Seasonal Sakes – Say Hello To A Massive Collection of “Summer” Sakes

It’s still summer folks! No matter how hard you try to convince yourself that summer is “almost over.” It ain’t! And if sake could talk, it would tell you that right here right now it’s sake season. The temperatures are still very high and the days are still long, which means you need a bevy of excellently made brews to chill down those hot days and long nights. 

Not all summer released sakes are “Nama” or unpasteurized. Some brewers prefer to make a pasteurized sake with a lower ABV to capture that smooth and light summer soul of sake. Some brewers feel that a single pasteurization is all that’s needed to capture that refreshing quality, whilst some other brewers feel that you must go totally raw to make your sake drink as fresh and fun as possible. Whichever style you prefer we’ve got it going on! 

Herewith is only a portion of our summer released sakes, and if you need more we’ve got more! 

Shichida Summer 2024 "Natsujun"
From Saga Prefecture. Junmai Namazume. SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.4
The nose on this super fan-favorite single pasteurized seasonally released brew is a very cool collection of snowmelt, kumquat, mochi, pear, melon, grape, lemongrass, powdered sugar, and ocean spray aromas. This "Natsujun" is summer sake at its best with layers of flavors and textures that work very well in  round, and smooth, it drinks with a plump refreshing character that is both semi-sweet and dry at the same time. Extremely well balanced and with a touch of shibumi, it's hard to believe that this has a lower ABV at 14%, which makes this brew drink full but light. Look for honeydew, pear, powdered sugar, grape, lemon-lime, cookie dough, mineral, and berry flavors that expand as the fluid warms in the glass. WORD: Lush WINE: Velvety Reds/Plump Whites BEER: Belgians FOODS: Summer sushi and sashimi, light grilled fare, picnic cuisines, and shellfish.

Narutotai Summer "Silky Wave"
From Tokushima Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Nigori Nama. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.5
The nose on this summer released unpasteurized and coarsely filtered brew is a unique collection of yogurt, lemon-lime, orange Creamsicle™, powdered milk, milk candy, grape, and string cheese aromas. Light-bodied, spritzy, gritty, fresh, watery, and creamy, this brew drinks very lively with a dry finish. Look for rice candy, Sprite™, yogurt, sweet taffy, melon, soda milk, and washed rice flavors that slide through the palate with an almost effervescent glide. If you like Nigori sake, then this limited released seasonal brew has your name on it! Just think of snow in the summer. WORD: Nigori WINE: Beaujolais BEER: Creamy Ales FOODS: International spice, street fare, beach tacos, barbeque, fried anything, fruit and cheese plates.

Chokyu Summer "Extra Dry"
From Wakayama Prefecture. Junmai Nama Genshu. SMV: +15 Acidity: 1.7
The nose on this dry sake lover's unpasteurized seasonally released brew is a vast collection of white bread, snowmelt, pear, watermelon juice, fennel seed, cookie dough, and sunflower seed aromas. Whammy! This is a dry sake junkie's perfect brew for the summer, as this laser-like dry brew drinks along the lines of a dirty martini. With an eye-popping ABV of 19%, this rice and water only brew is liquid dryness in the bottle. Clean, medium to full-bodied, silky, smooth, and frisky, this sake drinks with a snap with lots of shibumi, and a quick dry finish. Look for savory, salty, and dry ricey flavors that drinks with hints of fruits like kiwi, young watermelon, and lime, with a finish that is more reminiscent of salted  dough water. The True Sake Team feels that this is the biggest, baddest, and most punchy of the summer namas, and if you like impact, then this brew was built for you. WORD: Martini WINE: Huge Reds/Beefy Whites BEER: Dry Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, fried anything, spicy anything, green olives, oily and beefy dishes.

Kohro Summer Release "Ryo"
From Kumamoto Prefecture. Junmai. SMV: -2 Acidity: 1.6
The nose on this summer released seasonal brew is a slick collection of peach, strawberry, ume, tangerine, white pepper, mango, lemon, and orange Creamsicle™ aromas. Say hello to a sake newcomer that is soft, silky, smooth, clean, light-bodied, water-like, and off dry. This gentle brew was built for warm Kumamoto summers to be refreshing, but also to have substance to play with summer cuisines. The flavor field is very complex for such drinkability. Look for clementine, vanilla panna cotta, cooked peach, orange, Muscat grape, fortune cookie, brown butter popcorn, and a hint of sherry flavors on a fluid that has a tannin-like dryness and a beautiful showing of umami. This is a very unique Junmai and that is code for, "You should try it!" WORD: Umami WINE: Soft Reds/Watery Whites BEER: Light Ales FOODS: Summer sashimi and sushi, crab, lobster, shrimp, tofu, summer soups and seafood stews.

Noguchi Naohiko "Natsu no Namazake"
From Ishikawa Prefecture. Nama. SMV: N/A  Acidity: N/A
The nose on this seasonally released unpasteurized sake is a killer collection of nectarine, fresh cherries, orange slices, cake icing, cornbread, salted nuts, butter, sugar cookie, and snow melt aromas. If you know Noguchi, you know. This is a world class complex summer brewmade by the Michael Jordan of sake  making. Made to be refreshing and tantalizing, it drinks bright, clean, round, silky, soft, watery, and light for a Noguchi, but with an uptick alcohol finish that brings about an onslaught of flavors. Look for mangosteen, lychee, young coconut meat, rice candy, molasses, cacao nibs, salt, fudge, and tree bark flavors that shimmer on a 17% ABV which keeps the fluid light and frisky. Made with Gohyakumangoku brewing rice, this brew is ready for the summer dinner
table or the sushi counter experience. WORD: Complex WINE: Expressive Reds/Flinty Whites BEER: Zesty Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, oysters, caviar, crab, shrimp, and thinly sliced abalone.

Otokoyama Summer "Sasaori"
From Hokkaido Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Nama. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.8
The nose on this new summer released unpasteurized brew is a clever collection of apple cider, powdered sugar, honeysuckle, snow cone, melon, banana bread, peach, and snowmelt aromas. This refreshing sake is silky, soft, medium-bodied, clean, round, and has a dry water-like finish. Dry and refreshing, look for citrus, melon, spring water, rice candy, powdered sugar, watermelon, coconut water, and rice porridge flavors that dance with a fresh shibumi and exit with a pronounced dryness. This is a quick and gone sake that goes down so very easily, especially for the price! WORD: Clean WINE: Dry Reds/Clean Whites BEER: Clean Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, yakitori, summer izakaya fare, and shellfish.

Kisoji "Summer"
From Nagano Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu. SMV: ±0 Acidity: 1.7
The nose on this seasonally released summer unpasteurized sake is a quaint collection of Muscat, grapefruit, lime, sugarcane juice, strawberry, unripe banana, and yeasty aromas. Why go to the cool summery mountains of Nagano, when they can come to you via this slightly spritzy and effervescent brew that was bottled quickly to seal in the refreshing and fresh feeling of raw sake. Look for key lime pie, powdered sugar, grapefruit, kiwi, blueberry, orange, apricot, and papaya flavors that are buoyed up with a nice umami play and crisp finish. WORD: Spritzy WINE:  Beaujolais BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, olives, summer veggies, fried chicken, summer soups, mild curries, hot and sour soup.

Jyoku Summer Release "White Bear"
From Aomori Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Genshu. SMV: ±0 Acidity: 2.0
This seasonally released undiluted Genshu sake has a gentle collection of peach, mango, watermelon, grapefruit, pear, apple, grape, lychee, lilac, and snowmelt aromas. We are very excited to have this Jyoku join our collection as it is built to appeal to wine drinkers, but looking to taste like a summer sake. Medium-bodied, crisp, fleshy, silky, plump, and a little hard water-like, this brew drinks with an elevated acidity that brings this brew up into the astringency altitudes of white wine. Look for clean flavors that start a little tart, fruity, and ricey, then end dry and compact including rice pudding, silken tofu, rye bread, whipped cream, melon, young strawberry, butter cookie, kale, and puff pastry with a savory, umami, dry and mineral finish. WORD: Savory WINE: Plump Reds/Mineral Whites BEER: Creamy Ales FOODS: Izakaya pub fare, steaks, chops, hamburgers, chicken, udon and soba, summer veggies, and clams.

Daisekkei "Summer"
From Nagano Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.7
The nose on this new fan-favorite summer released  sake is a very Ginjo-like collection of pear, melon, Muscat, lychee, citrus, kiwi, cilantro, apple, kiwi, Granny Smith candy, and watermelon aromas. Rich, light, silky, slippery, soft, and a little water-like, this sake is bright, dry, and refreshing, with an integrated acidity that speaks the language of wine. Made with Miyamanishiki brewing rice from Nagano, there is a lot of summer umami to this brew with apple, lime, kiwi, mandarin, vanilla, grape, papaya, cucumber, mint, lemon iced tea, and a hint of konbu dashi flavors that dry as they exit the palate. Light, clean and dry, this refreshing brew is blue for a reason! WORD: Juicy WINE: Lively Reds/Fruity Whites BEER: Fruity Ales FOODS: White fish sashimi, tempura, carpaccio, simmered fish and veggies, sautéed scallops, grilled meat and fish, octopus karaage, and yakitori.



Ohmine Kasumi "3 Grain Summer"
From Yamaguchi Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo Nama. SMV: N/A  Acidity: N/A
The nose on this seasonally released unpasteurized brew is a gentle collection of pineapple, grapefruit, Sprite™, kiwi, rock sugar, cookie dough, and yeasty aromas. Say hello to summer the Yamaguchi way! Spritzy, silky, tingly, bright and light, this summer brew drinks cool and chewy with a dry crisp finish. Look for frisky flavors like lemon-lime, tangerine, grapefruit, Sprite™, pomegranate, sugar cane water, cotton candy, canned pear, and mango with a little shibumi that elevates the flavors. The perfect refreshing summer sake that is great by itself and plays very well with the flavors of summer nights. Serve chilled in a wine glass and say hello to the rest of your summer. WORD: Spritzy WINE: Light Reds/Mineral Whites BEER: Light Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, shellfish, and light summer fare.

Akabu Summer Release “Hisui”
From Iwate Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: N/A  Acidity: N/A
The nose on this seasonally released sake is a fresh collection of mango, pear, jasmine, strawberry, grapefruit, lemon peel, and rainwater aromas. Not all summer sakes are “nama” or unpasteurized. Some breweries release lightly pasteurized and lower ABV brews to achieve that light and bright high quality refreshing brews. This Hisui is all that! It’s pasteurized for stability, and has a 13% ABV that drinks soft, smooth, round, watery, clean, silky, and a little juicy with a quick, uplifting, and crisp umami finish. Best of all this, brew drinks with refreshing confidence and is totally Akabu. Look for peach, crisp pear, lemon, powdered sugar, tangerine, Mandarin orange, cucumber, and honeydew melon flavors that flow through the palate. Milled to 50%, this is technically a Daiginjo, but we just call it cool summer sake. WORD: Smooth WINE: Velvety Reds/Citrusy Whites BEER: Hefeweizen FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, crab, shrimp, lobster, oysters, grilled fish and chicken.