My story in the New York Times

My story is out!! The New York Times, yo!!

I am grateful for the opportunity to brew sake in Fukuoka and for your support and encouragement. May I be an instrument to further respect for the brewing and appreciation for the consuming of premium sake from Kyushu! Kanpai!

Let me clear up a few items:

Sake is not “rice wine”. This is like calling hefeweizen “wheat wine” or merlot “grape beer”. Sake is fermented from rice, water, yeast and koji and should be categorized in its own unique category.

I am not trying to change how American sake is brewed. I do enjoy helping American brewers who ask me for help or advice. If I can't help them personally, I ask my Toji and questions get answered! But in the end, it would be impossible for me to care less than I do about how American sake tastes. I drink premium sake from Japan. That said, most of the start-up breweries in North America that I have either consulted with or otherwise know through tasting their wares are making quality jizakes that I enjoy and are worthy of your attention.

The quote describing our delicious genrokshu (A Zen Ai Koshu) comes from the canny Beau Timken of True Sake in San Francisco. I would describe this very rare, aged sake as having notes of hazelnut, chocolate, orange and persimmon. I’ve been drinking sake for 25 years and I haven’t had a sake quite like it! Oishi desu ne! It is the only sake that we brew at Wakatakeya Shuzo that can be purchased in the USA at True Sake’s website. Please enjoy!

お神酒上がらぬ神はない
“Even the gods drink sake, so it is natural that so should we.”