Brewed in the prefecture, otherwise known as Oakland, Den Sake was founded in 2017 by Yoshihiro Sako. After spending years as a sake sommelier in Bay Area restaurants, Sako returned to Japan to apprentice at sake breweries and received his Kikisake-shi certification in 2010. With a receptive sake audience in the Bay Area, Sako set out to make his distinctive style with a uniquely local provenance. He ferments and brews small batches using Calhikari, a single-origin rice varietal grown by Rue & Forsman Ranch in the Sacramento Valley. Sako intentionally brews his sakes with higher acidity in mind to make them more compatible with not only traditional Asian foods but our regional cuisine as well.
You can find this bottle of Batch #16 at Millay* on 14th Street and Market. Millay is a natural wine and sake bar selling bottles at retail. With over 60 sakes available by the glass (!), it is a great place to try different styles to see what you like and purchase a bottle. From Den Sake’s tasting notes: “Aroma is laced with honey, white flower, white peach, koji-rice, summer squash & key lime. Well-structured on the palate, with gentle umami, and depth, in a frame of acidity, finishing with young bamboo-shoot Shibumi (astringency) that makes this batch another superb food-pairing Sake.”
—Bruce Cole
densakebrewery.com | millaysf.com
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*Disclosure: Millay is an Edible SF advertiser
