Dear Sake Drinker,
Welcome to the December Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter.
In this edition read how you can make sake - that's right read how
you could apply to a great brewery in Osaka to make sake for 5 days
for free - is there a better way to learn about sake than on-the-job
training - we think not! Also check out the holiday specials at True
Sake if you are in a gift-giving slump. Take a peek at a new micro-
brewery in Minnesota that's not making beer, take in a head to head
review on two brews from Hyogo and learn the reason why Beau Timken
parties with three glasses of sake!
In this issue:
Sake Season - Holiday Cheers
Ahhhhh - that time of year again! The pressure cooker known as "gift
giving season." Go overboard and you look like one of those "super
gift givers" who expect large returns or you never hear the end of it
- or go too light and risk the chance of looking like an "el cheapo."
Where do you draw the line? What's too much? What's not enough? And
when did gift giving become such a socio-economic indicator of the
kindness of mankind?
We at True Sake say don't crumple under the pressure - stand up and
be proud of your gifting "quantity" and "quality"! Basically sake is
a perfect gift. From the office $20 Secret Santa present exchange
gift to that one-of-a-kind present for your soon-to-be-father-in-law.
From the stocking stuffer to the lil'sumpthin for your best friend -
sake is a can't miss - sure thing.
But what to get - that is the question? In-store Sake Elves Miwa and
Lynette have compiled each of their own "top ten sakes" in the store
that best convey the concept of a "cool gift!" And they did not know
what the other elf selected! Here are their recommendations during
this truly confusing time of year:
Miwa's Top 10 Holiday Gift Sakes (In alphabetical order)
- "Classic Beauty"
Daishichi Minowamon Junmai Daiginjo "The Gate"
$80 / 720ml / Boxed
- "Drinkability #1"
Haguro Genzo Tokkuri Honjozo
$35 / 720ml / Boxed
- "Dramatic!"
Kirinzan Junmai Daiginjo "Krin Mountain"
$160 /1.8L / Boxed
$65 / 720ml / No box
- "Great Bottle, Great Box"
Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo "Black Dragon"
$30 /720ml / Boxed
- "Ultra Cool, Ultra Minimalistic"
Jokigen Junmai Ginjo
$29 / 720ml / No box
- "Hidden Treasure"
Juyondai Junmai Ginjo "The Fourteenth Generation"
$90 / 720ml / Boxed
- "Best First-Timer Sake"
Miyasaka Junmai "Yawaraka"
$22 / 720ml / No box
- "History in the Bottle"
Sawanoi Iroha Kimoto Junmai
$44 / 720ml / Nice green bag
- "Once-a-Year Treat"
Shichionyari Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo "The Seven Spearsmen"
$ 80 / 720ml / Boxed
- "The Professional"
Sogen Junmai "Pride of Samuarai"
$30 / 720ml / Boxed
$52 / 1.8L / Boxed
Lynette: "10 holiday buys I recommend...for packaging"
- Haguro Genzo Tokurri - Honjozo
In replica ancient pot with box
$35/720ml.
- Tomio Junmai - Daiginjo
In round bottle with box
$34/720ml
- Kamotsuru "Gold Flake" - Junmai Daiginjo
In round clear bottle
with huge box
$35/720ml
- Kotsuzumi Junmai Daiginjo
Italian Hand-blown bottle with
corkscrew in box
$150/720ml
- Hatsuhana - Junmai
Twist-shaped bottle with clear box that
includes a gift card
$20/500ml
- Azen brown rice - "Koshu" Aged sake
In amazing red box and great
bottle
$70/720ml
- Hisui "Red Rice" - Junmai Ginjo
Red fluid sake in clear bottle
with box
$28/720ml
- Tsukasa Botan "Fu-In" - Junmai Ginjo
In stylish black bag
$34/720
- Kaika - Daiginjo
In amazing round bottle with wood crate
$125/720
- Kirinzan - Daiginjo
Amazing shaped blue bottle with box
$160 /1.8L $65 / 720ml / No box
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10b.
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A case of Kikusui Funaguchi (the little cans for $5) ..because
it's fun!
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Great ideas from the Sake Elves! I will now add a few more that one
may ponder on that ever-so-treacherous road to gift giving success:
- Shirataki "Sara Wind" Junmai $25/500ml.
Yes, this is one of the top "eye-catching" gift giving sakes! Sara
Wind comes in a really cool frosted clear bottle and also has a
glass sake cup as a cap. But when you tie this entire package in a
bandana, look out! The sake is extremely user-friendly and is a
cannot miss Junmai brew that appeals to all. A very cool stocking
stuffer.
- Umenishiki "Red Box" Junmai Dai Ginjo $82/720ml.
This is one of the tried and true gift giving sakes in Japan. In
fact the brew is known as "The Red Box" because it comes in a
really fine massive red velvet box. The best part about this sake
is that it is superb! It's not just another pretty sake face. It
is the real deal and those who know sake know this gift!
- Shichi Hon Yari "Shizuku" Junmai Daiginjo $77/500ml
Amazing sake in an amazing package. This trickle/gravity pressed
sake is very limited and judging by the flavor you should jump at
the opportunity to get this brew to friends and family members who
love complexity in an extremely beautiful clear bottle in a box
with velvet!
- Yuki no Bosha "Cabin in the Snow" Junmai Ginjo $16/$300ml
This is the perfect sake stocking stuffer! A very clean small
frosted square bottle is filled with some kick-ass Ginjo sake that
speaks to those who love big fruit! A great "little" gift that
keeps you under the "Secret Santa" limit of $20.
- Tamanohikari Reishu "Adult Juice Box" $8/300ml.
Come on! Who wouldn't love to get a juice-box looking sake in a
Tetra-pak that is perfect to sneak into movies or concerts? This
"box" sake is delicious chilled and is also made for freezing into
a sake slush. When you get caught (which you won't) you can blame
True Sake for selling you an "Energy Drink."
- Tenzan Junmai Genshu "Bottle in Leaf Wrapper"
$16/300ml and $34/720ml
Yes this sake is all about packaging as each bottle is wrapped in
a beautiful brown leaf and has a sideways bold red label that just
pops. A very drinkable and hearty brew that speaks to red wine
drinkers. Looks cool and drinks great! Get a little bottle for the
giftee and a big bottle for yourself!
- Bunraku "Gold Flake Sake" $16/300ml
Bunraku "Hand Puppet" Junmai Ginjo $16/300ml
Bunraku "Yamahai" $15/300ml
Some breweries know sake - some know packaging - and some know
both! This brewery has three great sakes in very distinguished
bottles - tear dropped and square! These are can't miss sakes and
are bound to be one of those "talked about gifts."
- Kamenokou 14 Ultra Junmai Dai Ginjo $500/720ml
This is THE ONE for any sake drinker of note. There are only 200
bottles in existence and True Sake has the only offerings outside
of Japan. A sake that is milled to 14%. Either you get it or you
don't. One of a kind sake. Comes in a huge wood box and is pure
style! For those who have everything - well almost!
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Sake Opportunity - You Can Work In A Brewery For A Week!
It happened very quickly! In a round of email exchanges with Yasutaka
Daimon of Daimon Shuzo Sake Brewery in Osaka Japan one of the most
amazing "sake opportunities" came to life late in November. Since
that time we have been ironing out perhaps the coolest way for sake
enthusiasts to fuel their passion by the ultimate means of making
sake. Can you say "kurabito"? (people who make sake)
Daimon-san shot me an email asking me about an idea that a bartender
in Hawaii had once asked him - how can I make sake or do an
apprenticeship in Japan? No programs existed or very few at the least
for obvious reasons - language barrier - living conditions etc. But
for foreigners the options have always been slim and none - and slim
left the building long ago. (Of course pioneers like Philip Harper
took the hardcore route and became Japanese! But on the whole there
has been no program for foreigners to inject themselves into the
heart of the sake making process quickly and effortlessly for the
purposes of deeper understanding.)
I have been to Daimon's kura twice with John Gauntner and even spent
some time with the aforementioned Mr. Harper who worked at the
brewery and later on became the first geijin toji (head brewer)
working at Daimon Shuzo. So in a sense Yasutaka Daimon has been a
pioneer in the advancement of the "globalization" of sake by means of
allowing John Gauntner to host his Sake Professional courses at his
brewery - and by hiring a young and wilily British hooligan to work
at his brewery - and then the ultimate "advancement" of sake of
promoting this young Brit to the highest honor of brewing - to be
called a "toji" or master brewer. Yasutaka has opened the closed
doors of the sake world to the west more than most and now he has
proposed doing the ultimate - a once in a lifetime experience charter
program.
You pick the word - apprenticeship or internship - whatever you want
to call it just think about flying to Japan for a week of making
sake! How cool is that? In time to make this issue of the True Sake
Newsletter we - Yasutaka, John, Mark Schumacher, and a few others -
have crafted a very unique opportunity that will allow three lucky
sake enthusiasts the opportunity to live the life of a kurabito (sake
maker) in its truest form. You will eat, sleep, and work at the
brewery and without a doubt will learn more about sake in this short
duration than most learn in a lifetime.
No you need not know how to speak the mother tongue, but it is
incredibly helpful (not necessary) to know the basics about sake
production. Explanation will come very easy as it is far more
effective to learn with your eyes and hands than just reading a book.
As I told Daimon-san the best way to learn sake is to make sake.
Likewise Daimon Shuzo has a common room with high-speed Internet
access, so for those who would like to document real-time their sake
making adventure they will have the ability to share instantaneously
if they so desire.
Herewith are two documents about the program. The first is a letter
from Yasutaka Daimon explaining the program and the second is his
"Production Schedule" that shows specifically what the new "kurabito"
will be doing each day. I am honored that Yasutaka came to me to hash
out this idea, and I feel that this endeavor is tremendously
important for the betterment of sake. He is a visionary and is on a
quest that is truly exciting for not only us but him as well. He is
incredibly focused on this historical moment and I believe that it
will change many lives forever - including his!
I have been trusted with the role of reviewing the applications and
the ultimate decision will be made by Daimon himself. Point being -
if you read this Newsletter you are worthy in terms of understanding
sake and having the passion to learn more - the hardcore way! For
more information and to get a copy of the application I will pass you
on to the
newly created website for this awesome and historical
event:
http://mukune.com/html/brewing-internship.html
The Introductory Letter is here:
http://www.truesake.com/events/DaimonShuzoInternship.pdf
The Production Schedule is here:
http://www.truesake.com/events/DaimonShuzoProductionSchedule.pdf
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Sake Outposts - Moto-i Is Making History
The fertile seeds of sake floating on the winds of time have landed
in Minneapolis Minnesota. Yes! In the Mid-west and not on either
coast no less! And what has this seed of sake bloomed into - the very
first sake microbrewery restaurant (think a microbrewery restaurant
for beer) outside of Japan. Moto-i makes brew, serves brew, and pairs
brew with their own cuisine - can you say dream come true?
Brainchild of Blake Richardson this endeavor is a difficult one
indeed, but the passion flows deep in Minnesota. I have not yet
visited this oasis, but have corresponded with Blake a little. In one
email I asked him about his "ingredients" and he willingly (his
candidness for "transparency" is truly refreshing in an industry of
secrets and mumbles when it comes to what goes into the vats) offered
the following:
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"We get everything but water from SakeOne. To be clear, I order
ingredients to my specification. Rice variety, yeast, mill rate,
etc... We are currently brewing with koshihikari and akita komachi.
We will soon be using yamada nishiki. Our yeasts are 701, 1801 and
one that I cannot speak of. But you could probably guess.
Next brewing year, we will start to make our own koji.
It is our intention to not brew in the summer. I love tradition!
But at the rate that we are selling sake, this might be a tall
order.
We have hard water. Not extremely hard but by definition...
No iron or manganese.
Two filters, mostly for organics.
We do water analysis on the quarter and make adjustments to match
the famous water of kobe!"
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I say best of luck to Blake and his Moto-i Team - we will all be
rooting for and supporting their success - but most importantly we
look forward to Moto-i's opening in neighborhoods across America.
Here is the link to Moto-i
And here is a good interview with Blake.
Can you smell the passion?
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Sake Spotlight - Janice Stein Looks at Two Kasumi Tsuru Sakes
Now in "Holiday Season" number six for True Sake I am proud to say
that our monthly "sake tastings - food pairings - sake parties" has
produced a new generation of alert and informed sake consumers. We
have gone that extra mile to produce events based in education but
with an emphasis on sake exploration. And fortunately for us we have
amassed a truly great following of sake enthusiast - some more
enthusiastic than others. One such enthusiast came to us more than
two years ago and has been a regular at every tasting - she now
qualifies as an "ubber sake enthusiast" with a passion for sake that
is very evident.
She is a "foodie" in every sense of the word and we are lucky that
the sake bug has bitten her hard. Janice Stein is a professional chef
and food expert. She was a graduate of the California Culinary
Academy more than 20 years ago, and has been active in the bay area
food and wine scene ever since. She tasted her first cold premium
sake about 15 years ago. She has brought her considerable talents
and excellent palate to the world of sake, becoming a Level I sake
specialist this past August. By next year, she hopes to be fluent in
Japanese.
When I approached Janet about "Spotlighting" she liked the idea of
reviewing two brews from one sake maker. She also said that she would
go food heavy with the comparison. Herewith is Janet's "Sake
Spotlight" on two sakes from Hyogo Prefecture:
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At your suggestion, I compared 2 sakes produced by the same kura. I
did a blind tasting of these two sakes, as to not prejudice my
initial opinion. Sake A turned out to be Kasumi Tsuru Yamahai
Junmai and sake B Kasumi Tsuru Yamahai Gingo.
My first impression of the Junmai was that it had more color, more
aroma and a rounder fuller flavor. It had an earthy, woodsy,
forest floor backdrop; a larger, richer, gamey, flavor with a maple
back note, and a subtle smoky quality. The word would be "robust",
the wine, a syrah. The Junmai was excellent by itself as a
"quaffing sake", and probably my over all favorite. The Gingo was
cleaner, softer and less fragrant with a slightly sweet, spicy,
mellow, caramel, back note; a great "introductory" Yamahai. The
word on this one would be "decisive"the drink, gin.
Still "blind ", I compared them with several basic Western foods.
The Junmai was superb with mushrooms simply sautéed in butter. The
earthiness really complimented this pairing. Both sakes were
equally good with USDA "prime" New York steak. Both were
excellent partners with the rich, fatty component, and would be an
excellent choice with BBQ, and most meats. It was an interesting
experiment in non-Asian food and sake pairing.
I also boiled up some prawns in beer with Zatarain's "crab boil".
I chilled them and served them with a chipotle cocktail sauce, and
found that the Gingo worked better, its cleaner, more sophisticated
taste complimenting the spicy sauce very well. I then served a
Kabocha squash and Gruyere casserole. The Junmai with its
earthiness was a better compliment to this intense cheese, and
really brought out the sweetness of the squash.
With smoked wild sockeye salmon, which was more delicate than
salty, the Gingo worked very well, because it did not overpower the
delicate flavor of the fish.
Generally, the spicier the food the better the Gingo worked.
Where the flavors were more complex, the Junmai worked better. I
really enjoyed this little exercise, and it has reinforced my
desire to drink more sake with every day food. Yamahais and
Kimotos would be an excellent choice for a anyone trying to
accomplish this, and if you haven't tried them, what are you
waiting for?
Thanks Beau, this was a kick!!!
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This is Janice's first contribution to this newsletter. As she told
me she is determined to become an expert at pairing sakes with
Western foods. Her culinary training, skill and sophisticated palate
bode well for her success. She can be reached at
japricorn16 @ yahoo.com with any questions or comments.
Kasumi Tsuru is located in one of the best crabbing cities in Japan,
and the brewery claims that their brews go very well with shellfish
in general but exceptionally well with crab. I like the style of this
kura as they produce almost entirely Kimoto and Yamahai sakes. Now
that is love for making sake! These traditional methods are extremely
difficult and time consuming, but the reward can be found in the
brews themselves.
It is no secret, but I have been a fan of the Yamahai Ginjo from the
moment it landed on these shores - and we have sold a lot of it! The
Yamahai Junmai recently found its way into our Junmai row and has a
large contingency of fans - for good reason. I prefer the Ginjo and
the Junmai both to be served at room temperature - all the
complexities dance far better at this temperature point.
The Yamahai Ginjo is made with Yamadanishiki milled to 55%.
The SMV: +3 The Acidity: 1.4 $37/720ml
The Yamahai Junmai is made with Kitanishiki milled to 65%.
The SMV: +4 The Acidity: 1.6 $28/720ml
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New Store Arrivals - Hiyaoroshi - Fall Draft Sakes '08
Okay folks.... They are almost gone! The autumn released "Draft" brews,
which are single pasteurized sakes, are now in the fridge, but for
how much longer is the question. And as I was comparing the reviews
below to reviews from the past I was incredibly pleased to see that
the prices have not changed since 2005! Talk about value!
Please not that these sakes were brewed to compliment the flavors of
fall. If you are looking for a complex and rich brew check out the
Tsukinokatura. If full-bodied and expansive sake is your game then
try the Urakasumi. And if you like it dry and tight then the Wakatake
fits your bill nicely!
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Tsukinokatsura Hiyaoroshi "Autumn Draft"
From Kyoto Prefecture.
Junmai.
SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.6
What a wonderful aroma profile on this fall-released draft sake
with elements of salt water, grains, oatmeal, and melon. Round and
soft this sake is chewy and deep with a long finish. There is a
nice balance of richness and feeling and talk about personality!
Look for hints of nougat, caramel and a touch of melon-like
flavors. A very expressive sake that feels good and has a
complexity that speaks to sake drinkers and 1st timers alike. A
bigger glass brings out a better balance, and a smaller cup brings
forth more pow!
WORD: Complex
WINE: Expansive reds/Chunky whites
BBER: Belgian Ales
FOODS: Complex and rich dishes, grilled meats and veggies, clean
pasta.
$26/720ml
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Urakasumi Hiyaoroshi "Autumn Draft"
From Miyagi Prefecture.
Tokubetsu Junmai.
SMV: +1.5 Acidity: 1.4
The nose on this single pasteurized Fall release is filled with
cedar, rice, caramel, vanilla and whisper of melon elements.
Round, creamy and lush this sake has a touch of sweetness but
drinks far more rich than sweet. Talk about body - this brew is
deep and feels weighty in the mouth. Look for hints of caramel and
an over-all Cinnabon-like flavor profile that is gooey but not
sweet. Plump and extremely well-balanced this brew is extremely
food friendly and does very well at room temp and lightly warmed.
If you like richness and body - look no further.
WORD: Full-Bodied
WINE: Pinot Noire/Non-Oaky White
BBER: Creamy ales
FOODS: Grilled oily fish, sushi, grilled chicken, pasta.
$26/720ml
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Wakatake Aki No Ki-Ippon "Autumn Draft"
From Shizouka Prefecture.
Tokubetsu Junmai.
SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.4
This once-pasteurized draft sake has a nose filled with earth
tones, honeydew rind, hay, wild rice elements. Think dry and
compact when tasting this brew, as there is an abundance of
neutral and soft flavors that rest more on the earthy side.
Watery, calm and gentle it drinks far drier than its SMV. There
are hints of smoky and woody elements but the overall character is
mellow. Closer to room temperature brings forth more body and
depth. A good example of light and dry draft sake.
WORD: Dry
WINE: Dry reds/Dry whites
BBER: Crisp ales
FOODS: Grilled and salty fare, sushi, and smoked cheeses.
$26/720ml
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If you look around the store you will see lots of new brews.
Literally there are 10 new sakes all hidden amongst the brews that
you love and trust. I will eventually review them all in written form
but decided to add these two together because they are so unusual.
The first is a Junmai Dai Ginjo Nigori - why would any brewer mill a
sake to 50% and then leave the lees in it - try Kitaya and find out.
The second is one of the hardest sakes that I have ever had the
opportunity to review. Talk about a mystery in a fluid - the Junmai
Ginjo from Yamagata called Jokigen is truly a sake to test your
comprehension of rice and water.
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Kansansui "Cold Mountain Water"
From Fukuoka Prefecture.
Junmai Dai Ginjo Nigori.
SMV: n/a Acidity: n/a
This "usu-nigori" or lightly misty sake has a creamy nose with
hints of lemon, berries, pear and creamcycle elements. A Daiginjo
Nigori? Wow! Yes so look for a really soft and round sake with
great gentle flavors such as honeydew, pear, and a very feint hint
of banana. This sake is not overtly sweet; rather it is round,
smooth and semi-dry by Nigori standards. Rest assured you will
find layers of silky soft gentle flavors in a fluid that is
extremely inviting and a complexity that one can only find in a
Daiginjo Nigori.
WORD: Honeydew
WINE: Merlot/Creamy whites
BBER: Creamy ales
FOODS: Cheese plates, creamy pastas, sushi, fruit salad.
$18/300ml
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Jokigen
From Yamagata Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo.
SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.6
This is an unusual brew from start to finish, and that is why it
is so popular with sake connoisseurs in Japan. With a nose made up
of grape, cherry, mango, candy and a touch of anise elements this
sake is a totem pole brew with flavors and faces on every level.
Juicy and fruity on one level, a hint of sour tones on another,
and yet another layer filled with tangy elements this Ginjo works
in so many ways. But the balance remains constant - can you
imagine that? And look for a quick and semi-dry finish amongst all
of the mouth action with each sip being a complete mystery. This
is an adventure sake from start to finish.
WORD: Different
WINE: Deep Reds/Complex Whites
BBER: Bitter ales
FOODS: Fried fare, grilled chicken, savory flavors, bar snacks.
$29/720ml
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You can review many of our sakes on our web site.
Our inventory list is here.
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True Sake In The News - MON Magazine
MON is a monthly Japanese publication that hits on food and drink
trends. In the November issue they looked at True Sake and Sebo
restaurant - the sushi restaurant owned by Mike Black and Danny
Dunham with the great assistance of Fukashi Adachi where I drive
their very concise, focused and seasonal sake menu (and was just
voted the top sushi restaurant in the US by DETAILS magazine). They
touched on the Hayes Valley scene and spoke about the sakes at TS and
at Sebo.
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"Ask Beau" - "Why do you use three glasses to taste?"
Man - we had 28 solid questions this month to choose from but I like
this one the best because it touches on a couple of important points
about sake and it's "effectiveness" in conveying the who and what
each brew is and can be to each of us.
And coincidentally enough, this was my first question from a reader
in the Great Plains of Nebraska. Trevor H from Omaha wrote:
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"I saw a video about you and you were drinking sake from three
glasses and talking about it. Do you like to drink or is there more
to it?"
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Well Trevor that depends entirely on which video you saw me in. Were
there piñatas and scantily clad folks jumping under a pole limbo-
style? If so, then yes I like to drink. If the video had me rolling
quarters down the length of my nose trying to bounce them into the
furthest of the three glasses then that was a vintage video of me
back in college - at least I think that I went to college.
More than likely it was one of several videos that shows me
professionally reviewing a sake. Yes, as my mother is a reader those
must be one of the videos that you are referring to. (I hope - Mom,
go to bed!)
I have been charged with the responsibility of conveying what resides
in a bottle of sake to those who might care or may be pondering
dropping some serious coin in the process. In this light I try to be
as accurate as physically and physiologically possible. Ask those who
taste with me - I am a total bitch when it comes to trying to grasp
the meaning of each and every sake that I review. I feel that I must
honor the effort - the pain and passion - that the brewers put forth
in liquid form. It is my duty and honor to really try my best to
understand each sake that I review so that others will be in a better
position to make a judgment call on whether or not to purchase that
sake or try it on a menu.
There are many in the business who pick on me for taking my time and
microscopic focus to such a level - I will rarely taste a sake that a
distributor brings by for a quick taste and departure. This does not
do justice to that sake. Sure I can taste balance and quality
instantly, but some sakes speak at different levels. Some are shy and
must open up - usually they have a lot to say - and likewise some
come out very confident and then fall apart in the end. A swish and
swirl can accurately judge a sake, but when I review a sake I need to
go far more than foreplay. I must nail that sucker! (Did I just write
that?) (Repeat - Mom, go to bed.)
So Trevor in several of these videos or TV shows I usually will taste
an individual sake out of three sizes of cups/glasses etc. I will
usually add an O'choko to the mix. This is the "prototypical" sake
cup that comes with hot sake in it! Trust me - you've seen them. I
use this vessel because there are still a ton of consumers out there
who think that you must use this size of cup when drinking sake -
even $120 Daiginjos. It is the default drinking cup for the sake
industry bred from the reinforced sake pouring rituals of days gone
by, but still finds a home in modern day sellers of sake sets from
Pottery Barn etc. So many folks have these sizes of cups in the
cupboard.
The second size cup that I use can best be described as an "Izakaya"
(sake pub) style glass that looks like a sawed off water glass or
better yet and Italian table wine glass cut in half. (Roughly 4
ounces) And lastly I will use a white wine glass. Three different
mouth shaped vessels, three different surface areas, and three
different aroma-making funnels.
Why? Because my theory is that if I tasted strictly out of one glass
then I will never capture the aromas, flavors, and movements found in
the other glasses, which may be the glass that you use. If I only use
a small cup, I am throwing all of the acidity on the tip of my
tongue. If I use a wine glass it spreads this acidity out through the
sides and back of the mouth. If I use a mid-sized vessel then I
capture both directions in feel and flavor push. The temperature of
the sake also differs in each cup; this could replicate a person
holding the cup in their hands, warming the sake unknowingly. One
reviewing vessel is like test driving all cars on one strip of race
track from here to there - a minivan, or an off-road 4X4 - a "Smart
Car" or Hummer - a golf cart or a Ferrari. If I tell you that the
Smart Car is horrible on sheer crumbling shale hills, it says nothing
about how well it does on a city block.
By using three separate vessels I can blend the review to at the very
least capture some generalities that presents themselves in each of
the three glasses. I will also have better ammo to say to the
consumers that this brew does better in a larger vessel, and this one
really excels in a more compact drinking chamber. Sake is a booze,
and like most boozes the acidity is the first and last thing to enter
and leave your palate. So how that acidity moves dictates so many
different elements in the understanding of a particular brew. Size
does mater in sake, just like beer and wine.
I once did a tasting for one of my very dear importer friends where I
poured him the exact same sake in 9 different vessels including a
huge glass vase for flowers - he has a professional palate and he
thought that I poured 9 different sakes. My point is that we all do
not have a standard sake glass, so why not bank on the differences
one can uncover by trying sake in several different shaped glasses
and ceramic cups.
Lastly Trevor - if your see the video of me with 5 different glasses,
a large audience, and notice that I am absolutely naked - run for
your life.
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 "gift-giving."
December's SW sake is a kinpaku or "Gold Flake" sake from Hakushika
brewery. This is a popular gifting style of sake in Japan.
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 gold flake sake is made with Yamadanishiki rice and
comes in a cool red box. It is the best SW sake to pass on - or re-
gift! The sake usually sells for $28/720ml bottle but for you sake-
jockeys we will part with this golden brew for a mere $14.
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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Consider this...
Please don't call it Goldschlagger! Yes, there are some very
delicious sakes that have pounded gold leaf flakes floating within
the brew. Don't worry about swallowing these "inert" pretty flakes in
"Kinpaku" (gold flake) sake because you cannot taste them. Why are
they there? To celebrate good times and good fortune - and yes they
make great presents!
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STORE HOURS
mon-sat:
12pm-7pm
sun:
11am-6pm
560 Hayes St., San Francisco, CA 94102
CONTACT US
415-355-9555
info @ truesake.com
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Sake - A Modern Guide
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