Welcome to the August Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. In this special Anniversary issue get the real story about what happened on the first day of operations for True Sake 5 years ago, read about the typical "over-the-top" conditions for THE National Sake Competition in Japan, tag-along as sake hits a French restaurant in the "Sake Challenge," enjoy an "Ode to True Sake," get a first-look glimpse at the sakes in this year's Joy of Sake events, and check out the summer nama selection.

In this issue:

• Sake Story - 5 Years Ago!
• Sake Awards - Competition Sake "There is no substitute"
• Sake Challenge - SF Chronicle Follows BT on Sake Challenge
• Sake Joy - More Brews Than You Can Shake a Chopstick At!
• Sake Spotlight - Michael Scott Parker's Ode to True Sake
• Sake Envy - Something That I Have Never Done - Not Yet!
• True Sake In The News - CITY Magazine, Japanese Restaurant News
• New Store Arrivals - The Summer Nama Ship Has Docked At True Sake
• True Selects - Team True Sake Select Monthly Brews
• Sake Events - October 1st
• "Ask Beau" - How much feed-back do you get for all of your newsletter writing efforts?
• The SECRET WORD

It was August 7th 2003 at 2:30PM when I opened the door of my "sake shop" to the public. The store was not even finished! Instead of my fancy surfboard like table I had two wooden horses with a massive piece of plywood for the table. The cool tower and blue-bottle cabinet were not finished so I had sake cases piled up at different heights to act like displays. I had a cash box (which we still use today) with no cash in it! Doh! I forgot starter cash. And I only had a black magic marker as a pen for signing credit card receipts (now you know why a keep a cup filled with pens on the counter). In a word, I wasn't ready to open, but I had to!

It took me a year and half to open True Sake. That's a long frustrating time. First I had to re-zone the store to allow for liquor sales - which was a total nightmare! (I tried to not use the "system" known as the "city planners" - bad idea as this "system" is in place for a reason - to job the common guy for the benefit of the present and former city planner employees. I won't call it corrupt, but let's just say it is a case of knowing the right people - and I didn't know 'em!) Then I had to apply for a liquor license, which meant they asked the neighborhood if they wanted a sake store. People could not grasp the concept of store selling just sake. I literally had to beg people. I had four devoted protestors! (One of them actually told me to open a "chocolate store" instead. Ummmmm Okay!)

After 7 months of paying rent the final protestor to my license succumbed. I was bitter, but went out and bought the guy a flower arrangement and said thank you! Now since I had not owned a liquor license and was not guaranteed that I would get one, there was no reason to build out the store! So when I got the okay - they said that I had thirty days to open to the public or I would lose my license. They also gave me a very very strict license - to appease all of my protestors. That is why I cannot allow tastings in my store. This was one of the major conditions. Technically I cannot even taste sake myself with my distributors who bring product by for review. Crazy! In any case, the thirty days went by very quickly. And before I knew it I had to open.

On the first day I sold three bottles of sake - two to family members and one to a fellow storeowner in Hayes Valley who wanted to be my first customer. I was so nervous I forgot to charge him tax. That said - his $20 bill is on the wall behind the counter, and remember there was no cash in the cash box so I had to pay his change from my own pocket! Nevertheless I was now a retail man! (I had zero retail experience before opening True Sake, and I think in the big picture we all should do a tour of duty behind a retail counter so that we can empathize with our fellow citizens.)

On day one I had roughly 75 brews in stock. My goal was to have 100 sakes that I knew inside and out to better recommend to my customers. On the first deliveries of sake from my new distributors I had to send many cases back. I will be honest - the Japanese food guys all tried to shaft me with their inventory. They tried to pass off onto me sakes that were in some cases three years old. That may have worked for the many new non-Japanese owned sushi restaurants that were popping up all over, but hell no would that work with me. In two instances I drove my mini-van at high speeds to their offices to speak with the owners about a "new day" in the handling of sake. They got the religion quickly! (On a side, I am extremely proud of the fact that I was a tough ass when it came to old inventory being delivered to my store. It's completely unacceptable for somebody's first sip of sake to be from a bottle that is way past its prime. That was my code then and still is today - under the watchful eyes of Miwa and Lynette.)

Roughly a year before I opened the now famous split doors I went and spoke with most of my importers and distributors. I had not yet created my logo so I had these cheesy powder blue business cards that were made of felt. (LOL!) In most instances the owners themselves met with me, but at several companies they sent out flunkies. One guy was their beer rep - he kept saying "just sake?" "only sake?" "sake only no nothing else?" he couldn't grasp the logic of opening a store dedicated to just sake. And he wasn't alone. I got many blank face nods that basically said without words "this guy will be closed in a year max!"

My first two meetings with importers are my favorites because both guys to this day are my very dear friends. I happened to be in Hawaii with my family for a holiday vacation, and decided to take a flight to Honolulu to meet with Chris Pearce of World Sake Imports. This was in 2002 and Chris had been peddling brew for a couple of years, and here walks-in this guy who basically said I have so much faith in sake that I want to open up a store dedicated to this wonderful libation. Chris would later say that he didn't think that I was crazy, just a little ahead of my time. He promised to support me however he could and in return I said that I would dedicate a fridge to his product in my store. As my offerings have expanded I had to add other brews to this fridge, but if you look even today all of Chris's sakes are in one fridge together.

The second meeting was with Kazu Yamazaki from Japan Prestige Sake International. And basically Kazu thought that I was nuts! We had dinner at a sushi restaurant in SF, and as the tokurri of hot sake came out I went to pour for him and he said thanks. He didn't pour for me. Huh? I thought that was illegal! Or at the very least bad luck. So I poured for him again, and again he dissed me. Huh? What's going on here? I thought that he was trying to haze me! Then I went to pour for him again and he held up his hand - "Beau, you don't have to pour for me!" I remember that day like it was yesterday. We still laugh about today! (Oh and I forgot to mention that I was wearing a wool Chinese jacket from Shanghai Tang and it was about 120 degrees in the restaurant - I was sweating like a pig, something which Kazu never fails to forget!)

With both of these great contacts and all of the others that I have made over the years I always wanted to impress upon these guys that I only answered to sake within the walls of True Sake. I don't play favorites; I like my friends a lot but always try to have an impartial selection of sake that keeps everybody equal. This is pretty important in this game. I only use sakes that pass my test - the test of picking for you! I have allegiances for certain, but this does not translate into me carrying sakes that are not worth your money. That said I have always adhered to the concept of carrying only imported sakes from Japan. This hurts in many cases, as I have a lot of friends who make sake domestically. But if I were to carry one brand from on brewer then I would have to be equal and carry the others as well, and this would be too much. I'd rather just stay focused on sakes that are not available at local liquor stores or grocery stores.

The first week was a gas! Three bottles the first day - seven the next - eleven the day after etc. I was selling more each day! This game is easy, I thought to myself! But then I had a four bottle day then a two and a friend said welcome to retail. The good news is that total sales for True Sake have gone up from anywhere between 20-25% each year. Thank you! What has been fun are the daily records. I remember my first $1,000 day! That was livin'! Then the $2,000 day - then the three - four etc. What has been unique is watching the patterns of buying shift! When customers first came into the store they would trust my recommendation and purchase on average a $25-$30 bottle of sake. Then they would come back with what I call "eyes wide open" with total disbelief how good that sake was, and would then want two bottles of something similar for a second purchase average price of roughly $50. What a trend I thought, but then the third purchase was usually 3 or 4 small 300ml bottles to keep expanding their pools of understanding sake.

I will be honest - we move a lot of sake! Again thank you. And not a month goes by that I don't get a "thank you" letter from sake brewers whose products grace our shelves. The importers and distributors all thank us from time to time for not only selling their sake, but for helping them expand their sake portfolios. They see in us the pioneers of the retail sake industry in the US, and that is something that I am extremely proud of. We have shaped a market - we have educated a base - and we have implemented a new quality control standard in an industry that was used to hiding shipping dates etc. In five years True Sake has gone from a inventory of 75 offerings to well over 220 with a lot of seasonal brews in the mix. In five years we have gone from a populous of consumers of hot crappy sake who said Jinjo to a savvy group of drinkers who now come in and ask for certain rice varietal sakes. Well done!

Now the meat and potatoes! When I first opened the store I thought for certain that my customers would be 50% Japanese and 50% wine drinkers! Nothing could be further from the truth! No the people who I owe a debt of gratitude to are the disenfranchised wine drinkers who did not have a home. They made sake their home and made True Sake their castle! We are now seeing many more wine drinkers, but on the whole our core has been that group of folks who didn't want to be Robert Parker-fied. I can only hope that the next five years are as fun and successful as the last. In this time at least two other sake stores have opened in the US and I say Hell Yes! The more stores the better! More stores means more demand and more demand means better product for us all. Sake is here to stay and I am just glad that I and Jeff and Miwa and Lynette have all had a little part in the success of sake outside of Japan.

Lastly, as many of you know I have had a pretty rough couple of years on the home front. It has been really tough. My absence from the store is a direct result of these personal issues. Firstly I would like to apologize to all of those who come to the store to see me - I miss you, I really do! Secondly I would like to thank you for supporting me both via sales but more importantly by lending me your emotional support. It helps more than you will ever know. I am indebted to you all and each and every one of you should smile knowing that you have kept this "crazy" idea of a dedicated sake store alive and well. Thank you.

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Yes, the national sake competition in Hiroshima each year is a big deal! Ask any maker of sake what it means to them and they will all give a diluted answer reflecting on a certain humbleness. But in the privacy of their own minds they go crazy for this competition. Absolutely crazy! To get a gold medal is - well let's just say a very marketable achievement. There are many facets to this competition that are extremely intriguing - for example you may only submit one sake per sake brewing license (some brewers have two breweries so they get to submit two sakes) but I want to focus on the process of this event in terms of conditioning the sakes.

The important date for breweries is April 1st. That is when their submissions are due in Hiroshima. And yes it gets quite hectic when roughly 1,400 brewers send their sakes via over-night cooler to all arrive on the same day! If the submissions are late - they do not get graded. So many brewers send a day or two early just in case.

What is a submission? How many bottles? What size of bottles? What type of sakes are submitted? The answer is easy - each maker produces their best sake and must send 18 500ml specially colored bottles to the research center. I always thought that they sent one or two ishobin. WRONG! They specifically have to send 18 bottles because the event goes in stages - 1st Cut requires 6 bottles - 2nd Cut requires 6 bottles - and the last 6 bottles go to the "Brewer's Tasting" where of course the brewers all sample each other's product at the conclusion of the event. So the brewers have to ferment and pasteurize their brews - rest them for a while - then they must pour them into the 500ml pea-soup green bottles (same bottle as the Koshi no Kanbai Tokusen Junmai Ginjo) and hand twist the caps on.

Again, each brewer makes his or her competition sake their own way! Of course they use their best rice-yeast combinations and their best brewing methods to achieve a product that few get to sample in the "real world." (I have been given several competition sakes as gifts, and to be honest I really didn't appreciate what I received until I found out how labor intensive the process is and the rigor moral of making these beauties.) So many brewers use the rice varietal Yamadanishiki for the competition that they recently created a new category for grading, which is Yamadanishiki rice and non- Yamadanishiki rice sakes. (I always joke that this competition is like a B.L.T. competition, because they all use the same darn ingredients - like bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes - but in this case it is Yamadanishiki rice and the same Association yeasts.)

Almost all of the sakes have added alcohol! Rare is the day that a ballsy brewer will submit a Junmai Dai Ginjo. The reasons for this are many - including the amazing aroma advantage the added-alcohol sakes have, but one lesser-known reason may be the storage factor of these competition sakes. Many will argue that added-alcohol last longer (stay balanced longer) than their Junmai counterparts, and this may be needed in Hiroshima.

One brewer gave me his timeline for the event. He said that he started brewing his competition sake in January - the moromi took 28 days. He waited 6 days and then hit the sake with heat for a single pasteurization. Then he stored the sake for one month at -2 degrees Celsius. On March 28 he poured the sake into the 18 bottles and cold shipped them to Hiroshima. (Guaranteeing that they would be there by April 1st)

Here is where things get interesting. The research center stores the submitted sakes at room temperature (15 degrees Celsius) until the competition on May 20th! That's a long time out of refrigeration for a single-pasteurized sake - from April 1st until the first cut on May 20th! As the brewer told me this one month and one week at room temperature was a way "to secure the balance of the sake." Damn! That is amazing! They go through so much to make a brilliant sake at the risk of having the brew change in the bottle during this time. (The brewer told me that Junmai Dai Ginjos change much quicker in this environment)

Are they done yet? Nope! Because the judges award 500 Silver Medals and 250 Gold Medals at each competition. And if you get an award your reward is that you must then send 18 more bottles of the same brew to the research center for the open-to-the-public sake tasting of the award winning sakes.

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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:

• August '07 Newsletter for Sake vs. New Orleans fare - yes Cajun flavors galore
• Sake vs. Italian Jan '08 Newsletter
• Sake vs. Peruvian March '08
• Sake vs. Brazilian April '08
• Sake vs. Middle Eastern July '08

When reviewing restaurants and their specific cuisines paired with sake I use the following criteria:

• Works World Class (WWC)
• Works Well (WW)
• Works (W)
• Does Not Work (DNW)

This criterion is more true to the mission of bringing a beverage to a restaurant not knowing what you will pair with. The point is to make the general pairings "work." Rare is the day that you bring a specific wine or sake to pair with a specific dish - we look for generalities and the entire eating/drinking experience. Think of fishing with a net as opposed to a hook and line - a pairing is supposed to reach out and catch more flavors as opposed to just hitting one match.

This month's "Sake Challenge" pitted our dear friend "Sake" with some of the best French cuisine outside of that "Old European" nation. As a special twist my companion was a reporter from the SF Chronicle, who was "tagging along" to observe the union of Japanese Sake with classic and modern French flavors. This "Sake Challenge" had the great pleasure of taking two brews to Chez Spencer one of my favorite spots in the Bay Area.

I selected the Yuki No Bosha Dai Ginjo with an SMV: +4 and Acidity: 1.3, because it is a genshu (undiluted) sake and has such a complex structure feel and flavor that I thought it would work well with the complexity of the French dishes. The other sake was the Wakatake Junmai Genshu with an SMV: +7 and Acidity: 1.5, because it has very pronounced body and structure that do not bend under the weight of rich robust flavors.

The reporter did not reveal his grades, because he was going to submit an article reviewing the effort, so I will just give my grades. (That said on our second tour of sake duty at a Mexican restaurant the reporter did share his grades, which I will write about in the next Newsletter.)

Starter One: Bread and Butter!

• WAK:Dryness of brew brings out a little sweetness to both the sake and the bread. W
• YUK: Gets creamy and soft and the bread dissolves nicely in this fluid. W

Starter Two: Bouillabaisse Soup with Saffron Aioli

• WAK:Tingle of the soup pairs with the strength of the Junmai - acidity is balanced and there is a very good texture play. The sake mutes the tickle of the spice. W
• YUK: The fruit conflicts with the tomato acidity - sharp! Okay feeling but the acidity jumps too much with the fruit. DNW

Starter Three: Curried Cauliflower Veloute (think soup)

• WAK:Goes very even with the flavor of the soup. The flavor and feel works - a very elegant velvety texture play comes out. Almost creamy! W
• YUK: The creaminess of soup pairs very well with the fruit of the sake. A very unusual pairing in principal, but the result was a great flavor that filled all the recesses of the mouth. WW

Starter Four: Steamed Green Asparagus - shaved parmesan & truffle emulsion

• WAK:This sake is the best artichoke sake in the business, so I thought that it would excel with the asparagus, but the pairing was only okay. The brew pulls a green/veggie flavor from the asparagus that is almost sweet and then flows into the richness of the truffle oil. W
• YUK: The asparagus goes base with the Dai Ginjo - an overall evenness that makes the pairing solid as it mutes the truffle oil and the parmesan "largeness." W

First Course: Smoked Duck Breast a La Lyonnaise - poached eggs & lardons

• WAK:Yes!! Great flavor to feel ratio! The savoriness of the sake dances with the savory tones of the duck. The egg and the Junmai also do so well together to create a creamy soft pairing. This is a great match with savory highlights, dryness of brew goes a tad sweet! WWC
• YUK: The fruit comes forth, but is a little lost and is a subtle distraction to the savoriness of the dish. It works as a flow together, but it's two dances not one. W

Second Course: Foie Gras Torchon - vanilla scented black berry, pain de campagne

• WAK:Creamy and salty flavors makes the sake go creamy but lighter than usual. Intense flavor is supported by the sake, but not really enhanced. W
• YUK: Taking the black berry in with the Foie Gras makes this a superb flavor that is rich and fruity and salty. The fruit gets balanced and the sweetness comes forth on the creamy salty richness of the Foie Gras. Really great pairing! WW

Third Course: Truffled Artic Char Pappillote - gypsy peppers, julienne vegetables, & truffles

• WAK:The flavor of the fish is hidden amongst the wine and peppers push, and the sake goes even. Basically a neutralizer as a pairing, which conflicts a little with the wine in the dish. W
• YUK: This is okay, but the fruit of the sake brings forth more acidity from the peppers and wine base. The flavor goes all the way to the back of the palette with the sake - tingle! W

Fourth Course: Wood Seared Venison Tenderloin - jabron potato, juniper berry-peppercorn jus

• WAK:The Junmai stands up to the strength and full-bodied flavor of the venison. Good balance. W
• YUK: Very nice pairing! The fruit brings out the peppercorn with a juicy effectiveness. There is a nice creamy element to the venison that comes out in the acidity and fruit of the sake. WW

Fifth Course: Forest Mushroom Risotto - alba&brown clamshell, nameko, trumpet royal, velvet piopini & shaved parmesan

• WAK:Creamy and Cheesy! Yes! A really great pairing. The rich mushrooms come exploding out of the flavor of the brew. If this sake were lightly warmed it would be out of this world. Rich and creamy - superb! WWC
• YUK: Goes a little bonkers with the fruit. Fruity shrooms gets a little confusing. It's okay but not great! W

Summary:

From the colloquial bread and butter to the foie gras these sakes had no problem standing up to the entire offering. Sure there was one or two pairings that didn't work that well, but on the whole the sakes excelled and made many of the flavors better. They worked across the board - from truffle oil to saffron aioli these flavors are huge - but the sakes all stood their ground. I was pleasantly surprised that on the whole I took the largest and most complex French flavors and paired them successfully with "rice wine" from Japan. And the ultimate reward were the two pairings that were "World Class." Do not fear the French - sake has a home at any French table!

DNW	1
W	12
WW	3
WWC	2
Total = Sake Works With French Cuisine

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Well we are coming to that time of year when the Joy of Sake is celebrated! Huh? The Joy of Sake? The JOS as I call it - is by far the largest sake tasting that is open to the public held outside of Japan. Think hundreds of sakes to taste! Also think it terms of sakes that are both available and unavailable in the US. (Yes sort of a mean concept serving sakes that are not available here, but I fully agree with the concept of tasting sakes that remain abroad. Sake is a journey, and you/me/we must go to the source at some point to taste sake that has not journeyed to your doorstep. By tasting sakes unavailable to you on a daily basis should create a yearly yearning that is only satisfied with travel.)

But before the Joy of Sake comes the "judging" of sake! And for me it is a bit of an honor to speak about the "history" of sake here in the US (as opposed to all of "that" history of sake in Japan) that produced the genesis for the Joy Of Sake. If you could ever call one man a ripple - then the former brewmaster of the Honolulu Sake Brewery - Mr. Takao Nihei - was that first splash that changed the pond of water known as sake history in America. A former representative of the National Research Institute of Brewing in Japan he went on to brew sake in Hawaii, but more to the point he put his arm around the shoulders of some early sake pioneers drinking sake in Honolulu. These folks including Chris Pearce got the notion to start an international sake association to communicate the song of sake, and he guided them through the process.

In 1986 the International Sake Association (Kukosai Sake Kai) took flight - well before their time if you ask me! And subsequently five years later this body sponsored the U.S. National Sake Appraisal's first "competition" under the watchful eye of the Japan National Research Institute of Brewing. Why have an appraisal if you cannot have a party? And here we are six years later appraising sake and having a great party! For several years Chris Pearce has asked me to be a judge in this event that features experts from Japan and the US, and my timing has always been putrid! But alas this year worked! And in late August I will be in Hawaii tasting some sake. Ummmmm excuse me? "Tasting some sake?" Okay, I wanted to draw out the fact that I will taste a boatload of sakes - the largest collection of brews ever presented in the US. The numbers are dramatic, but let's let Chris speak directly to that....

Herewith is a quick email with some juicy facts that Chris sent:

"Beau - here's some information you may find useful for your newsletter. It's the list of entries for the 2008 U.S. National Sake Appraisal, broken down geographically and by category. An exclusive release for True Sake..."

U.S. National Sake Appraisal - Entries by Category
Category	2008	2007
Daiginjo A	94	86
Daiginjo B	53	46
Ginjo	86	79
Junmai	59	64
Kimoto	33	27
Total	325	302
Submitted by Breweries not Exporting to U.S.	118	104

2008 U.S. National Sake Appraisal - Entries by Prefecture
Hokkaido	2
Sendai (Tohoku) Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita Yamagata, Fukushima	78
Kanto Shinshu Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Niigata, Nagano	65
Tokyo Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi	14
Kanazawa Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui	31
Nagoya Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie	15
Osaka Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama	36
Hiroshima Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi	40
Takamatsu Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi	6
Fukuoka Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki	25
Kumamoto Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki	3
U.S.	10

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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 true spirit to the fifth anniversary of True Sake this month's Sake Spotlight is more of an ode to the concept of selling sake in a dedicated store so many miles from the coast of Japan. One of our dearest and most sincere customers has taken sake to heart, and what a heart to get close to. Michael Scott Parker is a modern-day renaissance woman - from singer songwriter to designer and moviemaker - she is a young sake soul who heard the siren's call and followed. Herewith is her "take" on True Sake mentioning a brew or two along the way. For more info on this modern day marvel please check out her website: http://www.creaturerock.com

True Spirit- An Old Soul- True Sake Just as I could write an homage to any subject that interests me and romanticize its qualities, anyone can personify the elements of a medium and depict its appeal. We peek into stores everyday and see shelves filled with various products of relative value. These days, whom do we trust to select a subject of blossoming merit? A subject that holds tradition in a modern world, whose deep complexities entice, yet smile with an approachable demeanor... Where is our source for a true product and a true experience? What does it truly require to capture and gracefully distribute a substance in all its integrity? It requires a love for the medium and charismatic genius to bring it to life. Beau Timken's brain child, True Sake, stands distinct among spirit carrying businesses in that his store has a spirit all its own. It's this spirit that has infused me with an ardent appreciation and desire to share and journey through a world of luxury, practice, and sweet elation. True Sake has an old soul. Its wisdom is a mixture of the three extraordinary people who run the storefront (Beau Timken-owner, eccentric visionary, and author of the book Sake - A Modern Guide, Miwa Wang- sake expert, and Lynette Harui- inspired student of sake). Timken's sake garden thrives on creating an environment where we, the inquisitive, are free to explore the meaning of our intentions and inspirations, through the rich medium of sake. The energy of the Hayes Valley gem honors the beautiful bottles that hold sensations, memories, and adventure. There is no restaurant, no taste and sell tactics, no esoterica. It is a place to meditate on what lies inside each bottle, to pamper yourself while building a personal connoisseurship of the intricacies of rice wine; it's a place to share excitement for the occasion with which one carefully select flavors and aromas. The qualities I feel in myself when I am shopping at True Sake are the same qualities I find in many sake drinkers: imagination, focus, and a joyful spirit! I must admit that when I first entered True Sake, I neglected to fully comprehend the depth of the information that was available to me. The shop is adorned with frames explaining the milling rates of rice, color coordinated ribbons on bottles, describing immediately the difference between Junmai, Ginjo, and Dai Ginjo. Free information on how to review sake, and slideshows of breweries and the sake process are unobtrusively placed, inviting us to learn. Books are available to help unravel the mystery of sake. Yet, distracted from my own presence while checking out on my first visit, I embarrassingly blurted out, "Who needs a book, let's just get the sake!" I paused in horror after realizing the author of the signed book I was holding, was ringing me up himself! The journey to truly understand what inspired this man was sealed! Timken's authenticity smacked with passion and expertise. True Sake wisdom #1 - Be present. This happened to be a very special time for me as my producer was visiting from out of state and we were celebrating the completion of my latest album, "Naked". So my first experience with sake took me out of my ego as we all sat around my cozy apartment, reading Timken's book and exploring the criteria presented. With imagination and focus, we explored flavor elements, aromas, and textures; and were completely blown away by this charming, delectable spirit! Our first tasting was a three-bottle gift pack of Nigoris, that came packaged with Mr. Timken's signed copy of Sake. These milky textured, unfiltered sakes welcomed us with their natural sweetness and wholesome presence . Drinking sake was now an adventure for us. How is it that we can taste banana, melon, cream or mushroom in some sakes? Why can we smell cherry through the thick, sensual viscosity of a sake when it is really nothing more than rice, water, and yeast? My imagination dives deep into the concept that all things are created from the same materials. Just as wood can turn to stone, the sugars and starches that make up rice, with different milling rates and brewing conditions, can present flavors and aromas matching that of melons, apples, and over 300 other components. Cosmic! True Sake wisdom #2 - sake has an old soul. I wasn't even tipsy! Actually, I explored this idea in a conversation with Ms. Miwa, a rare soul who is so generous with her knowledge, and serves as my emotional divining rod when choosing a sake. If I tell her I'm feeling creative and calm, she presents to me a sake imbued with the essence of a warm spring night. That special, soft, and sparkly night is easily recovered when sipping that sake. It was a Tokubetsu Junmai Nama named DEWANOYUKI. By reliving the tender subtleties I encountered, I remember the word Tokubetsu means special, and Nama is a living unpasteurized sake. The night was alive with spring memory, the sake a was spring release draft. True Sake wisdom#3 - There is an intriguing mnemonic quality to sake. I have literally marked every monumental experience this past year with a sake from True Sake. I have celebrated my arrival to San Francisco, the release of an album, plus countless birthdays, holidays, and personal memories with a distinct bottle for the occasion. The expert guidance of Beau, Miwa, and Lynette bore well-matched sakes for the nature of each occasion. For my brother's visit: strong, energetic, yet still on the sweet side. A mature, pure, unique sake for my Valentine. An effervescent, warm, balanced anniversary sake. A comforting, easy, tender sake for the night my dog passed away. And a dark, bitter, faceless sake for a moody winter night. I could go on about the experiences and emotions I've packed into this one year, all of which are entwined with the adventure and qualities of the sakes they accompanied. It is that mnemonic quality that all of True Sake's employees understand. I can mosey in, have a conversation with Ms. Lynette and realize what type of sake I'm in the mood for. A week later, she will remember to ask me how the sake we chose complimented my afternoon. True Sake is not just a place to purchase delectable sake of delicious merit, it is a storehouse of memories and inspirations. Timken's exquisite inventory is evidence that the brewers trust him, and that he trusts his employees to enthusiastically represent the hidden treasures within each bottle. Witnessing Timken one work day, immersed in writing a poem, using the names (English translations) of all the sakes in his store, typifies the special imagination and attention to detail I now associate with True Sake. True Sake wisdom#4 - Sake is fun and imaginative. I find a different breed of people engaged in the beautiful tradition of drinking sake. Yes, we are drinking; we are also having fun, and we are respectful of the added element of ritual and focus to our experience. We preserve a memory through the ritual of sharing a drink. We give it reverence by exploring the origins of an ancient tradition. I have discovered the beautiful process of commemorating the joy of the spirit itself, through the individuals at True Sake. Kanpai! - Michael Scott Parker (Production Designing Musician-Artist and Sake Enthusiast)

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Thank you Steve Z from Cleveland! You have bestowed upon me a new "Sake Desire"!

BBC Day in Pictures, Friday, 11 July 2008

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CITY Magazine - July-August 2008

A nice little article about the store and some good sake reviews that I did for the writer Joe Jarrell. There is a big mistake that I was quoted saying that sake has less calories than beer, I actually said the opposite! You have to buy this at the newsstand or on-line for $1.99 at the following link:

CITY Magazine online

Here's one little snippet: "The big trend ahead will be koshu, or aged sake. Koshu generally varies from yellowish to golden tones that resemble beautifully aged Scotch whisky. 'These sakes are much darker, richer, and really full-bodied,' says Timken. 'This is the new frontier.'"

Japanese Restaurant News - July 2008

Another good breakdown of True Sake and our brief history in time. Writer Elli Sekine came to the store for an hour-long interview and wanted to focus on the customer base. This is pretty much an industry rag and is not on-line, so herewith is a little clip of the interview: "When I inquired about Timken's future and goals, he replied, 'I am hoping a day will come when all of the people in America drink sake in their daily life.'"

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The sake boat has docked once again and today's cargo is a new flight of nama sakes from throughout Japan. In a word, this assortment of brews speaks to those who like dryer unpasteurized raw sakes. Clean, compact, and light all four different sakes have a similar characteristics - Dry! Whereas the spring nama flights had lots of acidity and big fruit explosiveness, this four-pack goes the other direction - light and tight! So check out four new arrivals from Otokoyama, Tsukasabotan, Umenishiki, and Ohyama.

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Otokoyama Sasaori "Man's Mountain" From Hokkaido Prefecture. Nama Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.4 The nose on this misty unpasteurized sake is filled with apple, peach, green grasses, and cinnamon elements. Think light and tight - a fairly dry brew that has hints of apple and young peach tones with a lightening quick finish. A very drinkable summer sake that begs for warm weather and chilled glasses and would appeal to those who like a clean and crisp drinking experience in the "nama" capacity. A larger glass brings out more hints of fruit and roundness. WORD: Dry WINE: Crisp Reds/Tight Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Light cuisines, clean flavors, hints of salty elements. $23/500ml

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Tsukasabotan "King of the Peony" From Kochi Prefecture. Nama Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.5 This Nama-sake has a pronounced nose filled with creamy, mango, spicy, and minty elements. The "King" is smooth, dry and watery! Huh? Yes it is wet and dry as very subtle grape popsicle and pomegranate flavors sway through your mouth. If you like dry sakes with hints of fruit and a laser-fast finish this unpasteurized brew is so fresh and light that it just screams "daytime sake." Dry, crisp and clean! WORD: Clean WINE: Dry reds/Tight whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Grilled anything, salty flavors, fried fare. $13/300ml

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Umenishiki " Gorgeous Plum" From 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 apple, grape, vanilla and sea salt tones. Think clean, round, soft and juicy when trying a Nama that is built to enhance the subtleties found in Dai Ginjo sake. The complexity of this brew comes forth on the first semi-dry sip that captures flavors such as apple, peach, mango, and vanilla elements in a fluid that is silky and plump. 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

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Ohyama "Big Mountain" From 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, wide and round this unpasteurized sake has a nose filled with bamboo, 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 gooey apple, pear, and honeydew flavors mixed with a hint of vanilla in a clean and expressive movement. Think semi-dry sake packed with fruity flavors, and let it go closer to room temp for the full Nama experience. WORD: Chewy WINE: Pinot Noir/Chardonnay BEER: Belgian Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, anything off of the BBQ. $24/720ml

You can review many of our sakes on our web site.

Our inventory list is here.

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Welcome to the latest new "big thing" at True Sake! "True Selects" represents featured sakes that are selected and 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.

For August:

Miwa:

Jokigen Junmai Ginjo This sake has a deep aroma of ripe fruits, like honeydew melon, peach, and banana. The taste offers a great balance of brightness and ripeness with a very gentle texture. The label is minimalist and cool. From Yamagata / SMV: +4 / Acidity: 1.6 / Rice: Oyamanishiki milled to 55% / $29 (720ml)

Lynette:

Oni No Shitaburui / Honjozo / Gohyakumangoku rice / SMV +15 / Acidity: 1.3 / 500ml

Come on in or phone and ask why these brews speak to them and of course why they will speak.

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August 10th - 12th - Sake Professional Course in SF Hosted by John Gauntner sakecoursestateside @ sake-world.com

Monday, August 11th - Joto Sake Portfolio Tasting • When: Monday, August 11th, 2008 • Time: 5:30~7pm • Where: Namu, 439 Balboa St (@ 5th Ave.), San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 386-8332 • What: Come and taste the full portfolio of one of the fastest growing sake importers. Many of the sakes to be tasted are favorites at True Sake, but there will be some that are harder to find around town. Those who are hungry may order Namu's Asian- inspired small plates - yum! • How much: $15 (cash at the door) • RSVP: Limited to 20 people from general public (plus John Gauntner's seminar attendees). Please call True Sake at (415)355- 9555 to reserve your spot.

Tuesday, August 19th - Back to school special: SAKE 101 • When: Tuesday, August 19th • Time: 6:00-6:15 for registration / 6:15-8:00 Sake talk & tasting • What: Learn about the basics of sake and get started on your sake journey! 5 great sakes, yummy appetizers & fun prizes! • Where: Sozai Restaurant, 1500 Irving Street (at 16th Avenue), San Francisco. • How much: $40/person • RSVP: Limited to 26 people. Please call True Sake at (415) 355-9555 to reserve your seat with your payment. • Bonus: If you wish to eat and drink at Sozai after the event, you will receive a 10% discount on your order that evening.

October 1st - True Sake Presents: Sake Day 2008 Save The Date (THIS EVENT ALWAYS SELLS OUT IN DAYS) - Tickets will go on sale in September

October 23rd - Joy of Sake in SF Joy of Sake

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Ahhhhh so many "AskBeau" emails this month! Which one should I pick? By the way, the questions have been getting far more "intense" each and every year - learning curve much? I had several on storage - may do that next month - but one email question stood out, because it is a question that you may all answer. From Miami Beach, FLA I received the following:

"Beau, how much feed-back do you get for all of your newsletter writing efforts?" - Dennis R.

Dennis, all I can say is lots! Lots and lots! And trust you me! (Sounds so much better saying that than typing it.) I get so many replies that make me feel - at the end of the day! (love typing that more than saying it) - great! It's nice to be appreciated for my efforts. But remember my efforts are my love, even though it does get rough to make a monthly mouthful!

In this regard, I also enjoy the education and reminders that so many readers share with me. And this month is a perfect example, because last month we penned a piece about water in the sake making industry. Herewith is "feed-back" email from a reader that gives a great perspective on the "ratio" of water in the brewing process. (And again Dennis, this is the juice that keeps me going!)

Hi Guys, Congrats on five years in business. I just read the Ask Beau of the month, and I wanted to share some info. A friend of mine, Taka Yamauchi, the toji and owner of Watari Bune, your new daiginjo (excellent) once told me that sake costs more than beer because the water to grain ratio for beer is 9 to 1, whereas the ratio for sake is 1.3 to 1. It is for this reason, Taka has added the brewing of shochu to his generations old family business. It pays the bills. Keep up the good work, David Padberg Chef de Cuisine Park Kitchen (Portland)

Ouch! Please disregard David's last sentence about Shochu - remember Shochu is the devil's drink! Thank you both Dennis and David!

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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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 women in a mostly male sake industry! And in particular women who just so happen to be the owners of really great breweries! This particular brewery in Hiroshima specializes in "Kijoshu" or aged dessert sakes (see SP-1 at the website), but they make a great Junmai Ginjo!

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.

We typically would sell the Hanahato Junmai Ginjo for $20/500ml but for you sake jockeys we will sell this brew for $10 per bottle. 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!

True Sake

TRUE SAKE: America's First Sake Store.