Welcome to the September Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. We are making some major changes to the Newsletter with regards to our website, so keep your eyes peeled. In this issue think for a moment about slugging sake whilst riding on a mass transit system, take note of Philip Harper's arrival at True Sake, and get "Coy" with sommelier Mark Bright.

In this issue:

• Subway Sakes - One Cup Delights
• Sake Spotlight - Mark Bright
• True Sake in The News - SF Chronicle
• New Store Arrivals - Jozen, Bandai, Sawanoi
• Special Events - Nectar Wine Lounge, Philip Harper Book Signing, Sake Day 2006
• Summary of the "Ginjo" Tasting
• "Ask Beau" - Can I Use the Bottle To Heat My Sake?
• The SECRET WORD

The image is still incredibly fresh in my mind. Although the event that I am about to describe took place over five years ago in Osaka, it seems like yesterday. So what is this searing image? In the big picture amongst all of the beautiful, breath taking and charming elements that make up a foreign land like Japan - all of the shrines, temples, little back alleys with their unique peculiar nuances, shops, markets - one would imagine that these images would be the ones that would last. They did not. I cannot remember one little back alley, one shrine, or one temple. I am certain that they are in my mind somewhere, but for recalling purposes they are simply gone.

So what do I remember? Two things. If you have never seen it - or them to be more precise - the day that you do will never be lost in your memory bank. I am referring to coin operated vending machines. No not the one or two machines that we as Americans are used to seeing standing side by side. I am speaking about the lines and lines of vending machines found almost everywhere in Japan. With so many machines what in the world could they sell? EVERYTHING! From food and medical necessities to clothing and underpants. From umbrellas and hats to sunglasses and earmuffs. You name it and the Japanese will "vend it" And yes, they vend sake and beer and all sorts of unique beverages.

Standing in front of one such bank of vending machines I thought to myself, "Man, if I were a kid growing up in Japan I would have bought a ton of beer and booze!" A reasonable thought for sure. One that is not lost upon a new changing demographic in Japan that is indeed falling prey to little ogres such as myself. The new generation has less control than past generations of vending folks, and as such the booze vending machines are starting to vanish. But they're still there! Shining and cooing, "Come have a cool beer" or whispering "Hey, it's been one hell of a day, come grab a cold sake and relax!"

Of course I had to buy sake from a machine! And I did several times. The choices were not vast. Not as large of a selection as the beer offerings. But you could take your pick of the major sake breweries. Ozeki invented the now ingrained vending icon called the "One Cup," which is precisely that - one cup of sake in a glass juice-can looking container with a pull top under a plastic protective lid. (I have never known anybody - perhaps in the history of drinking vended sake - that has consumed only a portion of the One Cup and put the lid back on for later!) The "point" of One Cup sake is a brew that is easy to drink, as in so easy that you basically chug it! And that is what a majority of vendees do, especially the older guys.

And this is where the image - or my summary of Osaka 5 years ago - comes into play. I was standing quite near a bank of vending machines when a gentleman who was probably 55 came riding by on his bike. He was well dressed, suit, tie and a hat. He also had an umbrella in his hand that was unopened. The guy pulled his bike right up to the sake vending machine and put in his coins. Out popped an Ozeki One Cup. But wait he wasn't done. More coins and another One Cup. I guess you could say Two Cups. Keep in mind he never got off of his bike. I quickly glanced at my watch and saw that is was 6:08PM and this gentleman looked quite like somebody who was done with work for the day.

As the old man sat back in his seat and began to peddle, he placed the umbrella on one arm - hanging - and held a sake in each hand. He was not using his handlebars. In fact, it looked like he had never used handlebars ever before. He sat quite erect peddling away through a sea of people, who were also getting off of work, and he ripped the cap off of one of the sakes and chugged it in one swift motion. I gave him a 9.5 for the technical aspect and a 10 for the artistry. He then steered his bike towards a garbage can and tossed that One Cup in the trash in a motion that said that he had done this 1,000,000 times before. Without wasting anymore time or motion he ripped off the other cap and started chugging the second One Cup in a similar fashion. Gulp, it was gone! And he bent his direction towards yet another garbage can and tossed the empty in the middle of the target. A professional indeed. In a mater of 30 yards he had consumed and properly disposed of 360mls of sake without bumping into one of a thousand walking people.

Obviously this is not one of those memories that one shares when asked "How was your trip and what did you see?" But it did make an impression, and it does spell out a little about the whole "Subway sake" culture in Japan. I call them "Subway Sakes" because typically the vending islands are found near mass transit stations. And of course they do have a stigma of not being very good sakes attached to them. (This is changing for the better.) Essentially they are constructed to drink without thinking. And yes, they have "decompression" written all over them. Tired guy gets off work. No time for a bar visit. Puts coins in and gets sake out. Drinks the sake and boards his train for the 30-minute ride home with a little buzz. It is indeed a "culture." Although I have never seen them (I will find a couple one day) I was told that some One Cups had naked women on them. Others had scenes of nature. And yes the obligatory advertisements also blessed these little beasts.

The last time that I was in Japan, I noticed that they "Super Sized" the One Cup and called it the 1.5 Cup. That however is not available in the US. But we do carry several "Subway Sakes" at the store. We carry the infamous Ozeki One Cup. We also carry a smaller can of Nama Genshu Honjozo from Kikusui, which is by far our best seller. And we are currently trying to get our brewers to export one of their better offerings that come in the "one cup" format. There is a brilliant sake liquor shop in Tokyo that specializes in high-end One Cup sakes for those who would just like a taste of a special or expensive brew.

Next time that you are in True Sake then by all means slum it and ask for a Subway Sake and see what sort of buzz $5 will buy you!

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"Sake Spotlight" is a unique section within the Newsletter that takes a closer look at specific sakes that may be purchased at True Sake. I approach different professionals within the sake, wine, beer and food industries to give their perspectives and insights to the how, what and why's for very special sakes. These insiders are importers, brewers, authors, sommeliers, or just enthusiasts who will take your knowledge base a little further. What I like about this segment is that often my review is quite different than that of the guest professional's adding to the point that there is no right or wrong when discussing your opinion about sake.

This month I approached a young gun in the wine world currently making his name selecting fine wines for numerous restaurants. Mark Bright, from Chicago, was 21 when he became a sommelier and was one of the "Best New Sommeliers" in Wine & Spirits 2005. But more importantly he simply enjoys learning new things about wine, especially "rice wines" that come from Japan. He also made the mistake of coming to True Sake, where we tried to sink the hook really deep!

Mark selected a "new world" brew that is indicative of a new-style of sakes that speak to a generation of different sake drinkers. It is along the lines of Ichinokura's Himezen and Kamoizumi's Kome-Kome (which is not exactly a sake per se). All "sweet" sakes in a sense that the fruitiness is out front and yelling "I am fruity as all get out!" But the final products are classy, clean and very refreshing.

Take it away Mark:

When diners go out to find dining restaurants they usually want a nice wine pairing with their food. This is an excellent way to enjoy an evening and enlighten the meal. Wine has been the best beverage for accompanying food, these pairings being perfected in European cuisine and brought to restaurants worldwide. During this globalization of cuisine there has been an incredible growth in the blending of Asian flavors and techniques. This is why I ask myself why there hasn't been an incredible growth in the introduction of Asian wines to pair with these trends. Recently there has been a growing number of beverage professionals attempting to introduce Sake into the American dining scene. I have found two amazing sake's that represent two basic sides, dry and off-dry styles, that accompany many dishes from Chef Ola Fendert at Oola Restaurant. The off-dry style, Karen Coy from Sake house Ichishima Shuzo. This is a Junmai and is phenomenal. The Sake reminds me of a very light Riesling Kabinett and goes well with the same food, especially fried foods like crab cakes and tempura. This is an elegant style, which is very aromatic with hints of lychee, apple and strawberry. Acidity is a key element in wine/food pairing and this is a perfect example of balanced acidity that goes well with higher acid dishes, such as Ola's Seared Spiced Ahi Tuna. With it's citrus components and champagne vinaigrette it's a great clean dish awaiting for a clear clean Sake. Sake is a very high quality beverage, one in which I consider on the same level as wine itself. I will definitely continue to offer Sake in wine programs I am involved with and always continue to consult the Sake sommeliers, the Masters of their subject. The most important thing is to continuously try Sake with different foods, experiment, have fun, because that is what dining is all about

Thank you Mark, and yes we will watch you like a hawk to make certain that sakes will continue to make inroads on your wine menu programs. You are indeed a smart man! That said, two things stuck out for me in this review. The first is the Riesling comparison, which I completely agree with. These types of fruit forward - below average SMV (Sake Meter Value) - sakes all run the risk of being too cloying in an overly fruity capacity. Hell I have tasted some that drink like syrup and would do better on pancakes, but Coy does not fit that bill on account of the fact that it is crisp and clean, which leads me to the second point. The acidity levels of these fruit-forward sakes have to be way up there to balance out all of the sugars. Plain and simple, too sweet on the palate, especially the tip of your tongue, and you mute all the other taste sensations. But with a healthy acidity play these components stay in the forefront rather than being muted in flow of sweet goop.

And thanks to Mark's timely review, we just starting carrying Coy at True Sake and the review reads a little like this:

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Ichishima "Coy" Niigata Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: -23 Acidity: 2.9 This "New World" sake is actually called "Karen" in Japan, and it is a low-alcohol brew (10%) with a nose filled with peach, lychee and apple aromas. Talk about complexity and questions! How can rice and water taste like such an array of fruit tones? There is nothing "Coy" about this sake as large Fuji apple elements dance in a clean and viscous flow. Behold a layer of sweetness that is brilliantly balanced by a very heady acidity level. Bright and chewy, this fruity brew drinks with an elegance not found in a typical Junmai. WORD: Fruity WINE: Rieslings/ Sauternes BEER: Sweet Belgian Ales FOODS: Dim sum, fried fish, tempura, fruit plates, creamy cheese. $19/500ml

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In a bold move, Blake Gray from The Chron attacked the "terroir" issue in the sake world head-on. This is quite a difficult topic to cover in terms of trying to avoid generalities. But what's a wine/sake writer to do? Well call up your local sake dude, and have him come over to the Chron for a private tasting of 8 sakes, which of course is what Blake did. It's a good read, and he quotes Philip Harper and Chris Pearce amongst others.

Read the article here: SAKE'S REGIONAL REVIVAL: Japanese breweries embrace terroir and a return to local flavors

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God, please somebody stop the madness. We cannot say No! at True Sake. As more and more excellent brews become available in the West, we have a harder and harder time rejecting them. And four years ago when the majority of the sakes were ummm okay! Today the sakes that we are seeing are truly superb. As such, we will continue to offer these great efforts, but please people help us learn the word No! Please teach us to eliminate a sake or two for every ten new sakes that make their way into our collection.

In this light, please say hello to three sakes that screamed, "Let us in" to our current offerings. The first is the orange brother to the famous pink Junmai Ginjo known as Jozen or to be more specific Shirataki's Jozen Mizunogotoshi. If you thought the Ginjo was clean wait until you get a load of the Junmai - talk about "like water" sake! Next comes Bandai, a brew that I was never too fond of, until now! Man what a Junmai with tons of flavor components in a very drinkable offering. Lastly, comes the belle of the ball. The Kimoto Junmai from Sawanoi is brewed in traditional cedar vats, but this isn't a silly cedary Taru sake. This baby is pure elegance in a glass.

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Shirataki Jozen Mizunogotoshi "Pure Flavor" Niigata Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: -1 Acidity: 1.4 A very mild nose filled with minerals, cucumber, and bamboo. Talk about a "watery" sake! This radically soft brew is like drinking nothing, and yet there is so much flavor. Quite an achievement to create a drinking experience void of the boozy taste, but big in silky soft flavors and texture. It's like the flavor of water with hints of minerals a mild fruit essences, but even more slippery with a luscious feeling. If you are afraid of the taste of alcohol, this is your brew! WORD: Water WINE: Soft reds/clean whites BEER: Ales FOODS: Sushi, grilled salty fare, clean cuisine. $28/720ml

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Bandai "Million Generations" Fukuoka Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: +1 Acidity: 1.5 A brilliant nose filled with white pepper, damp soil, mushrooms, tomato and teriyaki tones. This brew is a wonder to behold, as it is massive in flavor but gentle in feel. Sort of rich and clean! It is deep and expansive hiding elements of watermelon, raisins, vegetable soup, and caramel. The finish is extremely fast which is weird for such a mouthful of flavor. A great way to get close to a "massive sake" but in an easy drinking way. Very approachable! WORD: Rich WINE: Deep reds/ expansive whites BEER: Light stouts FOODS: Anything with big flavors, pasta, soups, grilled meats. $21/720ml

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Sawanoi "Fountain of Tokyo" Tokyo Prefecture. Kimoto Junmai. SMV: -1 Acidity: 2.1 This traditional old method sake was fermented in a cedar tank. Consider it a new version of old-school sake, with a gentle nose made up of dry cedar, celery, and pepper. A tremendously elegant sake with tons of character but in a very mild presentation. There are flavors galore such as white pepper, cinnamon, and chestnuts but they all stay forward as this brew has no tail! Perhaps it is the stellar balance of this sake, or just a new twist on an ancient brew. WORD: Elegant WINE: Complex reds/peppery whites BEER: Woody ales FOODS: Smoked fish, creamed fish, grilled fare. $44/720ml

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

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SEPTEMBER 12th - A co-branded Sake Tasting at the Nectar Wine Lounge On September 12th at the Nectar Wine Lounge in the Marina there will be a sake tasting featuring Beau Timken of True sake. This event is the marriage of a "wine hot spot" with "cool sake"! • When: September 12th from 6-9pm • Where: Nectar Wine Lounge (3330 Steiner in the Marina) 415.345.1377 • What: Enjoy 5 special brews with "Micro Conversations" with Beau Timken of True Sake. • How Much: $25/taster Please phone the Nectar Wine Lounge at 415.345.1377 or click on their website to reserve your seats. Walk-ins will be accommodated! Please DO NOT phone True Sake to reserve your seats.

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," at True Sake. This is an amazing opportunity to speak to a gentleman who knows sake inside and out. There are no other people out there who have accomplished what Philip has accomplished. He is the first foreign Toji (head brewer) in the history of making sake. And on top of that he is one hell of a nice guy! • When: September 21st from 4pm-5:30PM • Where: True Sake (560 Hayes Street at Laguna) • What Else: You may also buy one of Philip's sakes "Mukune" as well as get a signed copy of his new book.

SEPTEMBER 21ST Dinner with Philip Harper A once in a lifetime event! 5 lucky sake enthusiast will break bread with one of the pioneers of the sake world. Join Philip Harper for an intimate dinner at Farallon Restaurant in San Francisco and enjoy sake and a piece of sake history. • When: September 21st from 6-9pm • Where: Farallon Restaurant (The Captain's Table) • Limited Seating: There will be room for 5 sake enthusiasts! (We prefer 3 singles and 1 couple - or hell 5 singles! Point being this is for sake fans and not a cool first date event!) Please phone the store to reserve your seat! 415.355.9555 • Price: $55 plus tax and tip Dinner with a legend - PRICELESS!

OCTOBER 1ST - Sake Day 2006 - SOLD OUT! 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. Check out the brief description here. This event is one part exotic cuisine, one part sake carnival, one part Octoberfest Japanese-style, and two parts sake drinker appreciation day. SOLD OUT!

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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 August 15th forty fellow sake folks headed to Skipjack Sushi in Cow Hollow to rip a part 7 sakes that were paired (in general) with some of Chef/Owner Stewart Chen's succulent creations. Herewith was the line-up of the Ginjo's selected for the second annual "Ginjo Night" Tasting:

SAKE # 1, "WELCOME SAKE": Taisetsu "Gardens of the Divine" Hokkaido Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.4 SAKE # 2: Kokuryu "Black Dragon" Fukui Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.4 SAKE # 3: Tokun Shariku "Samurai" Chiba prefecture. Organic Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.3 SAKE # 4: Kasumi Tsuru " The Crane" Hyogo Prefecture. Yamahai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.4 SAKE #5: Tsukinokatsura Heiankyo "Ancient Capital" Kyoto Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +0.5 Acidity: 1.6 SAKE # 6: Yamahoushi "Mountain Buddhist" Yamagata Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: -1.5 Acidity: 1.3 SAKE #7: Amanoto "Diamond Dust" Akita Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Usu-Nigori. SMV: -3 Acidity: 1.3

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Received an email from Kenneth R from Toronto who asked:

"Is it okay to use the bottle when heating a sake?"

Use the bottle? Sure drink it all! No just joking. I understand your question my friend. There are certain bottles of sake that are meant to be placed in boiling water in a pan, and typically they are small 180ml little bullets. These have thicker glass and heat quicker as they contain far less fluid. On occasion I tell folks that it is okay to use a 300ml bottle in boiling water. But to place a 720ml in a pan and wait for all of the contents to warm up, we have the makings for a China Syndrome, aka meltdown. A larger bottle would require too much time in the boiling water and you would get an uneven heating. You also run the risk of breaking the glass. If your 720ml is half empty then it may work! Just remember that you do not want the flame to be on the sake for too long.

I say spend the $5-$8 and get a "Tokkuri" which guarantees an even heating every time. They have been in use for hundreds of years, so they must work to some degree. No?

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 "Packaging." Just kidding! I don't give a rat's ass about packaging, but this brew does sure look purty! Tenzan is a Junmai Genshu that resides in the unmistakable leaf packaging with ropes.

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 robust Tenzan Junmai retails for $32 but for you glorious sake-jockeys your cost is $16. And the SECRET WORD is Mr. Roboto (please feel free to sing this song in a whisper)

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Thank you for reading!

True Sake

TRUE SAKE: America's First Sake Store.