Hello!

My name is Chris Cabrera aka CABS and I've been in the sake industry since 2015. I've been lucky enough to travel to Japan a handful of times, and was able to visit various breweries and tasting rooms, as well as attend my first ever Sake no Jin in Niigata. These are experiences I will never forget. I'm looking forward to sharing my knowledge and expertise here at True Sake, and meeting fellow sake nerds, lovers, connoisseurs, and enthusiasts.

In 2018 under the tutelage of Sake Samurai Toshio Ueno, I am also a Sake Adviser certified by the Sake School of America (via the Sake Service Institute in Japan).

In April 2021, I've earned my Sake Scholar certification under the guidance of Sake Samurai, Michael Tremblay aka Toronto's favorite son.

In November 2021, I've earned my Level 3 Award in Sake from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust taught by Jesse Pugach and KJ Rizzo.

In July 2022, I've earned my Certified Sake Professional certification with the world’s leading non-Japanese sake expert, Sake Samurai, and Sake Evangelist, John Gauntner.

Nishida Denshu. Photo by our Spring intern, Ayumi chan!

Some quick picks from me, new picks with asterisks (updated 3/8/2023):

Shintaro Junmai "Imperial Loyalist" - It's finally back in stock! Holy crap. Only 5 cases available in the Bay Area. I snagged two cases immediately. My favorite dry sake at True Sake. Take this to your favorite izakaya and have a good time. The packaging is pretty killer too. I think I love paper-wrapped sake. From Kochi prefecture, the land of dry nihonshu. If you know, you know.

*Ohmine Yamadanishiki 50 "3 Grain" - Brand new to the True Sake shelves, Ohmine Shuzo likes to go against the grain, no pun intended. Hailing from Yamaguchi Prefecture, these guys are definitely doing things their own way. Nigo and Pharrell have invested in the brewery, they don't disclose who their master brewer is, they don't use classifications to brand their sake. I mean, it's milled to 50%, so we can call it a Daiginjo, but Ohmine Shuzo prefers not to call it that. Hey, I respect that. With sake consumption declining in Japan, breweries cannot rest on their laurels and wait for sake to decline even further. You gotta do something different, something outside of the box. Try something new, because doing the same ol' same ol' won't suddenly increase sake consumption. Just my .02 cents. But what does this taste like? It's balanced! Not too sweet, not too dry, very sessionable, very crushable, very drinkable. A great daily drinker. In 2018, Ohmine Shuzo declared that they were "AGAINST THE SAKE WORLD." What does this mean? I guess this is up for interpretation, but either way, it's good sake.

Gikyo Junmai Ginjo "Chivalry" - I'm not usually one to geek out on Yamadanishiki rice, but this is one fantastic bottle using the "King of Sake Rice." Classic melon up front that moves into cereal grains in the mid, with a dry tingly finish. But to be perfectly honest, I think the newspaper wrap it comes in is pretty cool. And if you're lucky, you'll get a bottle wrapped with the Nagoya real estate section. Time to start planning that big move to Japan...

Kumaya Shuzo AN "Omachi" Tokubetsu Junmai. If you know, you know.

*Terada Honke Muroka Nama Genshu "Musubi" - This one is for the sake weirdos out there. Daiginjo fans, please do not buy. This is not pretty. This is not floral. However, this is sake history. While the rice polishing wars have taken us to seimaibuais of less than 1%, Terada Honke has gone the completely opposite direction and has made a sake with a seimaibuai of 100%, meaning unpolished brown rice. Polishing rice down to 50% or less mills off proteins, fats, etc. that usually leads to more savory flavors in sake. For all the natural wine heads out there, or sour beer fans, or drink nerds that just love something different, or for the sake historian that has had everything under the sun, and is very open-minded, then this sake is for you. In the Summer 2022 issue of Sake Today, author of the article Justin Potts goes on to say, "... [Terada Honke's] intent for [Musubi] was never to win over the palates of sommeliers. Musubi had a much loftier goal: to better people's lives."

Atago no Matsu Tokubetsu Honjozo "Pine of Atago" - Master Brewer aka Toji of Niizawa Shuzo, Nanami Watanabe, is only 26 years old. What were YOU doing when you were 26 years old? Me, I definitely wasn't a master sake brewer, that's for damn sure. But enough about me. Atago no Matsu, IWC Great Value Champion Sake 2022. This is a certified banger. A refreshing nose of apple, grapefruit, Greek yogurt, pine, rosemary, and buttered popcorn. Light and easy on the palate, with notes of creme brûlée. Note the short and clean finish with a touch of acid and a touch of umami. Wow. How is this only $23 bucks? As the resident cheapskate here at True Sake, this honjozo is my jam!

With all that being said, the best way to learn about sake is to drink more sake, pay attention, take notes, and remember what you like and don't like. There's A LOT of misinformation out there on the internet (how ironic, since you're reading my list on the internet), but it's up to you to do your due diligence, and fine tune your sake preferences that align with your taste buds. Cheers! -Chris

An ad at Niigata's Echigo-Yuzawa Station featuring Reruhi-San, who looks like Theodor Von Lerch, an Austro-Hungarian general who introduced skiing to Japan.

Moerenuma Park (モエレ沼公園) Sapporo, Hokkaido

At Niseko Shuzo in Hokkaido, where the President insisted on this photo op, even though I just wanted to be a customer. My friend spilled the beans that I worked in the sake industry, which in hindsight, created this fun, awkward moment.

Ohmine Yamadanishiki 50 "3 Grain"

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