Sake Day

11/01/2025

Front and back of 20th Anniversary board! 👀

left a surprise just for us. Thank youuuu!

09/24/2025

Marcus V. Pakiser, Sake Samurai

I have been in the sake business for 32 years starting as a Sake brewer at Hakushika Sake in 1993.

I have been teaching people about sake brewing, how to sell sake and Japanese culture for the past 32 years.

I learned how to speak Japanese while living in Noto of Ishikawa in the late 1980’s.

I have worked as the National Sales manager at SakeOne 1998

Fo the past 20 years I have worked on the distribution side of sake currently,

National Director of Sake at RNDC.

Sake Samurai in 2015

WSET Sake Educator 2015

Master Sake Sommelier 2023

Chief Education Officer North America for the Sake Sommelier Association

The heroes of Sake are the Sake Brewery owners and teams that brew this amazing beverage

👉 Meet Marcus V. Pakiser from 7:30-8pm at the Sake Samurai table at SAKE DAY '25!

#酒 #日本酒

09/24/2025

Beau Timken, Sake Samurai

Beau Timken is known throughout the entire sake industry as a pioneer and visionary for sake, and his mantra “For the betterment of sake” is his personal mission statement to educate and inform the world about the amazing libation called Nihonshu.
 
Mr. Timken was the first person recognized by the Japanese Sake Brewer’s Association as a candidate for the prestigious title of “Sake Samurai” for his extensive efforts to promote Japanese sake in the west.  On October 20th, 2006, The Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council Awarded Beau Timken the first ever title of Sake Samurai in their inaugural class.
 
Mr. Timken or “Beau-san” as he is known in the sake industry opened the first dedicated sake store outside of Japan in 2003 in San Francisco, California. The retail sake shop “True Sake” is known the world over for offering the largest and freshest selection of Japanese sakes outside of Japan. True Sake has offered more then just sake over the past decade, it has been a valuable education center to promote and educate countless sake fans from all over the globe.

Beau-san writes a monthly newsletter called “True Sake Newsletter” with a readership of over 34,000 sake fans, has published over 2,100 individual sake reviews, created the “Sake Challenge” (A sake pairing program for sake and western cuisine), founded SAKE DAY, a large non-profit sake tasting celebrating Nihonshu-no hi for past 20 years and has sold over 2 million bottles of sake since True Sake opened.

Beau-san is a registered Kikisake-shi (sake sommelier), professional sake judge, and the distinguished Co-Chairman for the International Wine Challenge (IWC – The Largest Wine and Sake tasting in the world) since its inception in 2006, author of the New York Times recommended book “Sake – A Modern Guide,” and in 2009 Mr. Timken was awarded the prestigious Honorary Master Kikisake-Shi Award from Sake Service Institute (SSI) in Tokyo. The Sake Sommelier Association bestowed upon Beau the title “Sake Ambassador 2021” for his commitment to the sake industry.

👉 Catch Beau-san at the Sake Samurai table or roaming around the event!

09/23/2025

SAKE DAY Brewery Spotlight: Taiun Sake Brewing! ✨

🍶 We’re excited to introduce Taiun Sake Brewing (台雲酒造, Shimane, Japan) to the U.S. market for the very first time!

Taiun works extensively with the heritage rice Taichu 65 (台中65號), first developed in Taiwan in the 1920s as a cross between two sake rice varieties — Shinriki (神力) and Kameji (亀治).

Rarely cultivated today, this grain has found a new home in Shimane, where Taiun continues to explore its potential in sake brewing — a connection that bridges Taiwan and Japan across both space and time.

Leading the brewery is Toji Chen, making his first-ever trip to the U.S. Originally from Tainan, Taiwan, he looks forward to meeting American sake lovers and experiencing the incredible diversity of California cuisine — from seafood and barbecue to dim sum and tacos — and discovering new pairings for his sake.

At Sake Day San Francisco 2025, we’ll be pouring five Taiun sake, including two special bottles not currently available in the U.S. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to taste them and meet the toji himself!

📍 Table 10, Spring Room | Saturday, Sept 27 | Hotel Kabuki

✨ Hosted by | In collaboration with

is #清酒 #台雲酒造 #台日友好

09/22/2025

Please remember to bring a US Government Issued PHYSICAL Photo ID to SAKE DAY! 🪪

Valid US Government Issued Physical Photo IDs are:

📍Issued by the US Government
📍Current and NOT expired
📍Has a photo of you on it
📍We repeat, they are PHYSICAL! We do not accept photographs!

If you have a foreign license or ID card, please bring a valid passport or passport card.

Remember, we do NOT accept photographs of valid physical IDs. But they do require your photo on them!

Thank you for your compliance and have a great SAKE DAY!

09/19/2025

SAKE DAY is DASSAI BLUE NIGORI's official debut in the Bay Area! 🍶💙

DASSAI BLUE Nigori begins with Yamada Nishiki rice—revered as the "king of sake rice" —sourced from both Arkansas and Japan. The rice undergoes meticulous polishing to 50% before entering a 35-day fermentation process using pristine New York water. The signature cloudy appearance comes from blending moromi (fermentation mash) back into the pressed sake, with this ratio varying slightly between batches to optimize flavor profiles.

A message from DASSAI Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai, "We have made repeated improvements to give this nigori sake the aroma and elegance of a Junmai Daiginjo. Polishing down the Yamada Nishiki rice to a 50% polishing ratio, and through hand-crafted koji and controlled fermentation at temperatures that push the boundaries, we have created a highly fragrant Junmai Daiginjo nigori sake. Stored and served in a cool environment, this nigori sake is sure to captivate you."

This nigori has the elegant sweetness of Yamada Nishiki with a silky texture. Unique to the Nigori-style Junmai Daiginjo, it delivers a light and graceful experience.

Size: 720ml (6btl/cs), 375ml (12btl/cs)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 50% (Junmai Daiginjo)
Alcohol Content: 14%
Storage : Chilled, 41F (5℃) or below

09/18/2025

Patrick Ellis, Sake Samurai .sake

Patrick's passion for Japanese culture began decades ago while studying at Keio University in Tokyo, where he fell in love with Japan’s food and saké craftsmanship.

In the mid-90s, he pioneered premium saké imports to Canada as President of Blue Note Saké.

Today, as Canada’s leading importer of premium Japanese saké and spirits, Patrick's passion and focus is connecting people to saké through industry seminars, public tastings and events, and media appearances.

Ultimately, Pat dreams of the day that he can see a bottle of saké in every fridge in Canada!

👉 Meet Patrick Ellis from 7-7:45pm at the Sake Samurai table at SAKE DAY '25!

#酒 #日本酒

09/18/2025

Michael Tremblay, Sake Samurai

Michael is the James Beard Foundation Award-winning co-author of the book Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth (Tuttle Publishing 2022) with journalist Nancy Matsumoto. He is a certified WSET sake and wine instructor, a Panel Chair for the International Wine Challenge, held in London and Japan, and the U.S. National Sake Appraisal in Hawaii. In October 2018 Michael was inducted as a Sake Samurai at the Matsuo Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, a 1300-year old shrine to sake. This is a distinction held by only 70 people at that time. In addition, Michael received the foreign Minister of Japan's Commendation for 2024. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Michael has presented masterclasses all over the world on a variety of subjects relating to wine and sake, most recently in Belgrade (Serbia), Warsaw (Poland), Quito (Ecuador), Mexico City, Hong Kong and Singapore.

He is the founder of the Sake Scholar Course, an advanced certification that explores Japan's many sake regions. He enjoys traveling to Japan whenever he can and has worked in renowned sake breweries in Niigata, Shizuoka, Shimane and Gifu prefectures, practicing his 'work-in progress' Japanese and learning from the Toji (master brewers). Lastly, Michael is the North American Sake Support Desk for the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.

Michael is currently the Beverage Director for Toronto's Ki Modern Japanese + Bar, where he manages an award-winning wine and sake list. He is dedicated to being Ki's ambassador for sake, educating guests and staff alike in the beauty and subtle art of sake, wine and food.

👉 Meet Michael Tremblay from 7-7:45pm at the Sake Samurai table at SAKE DAY '25!

#酒 #日本酒

09/17/2025

SAKE DAY Tips & Tricks: THE BOOKLET! 📖

Every SAKE DAY attendee receives a booklet which maps out the entire event so you can find your favorite sake and discover new ones!

The booklet also includes every single sake poured at SAKE DAY, over 350 to be exact! Many of these sake are available for purchase at the event itself and online until 11:59pm on Sunday, September 28th. Be sure to use the free shipping code provided on page 6!

Return your booklet to True Sake before March 2026 and you'll receive 20% off an in-store purchase!

➡️ Remember, MANY of the sake available for purchase at SAKE DAY are NOT AVAILABLE for purchase after Sunday, September 28th. The 20% off applies to sake available at True Sake only.

Attendees will receive an email before September 27th with the event floor plan so you can map out your trajectory! Even with 4 hours, it's impossible to try all 350+ sake, so plan accordingly!

*Must see table reel coming soon! 🚨

#日本酒 #日本酒の日

09/17/2025