 Sake Workshop took us to a "Hidden Gem" in West Perth. You'd be amazed there are still many lovely venues in Perth but we have not discovered I was so glad I found this location which is the city surrounding area . Our setting was placed in Mayfair Pub & Dining in West Perth we were given a lovely private dining room for guest to enjoy learning about sake. The numbers was perfect enough for a private intimate gathering and sharing for guest to gain knowledge and seek understanding . Majority were first-timers whose eagerness was to discover about the lovely "rice Brew" Tonight we were focused on the range from Tottori Prefecture from Chiyomusubi Sake Brewery with special guest Mr Tadashi Sano. To start off guests were educated with the basic sake process knowing how ingredients came to be . Presentation was given by Powerpoint to completely engaged with guest who was able to follow the lesson. It was the perfect tool to explain the Sake process. Guest were eager to voice out their curiosity at the start, we insured them their curiosity will be fulfilled throughout the session. Rice polishing intrigued guests minds, understanding to take away bad impurities and bring forth the lovely white shiny shinpaku grain of rice eager to voice out their curiosity at the start, we insured them their curiosity will be fulfilled throughout the session. Rice polishing intrigued guests minds, understanding to take away bad impurities and bring forth the lovely white shiny shinpaku grain of rice
0 CommentsNo comments posted Best Dish: Hands down was Sake Poached Clams in Dashi Broth, the lovely sweetness of the Clams in that hot creamy broth just makes you salivate by looking at it. Guest couldn't get enough because it was simply delicious and perfect for winter the only complaint the guests had was it wasn't enough. with the basic sake process knowing how ingredients came to be . Presentation was given by Powerpoint to completely engaged with guest who was able to follow the lesson. It was the perfect tool to explain the Sake process. Guest were eager to voice out their curiosity at the start, we insured them their curiosity will be fulfilled throughout the session. Rice polishing intrigued guests minds, understanding to take away bad impurities and bring forth the lovely white shiny shinpaku grain of rice  Koji Making was another curious area, what was Koji ? guest questioned explaining how rice starch needed enzymes to form the chemical reaction of converting starch into sugar( glucose) when yeast eats it changes into alcohol. The Multiple Parallel Fermentation. Koji Mould what was this? Mr Tadashi allowed guest to see for themselves the koji mould shaker with the actual powder inside and a little demo on how the process worked.   CHIYOMUSUBI SORAH is made with the technique of ‘secondary fermentation’ within the bottle, meaning the bubbles are natural. With its refreshing sourness, gentle sweetness of the rice and clean finish, CHIYOMUSUBI SORAH can be considered as ‘Japanese Champagne’ with its delicate yet lively bubbles. Our first Sake was the "Beautiful Aurora: Sorah Sparkling sake. To welcome the evening where we cheers our glasses "Japanese Style' Kanpai to welcome everyone to the evening.  Lesson took guest through the first interactive lesson, starting with cold sake first. Guest were instructed to experience the aromas of the Sparkling sake in gentle sniffs , as sake is delicate it will take time for the senses to react . The palate taste invited guest to understand that drinking sake must be in sips instead of the huge"gulp"process, guest were instructed they were to have at least 3 sips, focusing on different journeys in the palate. Concentration was the key to able to experience different flavours in layers. Moving on to the next category classification not common among the group very well received . The Raw Sake " Unpasteruise Sake" captivated our group on the meaning of "Raw" captivated their palates. Guest had given a series of different aroma experience, from dark chocolate, citrus, and spices. The palates in return focused on the textured flavour within , bursting with exciting on how the characters came to be when its was totally separate experience from the aromas.
Terminology played on this section . "Muroka" "Genshu" why these words described some understanding of the sake itself. Muroka is the term used when a sake is not charcoal refine, meaning to get that clear water like appearance its needs to go through this process. Guest came with assumption sake appearance was always perceived this way, guest were told the removal of the colour of the sake did not effect the quality or flavours of sake. Genshu meaning Undiluted and ranging from 17% -19% alcohol guest were educated that alcohol plays more on flavour and character not on how strong a sake can drink. Guest were instructed to write down their experience on how to enjoy the Namazake range with both different premiums .   Moving on to the next 2 sakes and interaction lesson. Here we play with temperature guest were educated to understand that sake can be enjoyed at all temperatures where different characters develop. Playing with 2 premiums, lets play with room temperature first which was received by ochoko cups, aroma temperatures were prominent as soon as served, guest could experience abit more rounded flavours, but it felt softer in some sense then in contrast with the cold temperature it totally re-open guest minds to interesting comparison on how different it was . We had mixed feelings on what guest preference "room" or cold. Next topic how to choose your own sake bottle? it was important to have some guidance on what to focus on when choosing sake bottle if you didn't taste it first. Sake Labels and characters was the perfect guide to understand whether it was a body type of sake or clean smooth sake . Polishing ratio would determine it was premium sake or not and what was the preferred temperature for this kind of sake.  To end the session it was quiz time to recap what we have learnt as a class everybody was ready to shout the answers on their new discoveries and was given a token of appreciation from Chiyomusubi at the end . Our guest had lots and fun and were bonded with each other through knowledge and learning of sake , the perfect experience to embrace the " beautiful world of Sake"
I hope to see you at my next Workshop .
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Personal Invitation to volunteer in the Sake competition 2019 was held on 14 May at Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Centre. Entries of 2000 sake finalised down to 588 Sakes for the final round. Categories of Grade of sake were classified as follows. 1. Junmai Sake 2. Junmai Ginjo 3. Junmai Daiginjo 4. Ginjo & Daiginjo 5.Super premium sake 6. Sparkling sake 7. overseas sake  As soon you enter the room there is a silence of voice . The first sight you see is the shiny silver packaging lined up neatly in row for judges to taste. Judges with their score sheets boards scoring away. The blind tasting , Judges have no idea what sake they were tasting. Only the large Janome ochoko cup to sip from .Each sake tasted was to be scored individually with 1 to 5 points by using mark sheets.  Judges at least 120 sake in one hour.
Hello Perth Sake Lovers yes I know its been a couple a months since my last blog but to make up from it from I will share with my most recent event . Well coming with something totally out of the ordinary I joined teams with Degani Kings Square. Do you where it is? if you don't, don't worry before this event I didn't even know myself but what a find. Its amazing how there are many beautiful venues in Perth Hidden away and we don't know about. Anyways on to the Sake appreciation night. We featured the beautiful range of Hakutsuru Sake Brewery from Hyogo prefecture. Set in the lovely Kings Square its was intimate night for my lovely group of attendees. Guest were welcome with the beautiful elegant Hakutsuru Superior Junmai Ginjo . Elegant and highly drinkable as guest proclaimed, the lovely aroma white grape, sweet rice, raisin, and spring water elements. Clean, smooth with a hint of fruit tones this brew drinks very even with a dry round finish.  Grade: Junmai Ginjo Alc: 14.5% Rice : Yamadanishiki Water: Miyamizu Preferred Temperature : Cold Night started with first course guest were instructed to only start when food and sake arrive together to insure the overall experience can be understood with the pairing. Opening the night with the first Sake was Awayuki (light snow fall) Sparkling Sake guest astonishment with this bubbly brew, invite the fruity aroma of lovely pear, peach, cucumber and watermelon with soft and mild elegant sweetness with dry clear finish.  paired with Degani's Signature Charcuterie Board to share. a selection of lovely cured meats, variety of cheese, olives, fresh juicy grapes , dried fruits nuts and crackers Dig in with your eyes first the journey takes guest to the prosciutto crudo, salami, mortadella with a mild saltiness followed by , the lovely cheeses bringing some richness through the palate , pickled vegetables and the lovely fresh grapes , paired with Awayuki sparkling sake guest could start anywhere without getting lost. It cleanses the palate of the mild saltiness of the cured meats, inviting the richness of the cheese creating a creamy sensation as if the cheese has just melted in the mouth . Then the fresh grapes juices pops in the palate where the sake embraces it.
The Next Sake we featured was Hakutsuru Junmai Daiginjo Sho-une. Sho-Une means soaring clouds, is a supreme Japanese saké using only the finest rice, Yamada-Nishiki, and Nada’s famed natural spring water Miyamizu. Rice Polishing Ratio is 50% Seimaibuai which means 50% of the rice has been polished away . In the nose filled with white peach, apples, grapes and pear. A very soft pear tonality pervades this deeply complex sake that drinks as easy as a “wet dream.” A full bodied sake wrapped in a delicate texture that drinks like poetry.
 For our main course guest were enlighten with the grilled sirloin steak with creamy garlic king prawns, twice baked potato and buttered vegetables) when paired with Hakutsuru Sho-une Junmai Daiginjo the super smooth texture of the sake allows the steak to melt in the palate, and it creates a creaminess from the slight rich flavours, to harmonise with the lovely garlic creamy sauce coating the king prawns. Then the baked potato outside a lovely crisp shield and inside fluffy mash potatoes followed by colourful greens for some crunch texture. For the last course is Hakutsuru Sayuri Nigori Sake. Which means little lilly, Nigori sake is unfiltered sake which has sake lees which floats at the bottom of the sake. Sake Type: Junmai Nigori Bottle Size: 720ml Ingredients: Rice and rice koji; No sulfites, no preservatives. Alcohol Content: 12.5% Sake Meter Value -11 Sweet or dry: Super sweet Acidity: 1.6 Serving temp: Chilled--shake well before serving paired this sake with the delicious Panna Cotta (with fresh blue berry & strawberry and mixed berry compote) with the Panna cotta what your should get is set pudding. On the surface top layer amixed berry compote , which adds a little bit of sour richness with the creamy delicious Panna cotta underneath. When paired with Sayuri guest were amazed at its cloudy texture, the aroma brought forth lovely hints of floral and fruity fragrance, the texture was creamy and mildly sweet which allowed the berry compote to be subdued and invite the Panna cotta again with another spoonful, ending the night deliciously. The night ended with guest opening their hearts to the beautiful world of sake , first timers were overjoyed how glorious and different that Japanese sake can go with different foods. Hakutsuru Sake range has open the gateway with un-traditional flavours with Degani cuisines , I wonder what kinda a flavours I will be pairing next? Photographer: Alex Perth Foodie ( https://www.facebook.com/alexperthfoodie/) Venue : Degani King Square. |
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