Welcome to the August Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. Can you believe it has been four years? I remember the faces of the first customers who entered so long ago on that first day when I sold six bottles of sake - three to the same guy! Well along with my Manager at True Sake - Miwa - we just wanted to say THANK YOU for making the store a success, but more importantly THANK YOU for loving sake so much. Lastly, please see the Events section of this Newsletter as there are a ton of events coming up, including our very own SAKE DAY 2006.

In this issue:

• 10 Sakes You Must Try Before You Die
• A Sake Moment - Skipjack Sushi
• True Sake In The News - Seattle Times, MSNBC, SF Guardian
• New Store Arrivals - Akita Homare, Summer Nama-sakes
• Special Events - August 15th "Ginjo Night," 30th "JOS," SAKE DAY 2006
• Summary of the "Blind Tasting"
• "Ask Beau" - Do you Import Sake?
• The SECRET WORD

Picture me in a loincloth, with a long white beard, extremely long finger nails, sitting cross-legged in a cave way up on some remote mountain. (Okay forget the loin-cloth that was wrong) Now picture yourself winded, huffing and puffing, with chest heaving as you gasp for breath after making a massive up-hill trek to get to my cave. Now see yourself blurting out a frantic question that gets met with a long and pointy bony finger that I press against my lips motioning for silence. You pause and then take a seat in the dust in front of my old and fragile body. After a long pause I look deeply into your eyes and ask "What is it young sake drinker - how can I help you?"

At first you want to pour forth the following question, "Beau-san, what are your 10 favorite sakes?" But wisely you resist this urge. You recall the countless times that I have said that my favorite 10 sakes are for me alone, as everybody is the "Champion of his or her own palate." Thus you restructure your question. "Beau-san, there are many brews to be had in this great sake universe, which rice and water concoctions should I try before I die?"

My eyes will close and my head will drop. And it will be a very long while before I lift my aged noggin and I will utter the following, "My sweet sweet sake slut, you have come far, and you have asked me the one question that I do not like to answer, but I will do so for you and you alone." With a large piece of charcoal I begin to write ten names of sakes or breweries on the cave wall. At sake number three I bark out "these sakes and breweries are not the best, but should be tried to appreciate the essence of sake." At number five my body quivers with a mixture of loathing and disgust, but I continue on. At number seven, I turn around and remind you that this list consists of sakes that are available in the US.

And after I scrawl down the tenth sake I collapse like a wet gym towel that slaps down on a locker room floor. Is he dead you ask yourself? Did my question that is oh so personal and oh so arbitrary actually kill the poor guy? And then when you get up to read the wall my wilted body rolls over and I gasp out, "It's not in order you jackass!" And then I die.

• Koshi no Kanbai Brewery (Perceived to be the "best" in Japan)
• Urakasumi Brewery (Balance personified - created a special yeast)
• Sato no Homare - Sudo Honke Brewery (Oldest brewery in Japan)
• Daishichi Minowamon (These brewers are into perfection! This DG is Perfect)
• Mukune (Great example of Osaka sake - Made by Philip Harper the Pioneer!)
• Juyondai (Aged sake that speaks to the language of "fat" flavors and feelings)
• Masumi Brewery (Founders of one of the most important brewing yeasts)
• Tsukinokatsura Junmai Dai Ginjo Nigori (Amazing brewery and best Nigori)
• Kotsuzumi Brewery (One of those "Biblical breweries")
• Kokuryu Brewery (Another of those "Biblical breweries")

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As many of you know, on occasion I have to work a little to keep my kids in shoes. And work sometimes takes the great turn of being able to help restaurateurs develop sake menus unique to the U.S., SF, and their local hoods, and highlights the strengths of their restaurants. Recently I have crafted menus for Medicine, 415, and Sebo. But my latest endeavor re-united me with a dear friend who wanted to "Thrust sake to the forefront" of his sushi restaurant.

Skipjack Sushi on Union Street in Cow Hollow, San Francisco is the third restaurant developed by Stewart Chen who is the mastermind behind Amberjack Sushi in Noe Valley and Amberjack Sushi in Mill Valley. The word that comes to mind when speaking about Stewart's restaurants is "comfort sushi," as in it does not try to be something that it is not. Well then what is it? It is a comfortable and reliable restaurant that always has a very strong local following who enjoy the quality of sushi and the "feel" of the service and the friendly intangibles.

When my first daughter was born, we spent three nights per week sitting in front of Stewart at the Noe Valley Amberjack with out daughter sleeping in his kitchen. It was then that I started speaking in depth with Stewart about sake and the "future of sake." He learned well, as his latest endeavor is "Sake first - comfort second"! Well at least in my mind.

So I set about creating not only a killer sake menu, but for the first time I really worked with Steward about the placement of bottles on display, so that customers can really see not only the works of art known as labels, but can identify what they are drinking. I also created a numbering system that corresponds with a very in-depth Sake Menu that matches the perfectly displayed sake bottles.

If you are prepared to sit in front of 32 different sakes, read my brief reviews of each, and enjoy some really fresh and flavorful sushi then I recommend dropping by Skipjack. It is a great opportunity to try a wide variety of well kept and well serviced sakes in an environment that will allow you to take notes and do a little homework for yourself. I am really proud of the selections, but more importantly I am proud of the layout of the sake presentation. And if you go tell Stewart that you are a True Sake person! Oh and I almost forgot - our True Sake tasting event for August will be at Skipjack on August 15th (The Ginjo Sake Tasting) Please see the "Events" section of this Newsletter.

Skipjack - 1785 Union Street - 415.447.7357

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Many times when people come into True Sake they will say that they know nothing about sake, when in fact they do know more than they let on. The same too goes with the media-types. They will plead ignorant and then write some really great pieces on sake. I had a brilliant talk with a food writer from the Seattle Times who basically said that Seattle isn't quite there yet in terms of good offerings and restaurants that are putting sake through its paces. But she also hinted that the future is quite near! I also received a nice little review for my book "Sake - A Modern Guide" from MSNBC and True Sake was once again selected a "Best of the Bay" by the SF Guardian.

"Restaurants discover sake's versatility", Seattle Times

"Wine books for a refreshing read", MSNBC

"Best of the Bay", SF Guardian (On the site, click on Hayes Valley link)

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Every once in a while a great sake falls off of my sake radar screen. It just drops into the Bermuda Triangle of lost brews. The reasons are many, but excuses all the same, and the outcome is that a really delicious sake is lost at sea, and you fine people never get to hear about it! Well, I recently read an old review for the following sake and I asked myself, where in the hell did that brew go? It didn't "go" anywhere, and fortunately it is right back on the shelves of True Sake right where it belongs!

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Akita Homare "Pride of Akita" Akita Prefecture. Junmai Dai Ginjo. SMV: +1.5 Acidity: 1.4 This 45% milled sake has splendid nose with hints of plums, grape skins, minerals, and vanilla. A very nice pale yellow sheen quickly fills the mouth with chewy and plump fruit forward flavors that are creamy and luscious. There are traces of vanilla in this full-bodied sake that is both elegant and amazingly inviting. The mouth feel is superb and the creamy finish speaks volumes. WORD: Luscious WINE: Pinot Noir/non-oaky chardonnay BEER: Ales FOODS: Pastas in a light cream sauce, grilled oily fish, cheeses, fruit. $47/720ml

Okay Folks! The "Summer Nama-sakes" are almost about to retire for the year. If you have not tried them make sure to do so sooner rather than later. We cannot predict the moment when they disappear. Just like Summer '05 we have brews from Ohyama (was the top selling Nama last year), Tsukasabotan, and Umenishiki. But wait! This season we have a new brew from Otokoyama that joins these fellow unpasteurized beauties.

If you are looking for the sublime and elegant Nama Dai Ginjo (not a lot of these) experience try the Umenishiki, or for those looking for dry and refreshing grab a bottle of Tsukasabotan. If plump and ripe is your thing try the Ohyama and if you want that clean and refreshing drinking experience give the Otokoyama a shot. Bottom-line is that there is a Summer Nama for everybody! Again, and we know that you know that we know that you know that we are going to say this again, but these great seasonal sakes are for a limited time only. So get'em while the getting' is good!

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Ohyama "Big Mountain" Yamagata Prefecture. Nama Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: +3.5 Acidity: 1.3 If you are looking for "drinkable" without too much "thinkable" then grab this Nama. Clean, plump and round this unpasteurized sake has a nose filled with yellow cherry, apple, and ripe fruit tones. Is it semi-dry or semi-sweet, who cares as the overall feeling is refreshingly fruity without being sweet. There are very soft powder sugar, melon, and white grape flavors that move in a semi-thick texture with a stop-gap finish. Think watery but packed with flavors, and let it go closer to room temp for the full Nama experience. WORD: Grapes WINE: Merlot/Chewy whites BEER: Creamy Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, grilled fare. $25/720ml

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Otokoyama Sasaori "Man's Mountain" Hokkaido Prefecture. Nama Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.4 The nose on this unpasteurized sake is filled with honeydew melon, ripe cherry, and white chocolate tones. This is a silky soft Nama sake that has hints of rock candy, honeydew, and powder sugar elements all wrapped up in a soft and semi-sweet drinking experience. Think semi-sweet and sunny, light and fun, bright and fresh. A great example of a sake that is full in flavor but soft in texture - gentle and refreshing. WORD: Soft WINE: Merlot/Non-oaky chardonnay BEER: Light ales FOODS: Cuisine with a natural sweetness, fruit, seafood, cheese. $23/500ml

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Tsukasabotan "King of the Peony" Kochi Prefecture. Nama Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.5 This Nama-sake has a pronounced nose filled with apple, pineapple, and green grasses tones. Talk about a brew with two distinct elements! This sake captures two great qualities in the sake world - the feeling called Nama, and the flavor generalized as Ginjo. It is a dry sake with full flavors such as steamed rice with hints of ripe persimmon and honey. Keep a taste bud open for Japanese apple-pear, minerals, and other crisp flavors. Dry and watery! WORD: Persimmon WINE: Complex reds/Crisp whites BEER: Pilsners FOODS: Grilled anything, salty flavors, fried fare. $13/300ml

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Umenishiki " Gorgeous Plum" Ehime Prefecture. Nama Junmai Dai Ginjo. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.2 This extremely elegant Nama Dai Ginjo (not many of those around) has a lively nose with hints of minerals, green apple, papaya, dark chocolate and sea salt tones. Think crisp and semi-dry when trying a Nama that is built to enhance the subtleties found in Dai Ginjo sake. The tip of the tongue stays fruity whilst the finish is dry and everything in between captures nuanced elements such as unripe pear, almonds, mineral water, and a sneaky vein of bitter chocolate. Clean and compact this Dai Ginjo is a treat for those looking to see a subtle side of Nama-sake. WORD: Crisp WINE: Zesty reds/ Dry whites BEER: Crisp ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, gently flavored cuisines. $23/500ml

Lastly, we will have three new "amazing" sakes to tell you about in the next Newsletter, including one of my favorites that is exclusively sold at True Sake! So do not forget to check out September's New Arrivals, you will be glad that you did!

You can review many of our sakes on our web site:
www.truesake.com

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#1 - AUGUST 15TH "Ginjo Night" ~ Tasting Ginjo Class Sake

	• When:	August 15th
	• Where:	Skipjack Sushi -1785 Union Street - 415.447.7357
	• What:	A Ginjo-only tasting that will focus on premium sakes, and will be paired with great fresh cuisine selections from Skip Jack Sushi on Union Street
	• How Much:	$45
	• Why:	This is a great tasting to not only eat at, but try SEVEN premium Ginjo sakes that will rock your world!
	• How:	To reserve phone 415.355.9555 and remember all True Sake events sell out!
	• Small Print:	As tickets are so in demand, there is a 24-hour cancellation policy!

#2 - AUGUST 31ST "The Joy Of Sake" tasting event at Moscone Center.

Read about this on the Joy of Sake website. Note: The Joy of Sake is often perceived to be a True Sake event - it is not.

#3 - SEPTEMBER 21ST Philip Harper Book Signing at True Sake.

One of the legends of the sake world will be in San Francisco on Sept. 21st to meet and greet the fine sake folks of the Bay Area. He will also be signing his new book "The Book of Sake - A Connoisseur's Guide," which will be released in September. There will also be an extremely "Limited Dining Event" with Philip on the night of the 21st at one of SF's top restaurants. Ticket information will be available in the September True Sake Newsletter.

#4 - OCTOBER 1ST - SAKE DAY 2006!

The second annual Sake Day Celebration featuring a 5-course Kaiseki- style sake pairing, 4 unique sake tasting stations, raffle, prizes, live entertainment, etc. This is True Sake's signature event, and tickets sell out immediately. This event is one part exotic cuisine, one part sake carnival, one part Octoberfest Japanese-style, and two parts sake drinker appreciation day! RUN - DO NOT WALK - TO GET TICKETS! Check out the brief description at www.sakeday.com.

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We typically get 20-30 emails per Newsletter from those wanting a summary of past sake tasting events. As such I make it a regular practice to highlight what you fools have been missing! (I say that in the most loving of ways). Point being, many people cannot attend a tasting and they want to know what goes down at these fun and informative events. Bottom-line is that we bend over backwards to create events that feature superb sakes, great spaces, and fabulous foods. You should at some point attend one of our tastings, and here's another example of why:

On July 19th True Sake held a "Blind Sake Tasting" in Japan Town in San Francisco. Forty lucky sake tasters enjoyed 15 different sakes all lined up in veiled bottles. Actually there were 16 bottles in a row, as we repeated one sake to see if the tasters could pick out the same sake amongst the other brews. And out of the entire group, one person managed to pick Kaori as the repeated sake. Herewith is a list of the sakes that were tasted:

	SAKE #1:	Yuki No Matsushima - "Snowy Land" Miyagi Prefecture. Honjozo. SMV: +20 Acidity: 1.6
	SAKE #2:	Nishida "Kikuizumi" - "Fountain of Joy" Aomori Prefecture. Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.3
	SAKE #3:	Takenotsuyu - "Bamboo Tears" Yamagata Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: 2 Acidity: 1.4
	SAKE #4:	Kaori - "Fragrance" Yamaguchi Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.5
	SAKE #5:	Tengumai - "Dance of the Demon" Ishikawa Prefecture. Yamahai Shikomi Junmai. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.5
	SAKE #6:	Yuki no Bosha - "Cabin In The Snow" Akita Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +1 Acidity: 1.9
	SAKE #7:	Kikuhime - "Chrysanthemum Princess" Ishikawa Prefecture. Yamahai Junmai. SMV: +1 Acidity: 1.8
	SAKE #8:	Koshi No Tousetsuka - "Snow Flower" Niigata Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: + 6 Acidity: 1.3
	SAKE #9:	Kaori - "Fragrance" Yamaguchi Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.5
	SAKE #10:	Kan Chiku - "Cold Bamboo" Nagano Prefecture. Junmai Dai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.4
	SAKE #11:	Umenishiki "Sakehitosuji" - "Gorgeous Plum" Ihime Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Genshu. SMV: +1.5 Acidity: 1.9
	SAKE #12:	Hakkaisan - "Hakkai Mountain" Niigata Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.3
	SAKE #13:	Fukunishiki - "Happy Fortune" Hyogo Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.4
	SAKE #14:	Nihonjyo - "The Castle" Wakayama Prefecture. Junmai Dai Ginjo. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.3
	SAKE #15:	Hoyo Manamusume - "Farmer's Daughter" Miyagi prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: +1 Acidity: 1.5
	SAKE #16:	Bishonen - "Beautiful Boy" Kumamoto Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.7

Also at the tasting we provided a wall chart to plot the tasters top three favorite sakes. Typically, perhaps because of "group think," you get about three sakes that everybody gravitates to, but this was not the case. There was a very wide scope of likes that really made my night! But, of course, everybody wants to know "What was the favorite?" and on this evening the top 3 sakes were: Hoyo, Yuki no Bosha, and Kaori (And since I do not believe in bests these 3 are not in order! Ha!)

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Trevor P from NYC asked:

"I just came back from Tokyo and had this really great sake, if I get the name of the brewery can you import it for me?"

Oh man Trevor, in a perfect world I'd love to say hell yes! But we live in the most imperfect world when it comes to booze importing, distributing, and retail sales here in the US. Since I am retailer of sake, I cannot import nor distribute sake. We have the so-called separation of church and state at all three levels of "movement" of alcoholic beverages. Why? Well for one thing the government gets to tax all three levels of importation, distribution, and retail. If you could do all three, this would eliminate two levels of taxation. Thus the bureaucracy of alcoholic beverages dictates that only in rare instances (I am still trying to figure this one out) can an importer sell directly to the customer.

Trevor is by no means the first and only person to ask me this. I get 3-4 emails per week from breweries in Japan who have heard about True Sake, and ask me to import their sake. Sadly, I have to tell them - right after they offer to send me lots of samples - that I cannot act as their importer. It kills me! And in case you are wondering in terms of margins the importers make the most followed by the distributors, which leaves loser like me and True Sake in the dust with by far the smallest margins.

Please send your sake specific questions to askbeau2 @ truesake.com. (This address is not for general questions and I only review the questions once per month. All correspondence should use info @ truesake.com.)

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Ah, at last we have reached the end of this Newsletter and that of course means that we have come to the now-famous SECRET WORD. To those who are new the SECRET WORD is a chance for you to try a sake of note for half of that sake's original price. Just for reading this Newsletter. It is our way of saying thank you for trying to understand the wonders of sake. And in this regard we typically select a sake with a story, and this month's story is "Ninjas." Huh? Well to be exact it is a Junmai sake from the same brewery who just supplied you with the "gold flake" sake - Wakaebisu.

Please remember the rules: only one bottle per reader, and don't tell your buddy at the moment if he/she isn't a Newsletter subscriber, always use a hushed or secret agent voice when saying the SECRET WORD, and lastly for those who have their sakes shipped I can only include the SECRET WORD sake in a four-pack purchase - meaning you must buy three other sakes. This tasty and dry Junmai from Wakaebisu costs $20 but for you glorious sake-jockeys your cost is $10. And the SECRET WORD is Ninja-Ninja-Ninja (the sound of karate chops!)

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Thank you for reading!

True Sake

TRUE SAKE: America's First Sake Store.