Welcome to the February Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. In this issue we pay homage to the Chinese New Year - the Pig - we take a deep look at Denshu, we highlight a live video feed of a sake brewing process, and of course we try to capitalize on V-day!

In this issue:

• Year of the Pig (Boar) - Ten Pork and Sake Pairings
• Sake Spotlight - Satomi Furugaki Goes Big on Denshu
• Live Video Feed of Sake Being Made - Otokoyama Goes Tech!
• True Sake in The News - Fodor's Travel
• New Store Arrivals - Spring Nama Sampler
• Special Events - Feb 19 "Old School Tasting" (Save March 20)
• Summary of the Junmai Tasting
• "Ask Beau" - "Should I Serve Sake on Valentine's Day?"
• The SECRET WORD

On February 18th we all become pigs! Well sort of, in fact, it is the Chinese New Year's Day celebration, and as this is the year of the boar then we are all part of swine time! Firstly, let's talk about what it means to be a "pig."

1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

If you were born on these years then more than likely you are:

Positive: The Boar can be sensible, sensual and sensitive, sweetly naive, caring, self-sacrificing, erudite, talented, open-handed, candid, outgoing, amusing, charitable, obliging, graciously hospitable and virtuous.

Negative: The Boar can also be hot-tempered, pessimistic, outrageously epicurean, earthy to a fault, sardonic, snobbish, snide, authoritarian, competitive, know-it-all, stingy, victimized and sometimes downright criminally mad at the world.

On New Year's Day itself there are some really cool taboos and customs that you should all be made aware of, and since we at True Sake always care about your well-being then please take note.

Do: Sweep your house the day before, and remove the rubbish through the back door, shoot off firecrackers to send out the old year, at midnight on the Eve open all of the windows and doors in your house to let out the old year, use an almanac for the best time to leave your house, wear red colored clothes, do give a little red envelope filled with money to children and elder friends, and pay close attention to the first person you meet in the New Year and the words that they say - it will dictate your fortunes for the coming year.

Don't: Sweep your house on New Year's day as you will sweep away good fortune, lend money to friends, use foul language or unlucky words, say the "four" (Ssu) which sounds like "death," tell ghost stories, refer to the past year, cry on New Year's Day or you will cry all year long, wash your hair because you will wash away good fortune, greet anybody in their bedroom, and don't use knives or scissors as this may cut off good fortunes.

Now back to sake! Herewith is the first-ever Chinese New Year's Top 10 Pork and Sake Pairings. I will pair sakes to ten pork dishes that are available to all. (I promise that I will not do this for the Year of The Rat)

1. PORK TENDERLOIN - YUKI NO BOSHA JUNMAI GINJO

   How often have you tasted pork tenderloin that is so over cooked that it better represents one of those fake fire logs that burns for "3 hours?" I have selected this Junmai Ginjo because it has explosive fruit and high acidity to cut through the dryness and the fruitiness acts as a liquid chutney.
   
   

2. PORK ADOBO (PHILIPINO) - MASUMI YAMAHAI JUNMAI GINJO

   Take some very tender pork, marinate it in soy sauce, vinegar and garlic and let it set for the night. This slow cooked dish works wonders with a full-bodied Yamahai Ginjo that has some fruit but drinks more rich and smoky when mixing with the soy sauce.
   
   

3. KAKUNI (JAPANESE) - HAIKASSAN HONJOZO

   Mike Black from Sebo makes two versions of this pork belly dish - one from Okinawa and the other a more traditional recipe - and we both agree that this Honjozo from Niigata plays so very well with the more traditional dish. Why? Because the juice is what makes the flavor rock, and the dryness of the Honjozo pulls all of the oily flavor forward in the mouth.
   
   

4. SWEET AND SOUR PORK (CHINESE) - OTOKOYAMA FUKKOSHU (GENSHU)

   Who hasn't had this syrupy pork offering with tremendous pink colors and a splendid stickiness? It takes a certain type of sake to go with something so sweet and yet has an undercurrent of vinegar. That brew is an amazingly sweet Junmai Genshu from Hokkaido that is extremely well balanced for a sake that has an SMV of -50. This rich sweetness and very robust acidity of 3.4 works like magic with this cheap and comfy form of pork!
   
   

5. PORK CUTLET - WAKATAKE ONIKOROSHI JUNMAI GENSHU

   Ye ol' pork cutlet recipe that mom used to make or the version that you got at Denny's at 3AM always needs a brew that plays to the oily and salty goodness. In Japan they call it Tonkatsu and typically one would pair this affordable dish with a Junmai that speaks to the fried flavor. I prefer a dry Junmai that is viscous and chewy, and has a full-bodied construction that dances with the oily nature of the dish. Wakatake is that animal!
   
   

6. PORK RIBS (BAR-B-QUE) - KAMOIZUMI SHUSEN JUNMAI GINJO

   I had to go straight to the Pig's mouth for this pairing. I asked our dear friend Bob Kantor of Memphis Minnie's - the dude who offers sakes with his tasty bar-b-que - what sake has the balls to stand up to the huge flavor of bar-b-que. For years he has sworn that "Shusen" has that fortitude, and I must agree as this extremely deep Ginjo has so much body that it really pulls out the smokiness of the pork.
   
   

7. ROASTED PORK LOIN - MASUMI ARABASHIRI JUNMAI GINJO

   This "Pork Loin" should not be confused with tenderloin as described in the first pork pairing. This fantastic pork dish was made by Alain Rondelli - uber chef extraordinaire - for my book. The recipe celebrates the union of Sake with western haute cuisine and is a shining example of how sake should be considered mainstream and center of the plate material. The fruitiness and freshness of the brew really captures the elegance of the pork and the basket of flavors in the cranberry ginger chutney. See page number 93 and let the games begin.
   
   

8. PORK SAUSAGE - KARIHO NAMAHAGE YAMAHAI JUNMAI

   Ahhh pork sausage! There are a million recipes for this delicacy from resting in a bun at a stadium to thinly sliced whilst accompanying a plate of eggs for breakfast. The bottom line or common denominator is that most are a little bit spicy. That is why I like tossing this radically dry Junmai that has an SMV of +15 and a firm acidity of 1.7 into the arena of pork sausage recipes. There is a layer of fruit tones but the dryness will jump at the spiciness.
   
   

9. CARNITAS (MEXICO) - HIRAIZUMI YAMAHAI JUNMAI

   This slow-cooked pork dish is a favorite of those looking for deep and rich tones that explode in a juiciness that can only come from Mexico. Basically think smooth and confident in your choice of sakes, and there is no better "culprit" than Hiraizumi Yamahai Junmai. This traditionally brewed sake has an elevated acidity level that dances with the meaty juices of the Carnitas, and the elegant dryness captures the richness of this porky beast.
   
   

10. PORK BACON - TAMANOHIKARI YAMAHAI JUNMAI GINJO

    Last but not least we get to good ol' bacon! Such a simple dish but oh so comforting. The smoky, rich and salty qualities call for a sake that highlights these elements but also adds a touch of class. This Yamahai Ginjo is all of that with hints of nuttiness and a smoky presence that wraps the bacon like a pig in a blanket.
    
    

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This month's "Spotlight" is a delight as we get to shine a little light on one of the up and coming sake influencers in the US. I first met Satomi Furugaki when I was a judge for the International Sake Sommelier Competition in LA in 2006. She was the point person for the entire event and I quickly learned that Satomi has a sake soul and a Dai Ginjo heart. Recently, I asked her to critique some Izakaya's (sake pubs) in LA - this will be featured in the March Newsletter - and asked her if she would put her sake sommelier and sake aficionado skills to test by writing a little piece on her favorite Junmai sake. Satomi is a Shugaku Kohshi (sake instructor), but more importantly she is a drinker of sake and that is my favorite quality about this wonderful voice in the sake industry.

Herewith is her review on the ultra-popular Tokubetsu Junmai called Denshu:

"In my history of my affair with sake, I must say, Ginjo was the one that captivated my soul that previously belonged to wine. And Junmai was the one that made me fall in love with sake deeply. Until I met this gorgeous Tokubetsu Junmai called Denshu from Aomori, the northernmost tip of mainland Japan, my sake of choice had long been an expressively aromatic Ginjo type. Then Denshu came along, the rich and classy Junmai delight, and has forever converted me into an ardent Junmaista. Of course, I still do reach for a Ginjo when in mood for its fragrance and irresistible dainty charm. But Junmai has been the one in my mind recently when I crave for a quintessential pure rice-like flavor of sake, rich, inviting and mellow like a time spent with good old friends, or when I want some sake that can lead the evening as a beaming protagonist of the meal. Denshu is the product of the award-winning Nishida Shuzo (brewery) by the hand of brewery master (toji) of Nanbu Guild. The brewery has been in business since 1877 in Aomori City. The name Denshu literally means the "sake of/from the rice field," reflecting the brewer's dedication to the traditional style of sake brewing, making sure they use only the ingredients right out from the rice filed, never adding any distilled alcohol. I first tried Denshu at this charming and rustic Izakaya (Japanese version of the tapas bars) called Wakasan (affectionately called Wakasan-chi among Japanese, translated as "Mr. Waka's") in Westwood area of Los Angeles, as a treat from my best drinking buddy Kuma, a fellow Japanese expatriate who religiously frequented this hideout before his departure for Japan. According to Waka-san, every year, his place has four bottles offering of Kikuizumi, by Nishida Shuzo of Denshu fame, out of only a dozen or so available in California. My friend Kuma is my sake partner-in-crime who taught me the bliss of strolling around and barhopping in the Shinbashi district of Tokyo. Shinbashi is the businessmen's haven with alley after alley of Izakaya joints, mostly cozy hall-in-the-wall type, flooded with men in suits, shoulder to shoulder, decompressing themselves after their busy workday. The Showa nostalgia is tangible in the air filled with smokes from good eats like dried squid, yakitori and nikomi to nibble...all sorts of full-flavored treats that would make you go just "yum!" with an old fashioned small glass full of Junmai sake. Now back to Denshu. Aomori Prefecture, the home of Denshu, is well known in Japan as the biggest producer of apples as well as seafood like tuna, scallop and cod. There are many regional dishes slowly stewed in rich and tasty broth featuring seasonal blessings from local oceans and mountains, like Keyakimiso, a scallop in a shell cooked with bonito broth and miso, with egg poured in and topped with scallion, or Jappajiru, cod's organs with daikon radish simmered in miso. Aomori sake compliment their regional dishes very well. Though relatively on the drier side, Aomori sake tend to be more compacted in their aroma and flavor profiles compared to the national average, and very well-structured with an exquisite balance of sweetness, dryness, bitterness, acidity, and umami. Many use Aomori-grown sake rice Hanafubuki ("a blizzard of the blossoms," such a poetic name for rice!), big-grained rice packed with an abundance of starch needed for good Junmai. Denshu, Tokubetsu Junmai, in its shimmering light amber color, bears a faint fruity aroma with hints of citrus and mineral. The first sip welcomes you with such a rich and silky smooth touch that unwinds your senses instantly. The umami-rich sweet rice flavor is met with the tantalizing mature impression of a roasted chestnut, altogether mellowed down with the pleasant bitterness reminiscent of the ice- cold apple skin. This elegant brew with a softness of the sweet potato accented with peanut butter like saltiness and distant acidity as in a dark caramel, drinks so smooth and leaves in your month a sweet lingering comfort that invites you for more sips. Junmai sake like Denshu stirs up the warm and fuzzy feelings in me, reminding me of all the good times shared with my friends and family, pouring sake to each other and laughing the nights away. Junmai sake speaks to me well that the sake is a catalyst of the great memories, and the medium between men and the nature, savored through the enduring passion of the brewers manifested in the divine droplets. I enjoy feeling sake enriching and nourishing my slowly evolving time with my company, linking us to the heart of the brewers and with the beautiful nature and the seasons that the land of Japan bestows us to cherish. When I am in a state of "horoyoi" rapture in a tipsy intoxication, I thank the God of Sake for letting me be born in a country with such a heavenly drink that continues to enchant me like it has long done to our ancestors since the ancient days. But I guess the Sake God's gone pretty global, with a wonderful help of sake purveyor, sommeliers, and journalists, we the world citizens are all under his equal mercy; for I know from experience, the sake fever has proven to be, undoubtedly, highly contagious among my non-Japanese friends across the oceans. I am perfectly sober at the time of this writing, but this I know for sure. Kanpai!" Satomi is a Los Angeles representative of Sake Service Institute (SSI) (www.sakejapan.com), the sole licensing organization of sake sommelier certification. She is also an SSI certified Kikisake-shi (sake sommelier) and Shugaku Kohshi (sake instructor). She teaches sake classes at California Sushi Academy (www.sushi-academy.com), first sushi chef training institution out of Japanese, and writes tasting comments for several sake breweries.

Thank you Satomi for a terrific journey map of an amazing sake known as Denshu. As we sell this hyper-allocated brew at true Sake, we basically use it as "The Default" prototypical Junmai brew for those looking to get a sense of "well constructed" sake. It is as balanced as they come, always top notch with very little variance between each year's offerings. Herewith is my blurb on such a drinkable brew:

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Nishida Denshu "Country Squire" Aomori Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.5 This ultra-popular Junmai comes from a brewery that only makes 50,000 cases per year, which creates a hyper-demand for such a well- structured and flavorful sake. With a nose of soft grass tones and floral elements, "Denshu" has full flavored beginning of dried fruits and a subtle vanilla under-current. It is a very clean and fresh tasting sake that has a great deal of "umami" in its make-up. It also is rich and deep, which spells out the fact that this Junmai is so well built that it is both strong and light. WORD: Balanced WINE: Deep Reds/Robust Whites BEER: Strong Ales FOODS: Grilled everything, sushi, French fries. $32/720ml

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Just got word from Kazu Yamazaki from Japan Prestige Sake Association that one of his breweries - Otokoyama from Hokkaido - will be hosting a 5-hour live video feed on their website of sake being made.

It will be in their "Events" section of their Japanese-version website.

In US, it will be on Saturday, Feb. 10th 5pm-10pm(PST), 7pm-12am(CST) 8pm-1am (EST) (In Japan, Feb. 11th 10am-3pm.)

This is a great brewery filled with great people, and they have always been so kind to us here at True Sake. Which means that they have been kind to you our customers by pricing their sake so well. So please visit this event and support a terrific kura's efforts to show sake real-time.

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Yes it is a good feeling to be on the "Hot List." Far better a feeling than being on the "Cold List" or the "Arrow Pointing Down List." And as such I want to thank the Fodor's Travel Company for making True Sake a "Hot List" destination. Herewith is a quick hit on True Sake in their "Hot List" section joining Hawaiian outings, pizza in LA and the Louis Vuitton store in Paris.

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Yes, it is that time of year again. Time for freshly released Nama (unpasteurized) sakes to reach our shelves. Again, we at True Sake are very proud to continually push our importers to bring in more Nama- sakes so that you have a wider drinking appreciation of sakes that have not be heated the typical two times. By all means Nama-sake is not the end-all-be-all, but it is a great way to explore rice and water. There are many hidden aspects to Nama-sakes that you do not find in two pasteurized brews. For example, Nama-sake sometimes has a very unique green tinge to it - a very light Granny-Smith color not found in heated sakes. Also there is a freshness factor that manifests itself in young and crisp tones, a snap of sorts.

I like to tell drinkers that Nama-sakes are a little more raw than pasteurized brews. They have a brightness and at times a bigness that their fellow heated brews do not posses. I often say a 3-D flavor and feeling aspect pervades your typical Nama drinking experience. In terms of quantifying US and (western) palates, it has become evident that most drinkers prefer the largeness quality to Nama-sakes, those big and bold elements, as apposed to more subtle Nama qualities.

In this regards, we have three new brews that speak to those who like it dry, crisp and full-bodied semi-sweet. If you want a dry and clean experience be certain to try the Harushika Junmai Ginjo. Those looking for depth, semi-dryness, and a food pairing powerhouse try the Nama- Genshu called "Oh Oni" "Big Devil" from Shutendouji. And of course those looking for the thick, fat, full-bodied semi-sweet experience hook into the Junmai Genshu from Kamikokoro, and feel the goodness. The last two are undiluted sakes that carry an alcohol content of between 17-18%, which makes for some very vast flavors.

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Harushika Shiboribana "Spring Deer" Nara Prefecture. Nama Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +2.5 Acidity: 1.4 This dry unpasteurized Ginjo has a vibrant nose filled with sweet rice, white grape, and green melon elements. If you like your fresh sake on the dry side, this brew is for you as the clean crisp dryness offers a stop-gap finish. There is no real aftertaste or tail as all of the subtle fruit tones like champagne grapes and green apple stay forward in the flow. A great example of a "compact" and "tightly" flavored sake that has tones of crispness and drinks incredibly fresh. WORD: Dry WINE: Crisp whites/tight reds BEER: Crisp Pilsners FOODS: Look for salty and fresh fare and think clean cuisine like sushi. $30/720ml

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Shutendouji Oh Oni "Big Devil" Kyoto Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.8 This bright unpasteurized Ginjo has a vast aroma profile with hints of powder sugar, kiwi, sweet rice and tropical night winds. Talk about a young fresh brew, this Nama is raw and crisp with a nice "pop" that is a great introduction to freshly made sake. There is a tease of rich fruit tones, but the overall experience is long and on the dry side. (It gets more fruity near room temp.) There is a pronounced acidity that would appeal to red wine drinkers, and keep a look out for a flow of minerality and tart fruit flavors such as star fruit, and green mango. Big, dry and young! WORD: Fresh WINE: Beaujolais BEER: Stouts FOODS: Extremely food friendly, the larger the flavor the better the pairing. $30/720ml

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Kamikokoro Toukagen Shiboritate "Sound of Seashore" Okayama Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu. SMV: -11.5 Acidity: 1.4 This fat and fruity unpasteurized sake has subtle nose made up of honey, sweet rice, citrus and leather elements. Man! Talk about a solid and chunky Nama sake, this big and bodacious Junmai drinks far too smooth for all of the flavor action. The key is that the acidity is perfectly balanced and that is why all of the ripe, plump, and full-bodied fruit tones drink smooth and round. If you like a little sweetness and a lot of complexity this undiluted (17%) nama is a velvety dream come true. WORD: Toot-Sweet WINE: Beaujolais BEER: Sweet Ales FOODS: Anything from the grill, spicy or oily fare. $30/720ml

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

Our inventory list is here.

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THE "OLD SCHOOL" TRADITIONALLY MADE SAKE TASTING (KIMOTO AND YAMAHAI SAKE BONANZA) • When: February 19th from 5-8PM • Where: Hotel Biron Art Gallery on Rose St. by Zuni Café in Hayes Valley (45 Rose Street 415.703.0403) www.hotelbiron.com • Why: To get a sense of traditionally hand made sakes at their best. • What: A very casual tasting with no dedicated lecture, rather a come and go mingle that will focus on 7 amazing sakes that all have been created using one of two traditional sake making methods - Kimoto (pole-rammed) or Yamahai (wild yeast). • How much: $25 per person for a 7 sake tasting with light snacks. • Tickets: Must be reserved by calling True Sake (415.355.9555). We will not be able to sell tickets at the door and there is a 40 taster limit!

SAVE THIS DATE: MARCH 20TH (The Japanese Brewer's Union will be in SF) MARCH 20TH - True Sake and Sebo Restaurant will host 30 different sake breweries from Japan for two outstanding tastings on the same day. The first tasting in the early afternoon is targeting restaurant owners, media, sake distributors etc. And the second tasting is open for the public. As we are the host we want to make this event very casual but very hands-on, and I would encourage any sake lover to attend. When was the last time that you got speak to 30 brewery owners who were hand pouring their own sakes? It is a perfect tasting to get those questions answered and also is a great opportunity for Japanese brewers to see the true "saviness" of the Bay Area sake market. Please my dear readers make me proud, come and blow them away with your knowledge, and for those sommeliers, restaurant owners, and media-types come and make some serious contacts. Please phone the store - 415.355.9555 - and we will put your name on the list of invitees for each of the tastings. (There may be a nominal fee for the public tasting)

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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 January 23rd we had a fantastic Junmai Sake Tasting featuring 8 Junmai sakes served at room temperature at A Muse Art Gallery. The evening was awesome, and there were some definite favorite sakes. The night featured two brews not available in the US (one will soon be available and the other was hand-carried from Japan), as well as one hell of a birthday cake.

We encouraged the drinkers to start with the driest and work their way down for the first 6 sakes and then we introduced the two unique sakes brought exclusively from Japan. The last sake was a Junmai that had been polished to only 80% (meaning only 20% of each grain of rice had been removed - typically consumption rice is polished to 90%). This sake can be called Junmai as long as the label has the milling rate i.e. 80%.

Here was the order:

1. Onikarakuchi from Yamagata Prefecture
2. Tsukasabotan Senchu Hakkasu from Kochi Prefecture
3. Koshi no Kanbai from Niigata Prefecture
4. Urakasumi from Miyagi Prefecture
5. Kikuhime from Ishikawa Prefecture
6. Hoyo Manamusume from Miyagi
7. Iso Jiman from Shizouka
8. Taka from Yamaguchi

We served all of these brews room temperature and we also served Kikuhime chilled so that you could taste a Junmai at two temperatures to see what happens to the acidity, flavor, nose, and structure.

But the highlight of the evening was my birthday cake - shaped like two Ishobin sake bottles with labels that read "41% Millling" and "Beau-shu," and of course it was adorned with 41 candles. Check out a photo of the cake! (By the way I am 31 not 41)

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Ah yes! It's "THAT" time of year, the time for lovers and those looking for some loving. I recently received an email from Stacy R, who lives in Philadelphia and asked a very intriguing yet obvious question:

"I have a hot date for V-day, and this guy only likes beer, should I try to get him to have some sake?"

Stacy I think that you know the answer already - if you want to get lucky get the rice and water flowing. To better this position I will pull last year's Valentine's piece from my Newsletter:

After countless hours of in-depth research I have finally concluded that sake is an aphrodisiac in every sense of the word. What? Come on how in the world did you ever come to that conclusion? It's true and the facts speak for themselves. Well actually in this case the facts are just a fact (singular). And to be more precise my "countless hours" of research were in fact a ten-minute conversation with a guy who knew a guy. But hey that's scientific enough these days by modern poling and research standards right?

Okay okay! It's not as bad as it sounds, because the first "guy" just so happens to be Izumihiko Masuda the 12th generation owner of Tsukinokatsura brewery in Fushimi just outside of Kyoto proper. He owns a brilliant kura (brewery) as well as the best moustache in the sake brewing world. Now the other "guy" happened to be an 80 year-old friend of Masuda-san's father who is very close with the kura, but never drank their sake. One day he visited the brewery and took home a bottle of Nigori sake, which this brewery is famous for. (In fact they re-engineered the modern nigori movement 41 years ago that made nigori sake legal again.) The day after the surprising visit Mr. Masuda's phone rang and it was the older gentleman on the other end. The first words out of his mouth were "thank you." The second through eighteenth words out of his mouth were "thank you." Confused Masuda-san said "you're welcome by why are you thanking me?" To which the older gentleman in a hushed voice said that he had not made love to his wife in 21 years. But that had changed the night before when "some magic" made him want to "dance." I concluded it was the sake!

And that in a nutshell is proof positive that sake is an aphrodisiac. Who needs more concrete evidence than that? (Actually I do have a collaborating voice in my older brother who swears that sake is indeed a gifted beverage!) The bottom line is that there is some magic in sake. Like all boozes it thins the blood and causes a touch of euphoria, but there is more. There is a secret layer of "feel good" that no other libation can quite obtain. The trick is to get to the "feel good" level with a person who really floats your boat.

In a word sake is exotic. And exotic is almost spelled the same way as erotic. Proof again that sake is a libation to be reckoned with on V- day. But you still need more? Well have you ever heard of a Geisha? Hmmmmm What beverages are the Geisha's known for pouring? Now we are getting closer. We are closing in on the precise reason that sake is liquid love. Should we review? An 80 year-old-man, my older brother, euphoria, Geishas, do you need any more than that? Hmmmmm? Let's not touch on the simplicity of inhibitions or the lack thereof. Let's also not go on about the whole Time, Place and Occasion of the Day of "Hallmark" Love. Rather let's focus on the ability of a fermented rice beverage to create the perfect storm of chemical reactions in your brain and heart to throw out the "animal signal," "the mating call," or "the call to lust." In plain English "Sake Works." Who cares why? It is an aphrodisiac until proven otherwise.

Lastly for those who are curious and want to know more about V-day and Sake please see the "Newsletter Archives" on the home page of TrueSake.com and click on the Feb '06 Newsletter for the Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Pour Sake On V-Day.

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 Taru or cedar-aged sakes. This Junmai brew has been aged for roughly two weeks in cedar casks to extract that cedar flavor (within reason), and is an important style of sake in the lifespan and history of the sake industry.

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 we can only include the SECRET WORD sake in a four-pack purchase - meaning you must buy three other sakes. This month's sake is a Taru-sake from Ichinokura brewery, which usually sells for $18 per 500ml bottle but for you sake-jockeys we will part with this brew for $10. And the SECRET WORD is "Woody."

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Thank you for reading!

True Sake

TRUE SAKE: America's First Sake Store.