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Dear Sake Drinker,
Welcome to the April Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. In
this issue get the "bad news" and deal with it, ask Ed Lehrman why
sake is where it is at today, see how sake "meats" Brazilian cuisine,
and if you're ever in the Bahamas and need a sake fix.......
In this issue:
Sake Big Picture - 5 Questions For 5 Importers
Nobody knows the "sake scene in the US" more than the importers of
sake. From their vantage point they get to see the movement of sake
throughout the states, what sakes do well, and of course how much sake
is being sold. Trends and patterns are witnessed first by these guys,
and in some cases they even try to influence said trends and patterns
(go figure!). There are roughly 15 - what I would call significant -
importers in terms of volume and perhaps 15 more that are in the game.
Heck there are even several importers who only bring in a brew or two.
So it is no coincidence that I spend a great deal of time with these
guys picking their minds and trying to provide as much information
from my end as a retailer of their products. The information river is
indeed flowing, and as such I felt it would be unique to interview 5
importers of different sized companies and ask them the same 5
"pressing" questions to extract as much usable and interesting
information for our delight.
My latest "global vision" sake importer is none other than Ed Lehrman,
who along with partner Nick Ramkowsky, can lay claim to being the
first non-Japanese "guys" with national distribution in the US. (The
"white boy" claim to fame must be confirmed with fellow importer Chris
Pearce of World Sake Imports, who started roughly the same time in
Hawaii.) Ed and Nick's company is called Vine Connections - and yes
sake does not grow on vines, so indeed they were importing wine as
well. Check out their website to see
that in all likelihood you know their brews.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to Ed and Nick for their pioneering
efforts to not only educated the West about sake, but also their
tremendous ability to get sake into Western restaurants - to break
that stubborn sushi and sake stereotype. I will be honest except for
Kazu Yamazaki from Japan Prestige (see newsletter March'08) there was
not a lot of education coming from Japanese sake importing companies.
The food importing companies that carried sake as a sidebar at first
were doing absolutely nothing to make meaning of sake. And the
frontline guys who knew the most about sake - sushi chefs - did not
want to communicate their knowledge. Ed and Nick raised the bar of
awareness and should be credited in large part for the tremendous
success that sake is seeing today in the liquid world.
So from the mouth of the man who brings us "Dreamy Clouds" "Divine
Droplets" "Wandering Poet" "Hawk In The Heavens" "Root of Innocence"
and "Pride of the Village" herewith is Ed Lehrman and his answers to:
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"The 5 Question Interview With 5 Different Importer"
BT: Define the US sake market?
EL: "Still very small - growing very quickly - but still trailing
the Japanese food buzz by a long distance. In my opinion sake
accounts for 5% penetration in the restaurant and retail total
alcohol sales. In terms of sake sales we are seeing or hearing about
annual growth rates between 16-20%. (This is for total import sake
sales) I do believe that sake will catch up to the Japanese food
trend and we have been striving to get the masses to think of sake
as a normal drink with food like wine or beer and not something
exotic that must be consumed at a Japanese restaurant.
Roughly 60% of our sake sales go to restaurants that have no
relation to Japanese/Asian food, but there is such a blurring of
crossover ingredients in this fusion cuisine world. There is a small
percentage of Americans who 'Get it,' and they know a lot and drink
a lot of sake. Styles of drinks have universal appeal. Sake is
there! The product is hard to understand, but the taste is not. And
drinkers are taste driven. As a market we are the great melting pot
of trying out new things - far better than Europe in this regard. So
the outlook for acceptance is great."
BT: Define your portfolio of sakes and sake breweries?
EL: "Easy - we have the greatest range and diversity of flavors
within the narrowest quality band. You can experience a group of
flavors and textures without thinking one sake is better or worse.
Our brewers have immaculate attention to detail and similar to a
winery we firmly believe that the last 5% of attention produces a
20% increase in quality."
BT: How have tastes changed in the US market?
EL: "They haven't! They are still developing. We have not seen taste
patterns emerge yet. Is it a strength or a weakness? We see it as a
strength as there is great room to experience quality relatively
early in the new drinking experience process. By far Nigori is our
biggest seller, which is weird because our Nigoris tend to be fairly
dry styles. But we are seeing a migration away from Nigori,
especially after these drinkers taste filtered sake."
BT: Have you had to eliminate any brews or breweries from your
portfolio - what reason?
EL: "Not yet! We have had no reason to eliminate any brews or
breweries. Surely some sakes move far faster than others. And funny
enough some of our slower sellers find a specific audience in one
part or one segment of the country that is large enough to keep the
product moving. We still have all 13 breweries that we started with,
and they are so old and established it's not like they would tank or
have serious quality issues under our watch. What's nine years to a
300 year-old brewery?
BT: Name one sake or brewery in one of your competitor's portfolio
that you wish that you had in your portfolio?
EL: "Masumi (Miyasaka Shuzo from Nagano Prefecture) I love the
Junmai - Okuden Kantsukuri 'Mirror of Truth' - it has a great
texture with melon elements bordering on honey dew and goes great
with salty Japanese food because of it's low acidity focus."
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Sake Moment - When Next In The Bahamas "Shogun"
A true friend to True Sake - Michael Pataran - sent me the following
notice of his new restaurant that he opened in the Bahamas:
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"As the engines of a mighty Ninja sport bike roar, there is now a
new rumble in the Bahamas. In Nassau, just across from Atlantis
Resort; Shogun Revolver restaurant • lounge • terrace has opened to
accolades from critics and patrons alike. Uber-Chef Michael Pataran
(originally from Toronto, Canada) has created this funky," London-
ie", "New York- esque" spot with a hot new vibe and chic, surreal
feel. Pataran has brought that "missing touch" that was so badly
needed on the island.
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In Pataran's true passionate fashion; Shogun also carries a well
represented sake list of about 15 selections ranging from happo-sei
to kimoto and nigori to genshu. With an attractive by the glass,
tokkuri, bottle and issho-bin options; there are many a fine sake to
be had. The menus are modern Japanese with the lounge focusing on
kobachi (small plates) style dishes, while the dining room leans
toward Pataran's signature "Faith" tasting menus (available in 5 and
7 course with sakes and wines to match each course); as well as the
more traditional starter/main alternative. With a 26-seat dining
room, 30- seat lounge and 32-seat Harborview terrace; Shogun
Revolver is quickly becoming the hottest ticket on the island
(reservations highly recommended)."
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SHOGUN REVOLVER
restaurant • lounge • terrace
East Bay Street (Before the P.I Bridge) Nassau, Bahamas
242-328-8383
info@shogunrevolver.com
http://www.shogunrevolver.com
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Sake Challenge - Taking Sake Into The West or East
I am on a spiritual sake quest that will finally put a nail in the
coffin of "sake can only be consumed at a sushi restaurant" mantra.
Wake up people! Food and sake go together - always have and always
will. If it has a tail, roots, feathers, leaves or a damn beak sake
will go with it - anytime and any place. And that is my quest - the
place or origin of the cuisine does not matter. It can be Spanish,
Italian, Brazilian or ughhhh British chow and sake will walk the walk.
Japan has chickens! Japan has salad! Japan has beef! Japan has spicy
and savory dishes! Japan has sweet and salty fare, so why not think
about having sake with these "tones" from other countries? The Sake
Challenge is my way for you great consumers to see outside of the
sushi paradigm, and to achieve this "new view on brew" I will usually
select two different sake styles and price-points and bring them to a
non-Japanese restaurant with a celebrity, sake-sleuth or hell even a
friend in tow. (Please see the August'07 Newsletter for Sake Vs. New
Orleans fare - yes Cajun flavors galore - or Sake vs. Italian Jan'08
Newsletter - Sake vs. Peruvian March'08 Newsletter)
This month's Sake Challenge pits two brews - Hiraizumi Yamahai Junmai
and Gokyo Junmai - against Espetus Churrascaria (Authentic Brazilian
Steakhouse) http://www.espetus.com (A great website -
check it out!)
My fellow guinea pig ripe for the slaughter is none other than Kazu
Yamazaki (YM) from Japan Prestige Sake International who imports more
sake into the US than any other concern. Of course I brought two of
Kazu's sakes!
The great thing about this restaurant is that they bring you meat to
your table just like dim sum in a Chinese restaurant! The staff walks
around with large skewers loaded with all sorts of grilled meats from
beef to shrimp and from chicken hearts to pineapple. You raise your
hand when you see something that you like. As I do not eat red meat
Kazu was in charge of those pairings, a job he relished! He almost ate
the entire menu offering!
I selected these two brews because I felt that they would go well with
meat! The Hiraizumi is on the dry rich side and the Gokyo is on the
earthy savory side. The bottles started chilled and we left them on
the table and they gradually went to room temperature. For the price
savvy the Hiraizumi is $34 and the Gokyo is $24.
Sake vs. Brazilian Steak House (Espetus Churrascaria)
Before I go into the course by course blow by blow I wanted to
encourage you to visit the website for photos of each dish as I
describe the pairing - please visit www.espetus.com then click
on "Menu" and when there click on "Meat Selections" for an amazing
slide show of the meats. Sadly they are not in the exact order as we
tasted them - but hey blame the kitchen!
1ST COURSE: Welcome Starter - Cheese Bread, Fried Polenta, Fried Banana
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Cheese Bread: (Think cheesy fried bread)
Hiraizumi - Basically the Yamahai makes the cheese far more
pronounced in the flavor - almost makes the flavor sharp! Kazu said
"nothing really happened"
Gokyo - This Junmai really neutralizes the cheese flavor and brings
out a creaminess. Pretty much makes the dish neutral in scope and
feel. Kazu said "the sake cleans off the cheese flavor in my mouth."
BT: Preferred Gokyo for a B
KY: Preferred Gokyo for a B-
Fried Polenta: Traditional fried grains dish from South America.
Hiraizumi - This brew battles with the polenta to produce an uneven
pairing. There is a hint of bitterness and a semi-savory twang, but
just doesn't work well together.
Gokyo - Now we are talking! The graininess of the dish turns into a
sultry and savory pairing with the Gokyo. There is a great creamy
smoothness that does quite nicely in the palate. Kazu said "Sake
brings out the sweeter side of the polenta, little like pancake
without syrup."
BT: Preferred Gokyo for an A-
KY: Preferred Gokyo for an A
Fried Banana: Basically a fried banana.
Hiraizumi - Works well with the richness of the banana. The
combination creates a fresh almost "green" flavor that has a
cleanliness for all of the banana tones. Kazu said "The sake washes
off the oil and leaves the original flavor of the banana."
Gokyo - Firstly the banana is really sweet and the Gokyo goes right
up against this sweetness to make almost a third flavor - which is
sort of sweet and savory. What is interesting is that the banana
pulls out a little fruit in the Gokyo for a nice flavor.
BT: Preferred Gokyo for an A-
KY: Preferred Gokyo for an A-
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FIRST SKEWER: Top Sirloin "Alcatra" (#3 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - As I do not eat red meat this review is all Kazu. He
said, " Sake becomes milder and meat becomes milkier and creamier -
good pairing - reminds me of a good meat and sake pairing in Japan
where the meat becomes nuttier."
Gokyo - Kazu said, "It's okay, but not great, but not bad either -
the sake stays in the mouth - the meat stays in the mouth - can
drink and eat like partners."
BT: Did not taste
KY: Preferred Hiraizumi for an A
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SECOND SKEWER: Sirloin Steak "Picanha" (#1 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - Kazu said the meat was dry and, "Sake goes more lactic
acid with more dairy qualities - the fat is washed away - basically
it neutralizes the fat."
Gokyo - Kazu stated, "Nothing! No big flavor. The sake becomes lost
with no flavor and goes sort of watery."
BT: Did not taste
KY: Preferred the Hiraizumi for a B-
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THIRD SKEWER: Pork Tenderloin "Lombo de Porco" (#7 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - These cuts were both juicy and dry with a seasoned skin
that was salty and semi-spicey. Talk about a welcoming carpet ride
in the mouth - good feeling meets good flavor for a nice smooth
blending of tones. The pork brings out a creaminess in the Yamahai
that almost goes on the lactic acid side, but stays more clean. It
flattens the spice of the skin! Kazu said the pairing went in three
stages in his mouth.
Gokyo - The Gokyo really plays well with the nuttiness of the juice
of the pork and creates and overall smokiness to the pairing that is
pleasing. Amongst the smokiness there is a hint of fruit which is
quite nice but this brings out a little acidic imbalance. This
Junmai really jumps with the fat of the pork. Kazu said, "sake makes
the pork sweeter."
BT: Preferred the Hiraizumi for a B+
KY: Preferred the Hiraizumi for an A-
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FOURTH SKEWER: Grilled Shrimp "Camarao Assado" (#14 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - The Yamahai gets into a stumbling match with the
sweetness of the shrimp - there is an unbalanced overall feeling
that has a good start but a hot finish. No dry, not fruity, not
even. The heat is a distraction from the pairing. Kazu said that
there wasn't a good match.
Gokyo - Great pairing! Bingo - the Junmai goes right at the richness
of the shrimp and creates a tremendous "even" quality that makes a
perfect pairing perfect. A third flavor with hints of citrus is
created that borders on "fresh" and semi-fruity. Just a great fresh
and clean pairing that pulls lots of rich and sweet elements into an
even flow. Kazu stated that "there are smoky and green qualities
that are nice - more sweet."
BT: Preferred the Gokyo for an A+
KY: Preferred the Gokyo for an A
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FIFTH SKEWER: Homemade Pork Sausage "Linguica Caseira" (#9 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - The sausages are made with most of the usual suspects -
garlic, sweet onion, pepper etc and the Yamahai with its dryness is
very effective taking down these flavors and making a smooth and
clean delivery. A very nice pairing that has a little spice to it,
but has very good balance to stand on. What is appealing is that the
dryness of the Hiraizumi is present more in this dish than the
others - is it the spice? Kazu said that the Yamahai makes "things
become sweeter - the taste of pork becomes lighter with a spicey
finish."
Gokyo - Ahhh think rich and smoky with a little spice tail! Semi-
savory elements bring out the smoky quality of the sausage - very
savory actually - not fruity - with hints of richness in an even
hand. Kazu said that both the meat and sake become sweeter.
BT: Preferred the Hiraizumi for an A
KY: Preferred the Hiraizumi for an A
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SIXTH SKEWER: Chicken Hearts "Coracao de Frango" (#12 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - These hearts are done with a lot of garlic and the
Hiraizumi goes hot against that with a little sizzle in the
delivery. It is a "gripping and loud" pairing but the connection is
topical and does not get down below the surface of the flavor of the
hearts. There is a subtle nuttiness but the sharpness dictates this
pairing. Kazu lamented that the taste became sweeter than the
chicken.
Gokyo - Now the bottles have come a lot closer to room temperature.
Wow! Wow! Wow! 3 wows for this pairing as a "mystical" richness
"almost with maple syrup" qualities comes out with the garlic and
the heart. The tight and focused flavor of the chicken heart is kept
compact with the deep savoriness of the Gokyo. Savory success and
"umami" galore! This is by fare my favorite pairing of the evening.
Kazu is less impressed and got caught up in the garlic of the
hearts.
BT: Preferred the Gokyo for an A+
KY: Preferred the Hiraizumi for a B+
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SEVENTH SKEWER: Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon "Peito de Frango com
Bacon" (#11 on the menu)
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This was a bad dish as the chicken was so dry and spicey that we
both didn't enjoy it at all. So I will just give the grades.
BT: Preferred the Hiraizumi for a B
KY: Preferred the Gokyo for a B
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EIGHTH SKEWER: Filet Mignon "Filet Mignom" (#4 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - Kazu stated that the combination became "sweet and
grainy - tastes dryer and sweeter equally - tastes lighter."
Gokyo - Kazu said, " The Gokyo becomes sweeter and the sake washes
off the spice of the delicious and juicy piece of beef. The balance
of flavors is almost like caramelized."
BT: Did not taste.
KY: Preferred the Hiraizumi for an A-
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NINTH SKEWER: Pork Loin with Parmesan Cheese "Lombo com queijo
Parmesao" (#8 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - The Yamahai acts like a neutralizer on this pairing -
really good as the oily nature of this juicy dish goes to an almost
caramel flavor - and the cheese brings out a richness and a dairy-
like quality. A nice fitting pairing. Kazu had problems getting past
a spicey finish.
Gokyo - Strange as a fruitiness meets the sizzle of the cheese. A
very uneven pairing that is more rough than welcoming. Kazu said the
pairing made the pork taste sweet that is supported by a dryer
finish.
BT: Preferred the Hiraizumi for an A-
KY: Preferred the Gokyo for a B+
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TENTH SKEWER: Grilled Pineapple "Abacaxi Assado" (#15 on the menu)
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Hiraizumi - Immediately this pairing goes to a vanilla-like quality
with a round and watery finish. It makes the acidic pineapple smooth
out a bit. Strange yes, but okay as a pairing. Kazu said that the
sake made the pineapple less sweet.
Gokyo - The pineapple is served grilled which means warm, mild and
sweet and the Gokyo makes the flavors go neutral or even. Not rich,
not sweet, but not bad! Kazu said that it is less sweet with a dry
finish.
BT: Preferred the Gokyo for a B
KY: Preferred the Hiraizumi for a B+
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SUMMARY
So there we have it - the pride of Japan "meats" the pride of Brazil!
And look what happened, some seriously delicious pairings. Kazu said
it best when he said that even on the pairings that we did not prefer
that much, they were never awful. And I guess this is one of sake's
great strengths when it comes to food pairings - it has further scope,
flexibility and dependability than let's say a grape juice. The starch
of the rice dances better in many contexts than a sweet juice, and who
would have thunk that polenta - such a staple - would go so well with
Gokyo. I mean think of most of the pairings - although Brazilian on
that night - how many versions of grilled shrimp, chicken hearts or
pork sausage live in this world? And yet these were my favorite
pairings for the evening. Sake scored a brilliant
gooooooooooaaaaaalllllllll on Brazilian fare!
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Sake Bummer - Thank You Our Dear Government!
(NOTE: THIS IS AN APRIL FOOLS JOKE - WAS SENT ON APRIL 1ST - THIS IS
JUST A SPOOF SO PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND WE WILL TRY AGAIN
NEXT YEAR! For our foreign readers
see this for an explanation.)
A massive shocker has hit the sake industry in the US and you can
thank your government officials who basically have lost their minds.
Effective July 1st 2008 sake will no longer be classified by the ATF
(Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) and FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) as a wine, instead it will fall into the fortified
wines and distilled beverages category on account of it's elevated
alcohol content. This is sheer insanity and the ramifications are
huge.
Any restaurant or retail store that does not have a hard liquor
license will not be permitted by law to sell sake. In a word, this
will crush most sushi restaurants, as they predominately have beer and
wine licenses. The reasoning for this out of control move is to place
sake into a higher taxed category. It's simply a revenue-generating
move, but the results will be devastating in the short run.
All beer and wine licensed restaurants and retail stores will have to
apply for a distilled spirits license, which as we all know takes
about a year to obtain. So this bureaucratic move will create even
more bureaucracy as restaurants small and large will have to reach out
to the public to obtain these licenses, and more than not in today's
society neighbors of restaurants will most likely object to this. It
is an expensive, time consuming, and sometimes humiliating process,
which more than likely will not be attempted by true mom and pop sushi
restaurants.
How could this have occurred and who didn't put up a fight? The answer
is easy! The sake industry in the US has no lobby group whatsoever.
Importers, distributors, etc have never formed associations or
lobbying groups to protect the interests of our industry. The argument
over "Honjozo" sake and "Genshu" sake has been on the table for years,
and yet we didn't do anything about it. These sakes with an elevated
alcohol content and sakes with added distilled spirits have become the
"Trojan Horses" that the government needed to obtain a higher taxation
structure.
Personally I am not only hurt (a selfish emotion because I love my
sake and sushi nights) but I am pissed as hell. I have been trying to
organize a lobbying effort in the industry for years, exactly to
combat situations such as this. Sadly, we cannot appeal the measure
because it was passed unanimously. I am certain that importers and
distributors of sake will unite to sue the ATF and FDA to create an
injunction to temporarily stop the process, but this is a little too
little and little too late. The writing was on the wall and we blew
it!
There is one hope, and that is to appeal to the US Supreme Court on
the grounds that this should be an individual State's issue or that
sake has been unfairly targeted. But both of these are non-issues as
this is a Federal tax play, and sake would be joining fortified wines
like Port and Sherry, which are classified in the higher taxed
category already.
Basically you have about two months to enjoy your sushi and sake
nights out. After that it is back to your favorite sashimi plate with
some red wine durge that was selected by folks who do not know grape
wine. Oh and one more thing - April Fool's! (For my foreign readers
this is a joke! It is customary to play a joke on April 1st of each
year! For more information please
see this for an explanation.
And next year - no disclaimers!)
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New Store Arrivals - Masumi Arabashiri, Watari Bune, Kuheiji, More Namas!
For those Masumi Arabashiri fans your brew for 08 has arrived! It's
not as vivid as year's past but in a way it has gained a very
drinkable elegance. We also have stock of a very limited release Nama
Genshu from Watari Bune that does wonders with food pairings. And look
for a new red label in the Ginjo section of the fridge - it's a Junmai
Ginjo from a brewery called Kuheiji and will defiantly speak to those
wine drinkers who like a little fruit! And last but not least - in the
first week of April expect to see the second flight of spring Nama
releases from Japan Prestige Sake - which has favorites such as Gokyo
Arabashiri and Kaika!
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Masumi Arabashiri'08 "First Run"
$32/720ml
From Nagano Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu.
SMV: +/- 0 Acidity: 2.0
The nose on this raw brew is a collection of gentle aromas including
cherry, citrus, mineral, and yeasty elements. This extremely well
balanced "Arabashiri" has a round and subdued quality that drinks
quite elegantly. Not huge in impact, but has layers of really
complex flavors such as vanilla, powder sugar, a hint of citrus, and
a pull of cherry taffy. The brew drinks more rich than sweet, and
the elevated acidity and alcohol content produces a pleasantly dry
finish. More fruit and acidity impact emerge closer to room
temperature, but chilled is the ticket. Clean, round, and complex!
WORD: Smooth
WINE: Zins/ Bright Whites
BEER: Creamy ales
FOODS: Big boldly flavored cuisines - think ethnic.
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Watari Bune "Shiboritate"
$40/720ml
From Ibaraki Prefecture.
Nama Junmai Ginjo Genshu.
SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.4
The nose on this limited spring release brew is filled with
pineapple, blueberry, grape, wheat and chalk elements. Thick and
inviting this raw sake is deep, rich, round and full-bodied. It is
very solid with hints of sweetness and a dash of vanilla, but drinks
more fat and complex with a peek-a-boo umami quality. The flavor is
sweet on the outside and rich on the inside of each sip like a firm
but kind handshake. It is not explosive in character, but the
smoothness and balance are rewarded with a long dry tail. Good food
pairing brew!
WORD: Round
WINE: Pinot Noir/White Burgundy
BEER: Clean Belgians
FOODS: Throw the kitchen sink at this sake.
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Kuheiji "Kamoshibito Kuheiji"
$35/720ml
From Aichi Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo.
SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.6
This bright Ginjo has a nose filled with grape pop-cycle, blueberry
gum, mineral, and yeasty elements. Fat and fruity the flavor
explodes on the tip of your tongue. There are so many layers of
flavors it is hard to keep up - look for ripe cherry, berry, white
grape, and candy tones that flow from start to quick finish. Round
and large without being too sweet the fruitiness is a refreshing
change from some other subdued Ginjos. A good acidity play - that
would speak to wine drinkers - makes the flavors dance all the more.
This brew drinks more like a Nama.
WORD: Fruit Basket
WINE: Beaujolais/Fruity Whites
BEER: Fruity ales
FOODS: Fruit salads, vinegar-based dishes, Dim Sum, pork loin.
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You can review many of our sakes on our web site:
www.truesake.com/sakes.php
Our inventory list is here.
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Sake Selects - Miwa and Lynette Select Monthly Brews
In my last "Ask Beau" I spoke about a new twist at True Sake that
features several brews that are and will be championed by Miwa and
Lynette - our two resident sake studs. As we can only stock so many
different brands of sake - think limited space - this effort is a way
to offer sakes that we wouldn't usually carry. They will select by
price-point, uniqueness, availability, and other factors that make
these selections unusual for the store. Case in point, many folks have
been asking for Kurosawa the Kimoto Junmai. I used to carry it years
ago, but replaced it with other Kimoto Junmais at roughly the same
price-point. So Lynette has taken it upon herself to maker her first
"True Select" the very popular Kurosawa Junmai.
And Miwa sent me the following text to speak to her "True Select"
selections:
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I call it "Great Funk": Kizan Junmai Ginjo (1-year aged) & Kizan
Junmai Ginjo (10-year aged). From Nagano prefecture
A few weeks back I had a chance to taste both sakes with the
importer. High "san-do" (acidty) and low "nihonsh-do" (sake-meter-
value) makes them close to a bright, full bodied white wine. I would
like to recommend these sakes to those who are willing to explore
something unique.
Quick note about the 1-year aged sake. It has a hint of golden tint.
First sip has a very smooth, followed by a combination of sweetness
and acidity as in dried pineapple. Because the sweetness is well
wrapped in the acidity, the sake doesn't drink like smv-16. There
are citrus tones with roasted tea and a hint of coco powder. I think
this sake would pair with roasted poultry or a seared fish dish.
"Bright" captures the essence of this sake. I can see it being
enjoyed along with a nice summer brunch outdoors.
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So when you come to the store next look for these monthly or bi-
monthly special "True Select" sakes and ask Miwa or Lynette to do a
little "splaining"!
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True Sake In The News - The Single Guy Chef Blog
When Ben a.k.a "The Single Guy Chef" came to me by email I thought
okay another foodie blogger looking for the quick and gone interview
on sake. But I could not have been further off base. Ben came to one
of our tastings - we were crazy busy - and he still captured the
heart and soul of sake and sake education. And this piece reminds me
why the print media is going the way of fossil fuel:
Going Beyond Sushi: A Conversation with True Sake
And although they didn't mention True Sake they did mention SAKE in a
nice "acceptance" piece for sake in the famed Zagat reviews. In case
you missed it here is a good US look at sake sneaking into our cuisine
mindset:
ZagatBuzz, San Francisco Edition: Sake Stakes Its Claim on the Wine List
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Special Events - April 21st "7 Nigori Blind Tasting"
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• When:
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Monday, April 21st
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• What:
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So you like the milky stuff? How well do you really know your
unfiltered sakes? Here's your chance to try 7 different Nigoris head
to head but blind! We won't poke your eyes out, rather we will cover
the bottles to see what Nigori sakes you really like using a few less
of your senses!
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• Time:
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5:30 to 8:00 pm
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• Where:
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Sebo Restaurant, 517 Hayes Street (across the street from True
Sake) between Octavia and Laguna
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• How Much:
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$20 in CASH at the door
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• Food:
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Not much but light snacks will be provided.
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• RSVP:
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No need. Just walk in.
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Phone True Sake 415.355.9555 for more details!
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"Ask Beau" - "Is there anybody else out there?"
I was a little down in the dumps the other day. Just a sort of "life
sucks" afternoon when I received and email from Sarah H. from Boulder,
CO. who asked
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"I am so into sake right now, can't learn enough, read enough, drink
enough, that I feel as if I am the only one. Is there anybody else
out there who is into it as much as me? And what do they do about
it?"
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Sarah, in a word NO! You are a freak. Get help! NOT! Listen woman, we
are all sake freaks, and we are all looking for answers. You are not
alone. I feel like "Close Encounters of The Third Kind," except I am
making sake breweries out of mud instead of mountains out of mashed
potatoes. We are out there. We all want to know the answers, and of
course the brewers want to know the questions. They have been dying to
hear from groups of appreciative consumers who want to know what they
do and why? So get a pen and a book and start writing down your
thoughts and experiences, because more than not you will discover
things - a way to heat a sake, a Nigori that drinks great at room
temp, a Ginjo that tastes great after being opened in your fridge for
three weeks etc - and start roping in that information so that you can
share it like the following email that I received the other day from
Antonis (LA) that reads:
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Hi Beau, I was just getting into this Kamoizumi that I bought from
True Sake, reading your notes in last month's newsletter, innocently
sipping on a tofu and shiitake soup, when it hit me: how about
Roquefort? So I took out a high-end Roquefort, L' Aigle Noir, to
give it a try. Wow! They both sung to each other. Somehow the
fermented overtones of the Kamoizumi spoke to the mold in the
Roquefort. The sake got sweeter and the cheese became the savory
base on top of which the flavors in the sake built. Who would a
thunk it. Or maybe it's my weird taste buds. Either way, thanks for
a great, unusual sake!
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Sarah meet Antonis! You guys are both out there! You both want to
discover - to learn - to appreciate sake for what this marvelous
beverage was - is - and will be in the future!
We are not alone!
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 other correspondence should use
info @ truesake.com.)
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The SECRET WORD
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 branding and of course the
packaging that goes with the branding experience. Okunomatsu is a
brewery that goes the extra mile to set their product apart - don't
believe me then take a look at the bottom of the bottle!
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 Junmai that drinks on the hot side - almost as
hot as the bottle looks! Okunomatsu Junmai usually sells for $22/720ml
bottle but for you sake-jockeys we will part with this very smooth
brew for a mere $11.
And the SECRET WORD is...check your email inbox! - We only give out the
SECRET WORD in the mailed Newsletter! So sign up for the Newsletter!
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Thank you for reading!
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