Welcome to the September Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. In this month's rag check out how some breweries work on "selling points" whilst another brewery in Kyoto gets a new Toji. Are you tired of small un-fair sake pours at restaurants? Check out the Sake Bummer Section. And do not forget to mark your calendar for Sept 13th and then take a walk down memory lane in the AskBeau Section. It's all good this Fall!

In this issue:

• Sake Retail - Chikurin Highlights a "Sake Selling Point?"
• Sake Moment - Take A Slide with Namu!
• Sake Blurb - Philip Harper Lands a New Brewing Gig!
• Sake Spotlight - Todd Thompson Looks at Taisetsu
• Sake Bummers - The "Fair Pour"
• True Sake In The News - 7X7 Magazine
• New Store Arrivals - Murai Family, Shichi Hon Yari, Yuu-Ga, Shirakabe Gura
• Special Events - Joy of Sake September 13th 2007; SAKE DAY '07 (Canceled)
• "Ask Beau" - "How Has Business Been?"
• The SECRET WORD

What is a "selling point" in the world of sake? The prefecture where the sake is made? The rice varietal used in production? The Toji who made the sake? How they store the sake - snow igloos etc? This question pounced on my brain several months back when Niichiro Marumoto from Marumoto Sake Brewing Co. makers of Chikurin/Hou Hou Shu made his second pilgrimage to True Sake.

Brewers love coming to True Sake because they get to see the "frontlines" of sake sales in the West - as in "exporting." They pretty much ask the same questions - which sake is the top seller, do the customers ask for sakes by name or category, how many bottles does the average shopper buy per visit, who is the average customer, how popular are 300ml bottles and how are sales? We greatly enjoy these questions and proudly try to give them as much information as possible.

Niichiro's second visit to the store was pretty much like his first and I answered each and every question that he tossed my way. But at one point we had the "lost in translation" moment that could not be answered by me or Miwa and we let the topic float away. I could tell Marumoto-san was frustrated and he wanted to know the answer or at the very least express his point more clearly, but it was not meant to be. When he said goodbye I knew immediately that we would be talking about this point/issue some time in the near future.

Lo and behold I received a "clarifying" fax from Japan a week later. The only problem was that it wasn't that "clarifying." So what in the hell were we talking about that became such a failure to communicate? It had to do with ownership of rice. At Chikurin they own their rice supply. They grow their own brewing rice. And for that he felt as if this made a tastier sake. And therein rests our rift in communicating. He couldn't express why this made a better brew. (I definitely understand the line of thinking - don't get me wrong)

I would argue that only a small percentage of brewers own their own rice fields/supplies. The majority of "jizake" or small production kuras use local rice grown by local farmers who are either part of a co-operative or are small independent farmers. Or they do a blend of part ownership and part local purchasing. They also purchase sake brewing rice from non-local rice groups that deal in higher end rice and usually are from different prefectures.

When we were speaking about brewery ownership he was indeed very proud. He saw this as unique and quite a differentiator when speaking about competitors. I asked him about the bond that a brewery forms with a local community when they purchase rice from the locals? I have seen many a kura that are quite proud of this brewery/independent farmer relationship - so much so that they place the name of the farmer on the polishing machines when his rice is being milled. Likewise the local rice co-operative that sells rice to several local breweries also has that unique "local" bond that speaks to the "community" value of sake.

And of course one would be remise to forget the age-old bond of the local rice farmer making up the ranks of the "kurabito" (sake makers), who would march to the brewery in the fall with flags in hand to start the sake making season. The tradition, the pageantry, the local lore! And this brings us back to the void in our conversation. Does a brewery make a better rice than a local independent rice farmer? Do they control the product better? (Organic techniques etc?) Or does rice that is grown beside a brewery by others have the same quality and flavor components? In general I would say no! I'd say that farmers make rice and brewers make sake - each the best at their own game. (I of course could be swayed in specific instances, but I am generalizing here.)

So it was there at True Sake that I thought about a sake selling point, while speaking with Niichiro who was extolling the virtues of growing his own rice. Yes, the terroir is present. Yes the quality is present. Yes, the "from shoot to bottle" ideal was in effect, but did that translate into a "must have" selling point that would sway a customer out of another bottle of sake into one of his brews?

I tried to speak about what I will call the "Wine Assumption" - that each vineyard has its own grapes! When you see a wine label you can be pretty certain in most cases that the vineyard grew and maintained their own grape production. I mean it is that ideal right? A press right in the middle of their endless rows of grapes! And I think as a customer if you were told that the vineyard bought its grapes from somewhere else that this might be a negative in a manner of speaking. It happens - sure. But on the whole again I will stress that a vineyard is or is thought of for its grapes. Should the same be true with sake? Would you buy more Chikurin or Hou Hou Shu knowing that they grow their own rice?

Most sake brewers will identify where their rice comes from on the bottle of specific sake. "100% local rice" or "Premium Yamadanishiki from Hyogo Prefecture" for example. Would you be more curious to try a sake that had a sticker (in English preferably) that read "Made With Brewery-Owned Rice"? If so then this is a sake selling point! Perhaps we should do a test and add our own little sticker or signage to Chikurin to see if people do indeed purchase for this fact! Maybe we will!

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On a whim and because I have heard nothing but great things about the place, I decided to stop in on an Asian Fusion restaurant called Namu after I closed the store one night. I was solo, which is never a problem for me, but saw a friend - Bob Kantor from Memphis Minis - who also had snuck out after work and we dined and drank some great sake together!

The place positions itself as a Korean and Japanese inspired kitchen but the sake menu is all Japan! With 15 sakes on hand you will find glasses from $6-$12 and bottles from $27-$170 (for a 1.8L). The names are familiar but they do have some unique brews to look for - Denshu, Dewazakura Omachi, and two from Chikurin. Ahhh yes the same Chikurin as described above!

If you like the "feel" of food then I recommend the Ocean Salad (red, green and wakame seaweed, cucumber dressing $8) I paired this with the Chikurin Junmai "Fukamari" for $8.50. As to be expected the salad has a "slimy" texture to it that is yummy to some and funny to others, and the Chikurin played off of this with its smooth and creamy feel. Truly a "texture play" that works very well with a mix of "veggie" from the salad and a hint of almond tones from the Junmai. Solid and silky this pairing is for those who like things to slide on the palate and are deep in flavor.

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Just got off an email with Philip Harper (does that sound lame? Got off the phone... off the email... forget it!) And he informed me that he has a new job! No longer is he working in Osaka at Daimon Shuzo (makers of Mukune)! He has accepted a new head brewer's position (Toji) at a small kura in Kyoto ("about 3 hours from Fushimi") called Tamagawa Shuzo. You may see their "in Japanese only" website at http://www.sake-tamagawa.com/ Philip said that this "little concern" will work on a "English Page" soon.

In between gigs Philip was using a pen rather than a rice paddle and was scribing for the Japan Times. His latest can be found here:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fn20070831a1.html

Once he gets settled into his new digs I will hit him up for another interview on one of the following topics: Umami -Fact or Fiction, White Boys Make Better Sake, Black & Decker Kimoto Drilling Method, The real reason why kurabito remove their shirts in the koji room, Breakfast Sake, or PH's personal record for changing footwear going from one room to another in one brewing day. Stay tuned!

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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 industry to give their perspectives and insights to the how, what and why's for very special sakes. These insiders are importers, brewers, authors, sake 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.

In this hot month's issue Todd Thompson looks at a very cold sake called Taisetsu from Hokkaido Prefecture. But first who is Todd? I can honestly say that he is our store's most loyal customer. His love and passion for Japan has transcended into a loyal arm around our shoulder that looks out for True Sake and more importantly tries to get the word out about nihonshu in the US. His dedication and support is second to none, and we relish the moments when Todd walks in and asks "what's new" knowing damn well that the brews are pretty much the same as they were four days earlier.

Todd represents a "one of us" sake consumers. That said he is a bit spoiled as he has spent many a day in Japan and consistently reminds us about the better prices for sake in Japan. This being said we totally value his opinion because it is straight and honest and we have used TT as a sake "Terminator" of sorts without him knowing it. We have had a brew or two that was not drinking up to our standards and we have asked Todd as the final decider. Without knowing it, he has single handedly killed several sakes from our shelves! One sake that he will never kill is Taisetsu. Take it away Todd:

Taisetsu Sake Review The best sake aspires to be water. My ideal sake, anyway, is pure, crisp, and fresh like water. That's what I find in Taisetsu. Start with the bottle: a transparent ice blue. Unlike the typical brooding brown or green, this bottle tells us what the brewers are trying to achieve. The name "Taisetsu" means "heavy snow." If sake aspires to be water, even better is snow, and heavy snow at that. This sake is not brewed in one of the traditional sake centers of Japan but in Ashikawa, located in a river valley among the central mountains of Hokkaido, the northern-most island. This is Japan's Montana, where the winters are long and cold. Taisetsu's brewing water is mountain snowmelt that seeps into the rock and reemerges in the river valley. The brewer, Takasago Shuzo, collects the water and brews its sake in the middle of winter, with temperatures inside the kura below freezing. It's hard to imagine a better start for my ideal sake. We've all noticed that sake in the U.S. is too expensive. When I encounter a bottle of sake that could pay for a sushi meal for two, I go for the meal instead. So I can never evaluate a sake apart from the price. Blessedly, Taisetsu is one of the cheapest junmai ginjos in the store. All of these things set me up to love Taisetsu, but they wouldn't matter if the sake didn't measure up. It does. The fragrance is gentle, slightly sweet, but not fruity, more like rice and vanilla. The first taste is mildly dry, crisp, clean, simple, and thin. Taisetsu is like water at the tip of your tongue, but it becomes spicy and almost peppery as it hits the back. With more sips, the spice gradually disappears, and a pleasantly conventional, solidly sake taste takes over. There are none of the off-flavors that are the bane of many less expensive sakes. Taisetsu complements food. Its simple, clean flavor tends to stay in the background. But we drink it most often alone or with snacks, which tend to bring out its sweetness. Don't look to Taisetsu for complexity or fruit. Go to it instead for pure and simple pleasure.

Thank you Terminator!

I have always valued this brew and place it on many of my sake menus that I do for restaurants. The kura (brewery) is a very interesting one that fell on some hard times. (This story is not a nice one for the history of sake) But today they are producing some top-notch efforts that not only include Taisetsu, but another sake that we carry as well called "Ginga Shizuku." This brew is a Junmai Dai Ginjo Shizuku and I will include its review after my thoughts on Taisetsu. Bottom line it is indeed a great value sake that speaks to almost all drinkers, and if you have not taken it out for a taste-run then you should give it whirl.

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Taisetsu "Gardens of the Divine" From Hokkaido Prefecture 1899. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity 1.3 This Ginjo has a nose of citrus and melon. The first sip reminds one of biting into a snowball with all of that mineral and snow- melt taste, and this is underscored by a nice layer of orange citrus flavorings. The calm beginning slides into solid back of salt water and dryness, which is all balanced out by a smooth acidity. This Ginjo is a great value sake for those looking to taste a sake from "up north," and the mineral and citrus play is not to be missed. Gin and vodka fans take note. WORD: Snowball WINE: Sauvignon Blanc BEER: Crisp Pale Ales FOODS: Sushi bar fare, tempura, crisp green salads. $20/720ml $45/1.8L

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Ginga Shizuku "Divine Drops" From Hokkaido Prefecture. Junmai Dai Ginjo Shizuku SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.2 This dynamite sake is made not by pressing with a machine rather the brewers separate the sake from the lees by placing it in canvas bags and use gravity to drip the sake out slowly. Thus expect an amazingly silky quality to this brew with a nose full of pear and minerals. Talk about a great first sip. A clean start is filled with persimmon and plum flavors wrapped in a chewy and slightly fruity package. Yet the finish is more clean than fruity and more balanced than dry. WORD: Plum WINE: Pinot Noir/chewy whites BEER: Sweet ales/hefferweisen FOODS: Elegant flavors with a subtle saltiness or natural sweetness $31/300ml $65/720ml

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As I have a difficult stopping this ongoing mass of inertia I would like to create another sake section for this Newsletter and I have aptly entitled it "Sake Bummer." This segment will focus on events, happenings, trends, and anything else that hurts my sake industry for whatever reason.

I deliberated about filing this under the "Sake Bummers" category, but in the end decided to because I kept finding myself saying "bummer." And what is said bummer? The long answer is restaurant alcohol margin making techniques. The short answer is the "fair pour."

I could get in a lot of trouble for revealing mark-ups on alcohol in restaurants, but most of you are adults and probably know the dirty deep and dark secrets of "sticking it to the consumers." It is a biz right? They do provide a service and we do pay for it. But for some reason sake and the pouring of sake has fallen prey to even higher mark-ups than let's say wine! Again, this is not a crime and restaurants readily depend on good booze sales to stay in business, as food-only margins don't pay the bills.

Sake falls sideways on the radar screen because of its historical small pour! Little cups means little pours and when you get a slightly bigger glass (ala a shot glass) we feel that this is about right! Well for today's brews it is not! I always say - do you like drinking your white wines out of a shot glass? (But this piece is not about the performance of how a sake drinks out of certain vessels, rather it is an economic discussion that has the markets hanging in the balance.) As we are trained to think small in terms of glassware or cups, we do not get our fair share when it comes to pouring sake. The restaurants know this is and disguise the fact with nice little sake pourers or even the old ceramic tokkuris that make you feel as if you are getting a larger quantity.

I will stop here and say that not all sake serving restaurants fall into this "cheater" camp. In fact most don't, but many do without knowing it! (Right!) So without calling anybody out or naming the guilty or highlighting the sake saints, I will now talk about a fair pour of sake. Think 4-ounces as a minimum pour! If you are getting just a shot glass or just a glass with the bottom being tapered and the top more fluted as the pour of sake then you are getting screwed! At the most this is a 3-ounce pour. At the most! If you are paying more than $8 for one of these pours then please call your local law enforcement agency!

Now many of you at this point are "hmmmmming" to yourself and asking "what about the glass in a wooden or lacquer masu (box) of sake?" And yes you should make that correlation because that is the exact glass that I am speaking about! By itself it is a 3-ounce pour! But wait! Tadah add the masu for show and you get the overflow which servers are trained to pour and this adds about one more ounce (historically to show you that the owners are overjoyed with the fact that you are at their restaurant and they want to welcome you with abundance.) So adding the three-ounces in the let's call it the fluted glass and the one ounce of overflow then you are looking at 4-ounces! And again this should be a minimum pour at the very least!

What sucks is the fact that the masu itself was supposed to be the guardian of the "fair pour." Way back in the day these magical wooden boxes had two main uses. One was to mask or aid the course flavor of sake by adding a little cedar chase! The second was actually to produce a "fair and accurate" pour as the masu represents a form of specific measurement. Masu and other similar (larger) wooden boxes were used to measure rice - fill it, level it off and sell it to a customer! They knew exactly how much rice they were buying! Think of cups, but only square and wooden! Well at small Izakaya and other drinking establishments customers felt that they were being cheated by the proprietors pours and ceramic wares so they asked to be served using a masu! Smart people, smart consumers! The typical masu holds 6 ounces, which is important because one "Ishobin" (the huge bottles of sakes - think magnums) holds 60 fluid ounces and this translates to 10 masu per Ishobin. Likewise the smaller wine-sized (almost) bottles are 24-fluid ounces and this equates to 4 masu per 720ml bottle. So when you see a sake bottle think 4 masu per bottle and when you see the very large bottles think 10 masu per bottle.

But wait again! Why are we only getting at the most 4 ounces in our six-ounce masus? Well you will have to ask management! Ironically the best "fair pour" system in the business is now disguising one of the least equitable pours going! You have a couple of choices here. One - just say "whatever" and enjoy yourself as "everything happens for a reason." Two - say "hey I like drinking out of my masu - that cool feeling of drinking out of square - and enjoy yourself. Three - tell your server to skip the masu and little glass and pour into their white wine glasses instead. (At this point they will say that it will cost extra to fill-out the pour for wine standards and you should ask why? Then say "no please just give me the same pour that you would in the fluted glass and masu" - then watch as they do give you a little extra because it highlights the rip-off if they do not!)

In San Francisco the heath department is placing a ban on wooden masu. They say that it is a cleansing issue/health risk and restaurants are no longer allowed to use them or hold them for customers. (They can use boxes once and then they must be chucked!) This rule is starting to get enforced slowly and is sort of a bummer in and of itself. I know some people who bring their own masu to a restaurant! Point being this very historical symbol of the sake industry is changing. In one sense I am saddened and yet in another I am glad that at least it is making restaurants look at other vessels for serving sake. For example one place that I know pours all of their sakes into martini glasses and the pours are huge!

So be wary my dear friends. Sake should be poured in the same capacity or nearly as much as wine. There are many tricks out there playing on our sense of sake history that are masking the "weak pour," and it is up to you as the drinker to enjoy or demand a new experience. The sake pouring world needs a swift kick in the pants and your are just the people to do it!

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In the September issue of 7X7 Jordan Mackay questions the "boom" of sake in the West and then asks the million-dollar question - is sake just a fad?

http://www.7x7sf.com/eat_drink/featured_drinks/9154636.html

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Wow! We have a ton of new brews. So many I will hold announcing them until next month's Newsletter. But for now we would like to welcome back to the fold three brews from Momokawa, who have re-constructed and re-packaged a Nigori Genshu, Nigori, and a Tokubetsu Honjozo. Then we slip into an amazing "Shizuku" sake from Shichi Hon Yari that is not only superbly tasty but is packaged like a champ. This brew is extremely limited and we only get three cases per year! Then comes a supremely valued Junmai Ginjo called Yuu-Ga that drinks great at several temperatures. Lastly we have "placed" another kimoto-style sake from a brewery called Shirakabe Gura (Takara).

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Murai Family "Nigori Genshu" From Aomori Prefecture. Nigori Genshu. SMV: -22 Acidity: 2 This unfiltered or "Nigori" sake has a plump nose filled with sweet cream, grape, honey and yogurt elements. At 19.9% alcohol one would expect a massive punch of a sake, but this creamy and fruity brew is smooth a round for such a robust dance partner. Look for hints of berry, grape, and vanilla tones that are carried on a velvety and expansive fluid. Not overtly sweet and a tremendous finish for a 20% milky madman! Think milky and silky. WORD: Smooth WINE: Fruity reds/Chewy whites BEER: Hefeweizen FOODS: Big flavored and spicy dishes, creamy and cheesy pasta, desserts. $10/300ml and $23/720ml

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Murai Family "Nigori" From Aomori Prefecture. Nigori. SMV: -18 Acidity: 1.4 This is the only imported 1.8L bottle of Nigori sake available in the US, and the Murai Family does this solely for True Sake. With a gentle creamy nose filled with honey, melon, whipping cream and vanilla tones, this unfiltered sake is smoothness personified. Round and soft there are buckets of flavors that work in total unity - from lychee and honey dancing with white grapes to cream and coconut singing with Cool-Whip! This is 60 fluid ounces of milky love! WORD: Velvety WINE: Fruity Reds/Sweet Whites BEER: Creamy ales FOODS: Spicy fare, grilled fare, desserts. $35/1.8L

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Murai Family "Tokubetsu Honjozo" From Aomori Prefecture. Tokubetsu Honjozo. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.4 "Tokubetsu" means special and in this case the sake is made from rice milled to 60%. "Honjozo" means that there is a little brewers alcohol added to bring out texture and aroma qualities and does not fortify this sake. In fact with a nose filled with white grape, blueberry, and mineral water elements this brew drinks incredibly easy and user-friendly. Soft lychee and grape tones pair with a hint of berry and melon flavors in a super-soft like- water flow. Thin and slick this sake is pure easy drinking! Look for more fruit flavors when chilled and more grains at room temperature. WORD: Balanced WINE: Soft reds/Creamy whites BEER: Creamy ales FOODS: Grilled and savory fare, sashimi, crustacean, tofu. $27/720ml

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Shichi Hon Yari "Shizuku" From Shiga Prefecture. Junmai Dai Ginjo Shizuku. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.6 This extremely limited sake is made using the highest form of sake manufacturing - gravity drip technique or "Shizuku." Talk about an aroma field day! The nose on this brew is filled with berry, mango, grape, and bubble gum elements. What a weighty sake. The mouth feel on this Dai Ginjo is plump and viscous and yet it is so smooth. There is an elegance to the fluid that can only come from the "shizuku" technique, and the overall drinking experience is purely luxurious. The gentle flavor profile is highlighted by grape and ripe fruit tones that are layered from here (the moon) to here (bottom of the Pacific). Look for the hidden flavor of "umami" and celebrate the silkiness of this sake. WORD: Elegance WINE: Pinot Noir/Fat Whites BEER: Creamy ales FOODS: Fare with a natural sweetness, sashimi, foie gras, lobster. $80/500ml

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Yuu-Ga "Deep Elegance" From Chiba Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: 0 Acidity: 1.4 This value Ginjo has an aroma profile filled with soil, butter, cream, plum, and caramel tones. Talk about a multi-temperature Ginjo sake! This guy is so smooth and yummy at most temp zones including piping hot and close to room temperature. Can a brew be more about what it is not than what it is? It's not your typical light and fruity Ginjo, rather it is light and rich with very mild and neutral flavor elements such as steamed rice, nuts, and a touch of caramel. There is also the allusive "umami" quality that speaks to those who like a certain a rice-flavor driven sake. WORD: Smooth WINE: Soft reds/ earthy whites BEER: Belgian ales FOODS: Veggie dishes, tempura, French fries, mushroom pastas. $18/720ml

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Shirakabe Gura From Kyoto Prefecture. Kimoto Junmai. SMV: +1 SD: 1.2 This super smooth "Kimoto" (traditional poll-rammed) sake has a deep nose filled with chestnut, earth tones, straw, and butterscotch elements. Behold a very round and smooth sake that has elevator-rides of flavors going up and down. First floor clean and caramel, second floor smooth chestnut essences, third floor a sneaky level gentle bitterness with a touch of dark chocolate. This rich and drinkable brew gets more soft closer to room temperature. WORD: Chestnuts WINE: Pinot Noir BEER: Belgian Ales FOODS: Soy sauce cuisines, grilled fish and meat, mushroom risotto. $28/720ml

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

Our inventory list is here.

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September 13th - The JOY of SAKE! The Joy of Sake is truly the Super Bowl for sake events. Over 300 brews to taste - many owners of breweries in attendance - many importers pouring their own selections - great food that will be far more abundant than in year's past - and many other unique sake surprises. If you like sake and sake exploration this is always a great event! The Hilton Hotel San Francisco 333 O'Farrell Street 6PM - 8:30PM $70/person I will be sending a PDF several days before the event to remind each and every person about this annual pilgrimage!

October 1st - SAKE DAY 2007 (CANCELED) It is with supreme sadness that I must announce that our third annual Sake Day Celebration has been CANCELED! I am scheduled for a surgery procedure two days before the 1st and did not think that I could attend. Likewise our partner for the event Mari from Mari's Catering just opened a new restaurant and she is overworked and overwhelmed. So we thought that rather than putting out a half-assed or let's call it a "distracted" product, we will wait a year to make it bigger and better next October 1st! Thank you for understanding!

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I received a nice email from a person who was my second customer when I opened the doors to True Sake so many years ago! Ryan R from San Francisco wrote:

"I will be honest, I never thought that I would see your store open year after year and smile to myself whenever I walk by. You took a huge risk and it looks like it is paying off. Is it paying off? How is business in the sake world?"

Well R-san thank you for the thoughts and the good question. On August 7th True Sake celebrated its 4 anniversary and we are now into year five. This holiday season will be our 5th Christmas of operations and for many this is a miracle. We hear it all the time - "I can't believe that you're still in business?" "Wow 5 years has it been that long" "Most businesses fail in the second year" "The fad's not over heh?" and my favorite "You're still here?" said in a cold voice of disbelief.

On Thursday August 7th 2003 the store had to open to satisfy our liquor license requirements. (It took me over a year to open the store because - well you know - trying to do business in SF is a nightmare. That is why I say that True Sake was established in 2002.) I had a total of 3 sales! Total sales for that day were $108.50. Some of my notes in my accounting tablet were priceless, and please remember I had never done retail before but how does this sound. "1st Customer - I panicked and undercharged by $2.01!" "2nd Customer - I panicked again and made him pay me only $20 as a friend and lost out on $6.04! The prices were not set at the time of purchase and I was winging it"! So I botched 2 out of the 3 first sales on that day. And incredibly I am still in business!

Friday the 8th saw an increase to a whopping 9 sales then 6 on Saturday and that was followed by a measly 2 sales on Sunday. From then on sales picked up and up and up! The store record is well over 100 transactions for a single day.

Let's just say that business is indeed good. And I firmly believe that it will only get better. The problem is - and I have said this all along - me! Despite having a Master's Degree in Business I am pretty darn poor in business skills! And tag that along with some personal setbacks it is no wonder that I have not realized my goal of dropping a True Sake shop in most major markets. So if you know that "business group" looking to back a guy who "panics" on his first two sales give them my number!

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 "Nigori." We get many requests for an unfiltered sake to be the Secret Word Sake ­ so here it is!

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 brew is a deep and solid Nigori Genshu from Aomori Prefecture made by our friends at Momokawa Brewery. They don't mess around with this guy, as it is 19% pure power wrapped in a fluffy coating. This Nigori Genshu usually sells for $24/720ml bottle but for you sake-jockeys we will part with this brew for $12. And the SECRET WORD is "Happy Anniversary"

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Thank you for reading!

True Sake

TRUE SAKE: America's First Sake Store.