town and poured several of their sakes for many eager guests. It was a wonderful night and a great way to start the unofficial “masumi week” in New York.

If drinking some Arabashiri with the brewers sounds good to you – it’s not too late! You can still catch up with them at several events this week! Check out my Sake Events Calendar for dates and locations and join me to welcome spring in my favorite way!

A TASTE OF THE TOHOKU
Monday, Apr 9 6:30p
International Culinary Center, New York, NY

Join Les Dames d’Eescoffier for a guided tasting of Japan’s Tōhoku region sampling regional foods and sake with an illustrated talk by Elizabeth Andoh.

Elizabeth Andoh, a leading expert on Japanese culinary arts, was a Dame while living in New York in the 1980’s. Her latest book, KIBÅŒ (Brimming with Hope): Recipes & Stories from Japan’s Tohoku (Ten Speed Press, 2012), is a culinary tribute to the region devastated last year by earthquake and tsunami. A portion of proceeds from the e-original publication is being donated toward Japan’s recovery efforts.

Get tickets here:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/238181

Nils Noren and
The Gohan Society
present
‘SAKE COMES TO HARLEM’
A Cross-Cultural Pairing Dinner at
RED ROOSTER HARLEM
Featuring
ASPEC Sake from Akita Prefecture
The Gohan Society invites you to join us for a unique, cross-cultural culinary event!

A unique American menu will be paired with artisanal sake from five select breweries of the Northern Japanese prefecture of Akita, known for its rich culture, deep traditions, and natural beauty.

Six courses from the kitchen of RED ROOSTER HARLEM, celebrating the roots of American cuisine and the diverse culinary traditions of Harlem, will each be paired with sake from the five breweries of Akita Prefecture the comprise the ASPEC consortium.

Linda Noel Kawabata, Advanced Sake Specialist, and USA Brand Manager of ASPEC, a consortium of Akita sake brewers will be your guide to the joys and pleasures of experiencing artisanal sake in a contemporary American context.

A very limited number of seats are available for this unique and intimate experience.

Tuesday, March 6th 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Red Rooster Harlem
310 Lenox Avenue
New York, NY 10027

Tickets: $175 each – includes dinner, sake, service and gratuities.
For tickets:
http://sakecomestoharlem.eventbrite.com
www.gohansociety.org
The Gohan Society 212-385-3550
[email protected]

This event is a fundraiser to support the work and programs of the Gohan Society, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit whose mission is to advocate and foster a greater understanding and appreciation of Japan’s culinary heritage in the United States.

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Not many people know this, but I had a secret life before I got into sake. In 1986, when I was 16 years old, I lived in West Berlin for one year as an exchange student. At that time, the Wall was still up, East Germany was going strong and the cold war was chilly as ever.

I stayed with a wonderful family there, attended a German High School and studied the language. The experience made such an impression on me, I went on to live for another year in Germany and study German Language and literature at University. All these years, I have stayed in contact with my Host Family from way back when and we trade off visits between Berlin and New York.

I was long overdue for a visit to Berlin to visit my host family. But since I was last there in 2003, I’ve changed careers and joined the sake world and boy was I excited to check out the sake scene in a city I knew so well. So we booked a non-stop on Lufthansa and before I knew it we were touching down at Tegel airport. Willkommen in Berlin!

Sake Kontor

My first stop in Berlin is really sake central for all of Germany: Sake Kontor Berlin. Run by owner Suzanne Rost, Sake Kontor is Germany’s only retail sake shop and also a home base for the sakes imported and distributed by Rost.

I visited the shop on a rainy, cold January Berlin day but Suzanne welcomed me warmly. She carries over 40 styles of sake at the shop. There were many sakes represented but three brands stood out, Akashitai from Kobe, Masumi from Nagano and Takenotsuyu from Yamagata.

Sake Kontor is an oasis of sake in a country deeply entangled in wine and beer. It’s a great home base for any Berliners looking to get into sake. Suzanne has a great balance of offerings, too. There is a full range of prices as well as everything from Sparkling nigori to Yamahai Junmai to aged Koshu. I think Berlin is lucky to have it’s own sake shop!

Sasaya

After being away from New York City for a few days, Scott and I were starting to crave Sushi in a major way, but where to find sushi in Berlin? We settled on Japanese Restaurant Sasaya. I heard this was a Japanese-run restaurant which is a sure way to avoid falling into the pan-asian-fusion sushi trap.

I was surprised by the full sake list which included the likes of Urakasumi, Tomio, Kikusui and Shirakawago. I especially enjoyed my glass of Tomio Junmai Daigino. The sushi itself didn’t blow us away by our New York City Japanese-food-snob standards, but it certainly was tasty and this was a great place to have some sake and authentic Japanese food in Berlin.

Sake Dinner

On one of our last nights in Berlin, my German host parents Heribert & Dagamr, who own a really charming bio-organic cafe in the Wannsee neighborhood called the Hofcafe, offered to put on a special dinner for about 20 friends and made Japanese food for everyone, but only if I agreed to introduce and pour some sake! It’s on like Donkey Kong!

I arrived at the dinner anxious to showcase sake in it’s best light paired with my Host Mother’s wonderful cooking. I poured about 7 sakes including a wonderfully clean and dry Junmai from Masumi, a delicious and popular Junmai Ginjo from Takenotsuyu and a sake that was even new to me, a Zuikan Aigamo Junmai Daiginjo from Hiroshima – this last one was the crowd favorite. With the matcha ice cream dessert, I served a wonderfully sweet sparkling Nigori sake from Tsukinokatsura in Kyoto. I think the sake was a big hit and I felt good doing my little part to introduce sake to forward thinking, food friendly Berliners. Fun!

Well, they say you can’t go home again, but a trip to Berlin for me will always take me back to the future. Some parts of my time in 1986 Berlin I will remember as the happiest of my life; Some other parts of my exchange year were the biggest challenge I’ve ever dealt with. However, to return this year and to be able to marry past and present, German Language and Sake education, made for a wonderful, fulfilling experience. I know sake won’t overtake beer or wine at the German dinner table any time soon, but we’re off to a good start. All this and I was able to leave my Deloren at home.

Japanese Restaurant Sasaya
Lychener Strasse 50
10437 Berlin
(030) 447 17 721

Sake Kontor Berlin
Markgrafendamm 34
10245 Berlin
(030) 212 37 601

Hofcafe bei Mutter Fourage
Chausseestr. 15 a,
14109 Berlin-Wannsee
(030) 805 83 2 83

On Feburary 10th and 11th Hakubai Restaurant in The Kitano New York will be holding two nights of special Valentine’s season Dinners. The dinner is limited to couples (any couples!) only. In Kaiseki style food, the seasonality of the ingredients is of paramount importance. This event features the beautiful winter season Kaiseki meal paired with Hakkaisan Sake.

In addition to a wonderful guided kaiseki meal, guests will also receive a special gift from Hakkaisan Sake brewery. This gift includes a nice hakkasian sake cup ochoko and Tokkuri set made from fine Arita porcelain and a 300ml bottle of Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Junmai Sake! You will also receive two free tickets to the famous Kitano Hotel Jazz bar along with credits for 4 cocktails.

The cost is $150 per couple (does not include tax & tip).

Event Location:
Hakubai Restaurant at The Kitano Hotel New York
66 Park Avenue New York, NY 10016

Date/Time:
Feb. 10th, 2011 6:30-9:00 pm or Feb. 11th, 2011 6:30 – 9:00 pm

Price:
＄150 per couple (does not include tax and tips)

For Reservations, Please contact:
[email protected] or Tel: 212-885-7072

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On Feburary 10th and 11th Hakubai Restaurant in The Kitano New York will be holding two nights of special Valentine’s season Dinners. The dinner is limited to couples (any couples!) only. In Kaiseki style food, the seasonality of the ingredients is of paramount importance. This event features the beautiful winter season Kaiseki meal paired with Hakkaisan Sake.

In addition to a wonderful guided kaiseki meal, guests will also receive a special gift from Hakkaisan Sake brewery. This gift includes a nice hakkasian sake cup ochoko and Tokkuri set made from fine Arita porcelain and a 300ml bottle of Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Junmai Sake! You will also receive two free tickets to the famous Kitano Hotel Jazz bar along with credits for 4 cocktails.

The cost is $150 per couple (does not include tax & tip).

Event Location:
Hakubai Restaurant at The Kitano Hotel New York
66 Park Avenue New York, NY 10016

Date/Time:
Feb. 10th, 2011 6:30-9:00 pm or Feb. 11th, 2011 6:30 – 9:00 pm

Price:
＄150 per couple (does not include tax and tips)

For Reservations, Please contact:
[email protected] or Tel: 212-885-7072

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Sake Bar Kirakuya, Daishichi “Big Seven” Kimoto Night
Tuesday February. 21st. 2012
RSVP: 212-695-7272

Daishichi Kimoto Tasting Set for $15
-Comes with a special gift from Daishichi Sake Brewery
Daishichi Minowamon + Daishichi Junmai + Daishichi Yuki Shibori

Daishichi Minowamon Junmai Daiginjo: Glass/$26 Bottle/$150
Daishichi Junmai: Glass/$11 Bottle/$60
Daishichi Yuki Shibori Nigori: Glass/$13 Bottle/$70

Daishichi Sake Brewery was established in 1752, and is based in Nihonmatsu city, Fukushima Japan. Daishichi makes rich, mellow sakes of which outstanding reputation comes from an insistence on a strictly orthodox brewing tradition: the KIMOTO style sake. Dashichi brewery is solidly constructed, including 12.5 inch thick concrete walls, keeping their sake in a very safe environment.

The year 2011 is one I can assure you I will never forget. The March 11th Great East Japan Earthquake and it’s aftermath with stay with me forever. I was in Japan on that day and now that over 9 months have passed, I can see even more clearly how deeply it affected me.

I also spent several months of this year visiting Japan – more than ever before in my life. This allowed me to meet many wonderful people and learn more about sake and Japanese culture than I could have ever imagined.

For me, I’ve long known that sake is indeed ‘Japanese culture in a cup’. With that in mind, join me as I take a look back at 2011 and acknowledge those sakes that caught my fancy, tickled my taste buds or broadened my horizons.

Without further ado, I give you the 2011 UrbanSake.com Golden Masu Awards!

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“Best Sake Under $25”

And the Masu goes to:
Seikyo Takehara Junmai

With everyone from European Governments to sake sippers from Saskatchewan adopting austerity budgets in 2011, this seems to be the year for belt tightening as never before. This doesn’t mean however, that you need to give up really good sake, even if your balance sheet comes up a little short. I discovered there are wonderful premium imported sakes out there that can be had for under $25 a pop. My favorite this year was Seikyo Takehara Junmai. This Sake retails for just under $25.00 a bottle and is worth every penny. Hailing from Hiroshima, this soft and balanced brew is easy to drink and easier on the wallet. Versatile, food friendly and delicious, my advice is to stock up on this brew and ride out any further market gyrations with a glass of Seikyo Junmai in hand!

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“Most Elegant Plum Sake”

And the Masu goes to:
Daishichi Umeshu

Plum Sake don’t get no respect. Called “Umeshu” in Japanese, plum sake can unfortunately be a hard sell as people sometimes confuse plum sake with the unsophisticated and overly sweet plum wines on the market. Things are changing however and high quality Umeshu is taking it’s rightful place at the premium sake table. One remarkable standout in the plum sake category is Daishichi Umeshu. This sake is a masterful study of elegance and restraint in creating a sake with plum. Smooth as velvet and using only premium Nankou plums from Wakayama, you’ll be dazzled by how subtle and refined the plum taste is on the palate. By downplaying any overt sweetness, Daishichi lets the true plum flavor shine through. After one sip, you’ll know plum sake is not just for dessert anymore.

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“Best Futsushu”

And the Masu goes to:
Hakkaisan Futsushu

Most Americans don’t know that the vast majority of sake sold in Japan is the type classified as “futsushu“, which can be translated as “regular sake” or “table sake”. Yes, we’re talking about non-premium brews here. People just getting started with sake tasting often swoon and wax poetic at the complex floral aromas and smooth-as-silk body you can enjoy with a fine Junmai Daiginjo. But, as it’s such a huge part of the Japanese market, there is something to be said for the other end of the sake spectrum, too. One “regular sake” that rises above the rest is Hakkaisan Futsushu. The Brewery President Jiro Nagumo told me that one of his company’s goals is to make good quality sake available to everyone. To do that, they keep their most inexpensive futsushu quality high – for example, it has a milling rate of 60%! This combined with a slow and cold brewing period keep their Hakkaisan Futsushu sake tasting clean, dry and delicious. Whether you serve it chilled or warm, this is one “table sake” you’ll want to ensure you have at your table.

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“Most Inspiring Junmai Ginjo”

And the Masu goes to:
Hakurakusei Junmai Ginjo

2011 will always be tied in our memories to the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake. I had the distinct honor to volunteer for a week in September of this year at Niizawa Brewery in Miyagi (see blog post here). During that time, I gained such respect for Mr. Niizawa and his entire staff and family who carried on with sake making despite a brewery building damaged beyond repair, continuing aftershocks and an uncertain future. After a week of hard work at the Brewery, Mr. Niizawa took us out for dinner at a local Izakaya and poured us his magnificent Hakurakusei Junmai Ginjo. After one delicious sip, I had a flash of understanding in my mind. All the sake brewers, in Miyagi and beyond who are working so hard – sometimes quite against the odds – and laboring tirelessly for the recovery of the sake industry are honest-to-goodness heros. With that one sip, I came to a new understanding of just how inspiring a glass of sake could be. I hope you’ll join me in 2012 and beyond to continue to support Hakurakusei and, indeed all Tohoku sake breweries in their on-going recovery.

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“Best New Junmai Import”

And the Masu goes to:
Shichida Junmai

New sake imports arrive on our shores regularly. This is a wonderful thing, as more variety selection can help grow the sake market year over year. But every once in a while, a new sake just jumps out at you and makes you say “Wow“! For me, one such sake this year was the standout Shichida Junmai from Tenzan Sake Brewery in Saga. This sake is so completely enjoyable with a nice play of self-assured boldness on the palate and a clean, easygoing finish, it’s hard not to fall in love. Whatever they’re doing down there in Saga, it’s working! If you try it, Shichida Junmai may become a new favorite for you, as it has for me. Welcome to Wow!

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“Best in Show”

And the Masu goes to:
Tatenokawa 18 Nakadori Junmai Daiginjo

Lots of people in the U.S. still think that fermented grape juice is the end-all be-all when it comes to elegant imbibing. Those among us who’ve tasted superior premium sake know differently. One sake I had this year that is easily going to win over hearts and minds to Team Sake is Tatenokawa 18 Nakadori Junmai Daiginjo. This gracious, exquisite and masterful sake is really a wonder that deserves our attention. The brewers at Tatenokawa in Yamagata start by milling their sake rice to an astounding 18% remaining. This tiny nugget of pure rice starch is then transformed, with loving attention to detail, into something so smooth, elegant, deep and complex – it will leave you speechless, as it did me. Available for sale soon in the U.S., you’ll want to invest in a bottle of Tatenokawa 18 Junmai Daiginjo to enjoy for a special occasion, celebratory toast or to pair with a fine meal. Sit back, relax and enjoy the new world of elegant imbibing. Score one for Team Sake.

So there you have it! Congratulations and Kanpai to all the winners! After all the struggle and uncertainty of 2011, I am looking forward to next year as a new era for sake at home and abroad. Let’s raise a masu to celebrate all we have accomplished and the wonderful sake days ahead. Kanpai and Happy New Year to everyone!

See Previous Golden Masu winners here: http://www.urbansake.com/category/golden-masu-awards/

Greetings from 1 OR 8,

We here announce the next pairing dinner – This one is for the hard-core sushi sake fans.

SUSHI SAKE 15 X 15
The ultimate sushi and sake pairing – A different sake for each 15 nigiri!

Wednesday November 30th& Thursday December 1st
$150 (not including tax and gratuity) per person
RESERVATION and payment information is required.
Please call us if you are interested.
You can pick the time of reservation that you wish between 6 and 9pm.

The menu plan(There could be some unannounced changes depending on the market condition):

Seasonal White Fish x Sogen, Junmai
Buri (Yellowtail) x Yuki no Bosha, Junmai Ginjyo
Zuke Maguro (Tuna Akami marinated in soy sauce) x Naraman, Junmai
Pacific Salmon (King Salmon) x Kagatobi, Junmai Ginjyo
Sanma (Pike Mackerel) x Kozaemon, Yamahai Junmai
Kinme Dai (Golden Eye Snapper) x Take no Tsuyu, Junmai
Aji Tataki (Chopped Horse Mackerel w/ginger, scallion& sesame) x Masumi, Yamahai Junmai Ginjyo
Chutoro (Medium-Fatty Tuna) x Seikyo, Junmai
Botan Shrimp w/Lobster Miso x Shichida, Junmai
Seasonal White Fish w/Yuzu Kosho x Biho, Junmai Ginjyo
Anago (Sea Eel) x Omachi, Taruzake
Uni / Ikura (Sea Urchin / Salmon Roe) x Dewazakura, Nama Genshu
Ankimo (Monk Fish Liver w/Nara Zuke) x Shusen, Junmai Ginjyo
Kohada (Spotted Sardine) x Tedorigawa, Yamahai Junmai
Otoro Aburi (Seared Fatty Tuna) x Nanbu Bijin, Daiginjyo

Akadashi -Red Miso Soup

Dessert

***
Kanpai!
1 OR 8
718-384-2152
*********

If interested in this pairing dinner, call the restaurant
for a reservation.
Have a great weekend, and hope to see you soon!

1 OR 8
66 South 2nd street
bet Wythe and Kent
718-384-2152

Greetings from 1 OR 8,

We here announce the next pairing dinner – This one is for the hard-core sushi sake fans.

SUSHI SAKE 15 X 15
The ultimate sushi and sake pairing – A different sake for each 15 nigiri!

Wednesday November 30th& Thursday December 1st
$150 (not including tax and gratuity) per person
RESERVATION and payment information is required.
Please call us if you are interested.
You can pick the time of reservation that you wish between 6 and 9pm.

The menu plan(There could be some unannounced changes depending on the market condition):

Seasonal White Fish x Sogen, Junmai
Buri (Yellowtail) x Yuki no Bosha, Junmai Ginjyo
Zuke Maguro (Tuna Akami marinated in soy sauce) x Naraman, Junmai
Pacific Salmon (King Salmon) x Kagatobi, Junmai Ginjyo
Sanma (Pike Mackerel) x Kozaemon, Yamahai Junmai
Kinme Dai (Golden Eye Snapper) x Take no Tsuyu, Junmai
Aji Tataki (Chopped Horse Mackerel w/ginger, scallion& sesame) x Masumi, Yamahai Junmai Ginjyo
Chutoro (Medium-Fatty Tuna) x Seikyo, Junmai
Botan Shrimp w/Lobster Miso x Shichida, Junmai
Seasonal White Fish w/Yuzu Kosho x Biho, Junmai Ginjyo
Anago (Sea Eel) x Omachi, Taruzake
Uni / Ikura (Sea Urchin / Salmon Roe) x Dewazakura, Nama Genshu
Ankimo (Monk Fish Liver w/Nara Zuke) x Shusen, Junmai Ginjyo
Kohada (Spotted Sardine) x Tedorigawa, Yamahai Junmai
Otoro Aburi (Seared Fatty Tuna) x Nanbu Bijin, Daiginjyo

Akadashi -Red Miso Soup

Dessert

***
Kanpai!
1 OR 8
718-384-2152
*********

If interested in this pairing dinner, call the restaurant
for a reservation.
Have a great weekend, and hope to see you soon!

1 OR 8
66 South 2nd street
bet Wythe and Kent
718-384-2152

One of the final stops on our tohoku sake volunteer project for 2011 was the well known Urakasumi Brewery. I first visited Urakasumi in 2009 so I did get a chance to see the place before the disaster struck. I was encouraged to see that construction was well underway to fix the buildings that had been damaged by the tsunami.

We were given a short presentation by Urakasumi employee Ms. Funyu. Funyu-san showed us a slideshow of photos from the disaster and an overview of the steps they are taking for full recovery. After that, we got a tour of the brewery from the Urakasumi Toji. we needed to put on hard hats as the brewery buildings were active construction sites.

After the tour, we got a tasting and wonderful Q&A session. It was a wonderful day spent with Urakasumi. Seeing their recovery up close made me realize they are already well on the way to a full recovery. Before lunch, the group stopped by the gift shop and tasting bar. I was shocked to find the Japanese flag I had signed earlier in the year, sending our best wishes to Urakasumi (see gallery below!), was on proud display! This made me feel good that our well wishes reached them.

I feel grateful to be here on this day and bear witness to disaster, recovery and how sake brings us all together. Kanpai!