Arizona Sake: Brewing Happiness
Jun. 30. 2022 writer:
Atsuo Sakurai uses his decade of brewing experience to bring sake to the desert town of Holbrook, Arizona
brewery
A Hundred Years of Honda Shoten: What Next for the Innovative Sake Maker?
Jun. 16. 2022 writer:
On the legendary makers’ centennial, Honda Shoten’s president reflects on history and the road ahead
What Does the Future Hold for Niigata’s Famed Kubota Brand?
Jun. 2. 2022 writer:
35 years after releasing their famed Kubota brand, the brewer looks to shake things up
Mile High Fermentation at Colorado Sake Co.
May. 26. 2022 writer:
Starting up a sake brewery in Denver meant more than just brewing, it meant rewriting laws
Rewriting the Rules of Sake, with Doburoku (Part 2)
May. 19. 2022 writer:
A visit to the humble pioneer shaking the foundation of both doburoku and sake-making, reminding us what’s truly important in the process
Rewriting the Rules of Sake, with Doburoku (Part 1)
May. 16. 2022 writer:
A grassroots pioneer shaking the foundations of sake-making while demonstrating what’s truly important in the process
North American Sake Brewery: Transcontinental Dreams
Apr. 7. 2022 writer:
Andrew Centofante is the pioneering mind behind North American Sake Brewery and is co-founder of the Sake Brewers Association of North America
Sequoia Sake Brings Fresh Sake to the West Coast
Feb. 3. 2022 writer:
Jake Myrick and Noriko Kamei founded Sequoia Sake to bring unpasteurized sake to US customers
Flow Like Water: Celebrating 30 Years of Jozen Mizuno Gotoshi
Jan. 6. 2022 writer:
A look back at the history of a famed Niigata label reveals how it persevered and found fortune.
Heeding the Call of Void Sake in Lexington, Kentucky
Dec. 9. 2021 writer:
Three friends in Kentucky bring craft beer insight and new energy to craft sake.
Miho Imada: Japan’s Famed Woman Brewmaster Looks Locally for Inspiration
Nov. 25. 2021 writer:
Miho Imada has achieved global fame, but her success remains rooted in the sake culture of her home.
YamaSake Brewery in Knonau, Switzerland Serves Uniquely Swiss Brews
Nov. 18. 2021 writer:
Brothers Oliver and Christian Weibel brew sake outside of Zurich with local flair.
Correspondents Report: Sake Love in Locked-down Australia
Oct. 31. 2021 writer:
SAKETIMES Correspondent reports what's going on around the world.
There She Blows! Suigei Aims Big with New Brewery
Oct. 14. 2021 writer:
With a state-of-the-art facility up and running, this popular pairing sake looks set for success.
Correspondents Report: The Emerging Sake Scene in London
Oct. 1. 2021 writer:
SAKETIMES Correspondent reports what's going on around the world.
Wetlands Sake Offers a Taste of Japan with a Louisiana Twist
Sep. 23. 2021 writer:
Wetlands Sake uses locally developed and grown Pirogue rice to make junmai sake in the heart of New Orleans.
Hyakumoku: A Bold New Release from a Centuries-Old Brewery
Aug. 26. 2021 writer:
How a big-name producer broke with tradition for their new brew.
Nanobreweries Balance Freedom with Business Realities
Aug. 12. 2021 writer:
Tiny breweries leverage their small scale to stay afloat despite economic pressures.
Big Numbers, Big Flavor: A Look at Low Milling Rates in Sake
Jul. 8. 2021 writer:
More breweries are bucking ginjo trends and brewing sake from barely-polished rice.
Dewazakura Sake Brewery: How a Fateful Decision Sparked a Ginjo Boom
Jun. 10. 2021 writer:
Dewazakura inadvertently contributed to the ginjo sake boom when it gambled on sidestepping government regulations.
Women Making an Impact on Sake Brewing
Jun. 3. 2021 writer:
Women are breaking through an unwritten ban in the sake industry to enormous success.
People Power: Teamwork Brews Success for Heiwa Shuzo
May. 6. 2021 writer:
An innovative brewery impresses on the global stage with a double win for their KID sake label.
Navigating the New Normal: Sake in the Post-Pandemic Age
Apr. 29. 2021 writer:
With covid threatening restaurants and sake brewers in Japan, one sake maker is using crowdfunding to spread joy and lift up the whole industry.
Interview: Dassai Head Spills the Secrets Behind its Global Success
Apr. 1. 2021 writer:
How did the world-famous sake brand Dassai achieve its stellar global reputation? Dassai head Sakurai spills the details.
Tatenokawa’s Marketing Director Brings New Perspective to an Old Industry
Feb. 21. 2020 writer:
In the sake world, it’s often the toji - or "brewmaster" - who gets the lion’s share of the praise. But while toji may play a very important role, sake brewing requires a lot of hands on deck - some of whom, increasingly, contribute skills that have little to do with the actual brewing process. Breweries like Tatenokawa, Inc. are starting to take seriously the parts of the business that don’t get fermented and bottled, often to great effect.
Tokyo Port Brewery: The 100 year-old Brewery with a New Lease on Life
Feb. 13. 2020 writer:
In most businesses, the idea of a company lying dormant for a century and returning as a successful operation is unheard of. But in the sake world anything is possible and the only kura currently brewing in the heart of Tokyo is a perfect example. It’s also a great sake destination in its own right for anyone visiting the Tokyo area.
Making Sake Fun Again: KIKUSUI’s President Talks on the Philosophy of Running a Global Sake Brand
Feb. 6. 2020 writer:
For a Japanese sake manufacturer, KIKUSUI is making unprecedented headway in the American market. KIKUSUI president Daisuke Takasawa explains the company's international success in this exclusive interview.
Want to Start a Sake Brewery in Japan? It’s Now a whole lot easier
Jan. 29. 2020 writer:
For decades in Japan, the idea of a start-up sake brewery, or “kura,” was virtually unheard of due to strict government regulation. But, this year sees a significant loosening of these restrictions, making the idea of opening a new brewery much more feasible. It’s an ongoing process of deregulation in its early stages, but here’s what we know so far:
Why Tour a Brewery When You Can Spend the Weekend in One? World’s First Sake Brewery Hotel to Open in Nagano
Jan. 23. 2020 writer:
Kurabito Stay, a new start-up in Nagano Prefecture, offers guests three-day, two-night stays in an actual sake brewery. It’s such a perfect travel experience for fans of sake or Japanese culture in general that it’s a surprise no one’s thought of it sooner. But, Kurabito Stay wasn’t easy to get off the ground, and took some ingenuity and a little luck for mother-turned-entrepreneur Mariko Tazawa to pull off.
Growing Number of Breweries Taking Up Farming to Bring Sake Production to Another Level
Jan. 9. 2020 writer:
The sake industry is currently in a new state of change. Domestic demand is continually slipping and yet global sales have never been better and continue to grow. This leaves the producers at an interesting crossroads the likes of which they have never seen before. For one group of 12 breweries, the key to drinkers’ hearts worldwide and to the future of sake lies in sustainably and locally produced organic rice made in-house.
People First: KIKUSUI’s Commitment to Empowering through Education
Dec. 19. 2019 writer:
A chance encounter led KIKUSUI and their American distributor, Mutual Trading, to join forces in employee education. SAKETIMES goes behind the scenes of the immersive internship at the brewer’s facilities.
Taiji Okura: From SAKETIMES Intern to Future Head of One of Japan’s Biggest Breweries
Nov. 28. 2019 writer:
Taiji Okura has followed a career path traveled by few; partly due to birthright, partly due to personal ambition, he’s carved an interesting trail and is all but destined for greatness. But the likely future head of Gekkeikan says his time spent interning here at this very publication, SAKETIMES, was as important a stepping stone as any on his way to the top.
SAKETIMES NEWS – Nov 5, 2019
Nov. 5. 2019 writer:
In the news this week: Nagai Brewery’s sake gets the vegan stamp of approval in time for the Olympics. Then, Hokkaido aims to become a major force in sake with Japan’s first brewery operating on a university campus. Finally, OuSake offers a variety of lectures in Shanghai to spread the sake gospel.
The Best Place to Grab Sake Before You Go at Narita Airport
Sep. 12. 2019 writer:
Terminal 2 of the airport houses a duty-free liquor shop that lets you sample sake before buying. Team SAKETIMES was invited to get a frontline view of what makes this outlet special.
Den Sake: The Story of a Scrappy Sake Pioneer in America
Sep. 5. 2019 writer:
Yoshihiro Sako bootstrapped his way to creating Den Sake, one of California’s premier small-batch sake breweries
Interview : The Secret Behind KIKUSUI Sake
Jul. 4. 2019 writer:
We speak with one of KIUSUI's top engineers on sake brewing, the friendly relationship shared by Niigata’s producers, and delivering new experiences to sake fans.
SAKETIMES NEWS – Jul 2, 2019
Jul. 2. 2019 writer:
In the news this week: Cool Japan is looking to show China, Hong Kong, and Macau how cool sake can be. Then, Kiku-Masamune is bringing their long-awaited Hyakumoku sake brand to the United States and threw a bash to celebrate. Finally, those traditional square sake cups called masu are about to get a huge upgrade with holograms and streaming audio.
Toji Pull Their Weight: The Heaviest Sake-making Equipment
Jun. 20. 2019 writer:
Sake is sometimes seen as a classy drink which belies the hours of backbreaking labor that goes into making it. So let’s take a look behind the scenes at some of the things brewery staff have to haul around on a daily basis and weigh them all for good measure.
SAKETIMES NEWS – Apr 30, 2019
Apr. 30. 2019 writer:
In the news this week: It’s Detroit Rock Sake as several brands of KISS Sake roll out over the year at Tower Records. Then, you can be one of the lucky owners of the first ever sake brewed in Paris by the trailblazers at WAKAZE. Finally, Gekkeikan had the brilliant idea of surveying duty free staff in order to customize a sake that appeals especially to foreign visitors.
SAKETIMES NEWS – Apr 16th, 2019
Apr. 16. 2019 writer:
In the news this week: Konishi Brewer wasn’t just thinking out loud when they suggested a sake in the shape of Ed Sheeran. Then, a guaranteed gift for the person who has everything - a Bluetooth speaker that looks like the cedar ball traditionally used by sake breweries. Finally, sake breweries are increasingly heading over to crowdfunding site Makuake, inspiring a number of groundbreaking projects.
