THE MOST DELICIOUS START TO THE YEAR
A very special thank you to our favorite chefs and bandmates, Ayako Kato & Hide Takayama (+ their many helpers!), for such a beautiful feast to start off the year. After partying all night long at the taproom, our team came together with friends, and family on the 1st for an Osechi feast that was as gorgeous as it was delicious. Our bellies and hearts are still full from that day (plus the best leftovers you could imagine for the week) and we hope you all had just as wonderful of a New Year Celebration. Cheers to many more!
DO YOU HAVE VALENTINES DAY PLANS?
We’ve got you covered, and with options at that! (Descriptions by our ever so wonderful social media extraordinaire, Avery Rose <3, and events planned by the one, the only, James Ordway)
Option #1, make your very own flower arrangement with STEMS AND SAKE on 2/11!
We’re dreaming of spring (and celebrating Valentine’s Day a little early) with a Stems & Sake class! Lead designer Brenden TR Gregory from Beyond the Rose Garden is hosting a floral arrangement class in the taproom on Tuesday February 11th from 7-9 PM. Here are the deets! Participation in this event is $72/ticket and includes your own floral design arranged in a KSW keepsake glass. Brenden’s example was inspired by our Nigori… will you be inspired by the earthy notes of our Koshihikari Kome Series sake? Or maybe our Nama green will get your creative juices flowing. No experience necessary! We can’t wait to see where the sake takes you and your unique floral design. To learn more and for purchases, click the button below:
Option #2 (yes, you could totally do both) Make your own sushi with: KSW x KEMUSHI: DIY Omakase Bento Box for 2 on 2/14!
Our friends at @kemushisauce Kemushi have put together a delicious DIY Omakase Bento Box that lets you and your loved ones create your own sushi! Kemushi’s ingredients are high-quality and fresh and make for a delicious pairing to our KSW craft Junmai.
This exclusive take-home menu features a bottle of our Junmai and more than 10 pieces, including Unagi, Tuna tartare and takuan handroll, and Toro topped with pickled wasabi. The box also includes step-by-step instructions to help you roll and assemble your own sushi. Kemushi promises, “a fun and intimate evening full of delicious memories.”
Enjoy your Valentine’s Day with your besties or lovies and reserve a DIY Omakase Bento Box while supplies last - $172, quantities limited! Pickup is Friday 2/14 5-7 PM, orders must be placed no later than Monday February 10th at 3 PM. Here is a link to purchase yours, or click the button below!
HAVE YOU TRIED OUR NEW KOME SERIES?
This month, we debuted, “KOME” the Rice Series, through a collaboration with The Rice Factory (@the_rice_factory_ny) featuring their Koshihikari rice.
”Kome” means rice, the core ingredient of sake. Here at KSW, we make our sake with Calrose rice, a hybrid of a sake rice brought over by the first Japanese immigrants and an American native long grain rice. Our first goal at Kato Sake Works was to be able to make beautiful sake with this legendary rice. This year we are ready for a new challenge… Koshihikari is the most loved rice for eating in Japan, born in Niigata prefecture. Today, Koshihikari is the most grown rice variety and still very popular in Niigata. And now, we are excited to share our Koshihikari sake with you! Our Koshihikari rice was milled by our friends at The Rice Factory in Scarsdale, NY, then brewed in a smaller batch at Kato Sake Works here in Brooklyn. This limited Koshihikari sake tastes of winter melon on the nose with a rich, earthy finish.
One very exciting detail of this process, was working with a rice milled only to 95%!
If you’re into sake, you’ve probably heard of the “rice milling rate,” or “seimai-buai.” It shows how much rice is milled away. 100% means unmilled, and the number drops as more is removed. The outer layers have protein and fat, while the core is starchy. Milling reduces compounds that can cause off-flavors.
At Kato, our regular sake uses Calrose rice milled to 60% (40% removed). Sake at 60% or less is “Ginjo,” and 50% or less is “Dai-Ginjo.” The premium sake market is fairly new, made possible by advancements in rice milling technology.
For this Koshihikari sake, we went the opposite direction and used rice milled to 95%—only 5% was removed. This old-school approach is closer to how sake was traditionally made, rather than chasing ultra-refined polishing.
The result? Smooth, yet ricey. Sharper mouthfeel, lingering umami—you wouldn’t guess it’s from 95% milled rice. Best served warm, as the heavier body opens up. Stop by the taproom for a glass, or grab a bottle to enjoy at home.
PS- did you catch our Omakase pop-up last year with Michelin Star Chef Murakami?… you may have another chance coming up soon… stay tuned!