Dear Sake Drinker,
Welcome to the May Issue of America's sake-centric Newsletter. In this
issue it's all about Mom! (even the shhhhh "SECRET WORD") Can't think
of a gift for your mother? We can! Read about a chocolate friendly
sake that sparked a blog attack. Say goodbye for the season to the
Mukune International Sake Brewing Program. Take in the very unique
sake vs. Indian food pairing in the Sake Challenge. Check out the new
flight of nama-zakes, and see what Miwa and Lynette are recommending.
Learn how to clean your masu. Lastly May is LOADED with sake events -
take a peek at the "Sake Events" section and book now!
In this issue:
Sake Story - Top Ten Mom's Day Sakes
Yup - you better not forget her. Yes her! The one who brought us into
this story called our lives - talk about a "ground zero." Is there any
more ground zero for each of us than our dear mothers? (I must tread
very lightly here as a certain "mom" is reading this very issue!) The
first of our five senses were all Mom. We tasted her - smelled her -
saw her - heard her - and most of all felt her. So why not repay that
lady with five awesome senses of her own? The gift of sake achieves
all five of the senses that she shared with you way back when. And for
a limited time only we will throw in the nebulous sixth flavor - Umami
(which rhymes with Mommy) for free - but for a limited time only!
Herewith are the Top Ten Mother's Day Sakes chosen by name - feeling -
mood - and Hollywood "Mommy Dearest" twist:
- Ichinokura Himezen "Princess Food"
Miyagi Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: -65 Acidity: 5
$25/500ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to give mom some "princess
food"? If you can't make her breakfast in bed then share this
sweet low alcohol brew!
- Nanbu Bijin "Southern Beauty"
Iwate Prefecture. Nama Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.5
$22/720ml
Iwate Prefecture. Nama Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.5
$36/720ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to give their mom a naked
sake? We currently have two nama's from this brewery - lively,
living and fresh! And how cool does Nama for my Mama sound?
- Yuu-Ga "Deep Elegance"
Chiba Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +/- 0 Acidity: 1.4
$18/720ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to give their mom a sake
that sounds like baby talk? She taught you how to speak English
now you teach her Japanese!
- Ozeki Hana Awaka "Sparkling Flower"
Hyogo Prefecture. Sparkling Sake. SMV: NA Acidity: NA $6/250ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to give mom a gift on
Mother's Day? If you are an el-cheapo snag this cute little pink
bottle for six bones! At the very least - you look like you care!
- Kaguyahime "Princess of Bamboo"
Kyoto Prefecture 1667. Junmai. SMV: -2 Acidity: 1.2 $10/300ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to give their mother a sake
bottle with a cape around it? If you suck at wrapping or just
don't have the time to tissue - this brew is you!
- Shutendouji "Vulnerable Virgin"
Kyoto Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.5 $42/720ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to buy their mom a sake that
makes her feel young again?
- Oimatsu "Crazy Milk"
Oita Prefecture. Junmai Nigori SMV: -15 Acidity: 1.4 $10/720ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to buy their mom a sake that
is milk for adults!
- Hatsuhana Utatane "First Flower Nap"
Niigata Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: +0 Acidity: 1.3 $20/500ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to give their mom the gift
of sleep on Mother's Day?
- Kikuhime "Chrysanthemum Princess"
Ishikawa Prefecture. Dai Ginjo Genshu (Aged 1 Year). SMV: +5
Acidity: 1.3 $125/720ml
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to buy their mom one of the
best sakes ever made? If you have some serious sucking up to do -
then this brew will get you back in good graces! Oh - The price
for getting back on the team?
- Suigei "Drunken Whale"
Kochi Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai. SMV: +6 Acidity 1.6 $11/300
$24/720
Who in their right mind wouldn't want to have a little fun with
their wonderful mom on Mother's Day? Remember people it's just a
joke!
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Sake Moment - The Power of Talking Kijoshu
Is there anything better than when a recommendation takes flight? "Hey
go see this movie" "We did and loved it so very much!!! It was so
us!!" "Hey try this restaurant - I think that you will dig it." "Wow
what an amazing restaurant - we loved it!" It's just such a good
feeling when you shed light, expose, enlighten people with ideas that
fit them. And voila welcome to the booze world, where we make
recommendations each and every day.
Time and time again we get emails, letters, voice messages about
killer recommendations that we shared with our customers. Trust me
when I say that we truly appreciate and "get off" on this feedback -
it validates that we are doing our jobs well. But more importantly it
validates that sake is finding homes - lots of homes - at different
levels. It's pretty easy to recommend Daiginjos as most folks enjoy
these brews for their can't miss capabilities! And of course we get a
ton of the food pairing questions, which are far more difficult than
just selecting a sipping brew. "Tonight we are doing a spicy pork with
kimchee - can you pick a sake that will go well with this?" Double
Voila! We work wonders! And far more than not - we get it right!
(Because they come back and say "well done.")
Now for me - the recommendations that "live" and "grow" are just so
damn special. Case in point - had a couple who wanted to give a gift
of sake to their friends. "What do your friends like?" "She's a foodie
blogger and likes it all." So I picked out several brews to choose
from, and then they added that she loves chocolate.
RRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! (Sound of breaks screeching) Chocolate lover
heh? Well I so happen to have a brew that goes very well with
chocolate. "Done!" So they took this special sake and presented it to
their friends. What follows is the "follow-up" - the recommendation
lifecycle that keeps evolving and growing. But first the brew!
The sake that I recommended is a Kijoshu or aged dessert sake made by
a cool brewery in Hiroshima called Hanohato. The process for making
Kijoshu is really pretty cool - well sweet and cool! As we all know
when you make sake you do so in stages adding basically water and rice
(amongst other magical ingredients) at very specific intervals and in
extremely sensitive quantities. To make Kijoshu you lessen the water
bit (We don't need no stinkin' water) and add sake. Yes. You are
correct to imagine that this would make more of a "reduction" - and
yes you are correct to assume that this would make for a far sweeter
brew. Then age that guy and you have an 8-Year Old Kijoshu that has a
nose that speaks to its age and a complex sweetness that speaks to its
make-up!
Herewith is my review of Hanahato:
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Hanahato Kijoshu "Gorgeous Bird"
From Hiroshima Prefecture. Kijoshu or "aged type".
SMV: -44 Acidity: 3.5
This kijoshu has been aged for eight years and has a similar nose
to a sherry or port with a honey/nutty /musky /mushroomy aroma.
This very rich kijoshu is a balanced blend of dried fruits and
earthy mushroom elements that has a malty aftertaste coupled with a
full-bodied start and middle mouth. Deep fruit elements come out at
different temperature points. The flavor perfectly compliments
chocolates of all kinds, especially dark chocolate mousses and
other thicker desserts. It does go well with nutty and earthy
cigars as well. The red rose color is amazing for a sake, and this
brew begs to be served instead of your normal dessert wine.
WORD: Chocolate
WINE: Sherry/Port
BEER: Thick dessert beers
FOODS: Chocolate and sweet desserts of all kinds.
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Now back to the recommendation lifecycle. I received the initial good
news from the couple who purchased the bottle as the gift. Peggy shot
me this email describing their giving and tasting of said brew:
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"We and our friends, D & K, did open that bottle you suggested would
go with chocolate. Let me tell you ... quite a surprise! Of course
we were all curious after your comment about its "interesting"
nose. Dennis poured it into beautiful crystal glasses, we held it to
the light and marveled at the amber color. Then, we put our noses
into our glasses and ... whoooaaaa! I was immediately struck by
porcini mushrooms. Karletta cried out "fungus!" Dennis said "wet
dog", (my nose didn't go there). Ted said he couldn't quite figure
it out and kept sipping so he could.
Then the test. We all snapped off a square of 70% cacao Amano
artisan chocolate, let it begin to melt in our mouths, then added
the funky note of the sake and voilá! Cherries! Unmistakable flavor
of cherries and chocolate-very sherry- or port-, almost liqueur-
like. An unexpected, bizarre and sense-sational experience. We were
delighted by the sheer unexpectedness of it all."
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Awesome! I loved it! The fact that they gave the gift then she took
the time to write about the experience! This "stuff" makes my day!
Well - in the interim - one of the folks of the receiving couple wrote
to the info account at True Sake and I did not get the message until
later, but he wrote:
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It worked. Had a nose that reminded me of automotive parts cleaner.
My wife a food writer (www.culinarymuse.com) described the nose like
mushrooms. BUT with a nice 70% chocolate it brought out a taste of
cherries in the chocolate and really worked. We tasted at room
temperature. It will probably interact with the chocolate even
better chilled. We will be tasting again this weekend check with me
on Monday.
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So then the lifecycle kept turning and the wife added this unusual
brew to her blog and then emailed me a head's up with a message that
read " a shocking pairing:"
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Hi Beau (and A),
Check out my posting about the amazing chocolate/sake pairing that
you suggested to our friends T & P last Friday.
Amazing
Culinary Muse: A Shocking Chocolate Pairing
I have used many words to describe the chocolate pairing experiences
I have had over the years. Fruity. Smokey. Citrus. Divine. I have
never used the words 'fungal' and 'shocking'. Until last Friday
night, that is. Our friends, T & P presented us with a bottle of
Hanahato Kijoshu Sake. This aged sake (eight years) has a beautiful
amber color, the taste of a dry sherry and the nose of fungus gone
amok. I have never sniffed and then tasted any liquid for which the
nose had no relationship to the taste. I poured each of us a small
portion. We all took a sniff and then started laughing. Could
anything that smelled this bizarre have any redeeming culinary
value? After a couple of sips it was clear that we had to try this
with some really good chocolate, as suggested by Beau Timken at TRUE
SAKE . I went into my chocolate stash and pulled out a bar of AMANO
CHOCOLATE'S Jembrana 70% Dark Chocolate. We each took a small bite
of chocolate, allowed it melt for a moment on the tongue and then
took a sip of Kijoshu. That is when this, excuse the analogy,
magical mystical mushroom trip began. The sake brought out the
cherry in the Jembrana. What cherry, you Jembrana fans might ask?
Exactly. Alchemy and magic at work.
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No the brew is indeed unusual at best! The nose is a little like the
Hunchback of Notre Dame - so damn ugly but you want to root for that
guy! In fact it probably smells like the Hunchback himself! One
customer likened it to "Lipton's French Onion Cup'O Soup." (That one
always gets me!) As I mentioned to the gift buyers "The curtains do
not match the carpet." Nevertheless it is an odyssey that should be
traveled at least once in every sake drinker's road to sake
enlightenment. I will not mention that this brewery also makes an
excellent sparkling kijoshu, because it is not available in the US.
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Sake Memory - The Mukune International Sake Brewing Program
Whooooooosh! When the bullet train passes you - you know it! It's
gone. It was just there and then it is distant - then gone. Vanished.
You can still hear it in the memory of your mind - you still feel the
wind - and your eyes try to play catch-up on each car that isn't
there. It's not there. It was. You tell yourself. It was.
And that is how fast the inaugural season of the Mukune International
Sake Brewing Program has come and gone. Please read the December '08
issue for all of the detailed account of how this program was created
- how yours truly got to leave a thumb print on the history of sake -
and how a bold as "balls-out" owner of a great sake brewery opened his
doors to the world.
Mr. Yasutaka Daimon took a chance and let sake weirdos from all over
the globe into his sake making sanctuary to fulfill our new motto of
"The Only Way To Learn Sake Is To Make Sake." Through his courage and
open-heart we have truly changed the sake dynamic of understanding the
"process" of sake making.
As Director of the MISBP I will soon write a "follow-up" or
"debriefing" of the 4 sessions that took place since the new year for
the Mukune site, but I encourage you to read the blog for each of the
sessions. A story is just that - a story! But when 25 people speak of
the same story from 25 sets of eyes that story becomes a living
breathing entity.
Herewith is the link to that "story".
And here is the link to the real beginning.
(Please see the True Sake In The News Section for a write up in the
Japan Times.)
And Y-san - yes I know that you are reading - Thank you for your
courage and vision - I am honored to share the light in your shadow.
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Sake Challenge - Sake vs. Southern Indian Cuisine
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. Read about past challenges:
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 the Sake Challenge went to the Southern States of India to
a restaurant called Dosa.
South India has hot, humid climate and all its states are coastal.
Thus the food matches the climate in most capacities! Big flavors
galore - chutnays and sauces - are mixed with subtle and complex
elements such as mustard seeds and curry leaves and oils. Let's just
say that if you wanted to find heat in your dish you could!
My fellow flame fighter for the evening was Kazu Yamazaki from the
Japan Prestige Sake Association - the single largest importer of
premium jizake sake into the US. And in all due respect to Kazu I
selected two of his brews for the Challenge. My methodology for
selecting the sakes was simple - I needed ballsy sakes with huge
presence and a very solid acidity play that could stand up to all of
the fabulous flavors that bombard the palate.
The two brews were:
- Gokyo Arabashiri (see the new store arrivals section below.)
- Sawanoi Kioke Kimoto Junmai
You will quickly notice the higher acidity levels on both of these
unique sakes. I brought them very chilled in a thermal pack but they
both warmed up pretty quickly! And we used regular white wine glasses!
Let The Games Begin:
1st Course: Mung Sprouts Salad (Lentils, tomatoes, cucumber, coconut,
chillies and mustard seeds)
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Sawanoi - The combination brought out the sweetness in the sake and
created a long finish. The acidity is bumpy here but it makes the
overall pairing light and bright.
BT - W
KY - W
Gokyo - The arabashiri did the opposite and really brought forth the
sweetness in the dish! The sprouts tasted more lively and bright -
fresher and crisper. Basically this pairing brought forth a new
flavor of almost ginger! Really nice!
BT - WW
KY - WW
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2nd Course: Chennai Chicken ( Fried spicey chicken with a yogurt
sauce)
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Sawanoi - Spicey meets spicey. The brew stands up to the spice, but
perhaps too much as "the heat" rules the pairing. When the yogurt is
added a sense of creamy balance comes out of the sake - there is a
lot lactic acid in this sake so some harmony on this front comes
out. The finish is long and the brew does not do a great job of
cleaning the grease from the fried chicken. Kazu loved this pairing
- said that the flavors all worked and that the yogurt made the
difference.
BT - W
KY - WW
Gokyo - Now you're talking! The bright sweetness of the nama-zake
pops with the heat - creating the ever so delicious sweat heat
pairing! Good spice meets good fruit tingle and the wash on this
pairing is superb! The yogurt doesn't come into play as much as with
the Sawanoi - but who cares as that chicken and that raw brew dance
the hoodu voodu dance! Very tasty!!
BT - WW
KY - W
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3rd Course: Cilantro and Chile Cod (Corriander, shallots, cumin, and chilies)
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Sawanoi - The sakes started to come closer to room temperature and
this pairing was superb from the first sip and taste! The creaminess
of the sauce rolled with the creaminess of the savory sake - the
feeling of the pairing was really great. The flavor of the pairing
was even better - creamy and gentle spice washed perfect with the
solid brew - the lactic acids ruled the day in a very good way!
BT - WWC
KY - WWC
Gokyo - The fruitiness of the brew brought out more heat in the
sauce, making this pairing more lively than subdued. It worked - did
not distract from the flavors, just made this dish a little more
tingly with the heat coming up front.
BT - W
KY - WW
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4th Course: Dosa Masala (typical street fare of pancake filled with
creamy spiced potatoes, onions, and cashew nuts.)
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Sawanoi - A very nice creamy and savory and starchy pairing! All I
could think about was potato and rice together in my mouth - a
starch fest! But alas it worked very well for a smooth and savory
and gentle pairing. This dish came with several sauces and each one
did well with the sake. The richness came forth for both the sake
and the dosa.
BT - WW
KY - W
Gokyo - The brisk fruitiness and acidity of the brew did not dance
with the smooth and starchy elements. It created a long and acidic
that was not a distraction but also didn't do much for the pairing.
Maybe if the sake was more chilled it would have been in more
control. The brew did go well with each of the spicy sauces.
BT - DNW
KY - DNW
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Summary:
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In a word I was amazed at the flexibility and strength of the sakes
in a very "heated" environment. I watched as a couple to the right
of us drank red wine and another couple to the left of us drank
white wine. I asked both how the pairings went with each wine and
both sets were underwhelmed. One guy said that he would do beer next
time. And I think in a sense that is why the sakes did very well.
They aren't grape juice - they are starch strong! So lactic acid and
backbone ruled the pairings, and more often then not the sakes
washed the flavors very well. To only get one DNW is pretty amazing!
I am ecstatic how well both sakes not only held their own, but
really enhanced several of the dishes. That is crazy! A Japanese
rice "wine" jiving with a Southern Indian dish. Go figure!
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New Store Arrivals: Late Spring Nama Collection
They're back!!!! The next wave of Spring Namas are locked and loaded
in the fridge! Come on in a taste the brightness of spring in a
bottle. This year the flight dropped Kaika and added Urakasumi. In a
word these brews are all drinking excellent. If you like it dry take a
crack at the Otokoyama. If you like it smooth and easy then the
Dewanoyuki is your call. If you like it large and vibrant then saddle-
up the Gokyo. And if you like it layered and rich then give the
Urakasumi a go!
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Otokoyama Yukishibare
From Hokkaido Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Nama.
SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.4
This unpasteurized seasonal sake has a unique nose filled with
kiwi, peach and fresh cut grass aromas. Think light bright and dry
- a Nama that speaks to those who like clean and compact brews with
subtle fruit elements of green apple and white grapes. The balanced
delivery is dry and so to is the quick finish. More Granny Smith
qualities come out in a smaller vessel.
WORD: Dry
WINE: Crisp Reds/Dry whites
BEER: Tight ales
FOODS: Very clean cuisines.
$28/720ml
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Dewanoyuki Hibirakujitsu
From Yamagata Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Nama.
SMV: -1.5 Acidity: 1.8
The nose on this unpasteurized seasonal sake is filled with honey,
peach, mineral, and a hint of rose hip aromas. Wow - talk about a
velvety smooth Nama sake! Round, fat and chewy this brew is loaded
with sweet sugary flavors with a tickle of dark chocolate finish.
The elevated acidity brings out more richness than sweetness. Big,
soft and well-balanced this sake drinks like a hug in your mouth. A
bigger vessel brings forth more sugary elements.
WORD: Smooth
WINE: Deep Pinot Noir/ Fat whites
BEER: Creamy Ales
FOODS: Grilled fare, tofu, avocado salads, creamy cheeses.
$26/720ml
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Gokyo Arabashiri
From Yamaguchi Prefecture. Junmai Nama Genshu.
SMV: +3.5 Acidity: 1.7
This fresh seasonally released unpasteurized sake has a fragrant
nose with apple, vanilla, sweet rice aromas. Gokyo is back and as
vast as ever - deep flavors ride a massive fluid that carries a
complexity founded on the strong legs of umami. Behold a gripping
brew that is a marathon of layered flavors such as grapes, sweet
apples, minerals, and cooked cherries. Chewy, ripe, and expansive
this is a full-bodied drinking experience.
WORD: Large
WINE: Huge reds/ Massive whites
BEER: Stouts
FOODS: Kitchen sink - throw anything at this sake!
$30/720ml
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Urakasumi Shiboritate
From Miyagi Prefecture. Nama Tokubetsu Junmai.
SMV: + 0.5 Acidity: 1.5
This nama is new to the US and has a nose filled with mineral,
berry, pear and balsa wood tones. Behold a very drinkable and
expressive unpasteurized brew from a brewery that specializes in
balance. Smooth and velvety with lots of deep rich fruit elements
offset with creamy and savory hints. Round and solid with a
complexity that speaks to the seekers and whispers to the newly
initiated. Smaller vessels bring forth more sweetness and larger
glasses announce the longer tail. A great richness for a nama!
WORD: Rich
WINE: Deep Soft Reds/White Burgundy
BEER: Creamy Belgians
FOODS: Think rich and savory dishes with lots of attitude.
$34/720
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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 Selects - Team True Sake Select Monthly Brews of Note
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:
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Yukikage "Snow Shadow"
From Niigata Prefecture / Kinshihai Brewery
Tokubetsu Junmai
SMV: +4 / Acidity: 1.3 / Amino Acids: 1.0 / Yeast: S-3
Rice: Gohyakumangoku & Koshi-Ibuki milled to 58%
$23 / 720ml
Soft, light-bodied with a flavorful finish. Great-value, food-
friendly Junmai. Enjoy!
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Lynette's Pick:
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Tokun Shariku "Samurai"
From Chiba prefecture 1825.
Organic Junmai Ginjo.
SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.3
$32/720ml
Sure some sakes can taste wine-like but no wines can taste like
Tokun Shariku, with layers and layers of rice flavors. A sake
drinker's dream come true as an eager roasted flavor tinged with a
mild coffee essence is layered amongst deep rich savory flavors.
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True Sake In The News: Japan Times
A very talented writer and sake buddy - Melinda Joe - wrote a quality
piece about the program that I helped create in Osaka Japan. The
Mukune International Sake Brewing Program is/was/and will be
revolutionary for years to come and as its Director I am striving to
make this experience the spark that will burst into a wicked fire of
popularity for sake across the globe. Melinda does a great job getting
the gist and touching upon the essence.
Sake Goes Abroad, Brings Back Fans
And for those who want to know more about the program:
Mukune Sake Brewing Internship
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Sake Events - May 11 JFC - May 14 JOTO - May 21st Sake SJ - May 27 MJS Selections
May 11th: JFC Sake Expo (For Trade Only)
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This tasting is for sake trade folks - from restaurant employees to
anybody in the business.
- Date: Monday May 11th
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Time: 12-5PM
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Place: Hotel Kabuki, Sakura Room, 1625 Post Street
Register on-line ONLY -
http://www.jfc.com/sakeexpo/
(True Sake has been given Ten openings for our customers who can
best give feedback and participate actively with the brewers who
will be present)
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May 14th: Joto Sake Portfolio Tasting ~ Come Meet the Brewers!!!
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Joto Sake LLC is hosting a portfolio tasting at
the new Bushi Tei Bistro in Japan Town. There will be 24 sakes,
including three seasonal Namazakes and, check this out ... a USDA
certified organic sake from Chikurin that's made from 100% organic
home-grown Yamadanishiki rice!!! Five brewery representatives will
pour their own brews. Don't miss this rare opportunity to taste
through the exceptional artisan sakes from Joto Sake.
Pan-Asian hors d'oeuvres by Chef Toshi will also be served.
- Date: May 14th (Thursday)
- Time:
2~3pm Seminar (Trade only)
3~5pm Tasting (Trade only)
5~7pm Public Tasting ($25 cash at door*)
Call True Sake at 415-355-955 to reserve seat
*$5 dollar discount given to True Sake readers who mention the
secret word "junmai girl".
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May 21st - Sake San Jose !!!
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This is one of my favorite events to support! Can't say enough great
things about it! A walking tour of sake stations in SJ's Japan Town
from 5:30-8:30PM.
True Sake always sponsors a stand!
Sake San Jose
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May 27th - Sake 101 & Ichishima Brewery
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Please welcome Michael Simkin, founder of MJS Sake Selections, whose
primary client is Ichishima Brewery from Niigata. He will be
offering Sake 101 class with great material and 7 kinds of sake from
the brewery. He is here to listen to your feedback and answer your
questions, so please don't be shy in sharing your thoughts.
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When: Wednesday, May 27th
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Where: Yuzu Restaurant, 3347 Fillmore Street, SF
(between Chestnut & Lombard)
http://www.yuzusf.com
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What: Great Sake 101 Class + sampling of 7 sakes + yummy snacks
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Time:
5:15 - Registration
5:30 - Sake 101 class starts (please be on time)
6:30 - Tasting and snacks (if you are hungry, you can order dinner
off the menu)
7:30 - Last call
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Ticket: $21.90 (includes tax)
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Seats: Limited to 24
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RSVP: Call 415.355.955 (True Sake) and pay in advance for your spot
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Bonus: If you stay for dinner, 10% off on your dinner bill!
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"Ask Beau" - How can you clean a masu?
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Dear sir,
I am looking for an instruction on how to clean/take care of
(cleaning tips) the Japanese cypress sake cups (hinoki masu.) If
you know, please let me know.
Thank you very much,
Yvonne L
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Yvonne - first - you must drop the "sir"! Dear "monkey boy" Dear
"dork" Dear "sake jockey" Dear "goofball" are all better and more
apropos than "Dear Sir."
There are several ways.
First is this for personal cleaning or for a restaurant/bar?
Obviously there are health codes (health code measures) for a public
establishment. They are actually cracking down on masu in restaurants
in SF for sanitary reasons.
To clean for public consumption is very tough on the masu as you can
well imagine. They (the Health Board) require the same soapy water
that glassware needs. They also require a certain amount of heat for
the water too. Heat and soap are bad for hinoki.
If it is for personal use I recommend cold-water flushes. Simply wash
several times with cool water - this usually always removes the
remaining sake "elements"! Do not leave in water and contrary to what
some say - do not leave in the sun for extra sanitation. I prefer to
dry out the inside with a clean towel after the wash -
Simply cool water.
If you are a clean freak - (like me on most other things) - use a
little salt and gently rub inside the masu - but make certain that you
rinse all of the salt out!!! (You don't want margarita sake at your
next pouring.)
Hope that helps...
PS. On a completely unrelated topic I hope that the sake gods cast
thunderbolts - hail and brimstone on the individuals who broke into my
car and stole my True Sake Newsletter laptop computer and the slime
who etched graffiti in my store's front window. May the fleas of 1,000
camels infest your armpits.
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 WAKAYAMA 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 cool because
there is not a lot of brews from Wakayama Prefecture in the US.
Please remember the rules: only one bottle per reader, and don't tell
your buddy at the moment if he/she isn't a Newsletter subscriber,
always use a hushed or secret agent voice when saying the SECRET WORD,
and lastly for those who have their sakes shipped we can only include
the SECRET WORD sake in a four-pack purchase - meaning you must buy
three other sakes.
This month's brew is a Junmai Dai Ginjo called Junshinmuku or "Naive
Innocence." We would usually sell this brew for $34, but for you sake-
jockeys we will part with all 720ml for $17.
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...
What's in that bottle? When you hold up a bottle of sake think 80-20.
Because 80% of the final product is water and 20% is alcohol. And yes
alcohol is lighter than water, so naturally we can assume that the
alcohol is floating on top of a rested bottle. By all means undulate
that brew before serving to blend the alcohol and the water for a more
balanced pour!
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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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