March sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

On March 11, 2011, the Tohoku region was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake. As if that wasn’t enough, a tsunami that hit a maximum height of 133 ft, traveling 6 miles inland, caused level 7 meltdowns at 3 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Essentially, Japan’s Tohoku region experienced three major natural disasters simultaneously.

What followed in the years, months and to this day — five years later — has been massive rebuilding amidst deep grief. One of the most inspiring trips that Kayoko and I have taken recently was to Fukushima City, where we met with farmers, shop owners, non-profit organizers and volunteers. Many fled the area, but the people who stayed have planted new seeds. Today, new businesses and educational programs are growing gloriously.

Umami Mart just commemorated the disaster with a fundraiser in Berkeley on Saturday. Proceeds went to the TOMODACHI program, which brings high school kids from Tohoku to UC Berkeley for two weeks to study Community Rebuilding; and to Safecast, a non-profit based in Tokyo that builds geiger counters throughout Tohoku as an alternative source to data collected by the government.

This month, as a member of Sake Gumi, you are also supporting the future of this hard-hit region by discovering sakes from Tohoku.

Although there have been concerns about food from the region being radioactive, according to a March 2014 report by the FDA, there is “no evidence that radionuclides from the Fukushima incident are present in the U.S. food supply at levels that would pose a public health concern. This is true for both FDA-regulated food products imported from Japan and U.S. domestic food products.” For more on how the FDA conducts tests on food coming in from the Tohoku region please visit www.fda.gov.

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Murai Family Tokubetsu Honjozo
Momokawa Japan (Aomori, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +2

Greeted by a fruity aroma of raisins, this is a slightly sweet but clean brew. This tokubetsu (toke-oo-bet-soo), or special sake uses two types of rice that are polished down to 60% of its original size, imparting a clean, yet ripe flavor. Characteristics of grapes are present in its aroma and flavor, reminding me of a medium bodied white wine. Try at room temperature with mussels or a seafood pasta.

Naraman Junmai Muroka
Yumegokoro Brewery (Fukushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +4

Approximately 90% of all sakes go through charcoal filtration to strip down the color and smells. Muroka means that the sake has not gone through charcoal filtration. This results in a sake that may be slightly yellow, with a strong aroma. Case in point, this Naraman is slightly yellow and smells like milk. No fear, this sake has not gone bad! In fact, it has a very recent brew date of January 2016. Enjoy this structurally sturdy sake, that has a long finish and high ABV of 16% chilled with tasty morsels like olives, beef jerky and dried squid.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Gasanryu Gogetsu
“Extreme Moon” Junmai Daiginjo
Shindo Sake Brewery (Yamagata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 40%
SMV: +1

We are thrilled to offer another daiginjo to our Level 2 members. This one come from the western side of the Tohoku region and is made using 100% native Dewa San San rice which is known to yield sakes with complexity in aroma and flavors. “Extreme Moon” has hints of lime and quince for a crisp brew that pairs well with oysters, eggs and uni. Drink chilled!

Shizengou Junmai
Ooki Daikichi Honten (Fukushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +7

Hailing from Fukushima, Shizengou is just as earthy and hand-made as the packaging suggests. Using the yamahai method (a labor intensive way to cultivate yeast), this robust, gamey sake has hints of roasted nuts, shiitake and fresh ground pepper. A good amount of acid make this sake an ideal candidate to pair with rich foods like beef tataki, duck and tonkotsu ramen. Try this sake warm or at room temperature.

The post Sake Gumi News: Tohoku Springs Back! (March 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

April sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

To celebrate the start of rice-planting season in April, we are highlighting the most popular sake rice Yamada Nishiki. Why is it the most popular rice for sake brewing? Because of its ability to absorb water and dissolve easily — allowing for consistent and even fermentation. Yamada Nishiki rice was first created in Hyogo Prefecture (just west of Kyoto) in 1923 by breeding two types of rice, Yamadaho and Tankanwataribune. Since then, sake makers have taken diligent notes on brewing with Yamada Nishiki, making it the most well-documented sake rice strain. All of this data has made Yamada Nishiki one of the most fool-proof rice strains for brewing sake.

How does sake brewed with Yamada Nishiki taste? Brewers use Yamada Nishiki to create sakes that have a subtle roundness with fruity and floral characteristics. Because of its ability to express fruity and floral aromas, Yamada Nishiki is often used for making ginjos and daiginjos (sake types that use highly polished rice grains).

That said, there are many factors in the sake-brewing process that affect the flavor of sake over the rice that is used. The main factor in determining a sake’s profile is the seimaibuai or the percentage of the rice grain that remains after polishing. For example, if a sake has a seimaibuai of 70% it will most likely taste more rustic and full-bodied than a sake with a seimaibuai of 50% which will tend to taste fruitier. While all the sakes this month are brewed using 100% Yamada Nishiki rice, the resulting sakes range from very floral (Mu Junmai Daiginjo with a 50% seimaibuai) to rich and nutty (Mizuho Kuromatsu Kenbishi Yamahai Junmai with a 70% seimaibuai). The common thread is that they all have a smooth and soft finish, thanks to the Yamada Nishiki rice.

Kanpai,
Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Hakushika Yamadanishiki Junmai
Tatsuuma-Honke Brewing (Hyogo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 70%
SMV: +1

To drive this month’s theme home, we chose a sake that’s actually named “Yamadanishiki.” This brew is made by Hakushika, one of Hyogo’s oldest breweries is a soft-as-clouds junmai that delivers mellow wafts of butterscotch. A rich mouthfeel (typical of junmais) makes this sake ideal for pairing with carne asada or a pastrami sandwich. Try at room temperature or slightly warm.

Mu Junmai Daiginjo
Yaegaki Brewery (Hyogo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +1

Here is a great example of a soft, well-balanced, smooth daiginjo using highly polished Yamada Nishiki rice. This fruity brew starts with a blast of cherries on the nose and tastes refreshing and mild. This sake (like the above) is brewed in Hyogo Prefecture, the birthplace of Yamada Nishiki rice. Extra credit: Mu means “nothing” referring to its clean, mild taste. Try cold or at room temperature with oysters or seafood vongole!

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Futarishizuka
“Two Serenities” Junmai
Toukun Shuzo (Chiba, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 70%
SMV: +1

This junmai has hints of vanilla on the nose which is the roundness that many sakes made with Yamada Nishiki tend to exhibit. An assertive crisp tail sets itself apart from other junmais that tend to be more viscous and sticky. Try this light junmai chilled alongside ceviche or sashimi.

Mizuho Kuromatsu Kenbishi Yamahai Junmai
Kenbishi Shuzo (Hyogo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 70%
SMV: +0.5

This rich and hearty brew shares some characteristics with single malt whiskies with notes of caramel, vanilla and roasted nuts. To appreciate the spectrum of aromas, try sipping this sake in a rocks glass chilled. Unlike most brews using Yamada Nishiki rice, this brew is dark and moody in sentiment, and best enjoyed with poultry or smoked meats.

The post Sake Gumi News: Rice Rice Baby (April 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

A motto around Umami Mart is that, “We only work with our friends.” We cherish our community and Yoko and I love being able to source products for the shop by artisans that we know personally, and throw fun parties with them too. I worked as a bartender at Camino restaurant for several years and owe them for my knowledge of spirits and the art of the cocktail. Our relationship has grown over the years and we are happy to have them as friends (and Sake Gumi members!).

Owner and Chef Russ Moore has been a long-time drinker of sake and we had talked about collaborating on a sake dinner together for a long while now. We all finally pulled the trigger — finalized a date and put tickets on sale — for a night of sakes chosen by us, to be paired with three dishes by Russ.

Here is Russ’ awesome menu for the evening and our sake pairings:

Grilled artichokes and asparagus with endive, herb, and preserved lime salad
Paired with Born Gold Junmai Daiginjo by Katoukichibee Brewery (Fukui) 

Spring lamb leg a la ficelle, grilled loin and slow cooked shoulder with snap peas, english peas, wild fennel, hominy, and grilled flatbread
Paired with Yukiotoko Junmai by Aoki Brewery (Niigata)

First-of-the-season grilled fig leaf ice milk with wood-oven- roasted rhubarb and benne seed wafers
Paired with Inemankai Junmai by Mukai Brewery (Kyoto)

Yoko made an announcement at the beginning of the evening and mentioned the Golden Rule of Sake Enjoyment: never pour for yourself; always pour for others. This is very important in Japanese culture with any drink — beer or sake or even water. It is an honorific gesture meant to convey that you are paying attention, and that everyone’s enjoyment at the table is important, not just your own.

Thus kick-started the evening of friends and strangers pouring sake from the carafes, for their neighbors. What a lovely sight! Everyone all followed Yoko’s instructions and we did not see empty glasses the entire night.

Russ tying the lamb legs for the main course

The traditional sake cask for the kagamiwari, for a celebratory occasion

Our little Umami Mart pop-up table

Cabs

The breath-taking Camino communal dining table

Tablesetting

Prepping for the evening

The Camino book alongside cards for Sake Gumi. What an honor! FYI, many Camino staff members are members

Lamb alla ficelle. A dish that denotes a sign of spring at Camino

Glassware for the evening was generously donated by Toyo-Sasaki Glass Co. Everyone got to take home their Diamond Cut Sake Flute at the end of the night. Thank you TSG!

At 6pm we opened the doors. The bartenders made two sake cocktails.

Grilled artichokes for the first course

Guests included Umami Mart customers and Camino regulars. Everyone enjoyed the sake pairings!

Flatbread

Middle of the madness

Preparing the lamb course

Isshobin or 1.8 liter bottles of Yukiotoko

Our Wavy Carafes were passed around and being filled to the brim for the evening. 

Making friends

Diamond Cut Sake Flutes being prepared for the dessert course

Lamb course with fresh English peas!

The dining room was abuzz with conversation, laughter and clinking glasses

Me with Richard Engle, founder of Solstice Press and Sake Gumi Level II member

A pour of the Inemankai, a special, smoky sake that blew everyone away!

Signing up a new Sake Gumi member!

With Natsumi Iimura, Maya Shiroyama and Jim Ryugo (of Kitazawa Seed)

Me, Yoko and our friend Seri, Sake Gumi member

Farewells

Allison!

Sake, not water

The night was superbly fun for us and all of our 100 guests. The last guests didn’t leave until nearly midnight — a sign of truly a fabulous party. Camino was packed with sake novices and connoisseurs and we all gathered around the table to enjoy the dishes with the sakes and make new friends.

We’re going to do this every year so stay tuned! A huge thank you to Russ and Allison of Camino for hosting this event with us. And THANK YOU to Toyo-Sasaki Glass Co. for your generosity in donating the glassware for the event. Everyone went home with a glass, a happy stomach, in a sake haze. Success!

Good night!

Photos by Yoko Kumano

The post Event Recap: Sake Dinner at Camino appeared first on Umami Mart.

May sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

The days are longer, the bees are starting to store their honey, and the lines at ice cream stores are stretching around the block here in Old Oakland. This can only mean one thing – it’s the start of BBQ season across the nation! One of my favorite flavor profiles is hot spice, and BBQ falls into this category. That’s why for this month, I’ve chosen sakes that’ll taste great with smoky and spicy foods that we start enjoying in our backyards as summer approaches.

Also, we’re excited to announce another Sake Gumi exclusive event, the Sequoia Brewery Tour on May 29th from 1-3 p.m. Jake and Noriko of Sequoia Sake will take us inside the brewery and show us how their sake is made. After the tour, we’ll taste three of their sakes with foods paired specifically for each brew. Tickets will be $25/attendee and are extremely limited, so sign up early by visiting Eventbrite (Tickets are available for Sake Gumi members only! You will need the password to view the event details). Kayoko and I hope that you will join us for this special tour on the last Sunday of May! If aren’t a Sake Gumi Member yet, join now!

Sake Gumi is growing fast and we’ve been rolling out even more benefits to the roster. In addition to getting 10% off all sake and sakewares online and in the shop everyday, you’ll receive 25% off all sake and sakewares on pickup day (every 15th of the month) in the shop.

I’ve always loved May because it feels like the real New Year’s. It’s a time for new friendships and adventures… over the BBQ grill, of course. This year, make it the Summer of Sake.

Kanpai,
Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Tentaka Kuni “Hawk in the Heavens” Junmai
Tentaka Shuzo (Tochigi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +3

Try this yeasty brew with all things smoked! Notice the walnuts and roasted squash aromas that are a perfect complement to smoked chicken or sausage. Tentaka Kuni drinks super smooth at room temperature. Only 20% of this brew makes it out of Tochigi Prefecture so take what you can get!

Shirakawago Junmai Ginjo Nigori
Miwa Shuzo (Gifu, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: -25

Nigoris are a natural pairing for sweet and spicy foods. This nigori uses 55% percent polished rice, making it a ginjo and more premium than your run-of-the-mill nigori. The result is a refreshing, fruity, and less viscous brew than a junmai or honjozo nigori. The sweet aromas of coconut and vanilla will complement spicy ribs and unagi elegantly. Drink ice cold.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Ichishima Junmai
Ichishima Shuzo (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65%
SMV: +8

This smooth sake greets you with a little bit of earthy minerals and then hits you with some bananas and pears. An overall solid, well-balanced sake that pairs perfectly with a sausage pizza slathered with Chef John’s pizza sauce. Bring this to a weekend BBQ party and drink chilled alongside veggies on the grill (mushrooms and peppers would pair particularly well).

Rihaku “Dreamy Clouds” Nigori Tokubetsu Junmai
Rihaku Sake Brewery (Shimane, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 59%
SMV: +3

“Rihaku” is named after the Chinese poet Li Po, who lived from 701-762 and was known to drink sake before writing poetry. Like his poems, this sake is lyrical and distinctive as a nigori. The texture is viscous but not syrupy with rice and plum accents. Don’t be shy when pairing with spicy foods; drink chilled with curry, spicy barbeque, and pad thai – all stellar companions. SG travel tip: If you are ever in Chengdu, I recommend visiting Li Po’s serene garden!

The post Sake Gumi News: Spice it up with sake! (May 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

We are excited to announce our very first field trip exclusively for Sake Gumi members. We’re going to Sequoia Sake Brewery in San Francisco! This is the City’s first sake brewery and we are thrilled to share with this opportunity to tour the site with Sequoia’s founders and sit down for a special sake tasting and food pairing.

Jake Myrick, his wife Noriko Kamei and Jake’s friend Warren Pfal started Sequoia Sake together in the lower Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco in 2014. What makes Sequoia Sake so special is their dedication to bringing namazake (unpasteurized) sakes to the Bay Area. This means that we are getting the sakes right out of the tank. They specialize in three sakes: Nama, Genshu (tank-strength sakes with high ABVs), and Nigoris. We are proud to carry all three at Umami Mart, which are delivered frequently to ensure freshness.

Here’s a list of what we’ll be up to at Sequoia Sake Brewery:

– Seminar on Sake Basics
– Facility tour which explains end-to-end sake brewing process including sampling of amazake (sweet non-alcoholic sake) and sake-kasu (sake lees)
– Sake flight tasting and food-pairing
– 15% discount off all Sequoia Sakes

WHAT:
Members-only Sake Gumi Field Trip to Sequoia Sake Brewery
Facility tour with a sake tasting with food pairing

WHEN: Sunday, May 29, 2016, 1-3pm

WHERE: This event is off-site
Sequoia Sake Brewery
50 Apparel Way, San Francisco, CA 94124

TICKETS: $25 at Eventbrite (password protected for Sake Gumi members only)

Limited space availability so get your tickets ASAP!

Not a Sake Gumi member yet? Join our monthly sake club today and get an invite to this event, along with other member perks!

The post Upcoming Event: Sake Gumi Exclusive Field Trip to Sequoia Brewery (SF) appeared first on Umami Mart.

We have a couple new wares on our shelves that are perfect for the next time you serve sake:

First up, the Sake Gumi carafe. You don’t have to be a member of our sake club to procure this porcelain tokkuri featuring the Sake Gumi logo. This carafe has a small pouring spout (a style that’s hot in Japan right now) to prevent dripping and a narrow neck to keep heat from escaping. We recommend using the Sake Gumi Carafe to serve rich junmai or honjozo sake. Just place the sake-filled tokkuri in a pot of hot water for 5 minutes, then enjoy!

We’re in love with our new Glass Sake Cups with Foot made by Toyo-Sasaki. Use these dainty glasses the next time you drink a lovely daiginjo or ginjo sake. The bell shape makes it easy for sipping and enjoying the brew’s flavor and aroma. These glass cups can be used for sipping other spirits as well! Get a 6-pack online (single glasses are available in store only).

The post New Ways to Sip and Serve Sake appeared first on Umami Mart.

Last Sunday, 27 Sake Gumi members took a field trip to the Bay Area’s very own sake brewery – Sequoia Sake in San Francisco.

Jake Myrick, his wife Noriko Kamei, and Jake’s friend Warren Pfal started Sequoia Sake together in the lower Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco in 2014. What makes Sequoia Sake so special is their dedication to bringing namazake (unpasteurized) sakes to the Bay Area. This means that we are getting the sakes right out of the tank. They specialize in three sakes: Nama, Genshu (tank-strength sakes with high ABVs), and Nigoris. We are proud to carry all three at Umami Mart, which are delivered frequently to ensure freshness.

Getting a sneak peak into their production facility is a unique experience considering there are only a handful of sake breweries in the U.S.

We were greeted with rows of neatly-placed, sanitized footwear to change into, as the brewery needs to remain free of outside debris.

Everyone is welcome at Sequoia Sake.

Jake started with a brief presentation. One interesting tidbit is that he tested the water in several locations throughout the Bay Area, and this location in the Dogpatch had the most consistent water quality – an important trait for a sake brewery.

Jake also explained that Sequoia Sake was named so because it identifies the brewery as uniquely Californian.

He let us peek into the koji room.

We tried the amazake as we listened to Jake talk about the importance of koji.

He talked about the tanks he uses…

… And the state-of-the-art Italian bottler.

We also tried the kasu (lees), which was pasty and nutty at the same time.

Meanwhile Noriko was setting up the tasting area.

And it was time to taste three of their sakes: Nama, Genshu, and Nigori with apple, cheese, pepperoncini, and chocolate.

It felt like a true clubhouse – talking sake with our neighbors and a real life sake toji (master sake brewer).

Thank you to all our Sake Gumi members for making this an educational and interactive event!

And a special thanks to Jake and Noriko for being such gracious hosts.

SEQUOIA SAKE BREWERY
50 Apparel Way
San Francisco, CA 94124
Open to the public for tastings on Saturdays

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June sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

There’s a little known secret outside the sake world: Sake + Cheese = Harmony. Before formulating the theme for Sake Gumi this month, I was fortunate enough to talk to all four of the brewers whose sakes I chose about how they enjoy their sakes… with cheese. When asking each brewer for their favorite cheese pairing there was no hesitation, each had an answer ready to go. Because sake is relatively low in acidity, it works with cheese. It’s like a great duet – each taking turns and complementing one another. Think Sonny and Cher or Rihanna and Drake.

To celebrate the theme for this month, we will be hosting Sakqueso! on June 17th at Sequoia Diner in Oakland. This event, featuring chef Casa de Kei and Hakkaisan’s Timothy Sullivan, will include a 5-course cheese-centric tasting menu, paired with three types of Hakkaisan sakes. For tickets, please go to: https://sakqueso.eventbrite.com. Remember, Sake Gumi members get $10 off per ticket!

Even if you can’t make it to our event, we hope that you will have your own Sakqueso! party at home with these sakes and tasting notes, shared amongst friends and family.

Salud,
Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo
Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery (Ishikawa, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +4

On its own, Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo tastes sturdy and robust, especially for a ginjo. But to unleash its inner sexiness, it must be enjoyed with a double or triple cream brie. Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo mimics the light, but incredibly rich texture of a triple cream brie when consumed together. Many like to enjoy this sake chilled, but I encourage you to try it at room temperature.

Rihaku “Dance of Discovery” Junmai
Rihaku Shuzo (Shimane, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 68%
SMV: +5

This junmai has a hint of smokiness and acidity, which is highlighted when paired with an aged gouda. I love sipping Rihaku Junmai with Old Amsterdam aged gouda or mimolette – I suppose the theme here is orange or aged cheeses. Drink this Rihaku Junmai chilled when pairing with cheeses. Otherwise, try the Rihaku Junmai warm with roasted meats or vegetables.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Chiyonosono “Sacred Power” Junmai Ginjo
Chiyonosono Shuzo (Kumamoto, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +2.5

If Level 2 were a song, it’s clear that Bottle 1 represents the treble and Bottle 2 is the bass. So for this bottle of junmai ginjo, it was clear that Humboldt Fog (an ashy, tangy goat cheese) would click as a cheese pairing. As a California native with Japanese immigrant parents, I think that there is nothing more satisfying than finding a local food that pairs with a drink from the motherland. It’s the ultimate Japa-Cali pairing. Enjoy this Chiyonosono Junmai Ginjo chilled or at room temperature.

Ichinokura Junmai
Ace Brewery (Miyagi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +1~+3

Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city opens with the most scrumptious bassline in the song “Sherane,” which reminds of me of this scrumptious pairing, Ichinokura Junmai and triple cream brie. The two melt into each other and pretty soon it’s hard to tell when the sake starts and the cheese begins. If life is stressing you out, grab a bottle of Ichinokura Junmai and triple cream brie, and you’ll soon find hope in life and humanity restored. Drink the Ichinokura Junmai at room temperature.

The post Sake Gumi News: Sakqueso! (June 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

Sakqueso!, just as the name suggests, was an event we put on pairing cheese with sake. It was loads of FUN! We invited Keisuke Akabori to create a five-course menu and Tim Sullivan of Hakkaisan Brewery to come and pair the dishes with their sakes.

Sake and cheese pair very well, wouldn’t you know, since both are high in glutamates. We were able to pair the dishes with three different Hakkaisan sakes for the evening. We have visited Hakkaisan Brewery in Niigata a few times and the sakes are always crisp and easy to drink — so we knew they would pair with Keisuke’s dishes very well. Here’s the recap of the evening.

Timothy talking to a sold out house about Hakkaisan and his stewardship as a Sake Samurai:

First Course: Nectarine Salad
Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Cheese dressing, toasted almonds, mizuna, radish
w. Cocktail of Hakkaisan Honjozo, yuzu, honey

Second Course: Roasted Baby Potatoes
Panko-fried Le Chatelain Camembert, togarashi aioli, tarragon
w. Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Honjozo Sake

Third Course: Grilled Tsukune
Grated Don Francisco Cotija, chives, lemon, fried quail egg
w. Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Honjozo Sake

Fourth Course: Chile Rellenos
Melted El Mexicano Oaxaca, spicy pork ka prow, pico de gallo
w. Hakkaisan Shiboritate Nama Genshu Sake

Fifth Course: Poached Bing Cherries
Cypress Grove Herb Fromage Blanc, marjoram, port wine reduction, Yoko’s honey, aged balsamico
w. Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo Sake

Sarah was Keisuke’s excellent sous chef for the evening:

Sake Gumi member Andre!

Me hoping to make it to the table without dropping the nectarine salads everywhere:

The crew!

Cabs:

Timothy with a bottle of Hakkaisan Sparkling Nigori, what a treat!:

Keisuke with a bottle of Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo:

Mike, our back of the house savior for the night:

Staff shot:

Thank you for all of you who came out and a very special thanks to Sequoia and Andrew of Sequoia Diner who let us host the dinner at their space. We all had an awesome time — stay tuned for more events like this one!

The post Event Recap: Sakqueso! appeared first on Umami Mart.

July sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

This month we celebrated the 240th year of the U.S. of A. To commemorate this event, I thought of how I value individuality – in people and in sake. So for this month, I chose sakes that represent several disparate points on the sake spectrum.

When I started enjoying sake as a salary(wo)man in Tokyo, I thought all sakes tasted the same. But I quickly learned that sake can be as varied as the mood of a teenage girl. They can be sweet, bright, direct, wise beyond their years, dry as a bone, complicated, mysterious, driven, etc. (yes, I was once a teenager). Whatever the mood, there is a time and a place for each characteristic.

Another facet we must acknowledge when celebrating individuality is freedom. One cannot exist without the other. With a history of at least 2000 years, sake is currently in a state of ultimate freedom, unchained from restraint and inhibitions. Although there are rules to abide by (for example, sake must be brewed with rice, koji, yeast, and water) we can declare with confidence that we are in an era of sake that has never been freer. From the traditional kimoto style (represented this month by the Kioke-Jikomi Iroha) to the most modern style of sake, sparkling (represented by the Okunomatsu Daiginjo Sparkling), the range of tastes and styles of sakes that exist today would blow the mind of sake makers nearly two millenia ago. America exists today, in the same vein, as exhibited by our current political climate.

When we are presented with variety and freedom, the ultimate reward is choice. Although it can be overwhelming, having choices to make decisions is how America thrives. So even if you prefer one sake over another this month, I hope that you appreciate all of them for their different qualities and living histories.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!
Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Akane 10.5
Sawanotsuru Co., Ltd (Kobe, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 75%
SMV: -45

The namesake here refers to the fact that this sake is made from red rice (aka means red) and the fact that it’s a low alcohol sake at 10.5% ABV. Sip this sake in the same spirit as you would a rosé – chilled while wearing white pants. With a nose full of sweet lees, raisins, and tartness, this sake pairs perfectly with savory fermented foods, specifically a 1:1 red miso and Kewpie mayonnaise dip with broccolini, or if you are Die Hard®, enjoy with natto.

Okunomatsu Junmai Daiginjo Sparkling
Okunomatsu Sake Brewery (Fukushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: -25

One of the reasons that Kayoko and I really both love this sake is because of its unpredictability. Reading between the lines, a daiginjo means flowery and sparkling means sweet froufrou, but this sake is actually neither. Instead, it proves upon a chilled first sip that this is a rice-forward, perceivably dry brew. If any of you follow our Instagram feed, you know about my obsession with shisomaki (a paste made of miso, walnuts, sugar, and sesame seeds wrapped in a shiso leaf). This sake is a dreamboat with shisomaki. A lesson in America and in sake: don’t judge a book by its cover.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Jozen Junmai Ginjo White
Shirataki Shuzo (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +5

This junmai ginjo has all the qualities I aspire to achieve as a person: clear, breezy, slightly sweet, but with a dry finish. It highlights the sweet succulence of Niigata rice but exists in the realm of dry sakes, making it a great accompaniment to fresh vegetables. My “Eureka!” moment? Pairing this sake with sweet, raw cherry tomatoes. Fresh, crisp carrots are also good candidates. Try chilled and taste its sweetness unfold as it comes up to room temperature.

Kioke-Jikomi Iroha Kimoto Junmai
Sawanoi Sake Brewery (Tokyo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65%
SMV: -1

In contrast to the Jozen above, the Kioke-Jikomi Iroha is nutty, brash, layered, musty, unapologetic, rummy, spicy, and viscous (just like the people who live in Tokyo, where this sake is brewed). Uncover the inherent smoothness of this sake by heating it up in a carafe to the joukan level (around 110°F). A simple plate of sliced avocado with soy sauce and yuzu kosho is my favorite pairing with this sake. If you want to step it up, try this sake with cashews, brie, or prosciutto. Notice its amber color from being aged in cedar casks. Next level (2) lesson in America and in sake: being real and raw is better than being refined and polite.

The post Sake Gumi News: Celebrate Individuality (July 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

August sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

“Celebrating Design, Drinks, + Japan” is at the core of everything we do at Umami Mart. It is our tag line, afterall. Four years ago today, full of giddiness and hope, Kayoko and I took a huge chance when we flipped the sign to “open” at our store in Oakland. In the same spirit, one year ago, we launched Sake Gumi simply because we thought it would “be fun to start a club.” Since then, the New York Times has written about our “little” club (140 members and counting) and just last month, the East Bay Express named Sake Gumi the “Best Booze Club.” So to celebrate the birthdays of Umami Mart and Sake Gumi, I chose sakes that encompass our ethos.

Design has always been a pillar at Umami Mart. Our hope is that when you walk into Umami Mart or visit us online, you enter a space that is clean, playful, and fresh. So when choosing this month’s sakes, I took into account the labels that adorn each bottle. From the clean and modern ENTER.Sake Honjozo label to the fresh, yet timeless Ohyama Tokubetsu Junmai label, I hope that at least one of these designs inspires you. This is important to me, as I consider all of us in the club to be the most discerning of design geeks.

It’s probably prettay, prettaaay, prettaaaaaaaay* obvious to you by now that drinks are a big thing at Umami Mart. Back in 2010, we started importing barware as our main product line, but having sakes and beers on our shelves since 2015 has really brought things to life. And to continue on the drinks trajectory, Sake Gumi is a natural part of the narrative. And don’t worry, we’ve got a lot more up our sleeves. We are just getting started.

And finally Japan. As someone who has spent 2/3 of her life in the US and 1/3 in Japan, I am committed to demystifying both cultures to each other and exposing the truth that all anyone wants as a human being is to find love, have a good job, and live in a space that has temperature control. With this in mind, raise a glassful of this month’s sakes to love, hard work, and air conditioning.

I want to thank you for taking a chance on the Gumi, and being a part of the Umami Mart family. It’s been a wild ride! As Conner4Real would say: Never Stop Never Stopping!

Yoko

* If you are unfamiliar with this phrase, stop reading this and watch Curb Your Enthusiasm right now.

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Fisherman Sokujo Junmai Ginjo
Shiokawa Sake Brewery (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: -13.7

This juicy junmai ginjo that is reminiscent of a young Riesling is best enjoyed chilled with shellfish. The high acid and fruitiness of this sake pairs well with shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter. For inquiring minds, sokujo is the term used to describe the modern process of making sake (which means lactic acid is added into the yeast starter vs. the more traditional methods of yamahai and kimoto, where lactic acid forms naturally). The sokujo method tends to yield cleaner, less funky brews.

Ohyama Tokubetsu Junmai
Ohyama Brewery (Yamagata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +4.5

Sake drinkers who like a clean, dry brew will enjoy this tokubetsu junmai from Yamagata Prefecture. With an assertive, alcoholic backbone, this sake pairs well with food that has some sweetness to it: zaru soba with tsuyu, BBQ chicken, and uni kurage were just some dishes I enjoyed alongside this sake. As things finally heat up in Oakland, I’ve been drinking this sake chilled, but have also enjoyed it slightly warm on cold nights.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

ENTER.Sake Black Dot Honjozo
Sekiya Brewery (Aichi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65%
SMV: N/A

This refreshingly dry, clean, and clear sake is a winner when it comes to pleasing the masses. It tastes the best chilled and pairs with everything from a lightly dressed salad to a burger. But the real story here is that the brewer refuses to disclose the sake meter value (or SMV, which measures the density of sake relative to water, and is the barometer for gauging the dryness or sweetness of the sake), which rarely happens in the sake community. The reason he does not want to reveal the SMV is so not to sway people’s perceptions or taste before they actually drink the sake.

Shinpaku Junmai Daiginjo
Nanbu Bijin Brewery (Iwate, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +4

Shinpaku refers to the starchy core of rice grains. When rice is polished for making daiginjo sake, at least 40% of the outer portion of the rice needs to be removed, leaving the shinpaku. When rice grains are polished down, revealing the shinpaku, brewers can create more aromatic, fruity brews. This sake is no exception. It has a smooth aroma of pears (and a hint of mushrooms upon opening) and a structured sweetness in taste that is mild yet ends dry. Enjoy this bottle chilled at your next oyster or temaki sushi party!

The post Sake Gumi News: Happy 1st Birthday Sake Gumi (August 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

September sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

One of the most common questions we get at the store is “What is Umami?” So I wanted to explore umami this month in the context of Sake Gumi.

All of the sakes this month were chosen to exhibit how umami plays an important role in sake, and chosen for their umami-rich profiles. One of the defining characteristics of sake, apart from other fermented beverages, such as wine and beer, is that it is rich in amino acids and glutamates – which our tastebuds perceive as umami. Umami is the fifth element of taste after sweet, salty, bitter, and sour. While food with sodium tastes salty and food with quinine tastes bitter, food high in glutamates tastes of umami.

“Umami” derives from the Japanese characters 旨い (umai; delicious) and 味 (mi; taste). It was discovered in 1908 by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, who wanted to pinpoint the flavor present in his daily bowl of miso soup. He was then able to isolate the glutamic acid from konbu that is used to make dashi for the soup. Umami was officially recognized as one of the five basic taste senses by the international scientific community in 1985 and is best defined as meaty, brothy, and mouth-watering.

Sakes that are rich in umami are typically junmais as opposed to honjozos, ginjos, and daiginjos. Sake makers intentionally brew junmais to be rich in umami to pair well with hearty foods, like meats and stews. They achieve this by using certain yeasts during fermentation and leaving more of the outer layer of the rice grain when polishing.

When enjoying sake, we can enhance its inherent umami by warming it. Warming sake gently to body temperature (98°F) highlights umami while subduing its bitterness and acidity. I have included a section on the other side of this sheet on how to warm sake. Try it!

Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Hojun Zuiyo Junmai
Zuiyo Co., Ltd. (Kumamoto, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65%
SMV: +5

This well-balanced sake from Southern Japan is soft and smooth with hints of tropical fruit. This is a good example of a sake that has a clear, brothy, umami flavor without being over-the-top rich. I enjoyed drinking this sake at room temperature and then warmed up with some roasted sweet bell peppers and sauteed shiitake.

Jozen Noujun Junmai
Shirataki Sake Brewery (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 80%
SMV: +2

This sake boldy proclaims its umami. With a rice polishing ratio of 80% (only 20% of the outer layer of the rice is removed), this sake is super robust. It has notes of rum raisin and plum, and a long finish akin to whisky. A spectrum of flavors present in this sake makes it ideal to pair with rich, savory foods like liver pate and Salt Fish and Ackee (at Miss Ollie’s around the corner from Umami Mart!). Although the label on the bottle suggests having this chilled, I enjoyed this sake best at room temperature.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Takenotsuyu Junmai
Takenotsuyu Sake Brewing Co. (Yamagata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +2

Although Takenotsuyu is the driest, brightest, and fruitiest of the four sakes this month, it still has a mouth-watering brothiness about it that I identify as umami. The initial tart taste of cherries and raspberries morphs into a long finish full of umami. Try this sake at room temperature with grilled fish or steamed shellfish. Warming it up softens the tang but creates a shorter, clean finish.

Tsuzumi Junmai
Onda Shuzo Co. Ltd. (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 48%
SMV: -2

This is one of my favorite sakes of the moment. It smells and tastes like many of my favorite foods: mushrooms, caramelized onions, and bourbon. With a solid sweetness, this sake pairs well with spicy foods like curried meats or Korean chicken wings (twice fried!). I’m also content to savor the long finish of this creamy, viscous brew by itself, slightly warmed. Note that the rice is polished down to 48% (52% removed), yet the brewer still names this a junmai. (Rice that is polished 50% or more is typically used for brewing daiginjo grade sakes.)

SG Tip: How to Warm Sake
1) Transfer sake into tokkuri (sake flask)
2) Bring pot of water to boil (water in pot must reach at least half the height of the tokkuri)
3) Turn heat off.
4) Place tokkuri into the pot for 5 min.
5) Enjoy!

The post Sake Gumi News: Umami-Rich Sakes (September 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

October sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

To coincide with the coming of Halloween, this month’s Sake Gumi theme highlights the images of Japanese legends and folklore that often adorn sake labels. From the Gegege no Kitaro characters that appear on one-cups sakes we sell at the store to the wildly popular Onikoroshi (Demon Slayer) sake style, so many sakes are named after ghoulish characters or ruthless warriors.

Japan is a country with deep-rooted beliefs in legends and folklore. As I drove through small towns in Hokkaido, oni (mountain ogre) statues with huge clubs are everywhere intimidating outsiders and passersby. And to the south in Okinawa, I was charmed by all the shisa (lion-dogs) that guard many of the rooftops and gates of homes. These characters add a sense of playfulness to the landscape, but stem from an ingrained belief that non-humans and animals deserve personification.

The sakes that I chose all feature characters on their labels or in their names. They all happen to be relatively dry with a crisp ending. Appropriately, all four characters, the Yuki Otoko (Snow Yeti), the oni (demon), the Kabuki villain Hyakujuro, and the powerful warlord Hidetora Ichimonji from the Akira Kurosawa movie Ran have a dry personality and meet a crisp ending!

The notes on the reverse side are divided into two parts: some background on the characters and notes on the sakes themselves. Perhaps parallels can be drawn between the personalities depicted on the labels and the profiles of the sakes. You be the judge.

Happy Halloween,
Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Yuki Otoko “Yeti” Honjozo
Aoki Shuzo (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65%
SMV: +8.5

In addition to being elusive in the wild, this Yuki Otoko (Snow Yeti) sake took over a year for us to arrange a “sighting” in the U.S. (it was one of our favorite sakes during our 2015 trip to Japan). Yuki Otoko has a basket on its back, which he uses to rescue folks who are lost in the snowy mountains of Niigata. Despite having a very dry and clean finish, this sake has a creamy mouthfeel that is dangerously easy to drink. My favorite way to enjoy this crisp sake is chilled, alongside umami-rich sun-ripened tomatoes or toasted pecans.

Wakatake Onikoroshi Tokubetsu Junmai Genshu
Oomuraya Shuzo (Shizuoka, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +7

Onikoroshi (Demon Slayer) sakes are said to be so cuttingly dry that they can kill a demon. To go one step further, it is said to kill the demon inside of us. There are currently over 100 breweries making their own Onikoroshi sakes. The Wakatake Onikoroshi is unique in that it is a genshu, therefore, it is not diluted with water before bottling, boasting a high ABV of 17-18%. This sake drinks like a fruity tequila and I enjoyed this chilled with pickles, slices of parmesan cheese, and chips with hot green salsa.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

OneTen Black Junmai Daiginjo
Hayashi Honten Co. (Gifu, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +3

The impression depicted on the label is of the Kabuki actor Hyakujuro, who reached the peak of his career at the turn of the 20th century. The style of makeup shown here is the kumadori style, which was painted onto actors’ faces who played villians and yokai (monsters). This daiginjo has a subdued floral nose with the acidity of blackberries and ends smooth, long, but subtle. The acidity allows this daiginjo to pair with rich fish, like salmon and sardines. Drink chilled or at room temperature.

Toukun Yume “A Tale of Dreams and Illusions” Junmai Ginjo
Toukun Shuzo Co. (Chiba, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +3

If you are an Akira Kurosawa fan, you will recognize Hidetora Ichimonji on the label. Ichimonji is the ailing, but powerful warlord from Kurosawa’s last epic Ran (based loosely on King Lear), who is faced with the burden to divide his kingdom fairly amongst his three sons. Although he is introduced to us as an invincible warlord, his vulnerability to family and devoted servants are quickly revealed. Watch this 162-minute epic to find out what happens! This sake is a reflection of Ichimonji: it looks tough on the outside, but has a smooth, soft, peachy core that ends abruptly (crisp and clean). Enjoy chilled with a soft milky cheese, like a brie, or with spinach dressed in shira-ae.

The post Sake Gumi News: Legends and Folklore (October 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

As we celebrate Scorpios this month in Sake Gumi, our sake club selections are centered around yamahai and kimoto-style sakes. One Sake Gumi offering is by Kitaya Brewery called Souden, an earthy, yogurty brew that is a current staff favorite. Yoko and I (along with Johnny, Anders, and TB) were fortunate to visit Kitaya on our latest trip to Japan. We headed to Kyushu, Japan’s southern most island, known for its tonkotsu ramen, onsen, and shochu. The trip was truly memorable and our tour of Kitaya Brewery was a highlight.

Located in Yame City in Fukuoka Prefecture, you can spot the brewery miles away, thanks to its giant chimney.

Here we are below it for scale:

Kitaya has been around for nearly two centuries and boasts perhaps the largest sugidama, a ball made of cedar that customarily hangs in front of sake breweries to signify the start of brewing season.

Kitaya sakes run the gamut in flavor profiles: fruity daiginjos, dry honjozos, bold yamahais. Kyushu is known for robust flavors in its cooking (a lot of pork, and horse is a delicacy here), so they try to make sakes that would complement this cuisine. Kitaya also distills shochu.

The kurabito (brewers) dining room:

Rice washing station:

We were lucky enough to get a tour from the president of Kitaya himself, Mr. Kotaro Kinoshita. Here he is with the sake mash, before fermentation:

Fermenting tanks:

Tasting out of the fermentation tanks:

Kitaya invests heavily in the newest sake technology and equipment. Here is a top-of-the-line koji-maker that Yoko and I had never seen at any other brewery. This controls the temperature of the environment so that the koji mold can develop evenly.

Before there were these high-tech koji cultivating machines, koji was made in these small rooms lined with planks of cedar. It was not sake-making season so we were able to go inside this room, which Kitaya still uses, despite the fact that they also have a fancy koji-cultivator.

Above is Mr. Shinichi Obata, a local sales rep for Kitaya. He was so kind.

Yeast-testing:

More fancy equipment – we think this was the rice cooler:

A sake press by industry leader Yabuta:

Washed rice on drying racks:

Master brewer Nishio Kouhiro. He has been at the brewery for decades — he told us that he only meant to stay for a little while. We enjoyed Mr. Kouhiro greatly. Here he is with a freshly-made sake starter mash:

We tasted some of Kitaya’s newly released sakes and shochus. Note the spit buckets:

The bottling and packaging warehouse:

Thank you Kitaya for a lovely afternoon at your brewery! We enjoyed talking with the President and Master Brewer and getting to see first-hand how their sakes are made. Kyushu is a special place, and we can’t wait to go back!

Photos by Johnny Lopes

The post A Visit to Kitaya Brewery in Kyushu appeared first on Umami Mart.

December sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

This year was funky. 2016 was full of unexpected events and happenings that threw us for a loop. The deaths of David Bowie and Prince, the emotional rollercoaster of the elections, and most recently, the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland, have put us in a major funk. At least on a local level, our community has proven its resilience and openness to work together and make change.

To reflect on 2016, we end Sake Gumi this year with sakes that defy expectations and are undeniably funky. Besides some obviously funky characteristics of the sakes this month, for example, mushroomy aromas or yeasty flavors, these sakes throw curveballs in how they’ve been brewed or produced – dancing to their own beat.

Yoko

10% of this month’s Sake Gumi subscription sales will be donated to “Fam1st Supporting the Victims of Ghost Ship Fire” organized by Fam1st Family Foundation.
10% of all sales made in our Oakland store on Saturday, December 17 will also be donated to this fund.

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Rokkasen Junmai Godan-Jikomi Nigori
Rokkasen Co., Ltd. (Yamagata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 70%
SMV: -15

When brewing sake, steamed rice, kōji, water, and yeast cultures are combined to cause fermentation – but they are not combined all at once. Instead, the mixing is typically separated into three stages. However, this unique nigori (unfiltered sake) goes through five stages. This yields a sweeter brew. That said, I perceive this nigori to have more umami up front than sweetness. Sip this sake chilled and savor its earthy, melony sweetness, and fizz alongside foods that go well with champagne, like crab and oysters. Good riddance to 2016!

Nihonjin no Wasuremono Junmai Yamahai
Bunraku Sake Brewery (Saitama, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +5

If you’ve read the notes from last month, you will recognize this type of sake – yamahai. Yamahai is a traditional style of making sake where lactic acid and yeast is drawn from the air instead of added into the fermentation mash. This yields a sake that is often richer, more umamiful, and yogurty. This particular sake is mild for a yamahai but has the creamy and nutty elements that are often present in this style. Its long finish is also worth savoring. With notes of cashews and cocoa, this sake is great chilled alongside grilled squid, salmon, and perhaps worth trying alongside slices of bottarga.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Bunzaemon Junmai Ginjo
Bunzaemon Koga (Saga, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +3

I love this junmai ginjo because it throws you for a loop. I typically expect a junmai ginjo to be fruity and crisp, but this junmai ginjo has an assertive cream-of-mushroom nose that is savory and robust enough to be enjoyed warm (junmai ginjos are most often enjoyed cold). Because this is a sturdy sake full of shiitake and enoki-aromas, go ahead and pair it with heavy holiday party foods like bacon-wrapped asparagus and creamy, cheesy dips.

Kakeya Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu
Takeshita Honten Co, Ltd. (Shimane, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 70%
SMV: +4

This self-proclaimed “Umami Sake” sums up how I feel about 2016. It was unfiltered (muroka), undiluted (genshu), and raw (nama), so it is fitting that it was brewed in 2016. Recently available in the U.S., this special bottle uses rice grown locally in Shimane and features the skill of the brewery’s 78-year-old toji (brew-master) who has been refining his craft since he was 18. Savor notes of raisin, mouth-watering acidity, and a cedar nose – all best highlighted when chilled. Skipping dilution provides structure while the muroka style leaves the sake with a light, golden hue, since it is not filtered through charcoal. Try this sake with a rich meal fit for a celebration, like lobster or herb-roasted duck. 2016 is almost over: YAY!

The post Sake Gumi News: funk•y (December 2016) appeared first on Umami Mart.

Today the marks the 12th and very last day of our 12 Days of Christmas one-day-only holiday deals. Today’s deal is for 10% off 6-month and 12-month Sake Gumi Gift Subscriptions. Find the discount code on our 12 Days of Christmas page.

It’s Christmas Eve! Are you still looking for a special gift for a very special friend? Perhaps someone who loves unique gifts? Better yet, someone who loves sake? We have just the perfect present for this someone: a 6-month or 12-month subscription to Sake Gumi, our monthly curated sake club. And today only, we’re offering 10% off Sake Gumi Gift Subscriptions.

The sakes in our club are curated by our resident Certified Sake Professional, Umami Mart co-owner Yoko Kumano. Yoko chooses the sakes around a theme for the month, and explains why she’s chosen each bottle, along with giving tasting notes, serving suggestions, and preferred temperatures to enjoy each sake.

There are two different entry levels to join Sake Gumi:

Introductory Level 1

Level 1 is an introductory level; members receive two 300 ml bottles handpicked by us. Level 1 is great for those who are new to sake and are still figuring out their flavor preferences, or even sake lovers who already know what they like, but are game for trying a variety of curated brews.

Premium Level 2

Level 2 is our premium offering; members receive two 720 ml bottles handpicked by us. Level 2 is meant for sake connoisseurs, whose palates are up for more unique and sophisticated offerings. We proud to often offer very expensive and rare bottles to Level 2 members at a lower price point. We’ve had several Level 1 one members who’ve decided they’re ready to graduate to Level 2, and even a couple of members who are in both levels because they don’t want to miss out on a single bottle we’ve chosen!

Sake Gumi members can have their bottles shipped to them (please note: we can only ship to the following states: AK, CA, DC, ID, MN, MO, ND, NH, NV, NM, OR, VA, WA, and WY) or they can pick up their bottles each month in our Oakland shop. Members get special discounts and invitations to tasting events and field trips just for club members. They also get their very own Sake Gumi 2-bottle canvas tote.

So, give the gift that keeps on giving with a 6-month or 12-month Sake Gumi Gift Subscription. Today’s discount is valid today only. You must be 21+ to purchase Sake Gumi subscriptions. And this offer is only valid on 6-month or 12-month gift subscriptions (not monthly subscriptions). 

The post Today Only: 10% Off Sake Gumi Gift Subscriptions appeared first on Umami Mart.

January sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

I love starting the new year fresh – drinking fruity, cold sakes that pair well with all the seafood and shellfish that is in season this time of year. For January’s Sake Gumi selections, I wanted to kick off 2017 with four fresh and fruity sakes, especially after the last couple of months, where I featured rich and cozy bottles for the club.

So what makes a sake fruity?

The first thing to notice about fruity sakes is that they are typically ginjos or daiginjos. Both of these types of sakes use highly-polished rice, where the outer layers of the grain containing proteins and fats are removed. After brewers have removed these outer layers, what’s left is the delicate, starchy core, or shinpaku. When making ginjos, rice must be polished down to at least 60% (meaning 40% of the outer layer is removed). When making daiginjos, rice must be polished down to at least 50%. Using highly-polished rice creates a final product that has more fruity, clean notes highlighting a natural sweetness reminiscent of fruit.

Another way to bring out fruitiness is to use certain strains of yeast. Ginjos typically use yeast #9, which in addition to providing a stable environment for fermentation, also enhances fruity and floral fragrances. I hope you will take note of the fruity bouquet of each sake this month. These aromas are thanks to the specific types of yeast the brewers are using.

We have one sake in level two that uses another technique to highlight fruitiness: the lack of pasteurization. When a sake is labeled nama in the U.S. this means that it has skipped one of the two steps for pasteurization that sake usually goes through before and after maturation. When a sake skips one of the pasteurization processes, they tend to taste more fresh, lively, and fruity.

Drink a fruity sake as you would a fruity white wine, chilled to enhance their aromas and to savor their tartness and sweetness.

-Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Jukusei Jozen Mizunogotoshi Junmai Ginjo
Shirataki Sake Brewery (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +3

Brewed in Japan’s winter wonderland of Niigata Prefecture, this junmai ginjo is all about stone fruit. I love the taste of juicy, tart cherries in this brew as well as its slightly tangy citrus rind finish thanks to a higher acidity value of 1.7. It is aged for a year at a lower temperature for smoothness. Bring out the fruitiness inherent in this sake by drinking it chilled and pairing it with bold foods like hot coppa, soppressata, or blue cheese.

Takatenjin “Soul of the Sensei” Junmai Daiginjo
Doi Shuzo (Shizuoka, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +5

This daiginjo is as smooth as it gets. As far as fruit goes, it is full of honeydew melons with a hint of jasmine flower. With a creamy, long finish, this sake is a great beverage to savor on its own or with equally creamy, smooth morsels like grilled oysters and Fromage-Blanc style cheeses. The Doi Shuzo brewery named this sake after one of its previous toji (head sake brewers), who developed the basis for this clean, dry sake that is simultaneously complex in its finish. Drink chilled.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Nechi Otokoyama Yukimizake Tokubetsu Honjozo
Watanabe Sake Brewery (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +4

Watanabe Sake Brewery is one of the few sake breweries that grows their rice on site. This allows them to use rice immediately after harvest, adding a dimension of brightness in the final product. This bottle of Yukimizake was part of a small batch production that was fermented at a lower temperature for longer. It also skips pasteurization before maturation. Both of these techniques results in a sake that is lively and full of bing cherries and orange rind. A relatively high acidity value of 1.8 makes this sake ideal to pair with rich, raw seafoods like salmon and soft mild cheeses like brie. Drink chilled.

Kiminoi “Emperor’s Well” Yamahai Junmai Ginjo
Kiminoi Shuzo (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 58%
SMV: +2

Contrary to the typical flavor profile of a yamahai, this sake finishes dry. But notice the overwhelming aroma of cherimoya, aka the fruit that Mark Twain called “the most delicious fruit known to men,” aka the custard apple. Like the cherimoya, this sake is rich in its mouthfeel – almost akin to caramel. Enjoy this sake chilled alongside fried calamari or fried chicken.

The post Sake Gumi News: To a Fresh + Fruity Year (January 2017) appeared first on Umami Mart.

February sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

This month at Umami Mart, we are celebrating our very first publication, a recipe zine titled Japanify All Day. It’s a compilation of 21 simple Japanese recipes that I created for home cooks. I started Japanify, a monthly blog column on Umami Mart’s website in 2010. Upon moving back to the Bay Area after five years of living in Tokyo, I wanted to document my food memories from Japan. These recipes were created using ingredients available to people in the U.S.

Many, if not all, of the recipes I introduce in the zine pair well with sake. And the sakes I’m offering this month for the club are no exception. With the theme karakuchi, or “extra dry,” I have included my usual tasting and serving temperature notes, but also suggest which recipes in the zine will pair best with the sakes offered. Extra dry sakes can be refreshing when enjoyed cold and take the edge off after a long day when served warm. Because they are so versatile, extra dry sakes are good to have on hand in the fridge at any given time.

Get a copy of the zine at the Oakland shop or online, and join us at our Japanify festivities this month:

Japanify Zine Party at The Kebabery On Thursday, February 23, from 6–9 p.m., we’re throwing a ticketed zine release party at The Kebabery, the highly-anticipated new North Oakland restaurant from Camino’s Russell Moore, Allison Hopelain, and Brian Crookes. Japanify Zine Party at The Kebabery will include three drink tickets, and a plate of kebabs plus sides. Seats are limited to 50, so we encourage buying tickets early before they sell out. We will be featuring sakes from one of our favorite brewers, Ichinokura. Sake Gumi members get a limited edition Japanify sake pin for free at the event!

Japanify All Day Party at Umami Mart On Saturday, February 25, we invite everyone to join us at Japanify All Day Party at Umami Mart, a celebration from 12-4 p.m. at our shop at 815 Broadway in Old Oakland. The first 50 customers who make a $5 minimum purchase will get a free copy of the zine! The party will feature J-Shack food truck and a limited-edition run of Japanify themed pins. This party is free!

Kanpai,
Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Sawanoi Junmai Daikarakuchi
Ozawa Shuzo (Tokyo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65%
SMV: +10

With an SMV of +10 (a higher sake meter value suggests that a sake will taste dry) and the name “Daikarakuchi,” or ”super dry,” know that you are getting yourself into a bottle of crisp, sharp, lemony sake. With a very light nose and a bone dry finish, this sake pairs well with acidic morsels like kimchi or corned beef. Japanify recipe pairing: Shio Koji Pickles. Enjoy chilled.

Kagatobi Super Dry
Yamahai Junmai
Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery (Ishikawa, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65%
SMV: +12

This sake smells like the aroma that fills the air of a sake brewery. The bouquet is full of sour yeast and ricey sake kasu (lees). I love this sake because it enters earthy but finishes clean. I am happy to include this under the extra dry theme, because it demonstrates that although it is a dry sake, it has a complex mouthfeel that is like a meal in itself. Enjoy this sake at room temperature with salty, savory foods. Japanify recipe pairing: Supaisu Nuttsu (Spiced Nuts) and Shisomaki.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Ryusei Junmai Daiginjo
Fujii Sake Brewery (Hiroshima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +5

Hailing from Hiroshima, this junmai daiginjo is not technically called a “dry” sake, but after a sip, its dryness is undeniable. Plus, with an SMV of +5, the stats prove that this sake will finish crisp. With apples on the nose, it expands upon entering the palate but quickly wraps up with a refreshing ending that is more fruity than ricey. Although this sake drinks like a light beverage, it has a higher than average ABV of 17%. Try this sake chilled with fresh salads, raw vegetables, and sashimi. Japanify recipe pairing: Magurozuke Don.

Shintaro Junmai Karakuchi
Hamakawa Shoten (Kochi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +5

This complex, yet dry sake can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature, or warm. Kayoko and I took a bottle of this sake to Kiraku (an izakaya in Berkeley) last month and shared a whole bottle (oops!) over shirako and fried chikuwa (fish cake). Notice the funny phrases on the bottle describing Shintaro Nakaoka, a political figure of the late 19th century, for whom this sake is named after. Japanify recipe pairing: Natto Toast.

The post Sake Gumi News: Extra Dry + Japanify (February 2017) appeared first on Umami Mart.

March sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what’s on deck here, you should join!

What is life without family? Less joy, bonding, and headaches! Love ’em or hate ’em, they are a part of our lives – they keep us grounded and remind us of why we are the way we are. This month at Umami Mart, we are celebrating “family.” I consider myself very lucky to have two families: the family I was born into and my Umami Mart family. My Umami Mart family consists of our tight-knit team and also includes you, Sake Gumi members! It’s always a pleasure to get caught up in a conversation on life, politics, and sake at the shop and through emails. Just like the family I grew up with, there is never a dull moment with you all at Umami Mart.

Sake is an inherently social drink. It’s meant to be shared amongst family and friends – you are to pour for others and historically, sake only came in “family-size” 1.8L bottles. Nowadays, they come in smaller bottles for easy storage and consumption for nuclear families. But the tradition of pouring in small cups for others still remains. Even though we are in 21st century America, I still like to practice the custom of pouring for my family and friends. And I expect them to return the gesture! In an age where independence and competition reign, it’s reassuring to know that someone has your back (when drinking sake, at least).

When choosing the bottles for this month, I selected sakes that would pair well with communal meals. I also considered the fact that individuals within families all have different tastes. Therefore, the sakes this month are not mono thematic. Past months have highlighted sakes that oscillated from extra dry to highly acidic, but this month the sakes are meant to please everyone from your weed-smoking brother to your steak-loving aunt.

Kayoko and I will be going to Kyushu and Tokyo this month. Be sure to track our adventures exploring shochu distilleries, glass factories, and sushi by following us on Instagram @umamimart.

Kanpai,
Yoko

LEVEL 1: Introductory Membership (Two 300ml bottles)

Kamotsuru Itteki Nyukon Junmai Ginjo
Kamotsuru (Hiroshima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +3

This crisp, dry junmai ginjo is peppery like a glass of Perrier. Kickstart your next family meal with this invigorating sake, as everyone takes a seat around the table. Try pairing this light sake, which has hints of pine and thyme, with leafy green salads or roasted chicken. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.

Minakata Junmai Ginjo
Sekai Itto (Wakayama, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +2

The Minakata family owns Sekai Itto Brewery and deemed this sake good enough to don the family name. With a balance of caramel sweetness, acidity, and the fruitiness of an apple this junmai ginjo has a long finish and is very food friendly. I shared this bottle with my family over crab hot pot. Although I had it chilled that night, the beauty of this structured junmai ginjo is that it can be enjoyed chilled, or at room temperature.

LEVEL 2: Premium Membership (Two 720ml bottles)

Sasaiwai Junmai Muroka
Sasaiwai Sake Brewery (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: +5

Similar in profile to the Kamotsuru in Level 1, this junmai is crisp, clean, and refreshing. But the long finish and mango aroma give it another dimension, perhaps because it is a muroka (not charcoal filtered) sake. Sakes that are not charcoal filtered often times have a tint of color and have a more pronounced aroma than their charcoal filtered counterparts. Pour this sake chilled at the start of the evening and serve with hummus or a leafy green salad.

Ten to Chi “Heaven and Earth” Junmai Daiginjo
Musashino Shuzo (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +3

Musashino Shuzo Brewery has been owned by the Kobayashi family for over four generations since its inception in 1916. The current owner is Hajime Kobayashi and his son Ataru exports their sake and has paid Umami Mart many visits. From production to delivery, the Kobayashis run a true family-owned business. Full of umami, this daiginjo is a great candidate to bring over for a celebration accompanied by a rich meal. What I like about Ten To Chi is that it’s not over-the-top fruity, but has hints of nuts, caramel, and butterscotch. I recommend this sake chilled with shabu shabu and ponzu sauce. I also recommend it with a lightly seared steak.

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I always get nervous before an event because I want it to be the best that it can be. Last week’s 2nd Annual Sake Dinner at Camino restaurant was no exception. I tossed and turned all night, imagining how the whole dinner would progress.

As soon as we started setting up Thursday afternoon, my mind quickly eased up as we reunited with the Camino crew and all the friendly faces started flowing into restaurant. It made me think about how silly I was to be so nervous the night before. With a group like this, the only outcome would be a night of laughing and conversations about sake – my two favorite past times.

We set up our sandwich board outside of Camino.

Welcome to Camino!

Mini Umami Mart! We had a little retail booth for Sake Gumi signups and pick-ups, as well as a display of our most popular sake wares.

As with all special events at Camino, everyone gets a name card at their seat.

Pork magic was happening in the kitchen as we were setting up.

And more magic…

Grilled little gems!

The barrel this year was filled with Ichinokura Junmai. This crisp, clean, chilled sake was a refreshing aperitif.

Close up of the barrel (photo by Katherine McKinley).

Thank you to Russ who crafted a perfectly paired meal around the sakes.

Camino’s infamous Herb Jam Toast was among the passed snacks during cocktail hour. There were fried anchovies too (which I sadly didn’t get on camera)!

This was the 2nd Annual Sake Dinner at Camino, so we saw a lot of guests from last year’s dinner, and of course many Sake Gumi members. Guests started filing in right at 6pm.

John and Moi were at the bar helm, serving up two creative cocktails incorporating one of Umami Mart’s most popular sake: Funagushi Nama Genshu.

The space filled up immediately.

It got wild and rowdy, quickly. In a good way, of course.

One of the most talked about pairing was the citrus salad with the Shinsei Daiginjo, a sake that was a part of April’s Sake Gumi offerings.

The citrus looked like rubies on a plate.

Tracy!

The sake for the main course was the Naraman Muroka Junmai, served at room temperature. This funky, full sake was a great pairing with the oven-roasted pork loin and shoulder. (Photo by Kayoko Akabori)

Camino pork! (Photo by Katherine McKinley)

And before I knew it, we were onto Mary Kate’s dessert: Toasted rice ice cream, strawberries, and a black sesame cookie.

Friends!

Thank you to Shiho (right) of Toyo-Sasaki Glass Co. who flew all the way from Tokyo to join us, along with her colleague Fumiya. They donated the Sori Yanagi sake glasses that guests could take home!

Photogenic Camino.

It was Tracy’s last night at Camino! Please visit her at The Kebabery. Congratulations Tracy!

This event reminded me of how meaningful collaborations and familiar faces are the joys of Sake Gumi and Umami Mart. Thank you to Allison, Russ, Brian, and Sean of Camino. And of course, all of the guests, who bring this event to life every year.

See you in 2018 for the 3rd Annual Sake Dinner!

Photos by Yoko Kumano, unless otherwise noted.

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