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World Sake Day, celebrated October 1st, traditionally marks the beginning of the sake brewing season in Japan, which is celebrated with events all over the world. In Chicago, West Loop’s Japanese Izakya TenGoku Aburiya, is rolling out an entire month of sake flights by small batch producers, rotating weekly to celebrate. 

Curated by Sommelier and Beverage Director Tenzing Palden to honor the craftsmanship of four Japanese breweries, each weekly flight features three $25 pours:

  • WEEK 1 (10/1 - 10/6), JOTO SAKE: Meaning “highest quality” in Japanese, Joto Sake’s local (jizake) breweries produce small batches featuring indigenous rice varieties to offer a range of flavors that pair well with many styles of cuisine. Featuring tastes of their “The One with the Clocks” Daiginjo, “The Green One” Junmai and “The Blue One” Nigori, this flight showcases the depth and sophistication of Japanese artisanal sake.
  • WEEK 2 (10/8 - 10/13), RIHAKU SAKE BREWING COMPANY: Each sake from Rihaku’s portfolio is crafted with a different type of rice at one of the highest average milling rates. A pour of the “Dance of Discovery” Junmai brewed with Kan no Mai (a smoky, saline rice) offers sweet tasting notes, while the “Wandering Poet” Junmai Ginjo featuring Yamada Nishiki rice is a contrast; its flavors of banana and ripe honeydew complement even the most wine-unfriendly vegetables. To finish, the “Origin of Purity” Junmai Ginjo Genshu is a complex yet balanced namazake (“undiluted sake”) with layers of smoke, molasses, toast cereal, and candied nuts that result in a showcase of the difficult-to-harvest Omachi rice.
  • WEEK 3 (10/15 - 10/20), DEWAZAKURA SAKE BREWERY: Founded in 1892, one of Japan’s oldest breweries. From the “Green Ridge” Nama Genshu Yamagata with its velvety texture and notes of green apple to the bone dry and mineral-driven “Tenth Degree” Izumi Judan. Also from this brewery is the “Jewel Brocade” Omachi Junmai Ginjo, filled with honey, flower, and lemon peel aromas.
  • WEEK 4 (10/22 - 10/27), FUKUCHO: A female pioneer in the world of sake as one of the first Toji (master brewer), Miho Imada’s inspiration comes from the Seto Inland Sea in her hometown of Akitsu, Hiroshima — evident in the names given to each style of sake brewed. “Moon on the Water” Junmai Ginjo is bottled immediately upon fermentation to preserve its fruit aromas. “Seaside” Sparkling sake was developed from Miho’s experimentation with infusing white koji into the brewing process. “Forgotten Fortune” Junmai is brewed with an heirloom brand of Hattanso rice that took Miho over 10 years to revive from extinction, resulting in tasting notes of full earthy flavors.

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