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January 2009

True Sake
premier merchants of fine sake
Dear Sake Drinker,

Welcome to the January Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. In this edition read how and why you should be heating your sakes this time of year, how you can taste some very important and influential brews, how a little brewing program in Osaka attracted over 100 applicants in 3 days, and how to do a Southern wedding sake tasting!

In this issue:

Sake Season - Brrrrr! Time To Warm Your Brews

Freezing Over Quick - name two different fermented boozes that you can warm up to drink when the temp goes down? Ummmm "Mulled spice wine" - That's one. Stuck on number two aren't you? Still stuck? "Hot Toddies"? Nope - doesn't count! Neither does hot rum and cider, Irish coffee, or flaming shots. You can't name more because there aren't more. And therein rests one of the original appealing aspects of hot sake. It was so unique - "a warm booze" - that many tried hot sake for the novelty of it.

I wont go over the whole backlash that has occurred recently in terms of people "group thinking" that hot sake is inferior sake. This trend line of thinking has kept us pretty busy at the store telling people that hot sake does not mean crappy sake - as we say, "bad sake heated up makes for bad hot sake!" Some are skeptical; more are dubious, and most just claim that they will stick with cold sake.

I also won't get into what "bad hot sakes" people are drinking. It's not my place to say that locally made sake that comes in large boxes meant to be perched on dispensing machines is "inferior" sake. It is what it is! (In an informal survey - read very informal - most of my "Japanese friends prefer Ozeki, most of the party people prefer Sho Chiku Bai, and most of my foodie friends prefer Gekkeikan.)

In a word, every sake has a sweet spot when it comes to temperature. Some are lucky enough to have sweet spots at several temperatures. If one had to "generalize" and yes we writers love to "generalize" I would say that typically Daiginjo sakes are meant to be served chilled - Ginjo sakes are meant to be served slightly chilled - and Junmai/Honjozo brews reside in the room temperature and warming zone. Ergo when you want a brew to warm or heat excessively (not recommended but its your tongue that you will crisp like bacon ala "Ohhh I burnt duh dip of dy dongue) think Junmai/Honjozo. Now this is not to say that there aren't great Daiginjos and Ginjos that take the heat well. (Some of my favorite warming sakes cost in excess of $75 a bottle)

Many moons ago I was in Osaka at a great Izakaya with a tremendous sake list. There were a ton of sakes that I had heard about and wanted to try, but one regular patron heard us speaking about "nihonshu" and felt compelled to send over a chilled carafe for our table. We graciously accepted and tasted the very nice and balanced cold Daiginjo. After finishing the carafe and thanking the gentlemen profusely (you always thank profusely in Japan) I broke out the list again and hungrily perused the wicked offering of hard-to-get sakes. But before I could order another carafe came to our table - same nice guy pointing to the carafe saying "you will like." And yes I did like it a lot - a very well balanced room temperature brew. (Wash-Rinse- Repeat) Again when we finished and thanked I went to order a brew that I longed for, and you guessed it - another tokkuri came out with a gently warmed sake. And yes there he was smiling saying "you will like this." And of course we did. (But by this point I had caught on - the same sake!) And to make this short story longer - he did it again making the sake hot - and it too was wonderful. Point being - same sake drinking so well at most of the temperature zones - A Daiginjo no less!

So now back to the concept of drinking good sake meant to be made into good hot sake - or in more betterer English sake that is good for warming. What is the secret - what is the trait - what is the common bond that makes for good warming sake? Again call General Generalizer! There is an entire school of "thinker/drinkers" who swear that dry sakes make for the best heating brews. Likewise there is an equally large camp of "drinker/thinkers" who counter and say that a semi-sweet brew with more body takes heat better. But everybody who drinks and thinks are in agreement that fruity sakes do not heat well at all! (In general). I drink and I think and I believe that "feel" has as much to do as taste when heating a brew. And I prefer thicker/fatter sakes with more texture and viscosity. I'm not keen on the booziness that sometimes occurs when heating a brew - and I feel that with more body comes a less harsh heating alcohol heat.

Warm Sake Now here comes a really bad analogy for finding a brew that may speak to you in a steamy and sultry voice. When starving to death in a tropical jungle - after your plane went down - and you have no chance of killing that wild boar that just ran by - the experts recommend that you eat berries and fruits (yes before ants and grubs)! But some berries kill! Yes - think of "Boo-berry" taken to the extreme. So which are edible and which will source you for a dirt nap? The experts recommend that you take a couple of the found berries and rub them on your wrist. If you get inflamed then don't eat! They then recommend that you rub a little of the berries on your gums. If they burn - or you immediately puke - don't eat! Then they say that you should ingest a very small portion and wait. If your belly explodes then don't eat. If you have no reaction then try a slightly larger portion etc. Basically I recommend the same with your sakes. If you have a brew that you love chilled - then try it slightly chilled - then room temperature - then slightly warmed - then hot. It may work! It may not. (The great thing about sake is that if you don't finish the bottle for one day, one week, one month it is always a good candidate for heating.) Personal exploration with heating sake is the best! It's like finding a pair of old jeans that you lost way back in the closet. They still fit and now they are retro! Yes!

Here are ten quick facts about heating sake:
  1. Use a Microwave? Only if you have three minutes to live!

  2. Place the actual bottle of sake in hot water bath? Yes - works okay! (Smaller bottle recommended - 300ml - and always remove cap)

  3. Place dried fugu (blowfish) fin in the sake? - Yes, but have it in a large ceramic cup that has a lid - place fin in cup then add hot sake and let steep under the lid for three to four minutes.

  4. Drink hot sake out of a coffee mug? - No not recommended as the brew will cool down over time. It is best to use the little "o'choko" (small ceramic cups) and keep refilling with hot sake.

  5. Put sake directly in a teakettle and place over heat? No not really recommended but that is how many brewery workers do it! (old school)

  6. Use sweet or floral or delicate premium sakes? No not recommended - these brews lose their balance quicker than dry, semi-sweet, full- bodied, or viscous sakes.

  7. Drink hot sake in a hot tub? Yes, this is the recommended temperature as drinking cold beverages in scalding water can make ones tummy cramp up.

  8. Drop a hot sake into a cold beer and down it? Ummmmm no comment - but please note to do this without warning in Japan could cause chins to hit the table!

  9. Turn flame off before placing "Tokkuri" (tall chimney shaped heating vessel) in boiling water? Yes - this method of slow heating is preferred even at the risk of losing some evaporating alcohol. (Others think a quicker heat captures the alcohol and flavor)

  10. Feel the sides of the "tokkuri" to guess what temperature the heated sake is at any moment? No - that will give you the water temperature! Rather pick up the tokkuri from the bath and touch the concaved bottom that traps an air bubble, which gives the contents temperature.
When it is could outside - sake is the best warmer around! Even if you think that you do not like hot sake, there is a small chance that you will - so stop denying yourself one of the greatest aspects of this stellar libation.

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Sake Exclusives - Extremely Limited Sakes For You

Okay here comes an admission of guilt. I have an ego. No not an Eggo Waffle. No not a Lego plastic building toy, but a ridiculous stash of an inferiority complex smothered in a little lack of humility sauce. I can justify it by the old whiny cries of "Hey I have been selling sake since you were a twinkle in your mama's eye" or "I took the chance of opening a sake store so I should get the wink wink nudge nudge." But these are all just lame excuses for me wanting attention - especially when it comes to identifying and obtaining great sakes in Japan and having them exported.

As you all know - retailers cannot import! (Yes a really bad scenario that makes it difficult to directly answer the desires of the market) So I am forced to identify certain sakes in Japan and encourage my importers to add them to their portfolio so that I can add them to mine. For my "identifying" efforts the importers give me "Exclusive" status on the brews - so I can dance on the rooftops and say "Mine - Mine - Mine" like a two-year-old. Am I being hard on myself here a little? A bit. But it took a while - perhaps too long to realize that I want my brewers to make money and by getting these "exclusive" sakes out to more drinkers via other vendors is better for them and really only means a little selling point for True Sake - Exclusive!

My track record is pretty good - most of the brews that I have identified have taken off in popularity. (Why? That is a good question and I will answer it by saying that I know the American palate better than most, because we get daily feedback from our customers -and it's all about the drinkers right?) A couple of familiar brews first - I was in Shizuoka at the Wakatake Onigoroshi brewery makers of the very super Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Dai Ginjo known as the "Deamon Slayer." While there I tasted their Junmai Genshu and said "Yummy," and encouraged their importers to carry it. They did and we got the "exclusive" seal. Then in Tokushima I went to Narutotai - makers of the great Yamahai Ginjo - and while sitting calmly on a tatami mat tasting their line-up I noticed a squat silver can and said "What is that?" This amazing Nama Ginjo Genshu, which we aptly called "Beau-Shu" has been one of our top sellers for the last three years.

Kaika, Kikuhime, the list goes on and on for brews that I thought would do great for the American drinker - but always pimping the "exclusive" as a selling point for the store and as a weak cry for my attention-getting ego omelet. I have since "released" all of my "exclusivity" - on all brews, including new sakes that will touch down in early 2009 (an amazing offering from Urakasumi).

Okay so what is the point here? The point is that True Sake has three "Totally EXCLUSIVE" sakes available to you great people. Yes - you heard it here first - EXCLUSIVE sakes available at True Sake!

Well - exclusive until they run out!

YUZUKI:

Some brews are extremely important for your sake learning curve and others are just great to taste and enjoy. When I was in Yamagata last fall, I stayed at the home of Masao Aisawa and his family. Masao's brewery Takenotsuyu makes killer sake. Currently, we carry four of their efforts. One night after the kids went to bed Masao broke out a bottle of a sake that he called a Dai Koshu - he used the word Dai as in "great" and in an effort to express that this aged sake is over ten years old! He also named it after his oldest daughter - Yuzuki!

Déjà vu all over again - I said "yummy" and "we have to get it to the states!" So we did! And True Sake has 30 bottles of this amazingly elegant aged sake for your taking. (Yes I released the "exclusivity" and some restaurants in the Bay Area have a bottle or two.) As this sake is an "aged" brew of over ten years in the making when it is gone - it is literally gone from time and space.

Herewith is my review of Yuzuki:

Takenotsuyu Yuzuki "Snow Moon"
From Yamagata Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo Koshu (10 Years).
SMV: +1 Acidity: 1.5

Note: I wrote most of the descriptions on the label for this stellar sake!

The brewer named this incredible achievement in aged sake (only 30 bottles available in US) after his first daughter and he calls it a "Dai Koshu" because it has been aging at 42F degrees for over the past ten years. Such a delicate aroma profile with hints of honey, orange blossom, caramel, and leather. Talk about an intelligent sake! Round, soft and incredibly elegant - this is not your dad's koshu! Gentle flavors such as caramel corn and clover honey dance with butter-toffee on a rich fluid that drinks overwhelming light for such an old sake. Room temperature pulls out deeper richness and more hints of butter, warming pulls hot- buttered nuts flavors, and chilled reminds one of a Heath Bar.

WORD: Buttery
WINE: Complex Reds/Rich Whites
BEER: Light Belgians
FOODS: Steak, game, smoked fish, risotto, cheese courses, and cigars!
$70/720ml


KOURO:

Ahhhh yes - one of those very important "stepping stone" sakes. Roughly three years ago I encouraged an importer to offer the extremely "significant" Junmai Ginjo from this relatively young brewery in Kumamoto Prefecture. Why? Well for one it tastes great, but for the second and most important reason this Kura invented the extremely popular and heavily used Kobo #9. Yup! Without question you have tasted this yeast before - as it is used by all! (well almost all).

The Association No.9 (Kumamoto Kobo) is used almost as much as Yamadanishiki brewing rice for the national sake competitions. (Ever hear the term YK9) It is that effective in giving off great aroma elements and providing body within the brew. Basically the "Rolling Stones" of sake brewing yeast for Ginjo class of sakes. So naturally every drinker at some point should try a brew from this kura. The importer only imported 6 cases of this sake for True Sake - that's 30 bottles - and six have already disappeared!

Herewith is my review for Kouro:

Kouro
From Kumomoto Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo.
SMV: + 0.5 Acidity: 1.6
This extremely "educational" sake (only 24 bottles in the US) has a vast nose filled with strawberry, lychee, honeydew, vanilla and apple elements. How can something drink so clean and yet have so much body! This is the mystery of a classic brew that has an enormous mouth feel, which coats the mouth with gentle and nuanced flavors. A rice-driven Ginjo with hints of unripe fruits, a layer of vanilla, and a whisp of the infamous umami characteristic. So soft, so chewy, so rich and yet so well balanced. For the well versed behold "shibumi" (estrigency) in a delicate delivery and "kire" (quick finish), which is amazing for so much body. Larger glasses and closer to room temperature bring out more "moods."

WORD: Big Story
WINE: Pinot Noir/White Burgundy
BEER: Big Belgians
FOODS: Anything off the grill, out of the ocean, from the soil, or felled from the heavens.
$65/720ml


ICHINOKURA:

A lot of importers get samples to try to see if they should carry them in the west. Luckily enough many of these importers ask me if I would like to try some of these brews. Hard work indeed! One such brew came through the pipe-line almost four years ago from a brewery in Miyagi Prefecture that was constructed when four small breweries joined forces as one. We carry many of their offerings, but we never had access to one of their best products (in my mind) until now! The Ichinokura "Kuronohana" Junmai Ginjo (made with kuronohana brewing rice) is one smooth and flavorful operator, and the importer secured for True Sake two cases - he took one case to NYC - so we have 12 bottles of a very elegant and expressive sake that is - well extremely limited! $54/720ml

(As of sending this Newsletter out this brew had not arrived, so I didn't get to taste a current version for a review. Needless to say it is great sake!)


These sakes are LIMITED so get them while they last. First come first served. We will not push them at the store to walk-in customers in hopes that you good readers of the True Sake Newsletter will come and improve your learning curve!

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Sake Opportunity - SOLD OUT!

Mikune Brewery Wow - I would sadly, but proudly like to inform you that the "Mukune International Sake Brewing Program" that I wrote about last month sold out 8 brewing sessions for two years in four days!

As Director of the MISBP, I would like to apologize to those who did not gain admission. We truly wish that there was room for all, but given the nature of a small brewery and a limited time frame it was basically impossible to accept everybody. But rest assured we used a pretty strict criteria platform for whom to select - from industry people to those who just want to learn more about sake. We selected evenly and fairly.

We are looking at further methods to accept more applicants and without giving away too much info; think in terms of other brewery partners.

I will be supervising the first session in February and will update all upon my return.

Again thank you to all who showed such incredible enthusiasm.

Here is the link for those who do not yet know what an incredible program this represents:

Sake Brewing Internship in Japan

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Sake Selects - Team True Sake Select Monthly Brews

Miwa & Lynette Welcome to "True Selects" - 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.

Miwa's Pick:

Hideyoshi "Amakarapin"

From Akita prefecture. Junmai
SMV +1 / Acidity 1.4 / Rice: Sake Komachi, milled to 60%
$39/720ml

This is one of Junmai I enjoyed at the Joy of Sake 2008. It is very flavorful and rich.


Lynette's Pick:

Akitora "The Tiger"

From Kochi Prefecture
Junmai Ginjo
SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.6

A different sort of Ginjo - round, soft with a gentle fruitiness and a dry finish.


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New Store Arrivals - Yuki no Bosha, Tenryo, & Kasumi Tsuru

New Store Arrivals - Jan. 2009 Lots of new brews to look at - the store is loaded with "New Arrival" placards. Just trying to catch up and get a review for each sake. Herewith are three new rice efforts to fill your glass and imagination.

Yuki no Bosha "Cabin In The Snow"
From Akita Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo Nigori.
SMV: +1 Acidity: 1.9
This flavorful "cloudy" sake drinks more like a "filtered" brew, and has aromas such as plum, grape, sweet rice, honey and cream. A very gentle and elegant Nigori that is semi-sweet and has a very quick finish - round and smooth and not chalky! Drinks more fruity than sweet - look for hints of honeydew, grape, pear and honey. Creamy in feel not flavor, the emphasis is soft and approachable like a favorite sweater. Extremely well balanced for an "unfiltered" sake.

WORD: Soft
WINE: Fruity reds/Soft whites
BEER: Creamy ales
FOODS: Cleaner cuisines, sashimi, light pasta, fruit dishes, cheeses.
$15/300ml


Tenryo Hidahomare "Imperial Landing"
From Gifu Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo.
SMV:+4 Acidity:1.4
This very soft and smooth brew has a gentle nose filled with pineapple, grape, papaya, and a hint of cocoa elements. The brewers use a "flower yeast" to make a very soft, round and clean drinking sake that is milled to Daiginjo rates (50% remaining). Look for hints of apricot, minerals, apple and vein of rock candy. A very well balanced sake that defines "drinkable" and appeals to those looking for a clean - not boozy - drinking experience. A larger vessel makes even rounder and softer and coming into room temp brings out a little richness.

WORD: Whisper
WINE: Dry Reds/Sauv Blanc
BEER: Light ales
FOODS: Sashimi, gentle pastas, grilled chicken, poached salmon.
$13/300ml


Kasumi Tsuru "Crane of Kasumi"
From Hyogo Prefecture.
Yamahai Junmai.
SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.6
This traditionally (Yamahai) made sake has a unique nose filled with grains, cherry, hay, and ricey elements. A very layered Junmai with gamey and smokey qualities that speak to those who like rich and expansive red wines. Look for hints of fig and dates mixed amongst roasted and grainy qualities. The flavor of rice is abundant, which is nice in these days of fruity brews, and look for more earth tones closer to room temp. There is a long tail attached to the robust middle-mouth which provides a hint of bitterness that whispers to bitter chocolate fans. Solid, smooth and very drinkable.

WORD: Gamey
WINE: Cabs/Big Whites
BEER: Dark Belgians
FOODS: Anything off of the grill, gamey meats, smoked cheeses, hearty pastas and stews.
$28/720ml


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 - Imbibe Magazine & Associated Press/MSNBC

Imbibe Magazine Imbibe Magazine did a nice Sake 101 piece called "Zen and the Art of Sake" focusing on sake in the west. I spent a good deal of time with the writer Adem Tepedelen speaking about the trajectory of sake in America. It's a balanced article with some good plugs for SakeOne and the new Moto-I that I wrote about last month. (The magazine itself has a breakout column where I did some "generalizing" food pairings for each of the categories.)

ZEN AND THE ART OF SAKE - An ancient brew finds a new home.


MSNBC Then Kelly Dinardo writing for the Associated Press pumped out a good "current market look 101" piece that pings buddies Ed Lehrman from Vine Connections (sake importers) and Timothy Sullivan from Urban Sake (blogger extraordinaire) - and between the three of us she got some good "boots on the ground" information about the way things are in our little corner of the sake globe. The piece was picked up by lots of outlets, but will use the MSNBC one here:

Sake surges in the US


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Ask Beau - "What sakes do you recommend for a wedding tasting?"

Beau and friends We at True Sake get asked the gambit when it comes to helping people select sakes. We get food parameters to work with - size parameters - location where sake will be consumed parameters - glassware parameters - etc - etc and customers count on us to deliver the best sakes available to achieve success within those parameters. Our track record is pretty solid. We miss once in a while, but on the whole we have such a good understanding of our inventory that things work out for the best.

Recently got one of "those" parameter requests that had many different facets including a wedding in the south, oysters, spicy Mexican fare, and a tasting line-up to educate the wedding attendees most of which who did not have a firm grasp on the concept of sake. Herewith is the reply email from Rob M who graciously permitted me to share with our readers:

Beau --

FYI, the sake tasting at the wedding-rehearsal dinner went very well. In total, I taught about 15-20 people about premium sake, from 20-somethings through people even older than me.

Very few had any previous experience with premium sake. I gave a little pitch (and a handout) about sake grades and SMV/san-do numbers, including your book and web site as a reference.

Then I conducted tasting of the three you recommended to me:
  • JH03 Urakasumi "Misty Bay" Miyagi +2/1.5 $26 (for oysters)
  • JG03 Bishonen "Beautiful Boy" Kumamoto +2/1.7 $18 (for spicy food)
  • DG06 Wakatake Onigoroshi Shizuoka "Demon Slayer" 0/1.4 $34
Almost everyone could immediately tell them apart by smell. Most people had a clear favorite without food, split fairly evenly between the Wakatake and the Bishonen. Only a couple of people offered learned opinions, based more on wine experience than sake experience, and they both immediately preferred the Wakatake for its elegance and its interesting nose.

The Bishonen really does go with Mexican food, including spicy stuff and plain tamales. The big style and cooked rice/grain smells and flavors make that combo work for me.

I concluded that raw oysters are a tough match. The Urakasumi was OK, but left me wanting something different, maybe something more citric-smelling, lighter-bodied, and more palate cleansing -- in wine, Muscadet, Albariño, Loire Sauvignon. Still, I agree it's a pretty good pairing.

I like the Wakatake by itself, and I'm sure I'd like it with standard Japanese sakana. However, I discovered that the apple notes in it go well with a bit of cheese.

So thanks for the advice. We probably convince a couple of people to try premium sake.

Rob


I'm just grinning from ear to ear about this one! Thank you so much for sharing Rob. Being the perfectionist that I am I forgot to ask you about the water temperature of the oysters. Whoops. Probably warm water oysters - much warmer than the waters off of Miyagi prefecture where Urakasumi brews its sake for local shell fish. And since we needed a Junmai - Ginjo - Daiginjo I thought the Urakasumi would nail it. Live and learn and thank you for being a True Sake foot soldier out there for the betterment of sake. You have earned your stripes!

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

True Sake 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 EXPORT ONLY SAKE. I wrote that in bold because many folks are glancing directly at the bottom of this section just to get the word. We do have a meaning for the SECRET WORD sakes! We try to educate you to different brews and different nuances within the sake industry. And yes this month's SWS is made for folks off of the island of Japan - the brewers do not offer this locally. It's also a Monde Select 2008 winner and a Gold Medal winner at the SF International Wine Competition.

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 Export Only sake is made with locally grown Okayama Omachi rice and comes in a very decorative bottle and box. We would usually sell Sakuramuromachi Bizenmaboroshi Junmai Ginjo for $26, but for you sake-jockeys we will part with this international brew for a mere $13. 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

Consider this...

For years I have been separating the words Dai Ginjo to help people visually see a difference between Ginjo and Dai Ginjo in written form - no more! Too much hard work! From now on think in terms of Daiginjo or Junmai Daiginjo! Easier - Much easier!

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