Oh man, now you are playing my song. Izakaya foods. This is no joke. Saké with everything!!

superspryte wrote:This may be sacrilege to some, but I really love saké with pizza and fried chicken. The reason for that is Japanese izakaya, which are like taverns. They serve weird little pizzas (my favorite is a "spicy" ground chicken pizza with mozzarella, green onions and a drizzle of mayo) and fried chicken, along with other things like sushi and skewered foods.

If you want to try a particularly authentic and modern way of drinking saké, or you don't really like sushi but want to try saké anyway it's an idea.

You guys have really learned your stuff. Congrats on getting past the hot liquid in a cup and really learning your saké. I am so proud of you!

superspryte wrote:My understanding is it's exactly that. More removal means less junk in your saké.

The word itself (吟醸 - ginjou) translates to "choice draft" and the individual character can be taken to mean careful (alone it means chant...) and brewing. The "大" or "dai" at the beginning means big or superior. You get the idea. The name itself implies very little in this case.

OK, packing it in with a bit of Junma Ginjo. Gonna check in on you all in the morning. Who has told their friends about this deal? Who's told their family? Come on, turn the world on to saké! This is a great deal to get them rolling.

Kampai for now

superspryte wrote: The others are much more versed than I am.

False!!!

Anyway, I had some non filtered sake (no idea what it is since it's all in Japanese) with French bread pizza for lunch today and it actually paired very well. Currently eating it with spaghetti, not so great of a pairing, but still, not terrible by any means.

Sakeguy2 wrote:So do we. Lobby your state government to change the law and allow third party delivery. Please.

I don't mean to harp on this, but since you addressed NJ...

Voters lobbied and had the direct shipping laws modified in GA mid-2008 to allow third party delivery. I think the only caveats are that the winery has to have a permit registered with the state, and of course they would also have to pay whatever sales and excise taxes come up.

Is there perhaps an issue with the classification of saké?

I'm a big Sake fan. Actually drinking last bottle from the last SakeOne offering with dinner tonight. Was going back and forth on ordering, but two things tipped me to go in. One wife found out today that she is not going to lose her job after all (at least this month) and its my Wootiversary. I think that deserves going in for two.

Why is Wisconsin suddenly not on the list of acceptable states for shipping?

ArcheDiver wrote:One wife found out today that she is not going to lose her job after all ...

< snip >

And are the other wives doing okay as well?

yumitori wrote:And are the other wives doing okay as well?

wow, shouldn't drink sake and type. Bad punctuation and grammar. Like the joke. Panda walks into a bar. Orders a large dinner. After the meal waiter hands the panda the bill. The panda then pulls out a gun, fires the gun three times into the air, and heads for the door. The waiter stops the panda and demands and explanation. The panda hands the waiter a badly punctuated wildlife book which says 'The giant panda eats, shoots, and leaves.

What I meant to say was One, wife didn't lose her job this week. Two, its my wootiversary.

Sakeguy - Do y'all do requests? I was looking over the Moonstone line on your website and was very intrigued. But . . . no yuzu infused sake? That would be awesome for poaching scallops or fish fillets.

I live in Portland and have had this stuff before. It was rather nice and as fresh as they say. It's different, it's good but it isn't Mr. Miyage's sake.

given that I just got the 3-pack of malbec delivered to me in atlanta last week, I'm guessing GA is off the ship list due to circumstances on the distributor's end. am I mistaken? if mot, that's a shame because I would have wooted this

thanks for all of the great replies in the great ginjo v. daiginjo quandary! :D

Sakeguy2 wrote:Horin, what's that? Realllllly. OK, I know it but don't know its contents. Not a great brew, sometimes good.

agreed. which is why i have EXTREMELY high expectations for your offering. which, should they be unsatisfied, YOU will be the first to hear about! :P

No issues with classification as saké falls under wine for shipping laws. However, while some states have passed laws allowing wine shipments, not all have made it easy. Some charge very high fees, others minimize the volume allowed to ship, and still others only allow shipping if you are physically at our Kura and buying to ship home. So we have to decide if the fees, restrictions, etc. are worth the registration. Not all laws are created equal at this point.

daprakash wrote:I don't mean to harp on this, but since you addressed NJ...

Voters lobbied and had the direct shipping laws modified in GA mid-2008 to allow third party delivery. I think the only caveats are that the winery has to have a permit registered with the state, and of course they would also have to pay whatever sales and excise taxes come up.

Is there perhaps an issue with the classification of saké?

We actually made a Yuzu saké years ago before anyone on this continent knew what it was. May be time to bring back. Hmmmm.

annsalisbury wrote:Sakeguy - Do y'all do requests? I was looking over the Moonstone line on your website and was very intrigued. But . . . no yuzu infused sake? That would be awesome for poaching scallops or fish fillets.

Definitely not Mr. Miyage;s saké. His home Prefecture has a different style than we brew here in the lost saké Prefecture of Oregon.

Important note: We often hear that our saké is not "authentic" and this comes from the fact it is brewed in Oregon by an American. Please forget perceptions and know that Greg-sans brewing techniques were taught to him by one of the top 5 brewers in Japan, Toji Master Yoshio Koizumi of Momokawa Brewing Japan. Koizumi deigned our Kura and has worked with Greg for seven years now. All brewing recipes are deeply entrenched in Japanese process, style and knowledge. Greg has given them a slight Oregon spin as would any saké brewer in Japan. Well they may give it an Oregon spin, but one of their own. And, the heart and soul of our saké (that being the koji and yeast, not just Greg's passion) come form Japan.

FauxReal wrote:I live in Portland and have had this stuff before. It was rather nice and as fresh as they say. It's different, it's good but it isn't Mr. Miyage's sake.

I'll check GA as soon as I get to the Kura.

schmickle wrote:given that I just got the 3-pack of malbec delivered to me in atlanta last week, I'm guessing GA is off the ship list due to circumstances on the distributor's end. am I mistaken? if mot, that's a shame because I would have wooted this

OK, I believe Horin is a Daiginjo. It was entered in the US Saké Appraisals and I think it got a Gold medal. I later learned that the competition entry is not the same as in the commercially available bottles. Last time I had it the saké seemed a bit old. Earthy, viscous, not so easily enjoyed.

Knowing that the Organic Ginjo beat out Nanbu Bijin and Kurasawa Daiginjo's in the BTI competition, I feel pretty good you'll enjoy it, and the others as well. All top rated! Some of our best ever.

themostrighteous wrote:agreed. which is why i have EXTREMELY high expectations for your offering. which, should they be unsatisfied, YOU will be the first to hear about! :P

Now for more coffe and the country drive to our Kura.

You should all try to visit us one day. We'll give you the tour so you can learn how saké is made. You'll get to taste a vast variety and if lucky we'll have a sampling of one of our experimental saké.

Oh hey, check our website. Our annual Shinto Kura Blessing is coming up in two weeks. Always a good cultural event with saké.

Checking back in soon.

Wow, I am really late to this offering. (Glad it wasn't sold out) The link that was provided to the Wine Library TV forums and the questions/answers on this site were very informative and sold me on this.

Thanks.

~Laura (has a husband that thinks all Sake tastes like gasoline) At least, when I told him I ordered this, he stated that we have gasoline in the garage too.

Ahhh, the old misperception that saké is a strong spirit. Pour him a chilled glass of the Momokawa Organic Junmai Ginjo and it should forever change perceptions. But, be sure not to let him only take one sip, it must be three sips. The first sometimes has a palate shock because our brain thinks grape wine. The second sip confirms its not grape juice. The third sets the palate wheels in motion and recognizes the saké for what it is....a smooth, clean, flavorful beverage that stands alone among the best of the best. Enjoy!

lahargis wrote:

~Laura (has a husband that thinks all Sake tastes like gasoline) At least, when I told him I ordered this, he stated that we have gasoline in the garage too.

Sakeguy2 wrote:We actually made a Yuzu saké years ago before anyone on this continent knew what it was. May be time to bring back. Hmmmm.

Oh, yes, please. Even if it's just a small batch offering that can only be ordered from the website. I know that as a food trend yuzu has jumped the shark, but that doesn't make it any less good.

The word on Georgia.

Our direct ship application is in process but not complete. No answer back from the state office as to when. Our apologies that we can't ship this woot but watch our website for the update soon.

I got my golden ticket today! Will taste the Organic Ginjo Junmai when I get home from work and post my comments tonight. I am very excited about this offering - I am a huge fan of SakeOne. I usually drink their asian pear flavored sake - it does not give me a headache like some wines do ;-)
I have not tried the Organic Ginjo yet but I can't wait! Only 6 hours to go!

I am sitting this one out. I've only tried Trader Joe-san sake, and like their two buck chuck, it was horrible. If I was more attuned to sake in the first place, I am sure it wouldn't have been so damn bad. Tempted to try something better, but I won't buy this. Forgive me this transgression o Sake Guy!

koneco wrote:I am sitting this one out. I've only tried Trader Joe-san sake, and like their two buck chuck, it was horrible. If I was more attuned to sake in the first place, I am sure it wouldn't have been so damn bad. Tempted to try something better, but I won't buy this. Forgive me this transgression o Sake Guy!

In all seriousness, having crappy sake and saying you don't like sake because of it is like drinking Milwaukee's Best and saying you don't like beer because it's so horrible. Crappy sake is NASTY. Like horribly bad. I stayed away from Sake for probably 7 years because of crappy sake in a Japanese restaurant. Was seriously the worst thing I ever drank. Passed on the first couple offerings of this due to that. Then saw the bottle in a fridge at another Asian restaurant and figured what the hell, tried the 4 dollar flight of six sakes and was BLOWN AWAY. It was SO good and now as anyone here can tell you, I'm a sake nut

Oh, but you have only tried low quality saké. Cheap stuff referred to as Futsu which kind of translate to cheaply made, low quality liquid in a box. Think the cheapest box, or jug wine on the market.

The Organic Ginjo alone is a world far far away from the Trader Joe-san saké. While the importer is a friend of ours and a good guy, its not the best saké out there. And, for the price you get here, you will be sipping saké that is in the upper tiers of saké in America. Recall my note on the Beverage Testing Institute scores. The Momokawa Organic Ginjo (Junmai) knocked off some of the most sought after imported Daiginjos - Really!

If you pass on this woot, you'll pay far more later. And, the 300 ml bottles in this offer, are harder to get than the 750 mls, so while you save about $16 on this package, you can raise the price when the bottles increase in size. We don't even sell the 300s on our website.

Take the leap. Don't be stuck with the perception that all saké is the same. Far from it.

koneco wrote:I am sitting this one out. I've only tried Trader Joe-san sake, and like their two buck chuck, it was horrible. If I was more attuned to sake in the first place, I am sure it wouldn't have been so damn bad. Tempted to try something better, but I won't buy this. Forgive me this transgression o Sake Guy!

Right on!

Keep in mind that there may be only 7 classic categories for saké but there are thousands of styles. Saying all saké is the same is like saying all Pinot Noir is the same. No chance. And in both cases, the best come from Oregon. A little provincialism for the homeboys in the vineyards.

bhodilee wrote:In all seriousness, having crappy sake and saying you don't like sake because of it is like drinking Milwaukee's Best and saying you don't like beer because it's so horrible. Crappy sake is NASTY. Like horribly bad. I stayed away from Sake for probably 7 years because of crappy sake in a Japanese restaurant. Was seriously the worst thing I ever drank. Passed on the first couple offerings of this due to that. Then saw the bottle in a fridge at another Asian restaurant and figured what the hell, tried the 4 dollar flight of six sakes and was BLOWN AWAY. It was SO good and now as anyone here can tell you, I'm a sake nut

bhodilee wrote:In all seriousness, having crappy sake and saying you don't like sake because of it is like drinking Milwaukee's Best and saying you don't like beer because it's so horrible. Crappy sake is NASTY. Like horribly bad. snip

Concur. I am not a sake nut, but do enjoy it on occasion and will never buy TJ's sake again. I think we dumped the bottle after the second sip (just couldn't believe the first one was that bad).

If I had the money I'd buy this right now, just because the Momokawa Organic Nigori sounds so delicious...

speaking of sake's versatility: any of you Spring skiing? (*) try some chilled sake as your après-ski beverage of choice. it is REDUNKULOUS. and incredible heart-warming at that. word!

(*) i'm not. so enjoy one on my behalf!

OK, we're slowing down on the questions and chatter. What's up out there? Who is still on the fence and needing a bit of help over?

Well I wasn't really even on the fence, but SakeGuy, your siren song has me peering over it to see what's on the other side. But before I jump in for a whole 6-pack, methinks I'll stop by my friendly neighborhood wine shop and see what they have. Now you can tell me why I shouldn't do this. Or maybe you can tell me what brand I should pick up if I can't find yours and still want to get a taste for some decent stuff.

Well, I'd recommend diving in here before the offer ends. Ya snooze, ya loose. But if you must go out shopping first and want to try something before swimming on over, you may find the organics on the shelf at a Whole Foods or other natural grocer. If you can't find one of ours then try a Yuki No Bosha Junmai, or a Watare Bune. Expect to pay alot, alot, more. Two bottles may equal this entire offer and you won't get the diversity of the Organic Ginjo, Nigori and Coconut Lemongrass infused Nigori.

rockdawg9 wrote:Well I wasn't really even on the fence, but SakeGuy, your siren song has me peering over it to see what's on the other side. But before I jump in for a whole 6-pack, methinks I'll stop by my friendly neighborhood wine shop and see what they have. Now you can tell me why I shouldn't do this. Or maybe you can tell me what brand I should pick up if I can't find yours and still want to get a taste for some decent stuff.

bhodilee wrote:I like the G and the Organics best out of a Zin glass. And, cover your eyes L, if you pour some G into some PS what you get is pure delicious. SAKE WITH FACE SMASHING TANNINS, and some berry

Yeah, LOVE the G, but i'm on the fence because of the lemongrass sake...can't get myself over...yet.

SakeGuy - I was in Minnesota last winter with parents who had never drank much sake until I brought some of yours along from the last woot offering to go with our shabu shabu dinner (slightly Americanized). They loved it so much that they told me about a new sake "brewery" called Moto-I (http://www.moto-i.com/) that had just opened up that they thought i would like to try.

The sake they had there was fairly good (not like the Joy G good), the food was very good, but it was very new and they had not even started bottling it yet. I anticipate this place being able to produce some good stuff down the road.

Have you tried theirs before or know anything of the process? I would be curious to know your thoughts on the American competition.