Sake Evangelist - Hosoda Brothers Inc.

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Definition of SakEvangelist

An enthusiast, a connoisseur, a wannabe trendsetter who drinks and knows, or pretends to know, a lot about sake.  The word evangelism is taken from the context of religious evangelism due to the similarity of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs with the intention of converting the recipient.  

April 23rd, 2015

4/23/2015

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PictureKirinzan Classic
As you may know (if you are reading this blog entry), there is a little event which is going to pair Sake and “atypical” food.   The genesis of this idea in very small part came from my propensity to open a bottle of sake at home when we made Japanese food, and then (especially if we opened two to try them against each other) have half-drunk bottles of sake (the day job does call on weeknights) in the fridge.  I know, I know, not a bad thing, but I realized that when I had a half finished bottle of wine it got drank with whatever we ate for dinner, the only exception being curry and spicy foods, and I got to thinking......So I tried sake with curry, and it went very well, then I tried it with some Mexican food, also not bad (although I quickly found that some sake goes with hot food, and some does not).   I then tried sake with bacon pizza, and found it again quite nice.

Anyway, others who are much wiser than I thought this was a fun idea.  The idea of further exploring unusual pairings was born during a trip to the street food park across from Costco (the one you have wondered about, perhaps stopped by, wondering if you can get away with parking in Costco’s lot.)

As part of our search for ideas, the other day we tried three basic, everyday drinking sakes.   All were said by the brewers in Japan to match well with different foods.   My friend Jeff made Tacos (we also had some BBQed salmon) and were off to the races:

The first sake, we had was Kirinzan Classic.   It is a “Futsu-shu” (which means “table sake” or “ordinary sake) and is milled to 65%.   I have had before, and is from Niigata prefecture (in the mountains on the West Central coast of Japan, facing the inland sea).    Unlike what I think of as the traditional Niigata sake (and the same brewers’  Junmai Daiginjo which is a wonderful example of the Niigata style)  which have a “clear water” finish, The Futsu-Shu is neutral in its taste, with a – to my pallet anyway – very slightly sweet finish.  Heavier than a more finely milled sake, it cuts through food, and had no burn ( a problem with most alcohol and hot food) when I tried it with the tacos.    It went very well with the BBQed salmon (my favorite pairing) and chicken and beef soft tacos.   I am curious to try it with some Thai or Indian curry. 




The second sake was a “Genshu” which is a “undiluted sake” meaning it has no water added to lower its alcohol content.   This sake Kan Nihonkai Junmai Genshu “Ultra Dry +15” is from Shimane Prefecture on the Southern end of the Western Coast of Japan. The label says “approximately 17-19% alcohol” which can be contrasted with the Kirin-Zan Futsu-Shu which was 15.4%.    This gives the sake a stronger sake finish as well as a lingering of the alcohol in the mouth.    This is often good with richer/fattier foods.    There was no faint sweetness which I often find even in dry sakes, and this is a good sake for someone who wants a truly dry sake.  The extra alcohol gives it a warm mouth feel, yet there is no burn when paired with slightly spicy foods.   Interestingly all three men who tied it (two friends and myself) liked it better with tacos than the Kirin-Zan, while the two woman who tried it, liked the Kirin-Zan better.  

I believe both will be poured at the upcoming SoMa StrEat Food Park SakEvangelist Event (on May 16, 2015) with some suggested pairings, so you can make your own decisions. 


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Tenryo Hidyahomare and Jizake Tenzan

9/26/2014

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Tenryo Hidyahomare Junmai GinjyoTenryo Hidyahomare Junmai Ginjo
In preparation for this years Sake Day (September 27, 2014, not to be missed www.sakeday.com/ ) my friend Jeff brought over two of the sakes that they will be pouring.

The first was Tenryo Hidyahomare Junmai Ginjo  - Gifu prefecture (central Japan, between Tokyo and Kyoto)  Brewer: Tenryo Shuzo Co Ltd

This sake is pleasantly light, with slightly sweet notes of honeysuckle and Hami melon.    It opens up in the mouth with a clean medium not watery feel.   Leaving a little bit of warmth after each sip.    I had it with Sashimi (and rolls made by my 10 year old J ) and it was perfectly paired.

Other reviews have noted that it can be heated (most Junmai Ginjos will burn in the mouth, taste too alchoholic if heated) and I tried this, and it is in fact very nice warm.  Smooth, with a nice warm finish.  Heating though covers up the subtle melon/honeysuckle nose and top note.

The brewer has been making sake for over 350 years, and the traditional packaging matches the traditional heritage, noting “Imperial Possessions Pride of Hida” in block letters on the bottom the label.



 Tenzan “Heavens Mountain” Jizake Tenzan
The second sake we tried was Jizake Tenzan: Jizek of Mount Tenzen ( “Heavens Mountain”) Junmai Genshu Sake  Saga Prefecture (Northern Kyushu Island)  Brewer: Tenzen
My palate gravitates to the Niigata/Nagano style with its clean clear cold water finish.   The Tenzan was the antithesis of this, and matched its heavy serious packaging.   No blue or pink translucent glass here, this is serious sake!

Brewed on Kyushu (which is the southernmost island in Japan, and is far warmer than Niigata/Nagano), this sake is as a warmer weather Bordeaux is to the lighter Burgundy Tenryo.  The opening notes are heavier, hazelnuts, vanilla and a slight taste of cedar.  The alcohol is up front, but not overtly strong, and very smooth, but noticeable.    Even served chilled (as it should be), the Tenzan would warm you up on a cold autumn night.  In the middle notes, it is chewier, fully bodied, slightly sweet, yet smooth.   The finish is clean, with a touch of sweet rice.   While we sipped the Tenzan with sushi and sashimi, and it was very good, it would have been better paired with tempura or chicken karaage, or my favorite winter dish, Okinawan braised  pork belly (rafute), as it slightly overpowered all but the tuna.   I’ll ask for a bottle next time I make Rafute!  

This said, the Tenzan went wonderful with the molten chocolate cake we had for dessert, proving that any good sake pairs with its perfect food.


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Sake Day 2014

9/26/2014

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Hosoda Bros. is proud to participate at the Sake Day 2014, to be held on Saturday, September 27, at the JCCCNC in the San Francisco Japantown.

More details can be found at www.sakeday.com

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J-POP Summit Festival 

6/18/2014

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Hosoda Bros Inc. is proud to be a participant in the J-POP Summit Festival, to be held on July 19th and 20th in downtown and Japantown in San Francisco.  For more information, please click here.
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Sake in a Box

6/18/2014

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When I was a kid my step-mother would drink Franzia Chablis which came in a 5L box.   The experience stuck with me, and while I have drunk a few boxes of juice in my time, box wine is not part of my beverage bandwidth.

My friend Jeff arranged for Hosoda Bros to have a booth at the J-POP festival on July 19, 2014.   Details on the festival are here.  They will be pouring (so I understand) 420 L of sake.   I asked what sake and he said three  Aronia, a Junmai Nigori (“unfiltered sake”) from Niigata;  Yukikage  (“Snow Shadow”)  a Tokubetsu (“special”) Junmai from  Niigata;  and Hakushika Tanuki.  

So knowing that I am ever curious, Jeff came over with the Yukikage and the Hakushika Tanuki.   To my surprise, the Hakushika was in a box!

Being game I got out two square and two round glasses (square for the box sake!).  And poured out four glasses.   I learned with wine to start “low” and go up, so tasted the box sake first.   I will comment on the snow shadow later, but when I first tasted the Hakushika I thought I had mixed up my pours.  While not quite the finish of a Niigata (it has a richer mouth feel after a sip) the quality was very good, and other than the finish I could have confused it with a Junmai from Niigata (The brewer, founded in 1662, is actually in Hyogo Prefecture, between Osaka and Kobe).  

The sake is full bodied (as Hyogo Junmai in my expereince tends to be), with a slightly warm mouth feel, while dry there is just a taste of sweetness on the front of the tongue which allows it to go well with food with a kick.   The finish is full bodied with a true sake taste (rather than water as with many Niigata sakes) as the finish.   For those who care about these things, it is a 70% polished rice.

I have had it with some Indian shrimp tikka masala I made (yummy), with Chinese dumplings, and with knife cut noodles.  It went well with all of them.  Now for some Japanese food.  I have only served it cold, but it is a sake that could be served warm if one wished.  All I need is another box!


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Japanese Riesling?

6/10/2014

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I am sure a lot of you have tried Japanese plum wines (for those who haven't you might find it a delightful surprise) but I had not had PLUM SAKE before.  I was at Hosobra Brothers the other day and found a few bottles of  beautifully presented plum sakes (by way of introduction I have always been a sucker of beautiful presentation found in many of the Japanese merchandise).   Jeff, Hosoda Bros' Sale Director, never misses a chance to egg on me to drink (not that I need further encouragement), so I packed a few bottles of the plum sake and put them all in the fridge at the protest of my wife who complained that the sake took up half of the fridge.

We had Chinese food for dinner one night and I pulled out the plum sake from the fridge.  Without seeing the bottle, my wife took a sip, pleasantly surprised by the fresh floral taste, asked what kind of Riesling it is!  Instead of tasting like some of the overly sweet plum wine, this one has a blend of lightness and crispness that is redolent of some good ole Italian Riesling.  I have long retired from the dating scene but I have never forgotten the mantra: a wise man get he wants by giving what the lady wants.  Alas my wife no longer complains about me putting half a dozen sake in the fridge.  I will certainly add this plum sake in my magical wine list for chicks.

Hana-Kohaka Ume (Plum) Sake

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Hyogo Prefecture (Kansai region, central Japan)  12.6% alcohol. 
 
Unlike any sake you have had before, only the nose will tell you this is sake. The taste is wine-like with yellow plum, apricot, lychee, and honey flavors, and a clean finish, that could as easily be a Spatlese Riesling.
 
Medium Bodied, demi-sec, less sweet than Plum Wine.    Great by itself or with fruit or cheese.  Best paired not only with Japanese food but Chinese, Thai, or Indian food, where the  slight sweetness, fruit, and clean rice finish will complement more intense flavors and spice.

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    Scott Nealey

    OUR SAKEVANGELIST

    A full time class action and trial attorney, Scott enjoys sake as much as his courtroom drama.  He particularly appreciates a change of role being a judge in his sake reviews.  
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