Anytime you take on the task of persuading one culture that has its own treasured traditions to embrace the tradition of another distinctly different culture, you had better buckle in for the ride, as it is bound to be a long and bumpy road. The people at Takara Sake USA know this in a way that only first-hand experience can teach, as it is exactly what they have been doing since their main brand of sake, Sho Chiku Bai, was introduced into the American market.
Established in 1982 in Berkeley, California, Takara Sake USA is now the top selling producer of sake (Japanese “rice wine”) in the United States. The superior water obtained from pure Sierra Nevada Mountains snow melt and premium rice grown in the fertile Sacramento Valley combine perfectly with the San Francisco Bay Area’s moderate climate to create ideal conditions for sake production. It is a recipe for successful sake-making that leaves no wonder as to why Takara Sake USA has captured the heart, and discerning palate, of America.
By By Rabbi Gavriel Price
Although the production facility at Takara Sake is modern, the process for making sake is traditional. Sake is rice wine, and to develop the delicate flavor profile that reflects high quality sake, considerable care must be given to maintaining the long-perfected methods that Takara Sake brought over from Japan.
The process starts out with steamed rice, which is fermented using a Japanese method that induces the rice grains to yield desired flavor notes. Traditional sake does not have any additional flavors other than those native to rice. The finished product is crisp, clean, and powerful. Takara Sake has added to its traditional sake product line apple, lychee, and other flavors.
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