For me I’m all about finding the right pairing to maximize the experience, and if it means paying $35 corkage to get it right (even if on a hunch) then to me it’s worth it. Don’t forget your option of buying from True Sake, and if you want a one size fits all, then a nama sake would be the way to go for what you listed that can withstand some heat or spice, grease, and savory flavors.
Den #6 if they have it by the time you arrive (it was released not long ago) then that’s a better bet for you, although you’ll likely finish it quickly as it only comes in 500 mL. #5 nama was rather bitter for me, luckily #6 is a big improvement (although fruitier aroma and higher acidity). If they still have #5 when you arrive (and if they don’t stock #6), ask to see the bottle and look for a blue sticker on the neck (or lack of one). Blue sticker = nama. No sticker = single pasteurized. The single pasteurized #5 is better than the nama version of #5.
Gah! that was the best thing on the menu, looks like they swapped out the hopper shrimp for the brokaw avocado, hopefully it’s still good. the chicken fried broccolini in that dish was great. maybe alan can “convince” them to get some hopper shrimp.
Had it once a few years ago, can’t remember too much about it. Though it should go with anything from sashimi to grilled, to savory fare and tempura, deep fried, stews. Enjoy it with cuisines of places where beer is a chaser (KBBQ, gastropub, wine bar, American BBQ, izakaya, Chinese/Cantonese, maybe even with tacos and pasta).
I noticed this list has Fucho Sparkling, but they left out the name, “Seaside”.
The Japanese name “Shifudo” is a clever play on the words “Sea, Wind, Earth”, pronounced to sound like “Seafood”! (Love me some puns).
Anyway, that is a tasty sparkling sake, brewed by Japan’s first-ever female Toji.
The koshu (aged-sake) by Yuho (a female-owned brewery) is an excellent, earthy-but-not-dry Sake. It definitely has a musty, mushroom flavor that pairs great with meat.
Kanbara’s “Ancient Treasure” is a “so oxidized it’s good” concept-sake that is not for everyone, and should probably only be ordered if you’re eating a thick cut of beef.
In general, everything looks to be extremely reasonably priced for a San Fransisco Yacht Club.
If they aren’t selling much, it’s probably because their staff needs to be trained and more familiar with the list.
I’ve never had the first three, although I did try Den #3, which was nice.
“Makes Women Cry” (Great name) is made by the same brewery (Wakatake) that makes the square-sided bottles of Onigoroshi, the popular Demon Slayer (dry) ginjo, so I would guess it’s good, and the price a JDG seems reasonable compared to their other Sake.
Taruzake from Ichinokura is going to be tasty… as long as you like the taste of cedar.
Cowboy Yamahai is a good, full-bodied, dry Sake, but it used to cost half as much before they changed distributors, so I stopped buying it.
This is a great semi-sweet Omachi (a bold rice-variety with the spice notes) and a daiginjo polish, so your best pairings will be shell fish (including squid or octopus) or gamey meat (venison, duck, rabbit, etc.)
An Enomatic system works best for extending the life of Sake. The Coravin would work if the sake had a cork top - which some do, beneath their metal or plastic lid, but you would need to somehow remove or stab through the metal/plastic.
Ahhh, nice. Welcome! Equally impressive because it was started by the least knowledgeable sake drinker in the group. Me! Which is why I started the thread.
This. I’m not familiar with the S.F. dining scene and wasn’t sure if it was a Liholiho YC problem or that S.F. diners aren’t hot for sake as a mainstream go-to, like a growing number of Angeleno foodies. Thanks for adding a little color to their list. I think we’ll order off the menu instead of carrying. And thanks for adding the fun trivia! Always interested in the lady aspect of sake.
We saw him the other day outside of Yazawa in BH. He looked like he was on a work related, delivery mission, so we left him alone. Hard working guy promoting sake!
Oh! It seems you must have learned a lot in the last year or so, then! I’ll go back and edit that comment to give you more info about that saké list when I get a moment, if you’re interested.
Sure! I updated the previous post to add more info, but looking at the menu again, I’m really struck by the feeling that - whoever put this list together, it was quite thoughtfully made!
For safe bets, the Sparkling and Yuho would both be great, especially if you can pair them with some raw oysters.
Personally, I’d be most interested to try out the Shinkame (Holy Turtle), Onna Nakase, and Den #5. Even is Den #6 is better, I’d like to try both and see how they differ!
Apologies, I missed this post. Thanks for updating your original post. I’ll check it out!
I’m glad you feel that way. The employee who answered the phone was less than reassuring. We’re also going to True Sake, but mostly to take bottles home to L.A. It would be nice to find something on Liholiho’s list.
I’m curious about the novelty of sparkling sake, but it seems to go more with refreshing, raw seafood? We’ll be having a lot of the greasies.
Great! @beefnoguy also recommended Den #5 (single pasteurized only) and the Den #6.
Den is so great. If you take into account how the brewmaster Yoshihiro Sako started from scratch and had to improvise so many things in his brewery that otherwise Japan sake breweries have easier access to (equipment etc), and to be able to produce the results that he does is super commendable. On top of that, Sako san is pretty much a one man show! What a true sake maker professional and also a good friend, very happy for the success he has realized so far. Quince (3 Michelin star in San Francisco) is now using his sake as part of their beverage pairing, starting with batch #6. Shibumi in LA now carries it (also has a star).
Each batch of Den will be quite drastically different from a previous one. I’ve found that the odd #'d batches so far are more masculine in their drinking experience, and the even #'d ones have a more feminine feel (bit lighter bodied, a touch fruitier on the nose). #6 has very high acidity, similar to a very tart and sharp/crisp white wine.
My well versed wine friends all love Den. Actually a few very respected sake professionals (also friends) in Japan also all gave Den thumbs up as well and were very surprised how great it was.
I wish I could taste Den, Arizona Sake, Brooklyn Sake, and a few of the other US craft sake (Texas, somewhere in the SE USA etc), the sake made in the UK, and in Toronto all side by side…I’m very curious how Den stacks up.
For anyone living in the NYC area, there’s a cool opportunity to meet the toji (head brewers) from Nanbu Bijin. Sake Discoveries is hosting an intimate event at Brooklyn Kura. It’s a lil’ pricey ($150 pp), limited to 15 people and they will have: “very limited vintages of Nanbu Bijin sake to taste and we will discover different food pairings with luxurious ingredients from Urbani Truffles, caviar and high-end uni.”
@beefnoguy I have Den (batch #6) and Brooklyn Kura in my fridge right now. Going to compare within the next week.
@gbsake I started using this Private Preserve Wine Preservation Spray (basically a mix of argon, nitrogen & carbon dioxide) and it seems to work better at keeping opened sake fresher longer than those manual vacuum wine-stoppers (or doing nothing). This is so far purely subjective. I’d love to do some blind side-by-sides of identical bottles with at least one other person. Anyone in the NYC area up for an experiment?
We’re also going to True Sake, but mostly to take bottles home to L.A. It would be nice to find something on Liholiho’s list.