Welcome to the July Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. Sweet summer is upon us and let the sake flow. In this issue check out some great sakes for grillin' - new summer namas for chillin' - a sparkling sake tasting event for thrillin' - and a way to help your health if you are willin'. Enjoy the summer and keep pouring sake - "The other white drink!"

In this issue:

• Grillin' Season - Top Ten Grilling Foods Paired With Sake
• Sake Moment - Hakkaisan Dinner
• Sake & Your Health - More Proof That Sake Is The Answer
• Sake Destination - Koji Sake Lounge in San Jose
• Sake Spotlight - David Cheek Speaks To Sawanoi
• New Store Arrivals - Limited Summer Nama Releases
• Special Events: July 12 Sparkling Sake Night! August 27-29 John Gauntner's US Sake Professional Course
• Ask Beau: "What is the best dollar/quality value sake in your store?"
• The SECRET WORD

We hear it all the time - it is the gold standard line of customers when they come to True Sake to buy a bottle of sake for dinner - "What goes well with sushi?" Aaaaahhhhhhhh! The sake world outside of Japan is very blessed to be "associated" with the sushi world. It has brought us a lot of sake drinkers - 9 out 10 folks say that their first sip of sake came at a sushi restaurant - but it is also a serious disadvantage for us who want to open consumers eyes to the fact that sake goes with much more than sushi! (I have written in past Newsletters that in fact most drinker/eaters in Japan do not drink sake with sushi - it is a rice on rice sort of deal - and pair their rice beverage with sashimi more often than not)

Now back to your stomach! As this is the season of "Grillin'" I wanted to produce for you a gentle reminder about the flexibility and dexterity of sake when it comes to dancing with anything off of the grill. In Japan you can get most any food substance grilled. You name it - they grill. As such, the flavor of sake goes extremely well with anything off of the coals - or gas - or rocks - the hood of your car. There is something about that semi-charred, semi-salty, semi-juicy flavor that highlights the starch factor of sake so much more than the heated flavors grappling with grape wine. Sake works! Plain and simple.

So herewith are "The Top Ten Grillin' and Sake Chillin'" food pairings for the summer. I have selected a range of sakes that are delicious and won't break the bank. (Several are for that special occasion!) Take them for what they are - partners in crime, bussom buddies, kissin' cousins, bedmates, cellmates, and dangerous liaisons. Bottom line is that we do not want you to forget sake when the flames of summer are fanning, when your skin is red, and when you are at ease. Summer grilling rhymes with sake. (In some language I hope)

	Top Ten Grillin' and Sake Partners:
	10)	Steaks - Hiraizumi Yamahai Junmai $34/720ml Deep ricey flavors dance with the juice of the meat!
	9)	Chicken - Hakkaisan Honjozo $29/720ml Semi-dry brew brings out more fruit when there is a little salt!
	8)	Burgers - Taiheizan Junmai $21/720ml Super smooth texture with deep flavors jumps all over the meat and bun!
	7)	Ribs - Kamoizumi Junmai Ginjo $29/900ml Sauce gets a sucker punch from this dirty Ginjo!
	6)	Corn - Hoyo Junmai $24/720ml Creaminess of the corn is made sweeter by this smooth brew!
	5)	Shrimp - Yamahoushi Junmai Ginjo $42/720ml Clean and fruity Ginjo pulls out the natural sweetness of the shrimp!
	4)	Sausage - Wakatake Junmai Genshu $30/720ml Deep Genshu flavor stands up to the spice and the juices!
	3)	Veggies - Gokyo Junmai $24/720ml This brew's mushroom tones dance with all veggies!
	2)	Fish - Umenishiki Junmai Ginjo Genshu $29/720ml Round zesty fruit of this Genshu explodes with the fall of the flake!
	1)	Weenies - Tomio Junmai Dai Ginjo $35/720ml Come on! Dai Ginjo with a hot dog - need I say more?

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If you recall from Newsletters past I had nice dinner with the international brand manager for Niigata Prefecture's Hakkaisan brewery Ms. Kumiko Kurasawa. I hit Kumiko with a three-page list of interview questions, which she answered so very well! We must have done something right as her boss - Mr. Jiro Nagumo - the owner of Hakkaisan asked to have dinner with me late last month. Who was I to say no?

Of course I had a ton of questions for the man who leads the best "branded" kura in Japan, but restraint got the better of me and I held back on the tidal wave of "thought provoking and stimulating questioning." (My quote!)

Being the rock star that sake brewers aren't - Mr. Nagumo did travel with a posse. But unlike bodyguards and drivers he brought with him to the US three guests who sell his sake in Japan. Two gentlemen were just like me - purveyors of sake - and the other fellow owned several restaurants all in Niigata. I was impressed with this bonding gesture and I suppose a slight reward for peddling lots of Hakkaisan sake. Relationship building is their strength for protecting the Hakkaisan brand.

The meal was progressing smoothly, but of course not smoothly enough for me, so I fired off some questions about his market demographics and how he can continue to fill the vacuum created by his dominant drinker profile of basically 40 year-old plus male drinkers who will soon be "retiring." This line of questioning and subsequent follow-ups drove home the fact that I was indeed a sake "weirdo." He was enthralled with my opinions and suggestions. I continually pounded him with the fact that he has a great responsibility to keep using his massive brand recognition for the betterment of sake on all levels. And that is when he hit me with this nugget!

After alluding to the fact that I love his Honjozo sake, he went on a little tangent on how good the "lower class" sakes are becoming in Japan. He stated that cost is one of the main inhibitors for young drinkers and that they get more for less in other libations. And when they decide to spend the same amount on sake, usually that level of sake is putrid, and therein lies the rub - the less you spend the less you get! Until now. As Jiro-san stated the entire level of lower class sakes are drinking so well now - trying to court the younger drinkers - that it has raised the entire quality bar of sake across the spectrum of categories. He is quite proud of this elevated quality standard and hopes that the perception of so-called "lower class" sakes will soon fall into favor. I asked the obvious question - "Well if your lower-class more affordable sakes are drinking so well, won't this cut into the sales of your premium brands - won't drinkers just stay at the lower levels?" He shook his head no and said that there is always a market for premium brews.

Now dinner was flying and I was having a blast, when out of the blue Nagumo-san leaned over and said "I think my Junmai Ginjo sake tastes so much better in America than in Japan." I asked him why did he think that and he said he did not know. And boldly I asked him "Would you like me to tell you why?" His chopsticks damn near fell out of his hands. "Yes of course," he said with a look of disbelief. (FULL STOP) As many of you good readers know I am and have always been fascinated with what transportation - read vibration - does to sake. I have conducted shake tests. I have brought traveled bottles of sake back to breweries to see how the movement over oceans and roads has a mellowing effect on sake - almost like a third pasteurization in feel. I have jogged with bottles of sake. Point being I was well armed to explain to my host why his favorite product drinks better on this continent than in his own backyard. He was flabbergasted! And I promised to bring him one of his brews when I next visit his kura!

All in all it was a sake moment that I shall remember for a very long time!

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You like I must ask yourself time and again - is drinking booze a bad thing? I mean how many mornings have we sworn off wicked libations for ever more? How many doozies have we enjoyed to pay later? And how often have we "seriously" asked ourselves - what the hell am I doing - to my body, to my mind, to my life?

The short and obvious answer is that drinking in general cannot be considered a good thing. Or can it? There are the simple and well- documented images highlighting the need for moderation. And there are those who should just not feed their addictions alcohol in any capacity. That is the black and white - the non-users, the users and the abusers. But there is a vast continent of consumers who fall in the land of gray. And for you good struggling souls this little bit of "hard science" should bring a smirk to your cheery faces:

"Study: Alcohol may reduce risk of rheumatoid arthritis" Good news for drinkers, a regular drink may halve your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, scientists say. New research presented at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Spain shows drinking at least three units of alcohol a week had clear protective effects and 10 units brought more protection still. One unit is roughly equivalent to a glass of wine or a small beer. Previous studies have indicated alcohol may also have a beneficial role in heart disease, stroke, some forms of cancer and perhaps Alzheimer's disease. Henrik Kallberg of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm said his research showed consuming three or more units was associated with a 50 per cent drop in the risk in developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). That was enough to offset the risk of developing RA caused by smoking or genetic factors, according to his analysis of 2,075 Swedes with and without the crippling joint disorder. Although more work is needed to unravel the science behind the connection, Dr Kallberg said it was likely that alcohol suppressed the immune system and damped down the inflammatory process behind the condition. "These data now show not only that alcohol can protect against RA and reduce the risk conferred by smoking or susceptible genes, but also give an idea of the relevant doses necessary," he said. Tore Kvien, president of the European League Against Rheumatism, said the findings were "very interesting" but needed to be confirmed by other studies and he warned excessive drinking caused a number of other medical problems. RA, which is distinct from the more common osteoarthritis, is a degenerative inflammatory disorder in which the body's own immune system attacks joint tissues, leading to swelling, tenderness and increasing disability. It affects more than 20 million people worldwide. - Reuters http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200706/s1953261.htm

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I am pleased to announce that another sake establishment exits on this great ball of mud!

Two months ago Koji Sake Lounge opened in San Jose, California. I had the great honor to work with Kathy and Tone (owners) on their menu, and true to form we produced a terrific sake list that reflects their preferences and styles. As a starting point they offer 20 hand-picked sakes (10 by the glass) (6 x 300ml) with 2 different sake flights. There are 15 sake cocktails (it is a lounge!) and 2 infused sakes. They will add seasonal offerings this summer.

When you go expect to see a dark and sleek interior with nice plush booth seating and a tall and crisp bar. It is a pretty late night destination that is hip and cool. Currently the popular brews being consumed at Koji are Masumi Okuden, Bishonen, Otokoyama, and Umenishiki. The freshness of their brews is very evident and their glassware compliments each category of sake. And the good news is that they only carry one Nigori. (But sadly that will change, as you must listen to your market!)

They have been getting significant press and here is a solid write up mentioning yours truly: http://www.metroactive.com/metro/06.20.07/dining-0725.html

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Basically I was told to introduce David as a "sake drinker." And that's it! But, that's a little unfair, as he has knocked out a great review for one of my favorite brews. David is a top-tier alumnus of the True Sake Tasting Events. He has attended more tastings than just about any other sake soul. And we are always glad to have him. I could go further and call him a powerful "casual" chef and super creative guy, but let's just keep it simple and call him a "sake drinker." Herewith is David Cheek's Spotlight on Sawanoi's Kioke Junmai:

SAKE STOOP REVIEW- SAWANOI KIOKE JIKOMI IROHA SAKE I have to be honest up front. I love this sake. When I first tasted this elegant junmai, it lulled me with its fruity sweetness up front, then gave a little kick on the way down to a soft landing. If you like bold, complex. and full-bodied sake this is the one for you. It hits me where I live. This is one of the sakes I very much enjoy sharing with friends or neighbors on my stoop, to catch some sun at the end of the day (or week). We frequently hang out and try a variety of sakes once or twice a week. My friends keep saying they are not very "sake savvy" but have sampled quite a few and are able to pick out subtleties in the flavors. They also really enjoy it. Today is our lucky day. We're drinking Sawanoi. This sake is brewed kimoto style, made the way all sake was once made and fermented in cedar barrels. Kimoto literally means "original yeast starter." Started in the 1700's, brewers using this method mash up yeast starter with bamboo poles. Mushing the yeast starter tightens the mixture and removes oxygen so that unwanted bacteria cannot easily survive and lactic acid is naturally created. There is an artistry and craftsmanship to this fine brew, which gives it a funky edge and long flavor length. This is where old school got it right. Since its also fermented in cedar barrels instead of your standard issue enamel lined, stainless steel tanks, you get citrus and woody flavors that aren't really undertones but hidden flavors that give this sake a hide and seek quality. Upon opening the bottle, the aroma is a puff of floral. I pour glasses all around. My friend Jess immediately says "this sake pretends its going to be sweet and then disappears into an apple and banana taste." My neighbor Michael said he gets a sweet grassy impression. "Its sweeter at the beginning and then gives you a little kick in the pants- but doesn't really taste like alcohol." Other comments were it was like a strand with a lot of sub-tastes. It has a citrussy cleansnap with velvety undertones. We all agree it's a very classy sake with a myriad of flavors. Everyone wants to try another glass to discern the different flavors they couldn't pick up the first time around. This is a unique quality of this sake. Its like a painting That has many different colors that make up this beautiful image. With every sip you taste a different color than you did before. As I always drink Sawanoi chilled, it was suggested to me to try it at room temperature. So I took a bottle down to my local pub, which I do on occasion, to check it out. It was amazing how the taste is transformed by temperature! The kick at the back end jumps to the front seat. The sweetness is a bit more subtle and sits a little more to the back. The flavor is big and robust. But to me, the depth of the taste is different. Its like two pictures taken of the same thing but from different angles. We decide to try a little experiment. We put the sake on ice and let it chill slowly. Then have a glass at different temperatures. It really took us by surprise how these wonderful flavors do a dance up and down on the palate as it chills. The volume or tone of the sake seemed a little louder at room temperature. As it chills the volume goes down but the depth gets bigger. It seems the flavors are the same but move to different places. By the time we're down to our last glass the bottle is completely chilled. It was really cool how this sake takes you to a place and tells you its story with just a little change in temperature. This sake is the gift that keeps on giving. It pairs really well with fish and pork and I frequently use it in several sauces. I also enjoy it with deserts, particularly if there is chocolate involved. Sawanoi is a sake that will keep surprising you every time. It will take you on a little journey and back again. I love this sake. It hits me where I live. I hope it hits you where you live too.

Thank you so much Mr. Cheek!

I enjoy this brew on so many different levels (stoops) as well. Firstly, it is a throw-back attempt at making sake in a traditional method. Why? Why does this brewery and many others try to go back in time? The effort is so great, the task is so difficult, and the failures far outweigh the successes - so why? Because the result is glorious - a triumph - a perfect union of success in accomplishing the very difficult and the making of a really tasty sake. This is made all the more impressive as I have tasted similar efforts from other kuras, who want to try to tackle the beast of hard work and unpredictability. In many cases they fail and I mean fail badly!

Of course there are several "non traditional" elements to this brew and that is the second reason why I enjoy it. This brew is pretty highly polished/milled compared to the sakes that used to see the insides of these wooden brewing vats. Thus, one benefit is that it does taste great at several temps as it is more than a Junmai. It drinks like a Ginjo when chilled and of course like a Junmai when at room temperature.

When I visited Sawanoi last Fall, I brought them a bottle of their sake - back from America - back from the long road that sake travels. They were so excited to taste this "traveled" brew that they gave me a bottle of the same sake, but it was a Nama Genshu! They made a limited release - for local customers - that was huge in fruitiness and fun. Full-bodied and pretty darn sweet, with a hint of sizzle! Quite frankly I prefer the pasteurized version. Here is the store review for this banquet of flavors:

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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

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Okay - they're back! The "Late Spring" "Early Summer" Namas are back in the store and ready for your drinking attention. On the whole this four-pack of unpasteurized sakes are more subdued and elegant than the roaring Genshus that came in the "Early Spring." This particular collection speaks in several directions - as they did last year. The theme however is light and dryer with hints of fruit and far more clean drinking experiences. Our top selling Nama from last season the Ohyama Nama (just fun saying that!) is back along with stellar offerings from Umenishiki, Tsukasabotan and Otokoyama.

In a nutshell (Like Austin Powers - "Hey look, I'm in a nutshell") if you are looking for the most "Nama" of experiences look toward the Ohyama where fruit is balanced out in sort of a dry way! If you want crisp and clean take hold of the Tsukasabotan. For that super soft drinking experience gravitate towards the Otokoyama. And for the most elegant of the lot try the Umenishiki Junmai Dai Ginjo Nama for a clean and creamy experience.

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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 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 apple and white grape flavors mixed with a hint of minerals in a clean and dry movement. Think dry sake packed with fruity flavors, and let it go closer to room temp for the full Nama experience. WORD: Dry WINE: Tannin Reds/ Dry whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, grilled fare. $25/720ml

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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 cucumber, steamed rice, and radish tones. The "King" is smooth, dry and watery! Huh? Yes it is wet and dry as very subtle veggie flavors such as cucumber, watercress, and radish gently sway through your mouth. It is a dry sake with floating flavors that move at different temperatures - chilled finds more fruit and room temp finds more veggie qualities. Dry, crisp and clean! WORD: Crisp WINE: Dry reds/Crisp whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Grilled anything, salty flavors, fried fare. $13/300ml

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Otokoyama Sasaori "Man's Mountain" Hokkaido Prefecture. Nama Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.4 The nose on this misty unpasteurized sake is filled with sweet rice, ripe fruit, and yeast tones. This is a silky soft Nama sake that has hints plum, cherry, and melon-water elements all wrapped up in a soft and semi-sweet drinking experience. Think semi-dry 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/Sauvignon Blanc BEER: Light ales FOODS: Cuisine with a natural sweetness, fruit, seafood, cheese. $23/500ml

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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 cherry, grape, vanilla and sea salt tones. Think clean and fruity 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 semi-dry and everything in between captures nuanced elements such as apple, mango and ripe plum expressions. Round and soft this "high end" Nama captures an elegance not found in too many raw sakes. WORD: Elegant WINE: Pinot Noir/ Dry whites BEER: Belgian Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, gently flavored cuisines. $23/500ml

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

Our inventory list is here.

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JULY 12TH - The Sparkling Sake Tasting Event! True Sake and Yuzu Restaurant in the Marina will co-host the bubbly sake event of the season. Think 6 yummy sparkling sakes from dry and crisp to bright and fruity and a nice array of paired morsels. This is THE event if you want to taste and array of "New School" sparkling sakes that are anything but novelty! • When: July 12th from 5:30-7:30PM • Where: Yuzu Restaurant 3347 Fillmore St. SF, CA 94123 (415) 775-1873 www.yuzusf.com • Why: To take some of the mystery and mystique out of really tasty sakes that have value and are not gimmicky! • What: This will be a sake pouring station event with micro- conversations explaining everything that you want to know about sparkling sake. There will be a nice selection of food favorites to go along with the 6 sparkling sakes. How Much: $45 per person • How Much: $45 per person • Bonus: If you stay for dinner at Yuzu after the event ends at 7:30PM you will receive 10% off of your dinner bill for being truly great sake people. • How Do We Order Tix: You must phone True Sake 415.355.9555 to book your ticket! REMEMBER: All True Sake Events Sell Out! Always Have And Always Will! Order Now!

AUGUST 27-29th - John Gauntner's US Sake Professional Course Got an email from my pal John Gauntner - huh? You don't know the Sake Guy? You should! - asking if I would alert all to the fact that for the first time he will be offering his "Sake Professional Course" here in the States in August. This is a great opportunity to fill in all of those sake blanks that you may have swimming around your brain. John knows all - and if he doesn't know something at that exact moment he always will follow-up. He's like that! I strongly recommend this course, especially if you cannot make it to Japan for one of his January offerings. If you are into sake then get into John's course fast, as it will probably sell out. Herewith is John's "blurb": On August 27, 28 and 29, the first stateside version of John Gauntner's Sake Professional Course will be held in New York City. The content of this three-day intensive sake course will be identical to that of the Sake Professional Course held each January in Japan, excepting of course the sake brewery visits and evening meals. The course is geared toward industry professionals wishing to expand their horizons in a thorough manner into the world of sake, and will therefore necessarily be fairly technical in nature, and admittedly somewhat intense. But the course is open to anyone with an interest in sake, and it will certainly be fun! The course lectures and tastings will begin with the utter basics and will thoroughly progress through and cover everything related to sake, and will consist of classroom sessions on all things sake-related, followed by relevant tasting sessions. The goal of this course is that no sake stone will be left unturned. Like its counterpart held in Japan each winter, it will be quite simply the most thorough English-language sake education in existence. Participants will also be presented with a certificate of completion at the end of the course. For more information including pricing and a view of the syllabus, please see: www.sake-world.com/html/spcny.html For reservations or inquiries, please send an email to: SakeCourseStateside@sake-world.com

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This month's question is one that we fielded regularly at the store and it has to do with the all important "value" shopper. Steven Q from Mountain View, CA asked:

"What is the best dollar for quality value sake in your store."

Ahhh a very easy question to answer - all of them! (We do have really great pricing I will say that!) But to enter into the "spirit" of you question I will list four sakes - one in each bottle size that I feel are "under priced" for the quality of the sake that comes out. And please note this is just one dude's opinion, and it would probably change next week.

• 300ml/$8 - Takenotsuyu Yuki Honoka - Single Pasteurized Junmai from Yamagata. (Ironically there is a chance that this brew's price will go up soon.)
  
  
• 500ml/$20 - Meibo Yowano Tsuki - Junmai Ginjo from Aichi Prefecture.
  
  
• 720ml/$23 - Dassai - Junmai Ginjo from Yamaguchi Prefecture.
  
  
• 1.8L//$38 - Tamanohikari Junmai Ginjo from Kyoto Prefecture

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 Sparkling sake! We had a Sparkling Brew perhaps 6 Secret Word Sakes ago and felt that the "Popping" month of July would be a good choice to try another. This brew happens to be different than the rest, as it is dry and 18% alcohol. (Most sparkling brews have a far lower alcohol content and are on the fruity front).

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 must apologize for this offering as it must remain chilled! This is probably the first and last time that we will select a brew that must be kept cold - "unfair!" (I am sorry, but I wanted to honor the owner of this brewery who helped me during my Sake Samurai Induction.) As such you must order this sake for "Overnight Delivery" only. We will not take any chances. But if you are so inclined we will forego the usual four- bottle minimum and make it a two-bottle minimum to order the Secret Word sake for delivery. This month's sake is a Sparkling brew from Gifu Prefecture. It usually sells for $12/300ml bottle but for you sake-jockeys we will part with this brew for $6. And the SECRET WORD is "Pop Me."

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Thank you for reading!

True Sake

TRUE SAKE: America's First Sake Store.