Dear Sake Drinker,
Welcome to the May Issue of America's sake-centric Newsletter. In this
issue, listen in on the shower thoughts of a guy trying to figure out
the macro vs. micro sake brewery scene, how ash kills sake tastings,
read about a shaking experiment that took nigori sake to a new playing
field, check out the next wave of nama-zakes, don't forget the limited
trial-basis sakes, see what Miwa is up to, and learn how to tell if
your sake has gone bad!
Sunday, May 16th: TRUE SAKE WILL BE CLOSED FOR COSMETIC SURGERY!
In this issue:
Sake Thoughts - The Perception of Micro vs. Macro Sake Breweries
In a word - I take "heat" for some of my thoughts about the sake
industry. It's not mean heat though - just sort of that ow I bumped
the skillet heat that doesn't leave a life scar! It's not a mean heat
because most folks know that my heart is pretty pure for this
wonderful thing we call sake! The heat usually comes from the presence
or fuel known as politics. Yes - sake politics suck! Ummm as we are
seeing, basically all politics suck, but sake politics really gets
under my skin. (I almost typed "gets under my crawl" because it sounds
cooler but I don't even know if that is a word or if this is an actual
phrase that I have been using since kid-dom). In any case, politics
does rear its fugly head, and per usual I'm either at the epicenter or
like a "firejumper" I toss myself smack dab into the middle of the
inferno.
This may be one of "those" thoughts.
I was in the shower doing some thinking - I do a lot of shower
thinking - usually for the good of mankind or sakekind. I was
pondering the whole macro brewery versus the micro brewery battle in
the beer industry. You know! The ol' drink a small, brewery-crafted
beer instead of the huge machine-made giant brand beer. Or the other
direction! Drink our fresh and tasty reliable brew instead of the old
and damaged small brewery beer. They attack each other - they are
brothers but still they attack to gain market share. In a sense they
also educate the market - these wars. I mean I think about fresh beer
now. I also think about trying smaller batch production stuff. Their
struggle to win over customers actually educates all customers to a
degree. But what is really important is the advertising itself. Beer
supports beer even in battle.
Now many of you know my two "before I die" desires of 1) having a sake
selection on every restaurant menu that offers wine and beer and 2)
having the sake industry join forces to create a 30 second Super Bowl
commercial about - ummm well - sake! For years I have spoken to the
powers that be in Japan to do a better job with advertising sake. They
are not only tone deaf, but they are tone blind too - whatever the
hell that means. They simply do not get it! (Okay this is where the
heat is about to burn ol' Beau's tush!)
The current situation is and has been this: the small breweries have
absolutely no budget and the big breweries take care of themselves
(rightfully so in biz terms but not big picture terms) That's the way
it is and is and is (for the grammatically correct). Now when
representatives of big and small get together to speak about joining
forces to create an awareness the ugly politics "miracle" occurs every
time. When the Japanese Brewer's Union sit and meet to discuss what I
call the "betterment of sake" they agree that something along the
lines of a "national campaign" should occur. But every time they do a
"national campaign" they screw it up - and I mean that to the worst
possible degree - they absolutely screw things up! For example and
this is typical - when the shochu industry started an ad campaign
about shochu being "healthy" for you the sake industry responded with
a national campaign that can be summed up as this: "When you drink a
glass of sake you should have a glass of water." Ummm yah! That was
the campaign. Drawing attention to alcoholism. Shochu is healthy for
you and sake makes you a drunk! Winner winner chicken dinner!
Now the reason for this is - okay now the heat is on full burner! - on
account of the fact that the major macro breweries carry too much
weight in the Japanese Sake Brewer's Union. There I said it. And I am
friends with several of the owners of these macro breweries, and yes
they read this very here rag. Sorry gents! But my point is on target.
The big boys do not have the same vested interests as the little guys.
They have far different customers and that is why I feel that a war or
battle of the micro (jizake) breweries vs. the macro breweries would
do wonders for everybody. Go to war boys! I would love to see the
smaller local breweries advertise as one. Pool their money - share
their expenses and get far more bang for the yen. What would they say?
Easy! The would say - we make sake by hand - handcrafted sake that
tastes far far superior to large company machine-made brews. They
would both win! Huh? How? Well it would encourage large breweries to
make a better product to keep up, which would behoove them. Heck maybe
even the macro breweries would spin off smaller little jizake-like
houses that produce smaller batch brews.
There will be blood! Not! These guys aren't like that, but a good
awareness marketing campaign between the two vested interests would do
wonders for the whole sake world. And guess what? The sake world needs
a kick in the pants! There are so many boozes out there calling to the
next generation of drinkers. Where is our voice? Is our hat in the
ring? A good bloodfest between these two factions would make our voice
heard - like a yell!
I cannot tell you how many younger Japanese people still regard sake
as an older person's drink. They are amazed when I say that young
westerners love sake. Why? That's the question I get back. Why do we
like sake? The answer is obvious. We are drinking good sake. Most
westerners have never had to drink cheap rot gut mass produced sake -
we have been injected right into the "good stuff" (Jizake sake). So
our perception of sake is far better than many young Japanese
drinkers. And that is the segment that needs a good bombardment of "Do
you think you know sake?" ads or campaigns that distinguishes small
hand crafted sake versus large corp. machine made sauce. These
drinkers will not go to sake - sake must go to them!
Nobody preaches the "high tides raise all ships" mantra louder than I.
Each and everyday I tell anybody within the industry who will listen
that each brewery sells other breweries sakes, each importer sells
each others sakes, and each distributor distributes each other sakes -
we are all one team! But competition is incredibly important to the
future of sake. It's time that some of the weight that the big boys
carry in the Brewer's Union be rested from their hands. They cannot or
should not be the driving force of the sake industry when it comes to
game planning the market - for the expressed previously stated reason
that their interests are different than that of the small breweries.
And it is these small breweries that need to unite in some simple form
to get the word out that they are not the same entity as the macro
breweries. They need to draw a line in the rice! They need to go to
war!
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Sake Bust - Volcano Ruins the Day
Natural disasters! Yup - I've participated in a few - from earthquakes
to typhoons and from heat waves to hurricanes. Hell - I was once even
in a locust swarm. I have also seen lava and steam from a volcano. But
ash? Nope. Ash was a first for me, and it quite frankly killed my
flight from San Francisco to London last month. Yes sir-ee! I was
supposed to be a senior judge for the sake side of the International
Wine Challenge (IWC) for the second time. This is the largest wine
competition in the world. I love this tasting! And my hat is off to
those guys for doing sake proud! (Sam Harrop is a fellow Sake Samurai)
The best part of this tasting/judging is that the panels are made up
of both western judges and Japanese judges in equal numbers. It's a
great way to see the variance in tastes. I wrote about this
"difference" in palate in the
May 2008 Newsletter.
The IWC uses a 100 point system and I was both fascinated and
frustrated when the western and Japanese judges were 30-40 points off
on the same sake. How? So I had to lead the group to explaining their
reasonings, and yes, patterns did emerge. The western palate
definitely has a taste for larger flavors and more impact. The
Japanese palate prefers cleaner and more balanced elements that favor
a drier product.
I was really looking forward to see if this trend continued. But alas
that volcano kicked my ash! (Oh and it prevented the Japanese team
from attending as well!)
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Sake Experiment - Shak'n Nigoris!
Yes the True Sake Science team was at it again! As many of you know
I/we like to experiment with sake to test the boundaries of this
amazing beverage. We like to check for durability - conditioning -
handling - longevity - temperature points - delivery etc amongst
others. It is a way to document how sake survives and has been very
well received by brewers and exporters alike. They value our efforts
and we have received a lot of constructive feedback as to what they
had previously thought and why. It's fun to give something in return.
The latest True Sake Experiment revolved around nigori or unfiltered
sake and the effects of over shaking. We have done past experiments
shaking a filtered sake and the impact was profound. Would the same be
true for nigori sake? We got the idea after noticing people shaking
the nigori sakes in our store. Yes, people love the snow-globe effect
and they cannot control themselves from shaking away. It's sort of
like the old "Don't squeeze the Sharmin" commercials. So true to form
we began a shaking exercise!
We took two bottles of Sasame Yuki Nigori from Fukushima from the same
case and put them in the refrigerator. One of the bottles was not
touched. The other sake got shook! We literally shook - as you would
normally do for a nigori (I call it an undulation) - the second bottle
everyday for 90 days. That's a whole lot a shaking going on! Again -
the other bottle just sat there.
Because we had done this type of experiment before I was fairly
certain that we would see a serious consequence - or ramification - of
the extra shaking. I expected the shaken bottle to be far more
"smoothed out" far more relaxed and far more flat than the bottle that
did not take the dancing class. And truthfully I thought the impact
would be far more extreme than the filtered sake.
The Shook bottle will be referred to as Bottle A and the un-shaken
bottle will be referred to as Bottle B.
Comparing the noses it was quite evident that the shaking muted the
aroma of Bottle A. The un-shook Bottle B had a more pronounced nose.
Aha! The first discover is that when one "damages" a nigori the aroma
profile suffers to a degree. This held true for 4 different glass
sizes!
Comparing the texture and flavors of the sakes one had to concentrate
as there were no massive differences in the two. They both drank
pretty much the same - to a degree! For the uninitiated one would say
the sakes stayed about the same. But we did notice some subtleties
that actually became more pronounced when the nigoris warmed up in the
glass a little. Firstly the shaken Bottle A drank a little lighter
than B - the presence was smoother and more buoyant. The un-shaken
Bottle B drank with more body and acidity play - there was an almost
crisp quality when compared to A. In a sense the shaking dispersed the
acidity and it blended better in the shaken Bottle A. Consequently the
more evident acidity in Bottle B brought forth more sweetness that was
not evident in Bottle A. The shaking changed the "sweetness" of the
brew and Bottle A drank with more richness than sweetness.
Bottle B - the one that just hung out in the fridge - drank with a
tingle of alcohol that some may call "semi-boozy," and this was not
present in the least with the shaken Bottle A. Perhaps again the
shaking can be attributed to taking down that alcohol tingle that
actually created an edgy finish in Bottle B, but this was not present
in Bottle A that a far more muted and subsequently better finish.
In summary - This was a good experiment on several levels. For one it
shows yet again that conditioning has a profound impact on the quality
of a consumed sake. The same batch of sake could be served in Japan
and the US and folks will taste different sakes. I like that. I also
like the fact that the nigori did not collapse or completely fall
apart with such an amount of over-shaking. Seriously! The brew should
have folded in theory, but it drank fine - so much so that two out of
the three tasters preferred the shaken bottle. This just reminds me
again that well-made sake is completely durable. Lastly, I really
liked the fact that we could identify four distinct ways the shaking
"damaged" or "aided" the sake: 1) The aroma 2) The acidity 3) The
Sweetness 4) The Finish. Should you now go home and shake your nigori
collection? Why not?
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Sake Events
May 6th - BT at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas - Shibuya Gets Uncorked!
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This is a little last second - sorry! But I will be at the MGM
Grand pouring sakes and signing books for a great charity event.
Swing by to say hi!
Event: Shinkansen to Shibuya, Sake and Sushi Celebration
When: Thursday, May 6th, 10:30pm - 1:30am
Where: Shibuya Restaurant in the MGM Grand.
3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109-4319
Cost: $80 at the door. $30 off per person discount for advance
purchases. Enter promo code: TSSHIB50. Note there is a
limited supply of tickets
Link:
Vegas Uncork'd
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May 9th - Hayes Valley Spring Block Party
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Mother's Day is also our semi-annual block party on Hayes Street.
True Sake will offer 10% discount on any items (except on sale
items and the secret word sake). Other participating businesses
are also offering some deals. Please visit us!
When: Sunday, May 9th, 11am -3pm
Where: Hayes Valley
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May 11th - The Joy of Sake Ohana
May 17th - JFC Expo
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This free event is for those who are in the restaurant, retail,
and/or distribution businesses.
When: Monday, May 17th, 12-5pm
Where: Cypress Hotel, Cupertino, CA
Register: sakeexpert.com
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May 19th - Daishichi Tasting
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Come get your "Kimoto" on and meet Ad G. Blankestijn the Director
of Overseas Marketing and Sales for the Daishichi Sake Brewery
from Fukushima. Ad will be pouring several sakes from this kura
that is well known for making superb "kimoto" sake. If you have
any advance questions please send them to Ad at
blankestijn @ daishichi.com
When: Wednesday, May 19th, 6-8PM
Where: True Sake
RSVP: Bring a dollar and show up
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May 27th - Sake San Jose 2010
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"Sake San Jose combines sake tasting with a walk through Historic
Japantown San Jose."
This is one of my favorite events of the year! I love this tasting
because it is fun and really friendly! If you live outside of San
Jose get a hotel room and make a night of it. You can even visit
Koji Sake Lounge after the event! And per usual Beau will be
hosting a station and will be pouring his usual "Beau Shu" the
mighty nama Ginjo Genshu cans from Narutotai!
When: Thursday, May 27th, 5-8:30 pm
Where: Japantown San Jose / On Jackson Street Between 3rd and 7th Streets
Tickets: Pre-event: $40 / Day of event: $50
Details: Sake San Jose
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Sake Stuff - Vote, Bike and Party
Baylist Voting - Vote for Us!
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True Sake is competing for 2010 Best of the BayList - Best Wine
Shop
Please vote for us under "Specialty Food and Drink/Wine Shop" Or
click on this link to go directly to our page and cast your vote:
Vote for True Sake
Thanks for your support! Voting for the 2010 Best of the BayList
ends on May 29th.
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I Bike SF - Bike to shop & get a deal
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True Sake is participating in this city sponsored program to
encourage bicycling and neighborhood businesses. In the month of
May, we are offering 10% off any items to anyone that bikes to the
store. (Not including sales items and the secret word sake.)
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May 9th - Hayes Valley Spring Block Party
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Mother's Day is also our semi-annual block party on Hayes Street.
True Sake will offer 10% discount on any items (except on sale
items and the secret word sake). Other participating businesses
are also offering some deals. Please visit us!
Time: 11am -3pm
Where: Hayes Valley
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New Store Arrivals - Spring Nama Blast #2 Otokoyama, Gokyo, Urakasumi
Okay folks the second flight of freshly released nama-zakes are here
and ready for your complete and undivided attention. You know all of
these brews as they paid a visit last spring. Look for your old
favorites like Otokoyama Yukishibori that is drinking crisp, clean,
and dry with a hint of melon. Or the explosive Arabashiri from Gokyo
that has layers of attitude and is a large walk in the park of
flavors. And don't forget the very solid and rich Urakasumi
Shiboritate that is velvety and a smooth trip to the full-bodied side.
And per usual I will NOT include my reviews this flight on account of
how much these brews evolve in the bottle and how quickly they do so.
If I write a review one week the brews may drink just a little more
different the next - and that is what is FUN about nama sake!
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Otokoyama "Yukishibare"
From Hokkaido Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Kasumisake
SMV: +4 / Acidity: 1 / $30 (720ml)
Gokyo "Arabashiri"
From Yamaguchi Prefecture. Junmai Nama Genshu
SMV: +1 / Acidity: 1.7 / $32 (720ml)
Urakasumi "Shiboritate"
From Miyagi Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Nama
SMV: +1 / Acidity: 1.5 / $35 (720ml)
Kasumitsuru Shiboritate
From Hyogo Prefecture. Yamahai Honjozo Nama
SMV: +3.5 / Acidity: 2.3 / $35 (720ml)
Wataribune "Ferry Boat" Shiboritate
From Ibaraki Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Muroka.
SMV: 1.0, / Acidity: 1.5 / $42 (720ml)
Masumi Arabashiri "First Run" 2010
From Nagano Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu.
SMV: -1.5 / Acidity: 1.8 / $33 (720ml)
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You can review many of our sakes on our web site.
Our inventory list is here.
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Sake Trial - Five "Trial Basis" Sakes to Explore
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 (scratch that as the "help" already drank one of the
selections out) - we will offer 4 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 given 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:
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
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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 ricy 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
boyount 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!
$35/720
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Aramasa "Rokugo" "#6" Tokubetsu Junmai
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From Akita Prefecture.
We are sorry this guy went so quickly! We only had twenty four
bottles and the home team took some. Won't say how important
this sake is - they invented the #6 kobo!
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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! 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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Miwa's Pick:
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Kuro Kabuto Junmai Daiginjo
From Fukuoka Prefecture / SMV:-2 / Acidity: 2.0 / $32 (720ml)
This Junmai Daiginjo is brewed using black koji (as opposed to
yellow one.) The sake has a bright green apple and pineapple aroma
with a hint of bubble gum. The texture is soft and very enjoyable.
The taste is pure sweetness and the acidity adds balance like a
sweet lemon. This is a great sipping sake.
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Sake & Miwa: NAMA SHY
I have a little secret I'd like to share with you. I've always been a
little shy of nam-zake (unpasteurized sake). For all these years I've
preferred the taste of pasteurized over unpasteurized sake. However, I
recently have found myself drinking more namas and enjoying them quite
a bit more. I even had an epiphany of sorts.
When I travel to Japan, which is home for me, I tried to bring back a
nama or two. I recently went to Japan and bought a bottle of Tenju
Junmai Ginjo Nama. I've had their Junmai and Junmai Daiginjo (under
the name of Chokaisan) few times and always liked them. So I thought,
"Why not give it a try?"
Taking advice from my husband-to-be, I waited a day to let my mind and
palate recover from jetleg. The following evening, we carefully
studied the label and opened the bottle. It poured so beautifully and
had a very elegant fruity aroma. When we took a sip we both said "WOW"
at the same time. It was by far the best nama I've had so far this
year, and I have to say, the best sake for that matter. Moments like
this are rare, so I try to honor every sip of every sake I taste. I
want to keep a totally open mind and clear palate to all things sake.
For the past several years, more nama-zakes are being introduced to
this country. I believe we had a record high of seasonal nama imported
last year. Being at the store all these years, I've noticed more and
more people are specifically looking for this style of sake.
So what is the taste difference between pasteurized and unpasteurized
sake? My simplest reply is this: "It is like the difference between
pasteurized and unpasteurized orange juice." Nama orange juice has
sharp, vivid flavors; each element (sweetness, acidity, tanginess,
aroma, etc) is easier to detect and understand. Pasteurized has a bit
more of a soft, round feel. I think the same could be said about sake.
So, why have I been nama-shy? While I do enjoy round, subtle layers of
pasteurized sake, it is not the "vividness" of the namazake I that
enjoy less. It's actually a very specific flavor I find in some nama
that I can live without....... "wax". Yes, it reminds me of when I was
little and would lick the bottom end of a candle from a birthday cake.
Although being nama-shy, I taste every nama-zake that comes into the
store and beyond! I must admit there are a couple that I like and
drink occasionally. Over the past few years I have come across several
namas my palette did not say "wax!" to.
So, in honor of my little epiphany, I decided to dig through some old
notes of a namazake. I wanted to see if I could find one that I taste
from year to year and how it compared. Well, I managed to find notes
on Otokoyama Yukishibare, a seasonal nama. This sake is imported by
JPSA, which brought its first namazake to the U.S. back in 1996! I
spoke to the importer Kazu-san and learned that in Japan, this
particular sake doesn't circulate beyond Hokkaido, where the brewery
resides. (We are lucky to have it.)
Here is a synopsis of my notes:
2006.3.15
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Condition: Open for a day.
Glass Nose: Cantaloupe juice, slightly caramelized cooked banana,
a hint of bubble gum.
Feel & Taste: Super light texture, almost non-existent
(transparent). Flavors of Pione grape (Kyoho grape) and coconut
water. Feel tropical and fun. No "nama"-ness.
2 days later: there is still fruit tone. Cantaloupe juice in the
taste.
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2007.3.22
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Condition: Opened for 12 hours (Beau had it first.)
Glass Nose: Pasty cream (milk and egg) with hidden fruitiness.
Feel & Taste: First sip is Pione grape. Grassy and botanical.
Acidity is so subtle that one has to look for it. Compared to a
year before, the sake is simpler and slight drier. Light, smooth
and soft: water-like quality.
2nd day: the aroma of grape is still intact yet slight bitterness
has emerged. Cream like aroma is gone.
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2008.4.14
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Condition: Just opened
Glass Nose: Blend of melon and milk.
Feel & Taste: Melon tone is carried over to the taste and with a
hint of saltiness. It is like have a slice of prosciutto over
melon. Texture is Light and shimmering, water-like easy flow. Ends
with slight "kire" (quick/dry finish) yet without any acidity or
astringency. No "namaness" of wax.
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2009.4.10
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Condition: Just opened
Glass Nose: Banana and cream, melon and vanilla.
Feel & Taste: Honeydew! Pione grape (again!) with a hint of
"horonigasa" (subtle bitterness) as in the oil of citrus skin.
Touch of umami.
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2010.4.8
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Condition: Open for a day
Glass Nose: Bubble gum.
Feel & Taste: Combination of bubble gum and young banana with a
hint of unsweetened cream. Faint umami as after taste. Pretty dry.
(I wish there was a touch of sweetness.)
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One unique aspect of seasonal nama is its taste variance from year to
year. While pasteurized sake (including single pasteurized) aim for a
consistency, seasonal nama can be quite different from year to year--I
refuse to use the term "vintage" here. Sometimes, I am nicely
surprised or unexpectedly disappointed by the difference. Otokoyama
Yukishibare is one of namas that I found no wax taste and seems quite
consistent. I like it quite bit. After all, I am not-so nama shy.
Domo Arigato for reading this.
Miwa
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"Ask Beau" - "How do you know when a sake is bad if you don't know
sake that well?
This is a great question Marc M from Colorado Springs!
The quick answer is if you did not buy that bottle from True Sake then
indeed it is bad! Verrrrrryyyyyy Baaaaaaaaaad!
There are many easy ways to tell if a bottle of sake has "expired"
before you purchase or consume it. And it's best to use all of your
senses! First things first - check the label. Look for the release
date, which basically is the day that that particular bottle was
"released" from the brewery. If the bottle is more than two years old
- buy or order at your own risk! Use your eyes. If you order a
Daiginjo or a Ginjo and the fluid looks yellow - this is a pretty good
indicator that that particular brew could be damaged. Typically
brewers keep their higher end products clear, and oxidation is what
accounts for the yellow hue. If the brew is old or has been opened for
a while this color change is pronounced.
Smell! Just like in the wine world where you can smell a corked wine,
in the sake world it is quite obvious if a bottle has gone south.
Typically a sake will have a floral, fruity, ricey, nutty, or sugary
aroma complexion (this is a generalization). If your nose immediately
picks up musky, pungent, rotten, earthy, wet soil, mushroom elements
then in all likelihood that particular sake has been distressed. (Some
Junmai sakes or aged sakes smell like this in their pristine form -
but these aromas are the exception in the Gino and Daiginjo space.)
The nose of a damaged sake is probably the best indicator that the
brew is no good.
Look again! Lots of bottles do not allow you the luxury to see the
sake on account of their dark colors for obscuring purposes. So when
your brew gets glassed then take a look at the color and texture. Do
you see little floating elements? Run! Do you see a murky white cloudy
perception? Run! Do you see dancing stringy stuff on the bottom of the
bottle? Run! Basically all of these conditions are the results of the
sake falling apart. The proteins loose their balance and change into
goo globs similar to a lava lamp.
Taste! This is where the rubber hits the road. Why? Because even if a
sake is distressed, abused or off and it still tastes okay, then there
is no problem. If you like the taste, stick with it - even if the nose
is putting you off! But if you don't like the taste and it matches the
yellowish color and musky nose, and the balance has fallen away then
return the bottle. Any retailer or restaurant worth their salt will
gladly recall a damaged sake if you point it out! Heck, we have
replaced perhaps 7 sakes in 7 years from customers who complained the
sake was bad. In 4 of those cases the customers were correct. In three
cases they just didn't like the style of sake that exuded those
elements.
The bottom line is that you do not need to know sake well, to find
damaged sake! It's as simple as doing a dust-on-the-bottle check! So
fear not Marc - when a sake is "bad" or "off" it will provide you with
a myriad of warnings. The trick is to use all of your senses!
Including your "spider sense."
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's sake is one of my all-time favs, which means it could be
top ten material! The brew has evolved over the years from a rich and
round mushroom experience to a semi-rich and ricey cat! The brewery is
called Gokyo from Yamaguchi Prefecture and if you really want to play
we are featuring the Gokyo Arabashiri as one of our namas now and you
could try both to compare! We usually sell Gokyo for $25 but for you
sake jockeys we will part with this 720ml for $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!
Back to top
Sunday, May 16th: TRUE SAKE WILL BE CLOSED FOR COSMETIC SURGERY!
Thank you for reading!
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Consider this...
Did you know that old-school toji - head brewers - can tell how far
along their fermenting sake is by listening to the popping of the
bubbles on the top of a batch of fermenting sake. As carbon dioxide
comes popping forth the size of the bubbles emit a different pitch -
smaller bubbles represent less fermentation than larger ones.
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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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