Sake Trend June Newsletter

✨ Sake Trend June 2026 Newsletter ✨

Thank you for being a valued part of our community! Our mission is to promote Japanese sake and culture, bringing smiles and happiness to everyone through Sake Trend. As a micro-business, your support means the world to us.

Here is a look at an upcoming exclusive events

🥩 Tomorrow Night: Maesawa Wagyu Beef & Premium Sake Pairing Dinner

We are thrilled to invite you to an exclusive culinary experience tomorrow evening! Join us for an extraordinary seminar and dinner pairing world-class Maesawa Wagyu beef with highly curated premium sakes.

📍 Event Details

When: Friday, June 12th, 2026 (7:00 PM – 8:30 PM)

Where: Bacchus Wine & Spirits, 25 Hillcrest Blvd, Millbrae, CA 94030

Parking: Free parking is available on the street and in the Bacchus Parking Lot.

Tickets & Registration
Tickets are selling quickly! We apologize in advance if this event sells out before you are able to secure your spot."

Spaces are strictly limited for this premium experience. If you would like to become a member of the Japan Society of North America to unlock member pricing, please contact jsnc@usajapan.org or visit usajapan.org.

Non-Members: $80 Members: $75

We are also thrilled to be onsite supporting our friends at Suzuki Marketing, the proud importers of Iwate's famous Black Dragon Junmai Daiginjo! - hope to see you there too!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

🍶 Special Event: Premium Sake Tasting & Appetizer Pairing

We are thrilled to invite you to an exclusive, intimate evening exploring the fine art of Japanese sake. Whether you are looking to deepen your sake knowledge or simply enjoy a beautifully curated night out, this event promises an unforgettable culinary experience.

Spaces are strictly capped to ensure a premium, interactive experience with our experts—so secure your spot before it sells out!

📍 Event Details

When: Friday, June 19th, 2026 at 6:30 PM

Where:Sakae Sushi (Burlingame, CA)

Admission: $140 per person (Includes curated sake tastings, paired appetizers, and service fees)

Availability:Only 20 spots available!
✨ Event Highlights
Expertly Curated Tastings: Sip your way through a premium, hand-selected lineup of exceptional sakes from across Japan.

Master the Craft: Learn the secrets behind traditional brewing techniques and discover the science of perfect sake pairings from industry experts.

Artisanal Pairings: Enjoy a gorgeous sequence of gourmet appetizers meticulously crafted by Sakae Sushi's talented chefs to complement each pour.

🎟️ How to Reserve Your Spot

Due to the highly limited seating, reservations are handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Secure your tickets online: Click here to RSVP via Luma

Though we can't attend this one ourselves, we are sending all our love and warmest wishes for a fantastic night of great sake!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yoshino Cedar Barrel Sake - Omachi Yamahai Junmai 720ML Sake Section Highlights! This exceptional bottle is crafted by Choryo Shuzo (長龍酒造), located in Koryo within the Nara Prefecture—the legendary birthplace of Japanese sake. Choryo Shuzo is universally recognized in the sake world as the "King of Taruzake" (cedar-aged sake). While most modern breweries shifted completely to stainless steel and glass tanks in the mid-20th century, Choryo dedicated itself to preserving and mastering the historic craft of wood-aged sake. To maintain absolute quality control, they even cooper their wooden barrels entirely in-house. 📜 The History: Bringing Back a Forbidden Craft Before the invention of glass bottles and steel tanks, all sake in Japan was taruzake (barrel sake). It was brewed, stored, and transported across the country in wooden casks. During these long journeys, the sake naturally absorbed the herbal, woodsy essence of the wood. When modern vessels replaced wooden barrels, that distinct, nostalgic flavor profile almost vanished. However, in 1964, Choryo's founder, Teiichi Iida, made history by releasing Japan’s very first bottled tarusake. His goal was to encapsulate the perfect harmony of fresh cedar aroma and rich sake umami into a shelf-stable bottle, keeping a centuries-old flavor profile alive for the modern world. 🌾 The Craftsmanship: How It's Made This particular bottle is considered one of the finest expressions of taruzake in existence because it combines three labor-intensive, premium elements: Ambient Wild Yeast (Natural Vintage): Unlike mass-produced sakes that rely on uniform, store-bought yeast strains, this sake is brewed using the natural, ambient yeast living within the walls of the historic brewery. Because it relies entirely on the natural microflora present during that specific brewing season, every year yields a true "vintage bottle." The flavor profile shifts beautifully with the season, ensuring that every year’s release offers a completely unique, unrepeatable taste experience. Yoshino Cedar (Yoshinosugi): The brewery specifically sources prized cedar from the nearby, historic forests of Yoshino, Nara. They exclusively use the koutsuki (the middle layer of the tree trunk), which lends a subtle, elegant, and perfectly balanced wood whisper rather than an overpowering tree flavor. The sake ages in these handmade barrels for about two to three weeks. Heirloom Omachi Rice: Brewed using Bizen Omachi rice milled to 70%. Omachi is Japan's oldest pure strain of sake rice (dating back to the 1850s). It is famously difficult to grow but rewards the drinker with an incredibly rich, earthy, and complex texture. The Yamahai Method: Instead of speeding up the process with lactic acid, the brewery utilizes the traditional, wild Yamahai brewing method. This introduces a natural, gamey tartness and a rich, lactic backbone that beautifully cuts through the spicy sweetness of the cedar.