Welcome to the September Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. In this edition read how to find great sake values, how to make sake cheaper, how to taste 327 sakes and why you should take sake to dinner at any restaurant. And do not forget to get your tickets to Sake Day 2008 - the Oktoberfest of Sake! www.sakeday.com Coming October 1st! Don't Miss It!

In this issue:

• Sake Story - The Value of Sake
• Sake Budget - How to Buy Sake Cheaper!
• Sake Judging - US National Sake Appraisal
• Sake Challenge - SF Chronicle Follows BT on Sake Challenge
• True Sake In The News - Wall Street Journal
• New Store Arrivals - Ban Ryu, Kiminoi, Kariho Rokushu
• Sake Selects - Team True Sake Select Monthly Brews
• Sake Events - October 1st is Sake Day 2008!
• "Ask Beau" - "How long does it take to write a 'Newsletter'?"
• The SECRET WORD

It's the economy stoopid! Yes, times are pretty tight and tough at the moment, and I thought that it would be wise to write a little about the state of the sake economy. Specifically how it hits you in your wallet. I say this speaking as a guy who does not stock his store with the cheapest brews available to you. But hear me out!

We deal in imported sake only! Why? Well it has been a 5-year policy based upon the fact that if we carried one or two locally made sakes then we would have to carry other brews from other non-Japan breweries and before you know it our shelf space is taken up with local brands that can be found at grocery stores and large liquor marts. I have always wanted consumers' first sips of sake to be those that were produced in Japan. It is a simple fact - they make better sake in Japan. (I say this knowing a lot of personal friends in the local industry - to which I tell them - you are getting closer - much closer.)

So due in large part to the fact that we deal in imported sake only - our brews are pricier! Add to that the fact that we typically only sell "Ginjo" class sake and higher then this results in an extra layer of pricing. Basically not a lot of "futsu-shu" or common everyday "table sake" is available for importing to the US. Why? Some say quality and others will say they want the higher margins of premium sake. My goal is for the exporting public to really take a shot at exporting more affordable drinking brews. I tell my importers daily to have their brewers make a better bottom line sake. Don't get me wrong their premium sakes are brilliant and well worth the extra moolah, but an option is always nice. One cannot drink premium every night! Or can they?

Speaking to various brewers I have come to a number! It is vague and not really reliable in the court of law, but a number nevertheless. I asked seven different sake makers to break down the price of making one 720ml bottle of Junmai Ginjo sake. Yes - this is random as hell, but their answers all came back to a common number for production's sake. Some where higher and several were lower - some were in yen and others were in dollars, but I feel comfortable saying that the number to make a bottle of Junmai Ginjo is +/- $9 - and that is with all the fixens - the cap, label, stickers and the sauce inside! This did not include the box or shipping/transportation - and nobody ever advertises so that number is out!

Now - again - some said a higher number and others said just a little lower, but $9 sounded about right to them when I asked them - "are you comfortable with that?" I also said an "average " bottle of Junmai Ginjo, not the house special! The number for me is shocking to say the least! When I think of all of the raw materials - the rice, the koji, the kobo, the water - then the actual fermenting and storage costs (energy) - I feel a tingle in my gut! You cannot even get a large pizza for $9 bucks, when that costs about $1 to make.

So it is pretty darn expensive to make premium Ginjo sake. Then you add exporting/importing/distributing/tax/transportation and sake gets pretty pricey! I will be the first to tell you that these small "Jizake" or local micro-brewers are not getting rich on making sake! They do volume if they are lucky and they get by. Then they have to succumb to poor rice harvests, which requires paying higher prices for premium rice, bumps in electrical costs, and shifting taxation scales. Good years are when they move all of their inventory at the price that they select. Bad years are when they have to dump brew at a lesser than production price to make ends meet.

So I know that sake is expensive when one looks at the store prices. That is the nature of premium sake. We are not nor will not get to the "$5-Buck-Chuck" land that you can find in a wine store. I would like to see the quality rise to make "table sake" drink all that much better, and we are getting closer. Several importers are now brining in more "futsu-shu" or "regular" sake and I salute them!

Now with all of the gloom and doom behind us! There are still serious bargains to be had at per quality of brew to price-points. We know the drinking bargains. These are unlike the $150 Dai Ginjo, which is soon to go up to $250 when we will have to ax it from our portfolio. I see value at so many price points. Yes - a sake can be a value at $45 - knowing what is in that bottle from a raw material and production perspective. Most see value at the $20 level! And yes, where 3 years ago people would come in to the store and say that "$50" was their price point for gift giving, that number has now dropped to "not over $35!"

So who knows the best values in the store - the sake world? The ladies at True Sake of course! So without further adieu I give you Miwa and Lynette's best bargains at True Sake from a price to quality ratio:

Miwa:

Takenotsuyu Yukihonoka "Pure Snow" Although the labels says "Junmai", this sake is Junmai Ginjo indeed: brewed with Miyamanishiki rice milled to 55%. Even the brewery admits this is a steal. Junmai. $8/300ml Yuu-ga "Deep Elegance" While many Ginjo-style sakes drink fruity, this sake is quite rice- like. It is plump, smooth and food friendly. Try it slight chilled or room temperature to get the full impact. Junmai Ginjo. $18/720ml Suigei "Drunken Whale" Sushi sake? Go with this one. Lean, fragrant and dry yet flavorful. This refined Tokubetsu Junmai is brewed with Kochi Akitsuho rice milled to 55%. The brewery proudly recommends having the sake with "katsuno" bonito fish. Tokubetsu Junmai. $20/720ml

Lynette:

Taisetsu An excellent sake! Clean, smooth and light with slight mineral tones. It pairs well with tempura, sushi, and other light foods. Also it is equally great on its own. I could drink this every day. 720ml $20 Junmai Ginjo Kirin Koshi no Takumi This one is almost a store secret. Those who know this sake love it for its smoothness and rich subtleties. It is very balanced and calming to drink. Unfortunately, since it is also one of MY favorites, it only comes in a 300ml size. But for $9 it's a steal. 300ml $9 Tokubetsu Junmai Hakutsuru Sayuri Aesthetically, this frosty pink bottle sells itself. But, in our blind nigori tasting last April, our readers tasted 7 different nigoris and this sake was by far the most popular. As it turns out, it also happens to be the most affordable. 720ml $16, 300ml $9 Junmai Nigori

I agree with all of these choices - and yes the price is really right! Herewith are several other brews worth trying at a great price point for the troubles and pleasures that rest within:

• Akitabare "Shunsetsu" Honjozo $22/720ml
  (Nama-cho goodness for under $25!)
• Taihaisan Kimoto Junmai $21/720ml
  (A solid kimoto for $21? Forget it!)
• Dassai Junmai Ginjo $27/720ml
  (Until last month was $23 - but still a $27 Dai Ginjo)
• Yaegaki Mu Junmai Dai Ginjo $26/720ml
  (Popular for a reason!)
• Kudoki Jozu Junmai Ginjo $26/720ml
  (I made this sake and know how much it's worth!)
• Koshi no Kanbai Junmai $37/720ml
  (Watch the Japanese tourists react to this price and you know it is a steal)
• Eiko Fuji "Ban Ryu" Honjozo/Futsushu $20/720ml
  (Drink me everyday!)
• Kurosawa Kimoto Junmai $17/720ml
  (pound for pound the best deal - but everybody knows that!)
• Dewazakura Nama Genshu $23/500ml
  (Full nama from great brewery!)
• Wakatake Junmai Ginjo $23/720ml
  (So much for so little!)
• Shirakabe Gura $7/300ml
  (Medal winning sake at such a low price)
• Kaika Junmai $21/720ml
  (Solid sake - soft, round and cheap!)
• Mizunoshirabe Ginjo $22/720ml
  (Great Kyoto sake that speaks easy and is easy on wallet)
• Wakatake Junmai Dai Ginjo $17/300ml
  (Solid and affordable DG - great example!)
• Kikusui Funaguchi Nama Genshu Honjozo $5/200ml
  (Do the math 200ml at 19% alc for $5)

How best can we lower the price of sake? Easy! Make it locally! And that is what Masa Shiroki from Vancouver did when he noticed that imported sake was selling for roughly 30% more than the same bottles in Japan! We don't have it as rough as they do in Canada - but still we have to buy the exact sakes that they sell in Japan for at least 20% higher prices. OUCH! But that is the nature of the beast, with international shipping and our three-tier importer/distributor/retailer tax system.

Masa was an importer - still is - of several breweries' sakes in Japan, but became so discouraged by the pricing that he decided to try his hand at making sake locally. He left Japan - Fukui - at the ripe age of 22 and landed in Vancouver, and has been there since. Masa worked in the banking world and "most everything else," during his 25 years in Vancouver, but finally found his true passion in making sake. He had no technical background in sake production, but his sake heart was pure.

I wrote about Masa's brewery and store last year, and have tasted several of his efforts (yes my good readers hand-carried down samples!) but I had never met the man until he stopped in at True Sake unexpectedly in early September. The sake passionate can quickly spot their fellow sake souls and we had a great conversation about all things rice and water. His business card reads "Artisan Sake Maker." As my memory chip in my brain is becoming more infected I wrote down several of Masa's answers to my probing questions. This year's sake production represents Masa's 14th batch of brew. The first batch was brewed in October 2006. He quickly pointed out that he sells every drop! And yes I get emails lamenting that he sells out of everything. (Ahhh the perfect sake scenario.) Perhaps this is why Masa added a second 1,000L brewing vat this season. As mentioned he had no formal toji guild training and never worked in a brewery, but chooses to say that he is learning with passion.

I asked some basic questions about his raw materials and he was quick to point out that he uses all Japanese-grown rice and Japanese-grown yeast - the water however is his and he said (this surprised me) that he has soft water! (Some argue that soft water is better because you can brew for a longer period). He does not have a brewing team - kurabito, but uses a "volunteer" workforce. Currently he has 5 volunteers. He then said, "Making sake is hard work, my back is killing me, and I need stronger younger people to help me out!" I pledged right there and then that I would love to go and work a tour of duty at his brewery!

Masa said that he prefers to make fuller sakes - larger in scope and feel! He produces lots of nama sake and chooses to make most of his brews genshu (undiluted). Masa uses the age-old method of extracting the fermented sake at different levels of the vat - a sort of natural filtration technique. He also has a stainless steel fune - press.

The artisan sake maker from Granville Island in Vancouver has one female sales person who sits at their "Sake Counter" and sells freshly produced sake by the bottle right at the brewery! As Masa said "she does not know much about sake, so when people ask her questions I tell her to say 'trust me.'" In Masa we trust!

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You might know it as the "Joy Of Sake" tasting! But before the Joy comes the hard work of tasting and appraising the sake that goes forth and becomes the Joyous event that we have all come to love and appreciate. So before you think Joy of Sake think about the largest and most comprehensive tasting and appraising event outside of Japan. Think about the most ambitious and pioneering international sake judging event ever off the shores of the land of sake. Then think that this event is celebrating its 8th glorious year!

In 1986 the International Sake Association was founded in Hawaii. This body not only celebrated sake and tried to understand its wonders but they decided to create an event that would use strategic partners in Japan to help craft a sake appraisal worthy of distinction both in Japan and in the West! The fruits of their labor is called the U.S. National Sake Appraisal and is indeed the preeminent sake appraisal outside of Japan. Created by the International Sake Association and hosted by a great group called the "Kokusai Sake Kai" this appraisal took place in Honolulu in late August.

One of the founders of the ISA and a Director of the "Kokusai Sake Kai" Chris Pearce (founder of World Sake Imports - but please do not confuse the two - these are separate entities all together and Chris has gone to great lengths to make certain that the lines are not blurred) has asked me for several years to be a judge in this competition. Due in large part to personal issues, I have never been able or had the honor to judge this endeavor until this year. So if you think Honolulu and drinking sake might be a difficult thing then thank me for diving on that grenade. I took it on the chin for you guys! I stared down over 300 sakes for you good people. In a word I went to heaven for you! (You may thank me later)

I will quote the U.S. National Sake Appraisal press release for the down and dirty:

"A total of 327 sakes from 157 breweries were submitted for this rigorous blind tasting conducted under the auspices of the Japan National Research Institutue of Brewing. A team of ten judges - five from Japan and five from the U.S. - participated in this year's appraisal. Volunteers prepare the entries by pouring samples into traditional 'janome' professional sake tasting cups. After tasting an entry each judge marks his or her score on the judging form. The results are tabulated using an Excel spreadsheet, with approximately the top 50% of the entries going back again for the nisshin or second tasting."

Ahhhhhh sounds so simple, but there was soooo much more! You cannot just throw 300 or so sakes in some cups and say "go gettum boys." The tasting took two full days and of course we started early in the morning when taste buds are at their peaks. The first morning was the "isshin" or the first tasting for the Daiginjo A category (96 entries) and the Daiginjo B (49 entries). After the independent volunteers tabulated the scores the judges then tasted the "nisshin" or the second tasting, which consisted of roughly 50% of the isshin sakes. (For those keeping score that meant that we tasted roughly 75 more sakes for a first day total of about 250 brews.)

The second and longer day consisted of Kimoto Dai Ginjo, Ginjo, and Junmai categories. We followed the same isshin and nisshin method of tasting then eliminating a portion and then re-tasting and selecting the Gold and Silver medalists. Again this accounted for roughly 185 sakes in the morning and another 95 in the afternoon. (Again for those counting that is roughly 280 sakes to go with the 250 brews the day before and when you here about a sake tasting with 327 sakes think about those poor judges who actually taste well over 500 sakes - those poor dear souls!)

We tasted these sakes in an enormous room, which was a subsection of a massive event center with vast chamber after vast chamber. The walls were a perfect neutral color and the ceilings had to be 30 feet. In our tasting room we had three rows of tables lined end-to- end that extended roughly 50 feet and were covered in white tablecloths. Separating these tables were two smaller sections for water and spit cups. (Yes you need spit cups!) At the end of each main row were spit buckets to deposit our efforts that we carried in our spit cups! (A whole lotta spittin' - heard a rumor about a previous taster/judge who didn't spit enough and actually used several of the 'janome' professional sake tasting cups as his own personal spittin' cups, which of course are the cups that we taste the sake in. They were changed out very quickly! Yuk! (but funny)

In one end of the room we had our judges meeting table that housed all ten of us after each session, and at the other end was the official observers table with the "shot clock" timing sheet for each session and the tabulating computer. On the other side of the wall was an identical chamber filled with the entire volunteer base and each and every bottle of sake. They poured the a/c room temperature sakes into the "snake eye" white tasting cups with the concentric blue circles and brought them in by tray. Thus it was impossible for us to know which brews we were tasting by name or bottle appearance - a blind tasting in every sense of the word. What we did know is that we had roughly 45 seconds for each brew and the sake tasting cups (which we all shared) were arranged on the tasting tables in order of acidity, so that the neighboring entries had nearly the same acidity levels as those around the one that you were tasting. (This is very important and quite a professional way of doing these appraisals as acidity levels can overwhelm and under whelm those around them.)

Our scoring sheets consisted of 5 sections for each sake - taste, balance, aroma, finish, and overall impression. Each section had 5 segments/boxes from good to poor, but the overall impression section had the following criteria 1. Outstanding 2. Good 3.Without Flaws 4. Slightly Flawed 5. Noticeably Flawed. This sheet, which came in a book for each tasting session, was for the isshin "first tasting." The second tasting for the medalists did not include the taste, balance, aroma etc sections rather it just had criteria from Outstanding to Slightly Flawed. (For a visual reference think about each judge walking down the line of sakes holding a binder with sheets for each sake, a pencil (yes you do some erasing), and a spit cup that is used for each brew - this you dump out every ten or so sakes.)

Speed is not the issue - accuracy is far more important. When a large tasting segment (Like the Junmai section) starts some say that you should walk up and down the table trying several random sakes to get your pallet accustomed to that particular flight. Others would say that you must just focus specifically on each sake as an individual - not as part of a flight. I try to refrain from comparing sakes side- by-side. That said, I will taste a great sake and use that as a point of balance for reference when I have a hard decision coming up with a grade for a sake on the bubble - meaning if I find a very balanced and superb sake in one row, and there are two sakes that I am really close to giving a great grade or a good grade - I will use the great sake as a point of sensory reference.

Overall we graded pretty tough this year. I heard that it was one of the most critical set of judges in the history of the appraisal. Am I proud of being critical? Not really! Am I proud of taking each brew and putting it through my own criteria of how a sake should smell, taste and feel? Yes. I also am charged with having a palette that is a reflection of being a retail store owner. In a word, I know what sake drinkers in the west like! And it is quite different from what the Japanese palette prefers. I have been professionally trained to grade sake in the following manner - balance 30%-40%, taste 25%-30%, aroma 20%-25%, and finish 15%.

In my book I wrote about the process of tasting sake thinking in terms of a house. The balance is the foundation - the first floor is the flavor - the second floor is the aroma - and the attic is the finish or departure. If the balance is not there, the building collapses! Point being there is an "overall harmony" according to Chris Pearce that dictates the quality of the sake. If that harmony, balance, foundation is not there - spit and move on quickly!

I will discuss the differences between the Japanese judges' palettes and that of the westerners in a future article. But I did touch upon this in a past issue that touched on my participation with the International Wine Challenge in London - I was a Senior Judge overseeing 8 Japanese judges and 9 western judges. The differences were quite noticeable, as they were in Hawaii! One common theme is that many quality sakes start tasting the same - good - and it is the sakes with more pop or "presence" that get the gold. (Higher acidity - Genshu are some brews that score well)

My work is done - and your work tasting these 327 sakes will begin as soon as you hit the Joy of sake in your neighborhood! Please go to the JOS website and get to the tastings this year - you will be very pleased!

http://www.joyofsake.com

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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. See past challenges:

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

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

The Wall Street Journal had a nice piece about Hayes Valley called "Off the Beaten Path" - the only problem is I don't know when! A customer dropped off a color photocopy of the article without listing the date. So here is what it said:

"Come down from the sugar high and hit True Sake, which claims it's the country's only all-sake shop, with small-batch sakes from Japan, including Devil's Mask, Drunken Whale, and Bride of the Fox. Staffers will make recommendations and explain why saketinis are an abomination."

I'm certain that we wouldn't say that we are the only sake store in the country! We said that for four years, but don't say it any more - we greatly enjoy the other stores in Washington and NYC.

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Firstly there are a ton of new sakes at the store if look around. We have been having review production issues, but have finally received our very special software to make those cool reviews look even cooler. So herewith are three brews that have been in the store for a while, but could use a little re-introduction. The first is a really tasty "futsu-shu" (regular) sake that the brewers are calling a "Honjozo." The second is a very classical tasting Yamahai from Niigata, which shakes up the clean and pristine flavor code a little. And the third is for all of you dry Ginjo fans, who like a little fruit to go with your tight and compact clean sake.

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Kiminoi "Emperor's Wall" From Niigata Prefecture. Yamahai Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.6 A prototypical Yamahai nose filled with earthy, gritty, ricey, shroomy, grainy elements with a waft of cream brulee. And yes the flavor matches the aroma as this deep and layered sake has a gamey attitude that is full and robust. Look for flavors such as rice and grains that blend into a gentle earthiness with a vein of vanilla. A Ginjo that tastes like rice - how novel! Velvety, gutsy, and complex this brew is bold and yet subdued. More richness comes out at room temp and so does a peek-a-boo view of marshmallow. WORD: Gamey WINE: Deep Dark Reds/Huge Whites BEER: Stouts FOODS: A game griller special, chops, sausages, mushroom risotto. $29/720ml

•

Eiko Fuji "Ban Ryu" "10,000 Ways" From Yamagata Prefecture. Honjozo. SMV: +1 Acidity: 1.0 The nose on this everyday drinking brew is a collection of cherry, blueberry, straw, and skating ice elements. Round, soft, comfy and cozy this incredibly velvety sake has almost a "fluffy" in mouth feel. In the velvety texture look for hints of powder sugar, blueberries, white grapes, grape candy and a way-back lick of milk chocolate. The feeling is upfront and the flavor rides way back in sort of an echo-like taste. This brew is okay slightly warmed, but does much better hot. And for a softer texture use a bigger glass. WORD: Fluffy WINE: Merlot/Soft whites BEER: Gentle ales FOODS: Sushi, Avo salads, grilled chicken, hot dogs. $20/720ml

•

Kariho Rokushu "Six Boats" From Akita Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.6 A unique collection of aromas from rice and grains to berries and a touch of mint. This is a great example of a semi-fruity sake that drinks dry and compact. Dry, clean and smooth with a touch of crispness - look for hints of cherry, cranberry, cantaloupe and an expression of almonds or sweet nuts. Although the brew drinks tight and clean it has a wideness that balances out the round and softness of the fluid. This dry Ginjo has a very quick finish with a tickle of tartness. Think clean and flavorful! WORD: Dry WINE: Compact Reds/Dry Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sashimi, clean grilled fish and chicken, fruit salads. $34/720ml

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

Our inventory list is here.

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"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 September:

Miwa:

Jokigen Junmai Ginjo from Yamagata Prefecture 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:

Harushika Extra Dry Junmai This sake has a nose of nuts and earth. When slightly chilled it is clean and smooth with a slightly crisp ending and obviously, as the name suggests, it is very dry. This sake would appeal to vodka drinkers and those looking to cool down during these Indian summers. From Nara Prefecture SMV: +12.

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

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Go immediately to http://www.sakeday.com to order your tickets now!!!!


October 1st - True Sake Presents: Sake Day 2008 - Save The Date

THIS EVENT ALWAYS SELLS OUT IN DAYS

October 23rd - Joy of Sake in SF

http://www.joyofsake.com

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Well, well, well! I get this question a lot, but it comes in many shapes, forms, and shrill attacks! Just joking - on the whole I get a lot of feedback about each issue.

Josh D. from Memphis wrote,

"Beau, I always enjoy your newsletters. You have a good sense of balance in terms of knowledge and humor. I am often impressed with how much information is in each letter. What sort of timeframe does it take to produce one? How long does it take to write a newsletter?"

Obviously the Newsletter is very important to me. I greatly enjoy sharing my trails and tribulations with sake. I am in a position - a very unique position - to answer all of the questions that nobody could answer for me when I was trying to learn the sake process! In this regard, I feel a duty (and an honor) to pass this information along. I have many brewers and sake professional read this rag, and I get to tap them all of the time for information that I can deliver right to you. Does it take a while to produce? Yes. It takes a really long time! But I love it - as you can well tell.

Specifically I will spend 8-10 hours on each issue. And I try to the best of my ability to do it is chunks and not last minute. Could I make a shorter and less entertaining issue? Yes. That would be easy. But I put a lot of pressure on myself to create a quality read each month - that is different from other sake-related blogs/newsletters. There are times when I would like to take a month off, but I would regret that! Some issues come out later because of travel or unforeseen events. I enjoy the 20-30 emails that I get after each issue - 90% are positive FYI.


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 "cheap" everyday drinking sake that comes in a Tetra-Pak! Yes - there are many brews out there that are not "premium" sake, but they drink great and do indeed make a great value!

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 this Junmai for $10 but for you sake jockeys we will sell this brew for $5 per box. 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.