October 17, 2019
Many know rice as one of the great staple crops of the world; it provides essential calories for more than half of the world’s population, and outside of Asia it is one of the fastest-growing foods. Japan has a particularly... UNFILTERED Archives: Japan
The Chu-Hai: Our Favorite Cocktail That You’ve Never Heard Of
October 9, 2019
Chu-Hai — don’t respond with gesundheit! By now you must have read our Intro to Shochu: Japan’s Terroir-Driven Spirit. Today, we’re taking a deep dive into one of Japan’s (and now our) favorite drinks: the Chu-Hai — a shochu highball.... “Selling Sake in Your Bar and Restaurant” Webinar Featuring Skurnik’s Jamie Graves!
September 26, 2019
Jamie-san with a group of producers at our 2019 Grand Portfolio Tasting! Although sake has been sold for decades at Japanese restaurants around the country, consumer awareness of ‘craft sake’ has been low until very recently. Great sake is surprisingly... 2019 Grand Portfolio Tasting: Where It All Comes Together!
March 11, 2019
It seems like our grand tasting gets even grander every year, which is why we’ve taken over the entire Met Pavilion. We wanted you to be able to explore all the sake, cider, wine, and spirits that we have to... Sake Isn’t Picky About Food (But It Does Have Favorites) – Sake and Food Pairing
November 29, 2018
There is a saying in Japanese that nihonshu wa ryori o erabenai, usually translated that “sake isn’t picky about food” or “sake doesn’t get into fights with food.” While for centuries gourmands in Europe have discussed matching wines of a... Happy Brew Year! October Marks the Start of the New Sake Brewing Season
October 19, 2018
Is there any better time of year to be in Japan than October? We don’t think so. The punishing dripping heat of summer subsides to brisk fall weather. Foraged mushrooms begin to appear on restaurant menus. The delicate Pacific saury... An Intro to Shochu: Japan’s Terroir-Driven Spirit
September 13, 2018
Duck into just about any local izakaya pub in Japan, wind through a tight squeeze of boisterous diners, clusters of friends and coworkers reenergizing themselves after a long work day with skewers of grilled yakitori, potato croquettes and platters of... Millennia of Innovation: How Nara Has Been Revolutionizing Sake Since 700 AD
July 19, 2018
When most people first get into sake and are trying to make sense of grades and styles, a lot of drinkers land on the sturdy and well-structured kimoto styles. Older and more labor-intensive than the current standard for making fine... Kirinzan – Top of the Class in Niigata, Japan
June 14, 2018
Although just a short two-hour train ride north of Tokyo on the bullet train, the mountainous area of Niigata is a world apart from the lights and hustle of earth’s largest urban center. Niigata faces out to the Pacific Ocean... The Kids Are Alright: Fresh, Brash, and Youthful Sake Muroka Nama Genshu
April 12, 2018
If you ever get the privilege to visit a kura, as you are led through the rows of fermenting tanks, stepping over hoses and watching your breath form in the chilled air necessary to keep the huge cauldrons of rice...