Dear Sake Drinker,
Welcome to the June Issue of America's sake-centric Newsletter. In
this issue discover what the world has to offer the sake universe, see
how a crazy Norwegian is making a beer using a special sake yeast,
read about the next generation of sake brewery owners, buy some sake
shaving cream, try our new Urakasumi "Tri-Pak," rejoice in our
clerical error which allows you the chance to try a very interesting
Aramasa sake, and applaud/congratulate Miwa-san for getting married!
Saturday June 12th: TRUE SAKE WILL BE CLOSED.
In this issue:
Sake Universe - The International Sake Tasting!
I'll be the first to admit it - I am extremely lucky! Fortunate and
plain ol' blessed! Why? Because as a friend of mine joked many years
ago when I mentioned that I was going to open the first sake store
outside of Japan- he said "Build it and they will come" (yes the line
from "Field of Dreams") I did and they have! Seriously, I have been so
very lucky to have so many sake enthusiasts come and visit and explore
the store bringing with them stories and sake "things" that they felt
deserved to make the "pilgrimage." This has taken the form of sake
antiques, sake paraphernalia, and of course sake!
As much as I enjoy the vintage or period sakes that people bring, I
get far more float in my boat when folks bring sakes from different
countries. That's how I tasted the line of Osakes from Vancouver. They
were hand carried and presented to me - thank you hand-carrier! That's
also how I had accumulated sakes from Australia and Brazil. So in the
spirit of international sake brewing we did a little International
Sake tasting which featured sakes from Canada, Brazil, Australia, and
Norway! (yup! Norway! - please see the below article on Sake Beer from
our brewing buddy in Norway) Herewith find a brief review of several
of the these efforts and please do not kill me for not adding our very
own US made sakes - this is a project that is in the works.
Nøgne Ø From Norway
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Yamahai Nama Junmai. SMV: -10 Alc: 15%
This sake was hand carried to the US in a drinking water bottle,
because it was a portion of the first batch of sake that Nøgne Ø
head brewer Kjetil P. Jikiun ever produced at his craft beer
brewery in Norway. He flew to Chicago for a beer industry event
and then FedEX-ed me his potion. As first efforts go it was a
little "baby step-ish" but I still found some little successes.
Again please remember it was also in a plastic bottle and out of
the cold for quite some time. The nose was a collection of sweet
rice, lemon, mineral, and white pepper elements with of course a
subtle plastic smell. The color was murky yellow, which usually
means muroka and I believe this to be the case. The first sip was
sweet and sour together with a tangy finish - I found it to be
meaty with a little bulk and a good acidity play. Chewy and gooey
with hints of lemon and lemon peel that lingers with a curtain
call of sourness. A larger glass brings out a smoother delivery
but mutes the unique flavor a bit - makes the brew drink flat but
with body. A small vessel reveals a robust tanginess. Judging by
the feeling I was thinking the water may be pretty hard, and will
ask Kjetil. All in all it was a game showing, and I am extremely
proud of his first effort. I did mention to him that I would
perhaps tamp down the amino acid level a little, as it had a
subtle cloying effect. Kjetil has finished his second batch and he
is trying to get me a sample. This batch he sold to market. You Go
Norway! (Kjetil is exploring ways to get his nama-zake into the
US!)
(He just finished his trial batch and crushed his second "brewing"
- please read the following email that he sent to me):
This is just a quick email to update friends and fellow sake
lovers. Nøgne Ø has now release its first sake. We have a Nama
Genshu at 19% alc/vol, a pasteurized Junmai-shu at 16% and a 17%
Nigori. All of these are yamahai and muroka, of course. I am not
very good with computers, so for pictures I have to ask you to
check out our website - www.nogne-o.com. (Go to the list on the
left to get the other sake related subjects/news) Last week we had
a press conference in Oslo. Not many attendees showed up of
course, which confirms what I expected: That there is no market
for sake in Norway! But that is just the way it was seven years
ago when we started making craft beer. At that time there was no
market for that either. During the press conference, attendees
from the Japanese embassy were very supportive. They are going to
use our products in the embassy in the future, and in October they
will arrange an event with focus on sake and Japanese food, where
we will be representing the sake part! As for now, we are trying
to find markets for our products. Any names for sake importers in
European countries would be of great interest to us, if anyone has
something/someone to suggest. My intention was to travel to Japan
in May to visit all you people who have helped us so generously.
But being in charge of the sake brewing almost on my own is really
demanding and extremely tiring. As such I have had to postpone
this plan. Maybe July or August can work out! Everybody at Nøgne
Ø are very proud of our Nihon-shu. It has been a milestone to get
to present these products. We are very grateful of all the help,
support and advice we have received through the last couple of
years! Thank you! Kjetil
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Azouma Kirin "Dourado" From Brazil
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"Saque" There is no grade. "Lot 68" Alc: 15.5%
Interestingly it came in a 740ml bottle. (Same with Australia's
effort) Wine is 750ml and sake comes in 720ml bottles. The nose
on this Brazilian brew is a collection of alcohol, melon, cream,
cocoa and veggie elements. There is a hint of "offness" in the
nose - smells old. This smooth and rich brew has a round and chewy
sweetness that ends with a bit of heat in the finish. It drinks
fat and heavy and a larger glass brings more tingle to the end of
the sip. There is no question this sake has layers of honey
elements and as the brew warms, more cocoa hues come out. It
drinks better chilled. I find a ton of "residual sugar" impact -
big glucose with a fat body. The problem is the acidity - needs
more to disperse all of the sweetness. Balance is lacking. If I
had to bet, I think this brew was meant to drink far fruitier and
has gone "koshu" in the bottle. Perhaps it is past its prime and I
didn't drink it under peak condition.
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Sun Masamune "Go-Shu" From Australia
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Junmai Daiginjo. "Masterpiece with Rice" Go is the name for Australia.
740ml bottle. 50% milling. Alc: 13.5% Toji is Hirofumi Uchiyama
Doh! When opened the nose spelled the demise of this sake. The
first waft was leather followed by musky, earthy, soiled wood
elements. Done baby done! The first sip was supreme astringency.
Coupled with the nose, I had to drink for components, as this was
no longer a Daiginjo. There is a lightness to the brew - dry and
crisp. A larger glass brought out a wateriness that was just off.
My final notes were "dry and unbalanced." Was this at one time a
good sake? Hmmmmm. Dunno. But I would gather that they are making
a very low amino acid, dry, and compact brew that drinks very thin
and crisp. Sorry Toji-san. The brew did not stand the test of
time. Condolences.
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Osake From Canada
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Junmai Nama Genshu 375ml bottle. Alc: 18%
I brought this sake back from Vancouver when I visited Masa
Shiroki's brewery on Granville Island. He also gave me an
"Arabashiri" private reserve bottle, but I prefer speaking about
market available sakes. The nose is unmistakably nama with grape,
green apple Jolly Rancher, and fruity elements. This genshu is a
very brisk nama that is fat and frisky with chewy flavors up and
down the palate. Look for ripe melon, honey, and creamy tones that
drink in a very plush fluid flow. The acidity is noticeable and
gets more pronounced in a larger vessel as it pushes the tingle to
the sides of the mouth. I pick up a hint of charcoal or mineral
elements in the brew, but this does not detract from the fluid
that feels really nice in the mouth. It is a wide effort that can
best be described as thick and would surely go well with larger
flavored cuisines. 18% of pure Canadian impact sake.
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All in all I would say that this wasn't exactly the best International
Sake Tasting/Comparison in that all the brews had seen some wear and
tear. That said I look forward to being at a real international
competition so that I can get a better gauge on how they are doing. I
will say this - "Domestic" sake is an extremely important avenue for
the road of sake in the future. The better locally made sake is away
from Japan, the more we will see casual drinkers jump at that price
point - and if the product is good then that translates to all the
more sake drinkers. And we all know "heaven holds a place for sake
drinkers" - from all countries!
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Sake Beer - Nogne Beer Brewery Making Sake Yeast Beer
One of the best parts of being the co-founder and Director of the
Mukune International Sake Brewing Program was that I had a large hand
in designing our criteria for selecting interns. One of my criteria
was to pick folks from other beverage worlds such as wine and beer
makers. And one such beer maker jumped out at me well ahead of the
others.
Kjetil P. Jikiun is the head brewer of Nøgne Ø (Det Kompromissløse
Bryggeri AS Gamle Rygene Kraftstasjon Lunde 4885 Grimstad Norway -
www.nogne-o.com ) and this man had THE sake spirit we were looking
for! So much so he is now brewing sake (please see above article on
International sakes). But he is also making beer - his real job!
Kjetil is a bit of a Japanophile so he has made Japanese themed beer
products in the past. But none comes close to "Red Horizon" his latest
effort in beer making. Red Horizon is an ale that uses the very very
popular Association #7 yeast created by our dear friends the Miyasaka
family at the Masumi brewery in Nagano.
In a stellar looking red can rests a mysterious yet poignant beer that
is both incredibly fascinating and down right tasty! This little beast
is bottled with a 17% alcohol level that begs the question - hey man I
didn't think beers could ferment that high? Well in a word they don't
usually unless you load extra ingredients or you introduce some form
of super yeasts ala champagne yeasts or tadah sake yeasts! You can and
he does!
- The label reads as follows: Ingredients - Grimstaad water,
malted barley, malted wheat, hops, and sake yeast No. 7 39oP, 75
IBU
- The other side of the label reads: "We brewed this ale with the
famous sake yeast No. 7 from Masumi Sake in Nagano, Japan. On
advice from Masumi's master brewers, we fermented this ale very
slowly at low temperatures to bring out No. 7's fabulously
fruity character. This product is unfiltered and unpasteurized.
Please enjoy chilled.
The result is tremendously flavorful Ale that is round, deep and lush.
I like the words fat and fruity to describe the first sips. There is a
long rolling lushness that is made all the more impactful by the
superb nose on this sucker! The aroma profile is really unlike any
beer that I have smelled before - fruity and garden-like with hints of
honey and floral wafts.
The bummer is that there was only 0.25L in that extremely stylish
bottle - I could have consumed another L or two! I think in a word
this Ale is unlike any beer that I have ever have had the pleasure to
taste - and trust me when I tell you that it is a pleasure. The
combination of big fruity aromas and a full-bodied brew that drank
velvety and semi-sweet is something I look forward to tasting again.
(I'd even maybe like to warm this beer to nuru-kan levels!)
The good news is that you too will be able to try this amazing B(eer)
S(ake) or Seer or Bake soon. Where? At True Sake of course! It will be
released as soon as the end of the summer if not before and yes we
will bring it in immediately. I enjoyed this beer immensely and you
will find it like no other drinking experience! Thank you to Kjetil
and the Miysaka family for helping the process. And of course I am
expecting Kjetil to quit focusing on beer and get his sake making up
to speed
Keep up the great work Kjetil!
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Sake News - Japan Times Article About Sake's Next Generation
Thank you Todd T for pinging me this pretty interesting article in the
Japan Times about the youth movement in sake. And yes the gents they
mentioned are all True Sake friends. We just did an in-store tasting
for Kenji Ichishima and of course the Imai family are my brothers
making great sake in Yamagata Prefecture at Kudoki Jozu!
This article sort of ties into my article last month about jizake
brewers needing to go out and get market share rather than to wait for
it to never come.
Something new brewing for sake
Why is the next generation of sake makers causing a stir by breaking with tradition?
P.S. Shunji was one of the first brewers to allow me to go "shirtless"
(hairy stinky white boy) in his koji room making koji - a tremendous
honor back in the day.
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Sake Buy-Products! - Sake Shaving Cream
A big tip of the cap to Carl P from SF who shot me this url:
Sake Infused Shave Cream
Now I won't knock something 'til I try it, but man would I like to
take some cheap shots in the process! Just kidding. The sake or sake
kasu in the cosmetics industry is getting bigger, as the age-old
opinion that the enzymes in "sake' make for a wonderful skin
moisturizer and softener. I will admit after trying sake soap and
feeling liquefied sake kasu I will agree it makes the skin feel
softer. And most importantly of all after my hands have been making
sake all day they do indeed feel incredibly soft. Even up in Canada
Masa at Osake releases tubs of his kasu that are selling like hotcakes
to women who "apply" them rather than cook with them. So why the hell
not?
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Sake Events
June 10th -"Meet the Brewer" Sake Tasting
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It is a great honor to welcome Mr. Ohi from Tenju Brewery and
Linda Noel Kawabata from Akita Sake Promotion and Export Council
(ASPEC). You will enjoy a great selection of sakes from Akita
prefecture. This is a "do-not-miss" event!
When: Thursday, June 10th, 5:30-7:30
Where: True Sake
What: Great selection of sakes from Akita prefecture
RSVP: Just bring a dollar and show up
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June 20-22 - The Professional Course (San Francisco, CA)
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Heeeeeeee's Back! My buddy John Gauntner is back in the states to
offer another of his sake courses coming up at the end of June. If
you have not taken one of John's courses and you are serious about
sake this is a not to miss learning experience. John has crafted
his program over the years and it is the best informative sake
course out there.
Herewith is John's description:
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Date: June 20, 21 and 22, 2010
On June 20, 21 and 22, 2010, I will hold the fifth stateside
version of the Sake Professional Course the Bentley Reserve in
San Francisco. While three full days of sake is admittedly
intense, "no sake stone remains left unturned." Upwards of 80
sake will be tasted across the course. Participants will also
have the opportunity to take an exam for Level I Sake Specialist
certification immediately following the course.
A day-by-day syllabus and testimonials from past participants
can be found at
www.sake-world.com/html/spclv.html.
The cost for
the three-day class, including all materials and all sake for
tasting, is US$775. For reservations or inquiries, please email
SakeCourseStateside @ sake-world.com
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Sake Dealio - Urakasumi "Three Ways" - The "Urak Tri-Pak"
Yes Siree! We are always on the lookout for great sake deals! And if
we cannot find them we create some. When I looked around the store the
other day I started counting - on BOTH hands - the amount of offerings
that we carry or have carried from one of my favorite breweries -
Urakasumi from Miyagi Prefecture. Basically we are sitting on two
different "Exclusive" sakes from this stellar kura, and the other
brews are considered stalwarts in the industry. So to entice you to
try some new brews or to re-visit some old friends we have decided to
create the "Urak Tri-Pak!"
So what's in the "Urak Tri-Pak"? Three killer sakes, two of which you
may only obtain from True Sake.
- Urakasumi Junmai - Ye'ol standard of the Junmai world. $26/720ml
- Urakasumi Honjozo Genshu - The brew Beau begged for! $34/720ml
- Urakasumi Tokubetsu Junmai - The "Trial" brew not available in US $35/720ml
That is $95 worth of Miyagi's best, but for you great people we are
wacking off $15! So try three amazing sakes for $80 and remember we
only have a limited quantity.
And for the super Urak-initiated you may add on the other two brews in
the store - the Spring released Nama "Shiboritate" $35/720ml and the
ultra popular Urakasumi "Zen" Junmai Ginjo $54/720ml - and if you are
absolutely crazed for "Urak" we could special order you their Junmai
Daiginjo!
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Sake Trial - Five "Trial Basis" Sakes to Explore **UPDATED
CLERICAL ERROR! We now have two cases of the Aramasa - Doh!
Every once in a while a sake miracle happens! Well perhaps "miracle"
is too strong for this, but nevertheless something eventful happened
and we are very pleased to announce that for an EXTREMELY short period
we will offer 5 sakes that are unavailable in the US. These brews have
come to us on a trail basis to see if you drinkers would enjoy having
these sakes on US soil.
Basically we have been give one case each of the following sakes from
four great breweries that you well know. I don't want to do extensive
reviews for each brew, as we are looking for feedback to give to the
importer to help them decide to carry or not carry these selections.
But please note there are only 20 or so bottles of each brew and when
they are gone they are gone!
BUT this is a two way street - so please if you purchase one or of the
brews please be a Sake Pal and send us a quick email to
info @ truesake.com
saying what you liked or didn't like about each
sake! Thank you and the importer thanks you as well. Here are the
selections:
Aramasa "Rokugo" "#6" Tokubetsu Junmai
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From Akita Prefecture.
There was a miscommunication with LA, who informed us that we
were out of the Aramasa! Not true - we have two cases now in-
store! Great sake made with a very important sake yeast - The #6
which Aramasa created!
$28/720ml
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Urakasumi Ki-Ippon Tokubetsu Junmai
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From Miyagi Prefecture.
We sell a lot of sakes from this brewery too! And likewise this
version fits right into the Urakasumi wheelhouse! A semi-rich
and roasted Junmai with ricey and rich sweet elements like
oatmeal with brown sugar. This sake warms very well!
$35/720ml
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Dewanoyuki "Yuki" Kimoto Junmai
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From Yamagata Prefecture.
This is a very different kimoto sake that drinks light and
buoyant with crisp flavors such as dried cranberry and young
pears. Rich and zesty with a tone of complexities.
$22/720ml.
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Kikuhime "Kinken" "Gold Sword" Junmai
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From Ishikawa.
This brewery flat out makes superb sake! But it is real "man's"
sake for sake's sake! We offer the Yamahai, which is immense, at
the store and this brew fits that mold as well! (No pun
intended!) A gripping flavor of dark honey is wrapped in a bold
and solid fluid that has weight to it. Think of bitter chocolate
and chicory essences that explode in a larger vessel. A sake
drinker's sake for certain!
$35/720ml
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Tsukasabotan "Hana" Junmai
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From Koichi Prefecture.
We sell a lot of sakes from this kura and this 70% Junmai fits
right into their style. It's round and dry and speaks to those
who like sakes that taste like rice!
$22/720ml (SOLD OUT)
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Please remember these are extremely limited releases, so try them
before they are gone!
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
Keiko's Pick:
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Amabuki Aiyama Junmai Ginjo
From Saga Prefecture. SMV: +4 / Acidity: 1.3
Rice: Aiyama / Polishing Rate: 55%
I chose this sake from Saga prefecture, because it has just become
available in the U.S. One of the most unique traits of this sake is
that they use a Japanese "Nadeshiko" flower yeast!
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What is flower
yeast? Simply put, it is a yeast cultivated from different kinds of
flowers. More than two dozen breweries are members of the Flower Yeast
Research Group at the Tokyo Agricultural University, which researches
and supplies these breweries with various kinds of flower yeast. They
feel that flower yeast is a gift from nature. The bottle nose has a
floral bouquet that reminded me of the beginning of spring season. The
taste has a big orange juice fruitiness and finishes with a subtle
orange flower aroma. Very springy, very bright! This is a great sake
to feel and experience something new. It also tastes good!
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Sake & Miwa - Sake for the Special Day
First, I'd like to remind everyone that True Sake will be CLOSED on
Saturday, June 12th. If you need a bottle of sake for that day, please
plan a head. (We will reopen on Sunday.)
Now, please read "Ask Beau" section below to find out why we are
closed that day.
Yes, I am getting married to a super special sake drinker. Through
sake, I have met many wonderful and interesting individuals, including
my husband-to-be. Without "nihon-shu" I would not be where I am today.
I am very thankful.
June is an ultra wedding month. I bet many brides (and grooms) go
though many months (or years) of planning and decision making. We came
to the conclusion that we were probably better at being married than
getting married. So we decided to wing-it. The toughest task has been
to find pairs of shoes that match our outfits. The easiest task was to
list the sake we want to drink. (One, small challenge, however, has
been to decide how much sake to have--Beau is coming to the party, and
he can drink!)
One evening, we picked sakes that have a special meaning for us; the
ones that we hold dear to our hearts. To name a few, one is Dewasansan
Junmai Ginjo. He fell in love with Dewa, which was serve at Memphis
Minnies BBQ. There, he was told about a little sake store on Hayes
street. Without that sake, my husband-to-be would have not stepped
into True Sake. Another one is Chikurin Junmai Ginjo. On our first
picnic together, we went out to a hill overlooking the golden gate. I
made some food and to my surprise, he pulled out a bottle of Chikurin.
He even brought glasses. Every time we sip this sake, we feel at home:
comfy.
Being the Junmai girl that I am, we had to have Urakasumi as well as
Sogen. They are subtle compared to fragrant ginjos or daiginjos, but
they work so well with seafood. (Yes, we will be grilling some.)
Once in blue moon, something calls your name very strongly even though
you are not sure why. For me, that is Yuki no Bosha. I've been feeling
a strong urge to visit them as if it is my mission to do so as a sake
explore. I feel it represents a catalyst for the future for us, much
the same way Dewasansan was a catalyst for our meeting each other in
the first place.
Hagurosuishu Junmai Daiginjo by Takenotsuyu Brewery also holds special
place in my heart. It was my third brewery to visit when I started on
my sake journey, and the number three seems to magically pop up in my
life and is also part of my name. I also have to mention the brewery,
because when I first arrived I was welcomed by a glass of brewing
water, which they are very passionate about. It made a lasting
impression on me.
In addition to these sake, we will be sharing with our guests many
other tasty and meaningful sake on our special day. Again, I am very
happy and thankful that my life took an unexpected yet wonderful turn
through nihon-shu, and I just want to share the sake love for many
years to come.
Lastly, if you are planning to have sake at your wedding or to bring
one to a wedding, I would be very happy to help you out.
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"Ask Beau" - "Is Miwa Your Wife?"
Do you know how many times I have been asked this question? If I had a
noodle for each question I would have a bowl of pasta the size of Lake
Erie by now. The answer is no! And for those cruel few who asked if
Lynette was our daughter I can now firmly say go take a long leap off
of short pier into Lake Pasta.
It is with great pride that I get to announce that Miwa is indeed
getting married, but to a great guy that is not me! I have always said
that the success of True Sake is founded upon great sake and even
better service. Well Miwa has demonstrated this point to perfection.
She is marrying a customer!
So when you have a chance please congratulate these two wonderful
people. I hope that their sake cups runneth over in happiness, health
and positive sake life experiences.
Oh - in their honor we are closing True Sake on June 12th so that we
can celebrate accordingly.
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.
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 we are featuring Kawachi Ondo Junmai Ginjo from Choryo
Brewery in Nara, Japan. We usually sell this sake for $28, but for you
sake jockeys we will part with this 720ml for $16!
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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Saturday June 12th: TRUE SAKE WILL BE CLOSED.
Thank you for reading!
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Consider this...
Famous yeasts make famous sakes! Going back to 1900 or thereabouts
when the first yeast were isolated - before that all fermentation was
naturally occurring - there have been several super-star products that
came from breweries that you know and love. For example Aramasa gave
us the famous #6, Masumi shot the lights out with #7, and Koro in
Kumamoto gave us the extremely famous #9. We have each of these
"kobos" at True Sake right now for you to taste.
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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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