“Ask Beau”– “What is the best way to “do” Sake Day?”
That is a great question! And I have a few answers, but keep in mind that during Sake Day I rarely taste a sake. Not a joke. Folks always ask me if I tasted this brew or that brew? And my answer is always the same – Nope! I’m always so busy that I don’t get to play like you guys do! So please don’t ask me, “What was your favorite sake for Sake Day ’18?” You already know the answer.
Here is what I would do if I could participate in the 13th Annual Sake Day. I would walk in and get my Welcome Sake and then spend the next five minutes reading the Sake Day Brochure. I am not kidding. This booklet is the best way to game plan your participation. And it is a work of art thanks to all the very hard work that Mei puts into the brochure. In a word she lists every sake that is being poured, and it is a great road map. First I would look at the sakes that are “Not Available In the US.” These sakes usually become very popular so I would head to them first. Then I would look at specific tables that are hosted by specific brewery owners. I personally love talking to owners of breweries and asking them all sorts of questions. They are usually very passionate, and you can learn a lot from them.
This year guests have “in and out” privileges with their wristbands, so I may take a little break and go grab something to eat in JapanTown. Then when I returned I would hit some Daiginjos from various tables, and I would take notes. It would then be a good time to go visit the True Sake “Sake Challenge” table to test your sake Spider-Senses. If you want a fun little diversion then I would go to the Sequoia Sake Table where they will be pairing sake with chocolate from Dandelion. But don’t slow down! At this point it would be a good idea to go shopping. Huh? Yup! Go and taste some sakes and make a shopping list of sakes that you can order. I would order early to beat the lines. I would then finish the evening tasting some of the sweeter offerings like ume-shu and yuzu-shu.
It is so easy to just walk into Sake Day and explore, but it is so helpful to look at the brochure and really pick a course of action. You’ll be happy that you did!