WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:03.466 align:start - [Announcer] tasteMAKERS was funded in part by... 00:03.466 --> 00:06.600 align:start (soft piano music) 00:15.500 --> 00:17.466 align:start - [Narrator] In the hands of those who take pride 00:17.466 --> 00:22.400 align:start in what they do, something unique can be created. 00:24.566 --> 00:27.400 align:start Edward Jones is proud to support the craftspeople 00:27.400 --> 00:30.333 align:start who define the Maker Movement. 00:34.400 --> 00:35.500 align:start (rhythmic upbeat music) 00:35.500 --> 00:37.333 align:start - In this episode of tasteMAKERS, 00:37.333 --> 00:38.633 align:start you are going to meet Yoshi Sako, 00:38.633 --> 00:41.466 align:start a sake brewer in Oakland, California who is 00:41.466 --> 00:45.733 align:start producing small-batch sake using only rice from this field. 00:45.733 --> 00:49.466 align:start (rhythmic upbeat music) 00:49.466 --> 00:52.366 align:start (upbeat music) 00:52.366 --> 00:54.366 align:start I'm Cat Neville, and for the past two decades 00:54.366 --> 00:57.166 align:start I've been telling the story of local food. 00:57.166 --> 00:59.666 align:start In that time, American food culture has exploded 00:59.666 --> 01:03.433 align:start in tiny towns and big cities from coast to coast. 01:03.433 --> 01:06.466 align:start In tasteMAKERS, I explore the Maker Movement 01:06.466 --> 01:08.166 align:start and take you along for the journey 01:08.166 --> 01:10.466 align:start to meet the makers who define the flavor 01:10.466 --> 01:12.166 align:start of American cuisine. 01:12.166 --> 01:15.133 align:start (upbeat music) 01:27.666 --> 01:30.666 align:start Tucked inside a collective of makers here in Oakland, 01:30.666 --> 01:33.466 align:start California, Yoshi Sako is hand brewing sake 01:33.466 --> 01:35.433 align:start that's meant to be food-friendly. 01:35.433 --> 01:37.466 align:start And judging by the incredible array of places 01:37.466 --> 01:41.366 align:start that carry Den Sake on their menus, he is hitting the mark. 01:41.366 --> 01:45.000 align:start (mellow guitar music) 01:45.466 --> 01:48.600 align:start - I was working in the restaurant industry for a long time, 01:48.600 --> 01:52.300 align:start as a sake buyer or sake director, sake sommelier, 01:52.300 --> 01:57.166 align:start and I started to teach sake class, and I was thinking, 01:57.166 --> 02:00.766 align:start how I can gain my knowledge more, 02:00.766 --> 02:03.466 align:start you know, I study about sake. 02:03.466 --> 02:06.466 align:start I visited couple of sake breweries in Japan 02:06.466 --> 02:09.466 align:start and did apprenticeship for one month. 02:09.466 --> 02:12.566 align:start And I came back and, you know, I was like, 02:12.566 --> 02:15.066 align:start "Okay, let's do it here". 02:15.066 --> 02:17.466 align:start That's how I started, like a test brewing. 02:17.466 --> 02:21.200 align:start - He did a couple of test brewings in his friend's backyard 02:21.200 --> 02:23.766 align:start and realized, "Hey, this is actually pretty good". 02:23.766 --> 02:27.466 align:start So that's when it kind of really was born, 02:27.466 --> 02:30.466 align:start this idea of, "Okay, I want my own brewery". 02:30.466 --> 02:33.433 align:start (mellow guitar music) 02:33.433 --> 02:36.466 align:start - Once I started it, little by little, you know, 02:36.466 --> 02:40.066 align:start I kind of realized, "Wow, this is hard. 02:40.066 --> 02:40.566 align:start "This is hard". 02:40.566 --> 02:43.466 align:start But, because I already started it, I have to keep going. 02:43.466 --> 02:47.500 align:start So, just, that's why I'm here now (laughing). 02:49.433 --> 02:52.666 align:start (machines whirring) 02:54.033 --> 02:56.166 align:start For the sake making process, 02:56.166 --> 02:57.366 align:start basically, we make steamed rice. 02:57.366 --> 03:01.033 align:start After that steamed rice is carried into the cold room 03:01.033 --> 03:04.066 align:start to cool down to the ideal temperature 03:04.066 --> 03:08.500 align:start and that steamed rice is carried into the Koji room, 03:08.500 --> 03:10.300 align:start which is little more heated room. 03:10.300 --> 03:16.466 align:start It takes about 50 to 55 hours to cultivate the Koji mold. 03:16.533 --> 03:18.133 align:start So Koji is basically, it's a fungus. 03:18.133 --> 03:24.400 align:start That fungus break down the starch and convert it into sugar. 03:24.466 --> 03:25.533 align:start What kind of Koji you make, 03:25.533 --> 03:29.400 align:start that's directly reflect to the flavor of the sake. 03:29.400 --> 03:30.466 align:start So, it's been one of the most 03:30.466 --> 03:34.166 align:start important process, sake making. 03:34.433 --> 03:36.500 align:start We steam rice for two different purpose. 03:36.500 --> 03:40.233 align:start One is for Koji making, and one is for putting directly 03:40.233 --> 03:41.466 align:start into the fermentation tank. 03:41.466 --> 03:47.466 align:start We add water and together water and the Koji rice 03:48.000 --> 03:51.000 align:start and the steamed rice takes about 25 days to finish 03:51.000 --> 03:56.333 align:start the fermentation and we press the mash and it becomes sake. 03:57.533 --> 04:00.666 align:start That press machine is super old school, 04:00.666 --> 04:02.300 align:start and it requires manual labors, 04:02.300 --> 04:06.466 align:start and it takes, actually, three days to press everything. 04:06.466 --> 04:11.100 align:start So, by pressing using that way, sake becomes a little more 04:11.100 --> 04:17.066 align:start rounder, softer, and tastes good too (laughs). 04:17.300 --> 04:19.700 align:start (upbeat music) 04:22.466 --> 04:25.400 align:start (door clacks) 04:26.466 --> 04:28.266 align:start - I've never seen anything like this. 04:28.266 --> 04:31.333 align:start I've been in breweries, in distilleries and wineries. 04:31.333 --> 04:34.000 align:start This is completely unique. 04:34.300 --> 04:35.600 align:start These tanks are full of water. 04:35.600 --> 04:36.466 align:start - Full of water, yeah. 04:36.466 --> 04:37.466 align:start - And how heavy are they? 04:37.466 --> 04:41.300 align:start - So, one drum is about, like 500 pounds. 04:41.300 --> 04:44.466 align:start So, both together, about 1,000 pounds. 04:45.000 --> 04:47.466 align:start - So, a 1000 pounds are on this side, 04:47.466 --> 04:52.166 align:start and you're gonna leave this hanging for about a day or so. 04:52.166 --> 04:52.566 align:start Correct? 04:52.566 --> 04:54.466 align:start - So, I started yesterday. 04:54.466 --> 04:56.633 align:start I hang only one drum yesterday. 04:56.633 --> 04:59.133 align:start Yesterday was the first day of pressing, 04:59.133 --> 05:00.066 align:start and today is the second day, 05:00.066 --> 05:05.333 align:start I hang two drums after restocking all the sake mash. 05:05.333 --> 05:08.300 align:start Then, leave it til tomorrow. 05:08.466 --> 05:10.500 align:start Then I remove all the sake lees, 05:10.500 --> 05:14.266 align:start leftover rice solids, then start another pressing. 05:14.266 --> 05:18.366 align:start - [Cat] And so you just are using massive amounts 05:18.366 --> 05:24.266 align:start of pressure to get every single drop of liquid 05:24.466 --> 05:26.200 align:start and flavor out of those rice grains. 05:26.200 --> 05:26.700 align:start - [Yoshi] Yeah. 05:26.700 --> 05:28.333 align:start - And so, it's coming out of the bottom. 05:28.333 --> 05:31.400 align:start And then is it going into that other tank back there? 05:31.400 --> 05:32.233 align:start - Yeah, exactly. 05:32.233 --> 05:33.033 align:start - Then what happens? 05:33.033 --> 05:37.200 align:start - So, two tanks was juice, is gonna go into this big tank, 05:37.200 --> 05:39.666 align:start one tank and the other two tanks juice is gonna 05:39.666 --> 05:42.300 align:start go into the other, 1,000 liter tank. 05:42.300 --> 05:46.400 align:start After that, I leave it for about five days. 05:46.400 --> 05:51.033 align:start After five days, all those white, kind of sediment 05:51.033 --> 05:53.300 align:start will stay at the bottom, 05:53.300 --> 05:56.233 align:start so I take out only clear part. 05:56.233 --> 05:56.566 align:start - Okay. 05:56.566 --> 05:59.133 align:start - So, that becomes the product. 05:59.133 --> 06:00.266 align:start We gonna do bottling. 06:00.266 --> 06:02.433 align:start Then, some products will be pasteurized 06:02.433 --> 06:06.466 align:start and some products will be sold as unpasteurized. 06:06.466 --> 06:07.600 align:start It's called Nama. 06:10.466 --> 06:14.000 align:start - Now, my favorite part, we're going to taste the sake 06:14.000 --> 06:15.766 align:start and we're gonna taste the pasteurized 06:15.766 --> 06:17.533 align:start and the unpasteurized, side by side. 06:17.533 --> 06:22.300 align:start - We'll start with unpasteurized, with Nama. 06:22.300 --> 06:25.333 align:start - The aroma of sake is rich. 06:25.333 --> 06:27.533 align:start There's a lot to it and, you know, 06:27.533 --> 06:29.333 align:start the ingredients are so simple. 06:29.333 --> 06:33.366 align:start Oakland tap water, sushi rice, Koji. 06:33.366 --> 06:34.166 align:start - And yeast. 06:34.166 --> 06:35.133 align:start - And the yeast. 06:35.133 --> 06:36.066 align:start - Yeah. 06:36.066 --> 06:39.466 align:start (soft bright music) 06:42.666 --> 06:43.733 align:start - It's delicious. 06:43.733 --> 06:45.000 align:start - Great. 06:45.000 --> 06:47.700 align:start - There is so much depth of flavor, 06:47.700 --> 06:49.600 align:start and it has a round mouth feel. 06:49.600 --> 06:52.466 align:start It coats your tongue, but it really does have, 06:52.466 --> 06:56.233 align:start kind of like, that sense of banana and mango. 06:56.233 --> 06:58.233 align:start - Yeah tropical, a little bit. 06:58.233 --> 06:59.433 align:start - Absolutely. 07:00.433 --> 07:01.466 align:start It's delicious. 07:01.466 --> 07:04.766 align:start (soft bright music) 07:10.300 --> 07:12.400 align:start So this is much more crisp. 07:12.400 --> 07:18.466 align:start It doesn't have that roundness that the other one did. 07:18.633 --> 07:20.000 align:start - It's real sharp. - It's more austere, 07:20.000 --> 07:21.033 align:start I would say. - Yeah, yeah. 07:21.033 --> 07:22.300 align:start I would say Nama is more expressive, 07:22.300 --> 07:25.466 align:start more bold, you know, more vibrant. 07:27.466 --> 07:31.066 align:start (light guitar music) 07:31.366 --> 07:33.300 align:start - Yoshi sources his rice from only one farm 07:33.300 --> 07:36.766 align:start and that is here at Rue & Forsman Ranch near Sacramento. 07:36.766 --> 07:39.700 align:start Not only does Michael Bosworth grow about 10 varieties 07:39.700 --> 07:42.700 align:start of rice, he also uses the farm as a haven 07:42.700 --> 07:44.733 align:start for migratory birds. 07:44.733 --> 07:48.266 align:start (mellow guitar music) 07:48.266 --> 07:51.433 align:start - Growing up on a farm, you're always wanting to see 07:51.433 --> 07:53.533 align:start how you can use what you're growing. 07:53.533 --> 07:55.100 align:start What other applications are there? 07:55.100 --> 07:57.033 align:start I mean, obviously, we can make great sushi, 07:57.033 --> 07:58.433 align:start we can make great Thai food, 07:58.433 --> 08:00.466 align:start but, you know, to make a beverage, 08:00.466 --> 08:04.133 align:start we'd never done anything like that before and so, you know, 08:04.133 --> 08:07.100 align:start I'm always excited to collaborate with people 08:07.100 --> 08:08.233 align:start that are passionate about food. 08:08.233 --> 08:10.566 align:start And Yoshi is definitely one of those people. 08:10.566 --> 08:14.466 align:start And I think he has a great approach to making his sake 08:14.466 --> 08:18.466 align:start and, you know, it's just an exciting collaboration for us. 08:18.466 --> 08:21.666 align:start (pleasant music) 08:22.266 --> 08:25.066 align:start - What variety of rice do you grow for Yoshi? 08:25.066 --> 08:26.466 align:start Cause you have, like, 10 different 08:26.466 --> 08:28.066 align:start varieties under cultivation. 08:28.066 --> 08:28.766 align:start - Yeah, that's right. 08:28.766 --> 08:31.700 align:start So, we grow a variety called Calhikari for Yoshi. 08:31.700 --> 08:32.766 align:start It's a variety that was developed 08:32.766 --> 08:36.100 align:start by the Rice Experiment Station and it's a real great 08:36.100 --> 08:37.633 align:start Japanese type short-grain variety 08:37.633 --> 08:41.100 align:start that can be used for sushi and, obviously, now sake. 08:41.100 --> 08:44.566 align:start Holds up well, it's got great flavor, great texture 08:44.566 --> 08:46.766 align:start in the mouth and, you know, a nice aroma. 08:46.766 --> 08:50.466 align:start It's just, you know, really delicious. 08:56.033 --> 09:00.300 align:start - So, I was really struck by the partnership that you have 09:00.300 --> 09:03.466 align:start with the Nature Conservancy to essentially act 09:03.466 --> 09:07.066 align:start as a weigh station for migratory birds. 09:07.066 --> 09:08.566 align:start How did all of that come about? 09:08.566 --> 09:12.033 align:start - They developed a pilot project, a pilot program 09:12.033 --> 09:13.566 align:start man, it was five or six years ago, 09:13.566 --> 09:16.466 align:start and we participated in it. 09:16.466 --> 09:17.500 align:start It's something that, you know, 09:17.500 --> 09:19.433 align:start we thought had some real potential. 09:19.433 --> 09:22.133 align:start What they did is they looked at, you know, 09:22.133 --> 09:24.466 align:start various timings of flooding a field and depth 09:24.466 --> 09:28.200 align:start and, kind of, cultural practices, what you did after you 09:28.200 --> 09:29.566 align:start harvested it, with the straw and everything 09:29.566 --> 09:32.466 align:start and really looked at that and looked at the bird response 09:32.466 --> 09:34.400 align:start and they tracked that and they were out here every day 09:34.400 --> 09:36.466 align:start counting birds and they came up with a great program 09:36.466 --> 09:39.266 align:start that said, "Well this is the way to it, right. 09:39.266 --> 09:41.000 align:start "This is the timing that's the most important. 09:41.000 --> 09:43.466 align:start "This is the water depth that's the best for the birds 09:43.466 --> 09:45.766 align:start "and this is the management from the farming side 09:45.766 --> 09:48.533 align:start "that's the best", and then they scaled that program up, 09:48.533 --> 09:52.466 align:start and we've been huge supporters of it ever since. 09:52.466 --> 09:54.466 align:start - [Cat] So, what kind of birds do you see here? 09:54.466 --> 09:57.466 align:start - All kind, I mean there's, obviously, you know, 09:57.466 --> 09:59.233 align:start you're gonna have the traditional birds, 09:59.233 --> 10:00.766 align:start ducks and geese and things like that, 10:00.766 --> 10:03.466 align:start but when we started having lower water level 10:03.466 --> 10:06.466 align:start for the migratory birds, you get dowitchers, 10:06.466 --> 10:10.466 align:start you get sandpiper, you get avocets, stilts, 10:10.466 --> 10:14.466 align:start so many different, you know, shore bird species 10:14.466 --> 10:17.066 align:start than, I guess, you would typically see. 10:17.066 --> 10:18.333 align:start - That's so cool. 10:18.333 --> 10:19.100 align:start - Yeah. 10:19.100 --> 10:21.766 align:start (wings fluttering 10:21.766 --> 10:24.466 align:start (bird caws) 10:28.266 --> 10:31.633 align:start (light guitar music) 10:38.600 --> 10:40.766 align:start - A lot of people probably familiar with wine 10:40.766 --> 10:45.166 align:start and so, you know, as alcohol beverage 10:45.166 --> 10:48.366 align:start to pair with food, sake is kind of similar to wine. 10:48.366 --> 10:52.600 align:start You know, sake also, you know, can be drunk with food, 10:52.600 --> 10:53.500 align:start same as wine. 10:53.500 --> 10:56.533 align:start And the biggest difference between wine and sake is 10:56.533 --> 11:00.333 align:start wine's backbone is acidity, 11:00.333 --> 11:02.000 align:start you know, the acid from the foods 11:02.000 --> 11:05.733 align:start and sake's backbone is more amino acid, 11:05.733 --> 11:09.400 align:start that creates more umami flavor, more savory-ness. 11:09.400 --> 11:10.466 align:start That's the biggest difference. 11:10.466 --> 11:14.566 align:start And, especially here, people are used to eating food 11:14.566 --> 11:18.466 align:start with beverage with high acidity, like wine. 11:18.466 --> 11:23.366 align:start So, I decided to raise acidity on my sake, 11:23.366 --> 11:27.233 align:start so that people here, they don't really have 11:27.233 --> 11:33.133 align:start to switch their brain to pair drinks with food. 11:33.400 --> 11:35.466 align:start It's easier for them, I think and also, 11:35.466 --> 11:39.366 align:start the food I eat here is a little bit different from food 11:39.366 --> 11:41.166 align:start that Japanese people eat in Japan. 11:41.166 --> 11:43.466 align:start Here, it's a little bit more protein-rich, 11:43.466 --> 11:46.066 align:start little bit more fattier, so need the acidity 11:46.066 --> 11:47.466 align:start to cut through it too. 11:47.466 --> 11:50.233 align:start So, it's two reasons I kind of like decided 11:50.233 --> 11:53.233 align:start to raise acidity for my sake. 11:53.233 --> 11:56.333 align:start (pleasant music) 11:57.133 --> 12:00.133 align:start (cars whizzing) 12:04.600 --> 12:06.466 align:start - So, I'm standing here in the heart of San Francisco 12:06.466 --> 12:09.766 align:start with Beau Timken, who is the founder of True Sake 12:09.766 --> 12:12.666 align:start and how many years have you been doing this, 17? 12:12.666 --> 12:13.633 align:start - This is the 17th year. 12:13.633 --> 12:17.400 align:start So, we were the first people to open a dedicated sake store 12:17.400 --> 12:18.300 align:start outside of Japan. 12:18.300 --> 12:19.766 align:start - So, how did you get to know Yoshi? 12:19.766 --> 12:23.733 align:start - Yoshi's done sake programs for different restaurants, 12:23.733 --> 12:25.333 align:start and we just know each other through that 12:25.333 --> 12:27.366 align:start and I knew Yoshi was very passionate. 12:27.366 --> 12:31.433 align:start His wife, they're a team and that team is making fantastic 12:31.433 --> 12:34.133 align:start sake right now that I'm very proud of selling, 12:34.133 --> 12:36.466 align:start and I'm very proud of, you know when people come in 12:36.466 --> 12:37.766 align:start and saying, "Let us taste something's 12:37.766 --> 12:39.700 align:start "that's made in America" and Yoshi's done, 12:39.700 --> 12:41.300 align:start just such a great job. 12:41.300 --> 12:42.466 align:start Makes me very happy for him. 12:42.466 --> 12:45.500 align:start - Yoshi, here in the heart, essentially, of wine country, 12:45.500 --> 12:48.733 align:start is making a sake, specifically with a higher level 12:48.733 --> 12:53.300 align:start of acidity, to pair with food and that's kind of what 12:53.300 --> 12:54.200 align:start he's hoping for. 12:54.200 --> 12:56.033 align:start Do you see other brewers, 12:56.033 --> 12:57.466 align:start kind of, taking that approach? 12:57.466 --> 12:59.666 align:start - Sure, I mean, that's the way it is in Japan. 12:59.666 --> 13:01.133 align:start So, you're brewing for your village. 13:01.133 --> 13:03.033 align:start You're brewing for what you eat and what you're made of. 13:03.033 --> 13:05.300 align:start Yoshi, his village is Oakland, California, 13:05.300 --> 13:09.333 align:start but it's also super food centric, food savvy people. 13:09.333 --> 13:11.500 align:start So, he's making sakes that go well with burgers, 13:11.500 --> 13:15.666 align:start go well with pasta, go well with all these alien foods 13:15.666 --> 13:18.300 align:start to the sake world, but they fit. 13:18.300 --> 13:21.166 align:start He makes sake that has body, has acidity, 13:21.166 --> 13:22.466 align:start but it's for everything. 13:22.466 --> 13:23.466 align:start I mean, snack food. 13:23.466 --> 13:25.466 align:start Yoshi's sake with potato chips, 13:25.466 --> 13:27.366 align:start forget about it, I'm not joking. 13:27.366 --> 13:28.466 align:start It's great. 13:28.466 --> 13:31.733 align:start (soft serene music) 13:32.466 --> 13:35.100 align:start - So, Soba Ichi, which is right here on the same property 13:35.100 --> 13:37.266 align:start as us, they were one of our first customers. 13:37.266 --> 13:40.466 align:start They serve the sake and it's great, because people 13:40.466 --> 13:43.433 align:start drink it here, they like it and, you know, 13:43.433 --> 13:45.466 align:start they're able to say, "It's made right over there". 13:45.466 --> 13:49.533 align:start So, people always think that's really interesting and cool. 13:49.533 --> 13:51.666 align:start - Our specialty is soba. 13:51.666 --> 13:56.466 align:start Soba is Japanese buckwheat noodles, 13:56.466 --> 13:59.500 align:start which is very traditional 13:59.500 --> 14:01.366 align:start or popular in Japan. 14:01.366 --> 14:05.466 align:start It's a great collaboration with Den Sake and our food. 14:07.166 --> 14:10.433 align:start - Besides serving the sake as a drink, the chef, Koichi 14:10.433 --> 14:14.033 align:start also uses the sake kasu, which are the pressed lees, 14:14.033 --> 14:17.666 align:start and he uses it to make, actually, a cheese appetizer. 14:17.666 --> 14:20.466 align:start He mixes it with cream cheese and you can really taste, 14:20.466 --> 14:23.433 align:start kind of the sweetness from the sake. 14:23.600 --> 14:26.766 align:start It's kind of neat that the byproduct from making the sake 14:26.766 --> 14:27.566 align:start doesn't go to waste. 14:27.566 --> 14:31.166 align:start Chefs are able to use it in dishes they prepare. 14:31.166 --> 14:34.466 align:start (soft serene music) 14:41.766 --> 14:44.500 align:start - Our next stop is here in Healdsburg, California 14:44.500 --> 14:46.733 align:start at SingleThread Farms, where Japanese ethos 14:46.733 --> 14:51.300 align:start is woven throughout the entire, incredible experience. 14:51.466 --> 14:55.133 align:start (soft serene music) 14:58.466 --> 14:59.600 align:start So, explain the menu here. 14:59.600 --> 15:01.466 align:start I mean, obviously it's rotating with the seasons, 15:01.466 --> 15:03.533 align:start but just, generally, when people come in, 15:03.533 --> 15:06.366 align:start what kind of experience are they going to have? 15:06.366 --> 15:07.200 align:start - So, it's 11 courses. 15:07.200 --> 15:10.333 align:start Ideally in good weather you start with a glass of champagne 15:10.333 --> 15:12.766 align:start on a rooftop, kind of relaxing and watching the sunset. 15:12.766 --> 15:16.466 align:start Then you come down and we have what we internally 15:16.466 --> 15:17.466 align:start refer to as the hassun course, 15:17.466 --> 15:21.133 align:start which is an array of small bites, fresh fish, 15:21.133 --> 15:23.733 align:start fresh produce from the farm and then, you know, 15:23.733 --> 15:27.000 align:start 10 courses from there, really all kind of rooted 15:27.000 --> 15:29.466 align:start very closely, thematically with their place, 15:29.466 --> 15:32.466 align:start historically in kaseki cuisine, but of course, 15:32.466 --> 15:33.300 align:start our rendition on it. 15:33.300 --> 15:36.566 align:start - And so, how does sake kind of weave its way 15:36.566 --> 15:38.200 align:start into the wine program? 15:38.200 --> 15:40.000 align:start - It's usually, actually, later on in the menu 15:40.000 --> 15:42.166 align:start with, kind of, more aromatic, more savory dishes. 15:42.166 --> 15:44.300 align:start Often times, pairing with sake can be slightly challenging. 15:44.300 --> 15:48.300 align:start They don't have that same, sort of, high acidity, 15:48.300 --> 15:50.466 align:start mouth-watering, crisp quality to them 15:50.466 --> 15:53.266 align:start that a lot of white wines can give you very naturally. 15:53.266 --> 15:56.466 align:start And so Den Sake, you know, that really gets a little more 15:56.466 --> 15:57.466 align:start total acid to it. 15:57.466 --> 16:00.333 align:start It's really amazing how well I can slot it 16:00.333 --> 16:02.033 align:start into a lot of our different courses. 16:02.033 --> 16:06.166 align:start - You're pairing the Den Sake with a dish here on the menu. 16:06.166 --> 16:07.300 align:start Can you tell me about the dish? 16:07.300 --> 16:10.633 align:start - So, the dish is traditionally a white fish dish. 16:10.633 --> 16:13.466 align:start Often times we're using coastal black cod from here 16:13.466 --> 16:14.466 align:start off the California coast. 16:14.466 --> 16:17.066 align:start It's been smoked over cherry blossom wood 16:17.066 --> 16:18.466 align:start in one of those earthenware vessels. 16:18.466 --> 16:21.700 align:start There's one called an ibushi gin or smoker. 16:21.700 --> 16:24.033 align:start We take the lid off table side and kind of put it 16:24.033 --> 16:25.233 align:start in the center and it wafts all this wonderful 16:25.233 --> 16:28.100 align:start cherry blossom wood smoke, kind of all throughout the table. 16:28.100 --> 16:30.200 align:start And, for tables that haven't quite gotten 16:30.200 --> 16:32.333 align:start that far on the menu, it's also kind of awesome, 16:32.333 --> 16:34.133 align:start because they're like, "Oh my gosh, what is that smell? 16:34.133 --> 16:36.466 align:start "I can't wait to get to that course." 16:36.466 --> 16:37.500 align:start Kind of builds anticipation. 16:37.500 --> 16:40.066 align:start - Well, that's what I love is that it feels like here 16:40.066 --> 16:42.033 align:start there are kind of like these little extremely 16:42.033 --> 16:44.466 align:start thoughtful surprises around every corner. 16:44.466 --> 16:47.266 align:start The idea that you can choose this handmade cup 16:47.266 --> 16:48.466 align:start and it's completely unique. 16:48.466 --> 16:51.466 align:start The fact that you're serving the sake out of vessels truly 16:51.466 --> 16:54.500 align:start made in Japan and it's this very, kind of, hushed 16:54.500 --> 16:59.266 align:start and quiet environment that allows people to fully, 16:59.266 --> 17:01.400 align:start I think experience the flavors 17:01.400 --> 17:03.466 align:start and the sights and the sounds. 17:03.466 --> 17:04.166 align:start - Absolutely. 17:04.166 --> 17:06.000 align:start A lot of people say it's almost like there's a dance going 17:06.000 --> 17:07.433 align:start when you dine here. 17:07.433 --> 17:09.500 align:start Things kind of just come and go and waft by. 17:09.500 --> 17:12.666 align:start We really try to appeal to all the senses and such. 17:12.666 --> 17:16.433 align:start (soft strings music) 17:22.166 --> 17:25.466 align:start - Here at Quince in San Francisco, wine is the major star 17:25.466 --> 17:29.033 align:start of the beverage program and because of its high acidity, 17:29.033 --> 17:30.466 align:start Den Sake has made the list. 17:30.466 --> 17:32.733 align:start Let's check in with their sommelier now. 17:32.733 --> 17:36.066 align:start (pleasant music) 17:36.600 --> 17:39.466 align:start This is a restaurant that is very, very wine-focused 17:39.466 --> 17:45.500 align:start and Yoshi kind of like, got the door open to be included 17:45.766 --> 17:48.033 align:start in your tasting menu, right? 17:48.033 --> 17:49.766 align:start - So, we have one tasting menu for the evening, 17:49.766 --> 17:52.466 align:start and then we offer a wine and sometimes other beverage 17:52.466 --> 17:55.166 align:start pairing, so we kind of came to a dish 17:55.166 --> 17:57.500 align:start that needed something a little different. 17:57.500 --> 17:58.533 align:start So, this dish came out. 17:58.533 --> 17:59.633 align:start It was called wild nettles. 17:59.633 --> 18:03.733 align:start It had potato, oyster, basically, kind of a different 18:03.733 --> 18:05.433 align:start version of a chowder. 18:05.433 --> 18:07.466 align:start So, we were tasting all of these wines with it 18:07.466 --> 18:11.333 align:start and nothing was really working out for us. 18:11.333 --> 18:13.266 align:start - And so when you tasted that Den Sake, 18:13.266 --> 18:16.566 align:start what were the flavors in that sake, in particular, 18:16.566 --> 18:18.566 align:start that worked with this particular dish? 18:18.566 --> 18:22.100 align:start - Oddly enough, there was this banana and tropical note 18:22.100 --> 18:25.166 align:start in this sake that I just kind of fell in love with, 18:25.166 --> 18:27.466 align:start and for me, it was a very textural pairing. 18:27.466 --> 18:31.000 align:start That's what we were missing with wine or other beverages. 18:31.000 --> 18:32.466 align:start It kind of just enveloped the oyster. 18:32.466 --> 18:35.400 align:start It had enough acidity to cut through the creamy aspect 18:35.400 --> 18:38.100 align:start of the dish and that banana note kind of worked 18:38.100 --> 18:41.666 align:start with the wild nettle, which is a notoriously difficult 18:41.666 --> 18:43.166 align:start ingredient to pair with. 18:43.166 --> 18:44.433 align:start - Like, artichokes or something like that. 18:44.433 --> 18:45.466 align:start - It's something like that. 18:45.466 --> 18:47.500 align:start Artichoke, eggplant, those kind of ingredients. 18:47.500 --> 18:50.466 align:start The Den Sake, it came in here. 18:50.466 --> 18:51.433 align:start It was perfect. 18:51.433 --> 18:52.333 align:start It was received well. 18:52.333 --> 18:54.466 align:start That's what makes that sake so unique, 18:54.466 --> 18:57.766 align:start is that it can kind of cut through those richer elements, 18:57.766 --> 19:01.366 align:start which you would normally never be able to do with a sake. 19:01.366 --> 19:05.133 align:start (light pleasant music) 19:16.400 --> 19:19.366 align:start - Here at Rintaro, which is actually one of Yoshi 19:19.366 --> 19:20.466 align:start and Lani's favorite restaurants, 19:20.466 --> 19:22.266 align:start their sake is on the list, but what's more exciting 19:22.266 --> 19:25.300 align:start is that the lees from their sake making process 19:25.300 --> 19:28.433 align:start actually makes an appearance in the kitchen. 19:34.466 --> 19:36.466 align:start So, I'm standing here in Rintaro. 19:36.466 --> 19:39.366 align:start Yoshi and Lani, they said this was kind of like 19:39.366 --> 19:41.566 align:start their favorite place and like, they used to, 19:41.566 --> 19:43.200 align:start when they lived closer to the restaurant, 19:43.200 --> 19:44.366 align:start they would be here every week. 19:44.366 --> 19:47.166 align:start - Yeah, they were just absolutely regular customers 19:47.166 --> 19:49.633 align:start and they would come late and they would drink a lot, 19:49.633 --> 19:51.400 align:start and they would sit at the yakitori grill, 19:51.400 --> 19:54.200 align:start and when he started experimenting with making 19:54.200 --> 19:57.033 align:start his own sake, he would bring us his lees, 19:57.033 --> 19:58.466 align:start like the sake pressings. 19:58.466 --> 20:00.466 align:start They were always really flavorful, 20:00.466 --> 20:03.166 align:start really aromatic and delicious. 20:03.166 --> 20:05.666 align:start So, I've been using them for a long time, actually. 20:05.666 --> 20:07.600 align:start - So, what do you do with the lees? 20:07.600 --> 20:11.300 align:start - The thing that I do mostly is preserve fish. 20:11.300 --> 20:14.233 align:start I use it to cure black cod, sometimes to cure 20:14.233 --> 20:15.466 align:start the local king salmon. 20:15.466 --> 20:18.466 align:start We also occasionally make a soup out of it. 20:18.466 --> 20:19.666 align:start It's kind of like a miso soup 20:19.666 --> 20:23.133 align:start and rather than adding miso, you add the sake lees 20:23.133 --> 20:27.466 align:start and I've got a sake lees pickled wasabi. 20:27.466 --> 20:31.133 align:start (soft serene music) 20:41.066 --> 20:42.566 align:start - Next up, we're stopping by Umami Mart 20:42.566 --> 20:46.666 align:start to chat with Yoko about how best to serve sake. 20:50.466 --> 20:53.166 align:start So, there are an array of glasses 20:53.166 --> 20:55.233 align:start to be able to enjoy your sake. 20:55.233 --> 20:58.533 align:start Kind of explain to me why these are designed 20:58.533 --> 21:01.066 align:start the way that they're designed in order 21:01.066 --> 21:04.766 align:start to enhance the flavor and aroma of the sake. 21:04.766 --> 21:06.000 align:start - Those are meant for hot sake. 21:06.000 --> 21:11.000 align:start One of the reasons why is because they're easier to heat 21:11.000 --> 21:13.533 align:start in a bath of water, or the tokkuri is, 21:13.533 --> 21:18.466 align:start and then the ceramic is easier to hold, if it's warm. 21:18.466 --> 21:20.000 align:start - And then, how about these? These are so fun. 21:20.000 --> 21:22.466 align:start - So, those are wonderful because you have the stem, 21:22.466 --> 21:25.200 align:start so if you're having a chilled sake and you really 21:25.200 --> 21:28.400 align:start don't want the heat from your fingers to transfer 21:28.400 --> 21:30.466 align:start to the sake, this is a nice option. 21:30.466 --> 21:32.766 align:start Just like a wine glass too, for the stem. 21:32.766 --> 21:36.433 align:start - So, there are also wooden boxes that are used 21:36.433 --> 21:37.366 align:start for drinking sake? 21:37.366 --> 21:38.066 align:start - Yes yeah. 21:38.066 --> 21:38.700 align:start They're called masu. 21:38.700 --> 21:39.733 align:start I have one right here. 21:39.733 --> 21:44.000 align:start Masus are wooden boxes made from cedar. 21:44.000 --> 21:47.766 align:start Commonly, you're gonna see a flute like this in the masu, 21:47.766 --> 21:50.466 align:start and then they'll pour the sake into the flute 21:50.466 --> 21:54.733 align:start and then they'll let it overflow. 21:54.733 --> 21:58.500 align:start And this is an expression of plentifulness, 21:58.500 --> 22:02.033 align:start of, you know, being grateful to whoever it is 22:02.033 --> 22:05.466 align:start you're pouring for, like an overflowing of, you know, 22:05.466 --> 22:08.466 align:start of bounty and kind of, you know, gratitude. 22:08.466 --> 22:11.300 align:start - And again, it's like sake is a wonderful beverage. 22:11.300 --> 22:13.300 align:start You can put it in just a straight up wine glass, 22:13.300 --> 22:16.466 align:start but being able to use all these different ways 22:16.466 --> 22:19.766 align:start to consume it, it adds just one more level of, 22:19.766 --> 22:21.100 align:start just kind of, fun to it, 22:21.100 --> 22:22.033 align:start frankly. - Yeah. 22:22.033 --> 22:25.166 align:start (pleasant music) 22:25.466 --> 22:27.133 align:start - Yoko, actually, she does have this bar 22:27.133 --> 22:30.033 align:start and the Den Sake is your biggest seller. 22:30.033 --> 22:31.166 align:start - It is, yeah. 22:31.166 --> 22:32.300 align:start It's delicious. 22:32.300 --> 22:36.400 align:start People really seem to relate to the flavor profile. 22:36.400 --> 22:38.400 align:start Once, you know, you pour it for people, 22:38.400 --> 22:39.733 align:start they really remember it. 22:39.733 --> 22:42.266 align:start There's kind of this, like, you know, distinct 22:42.266 --> 22:46.700 align:start Den aroma that he's cultivated in the past seven batches 22:46.700 --> 22:48.433 align:start at this point. 22:49.466 --> 22:52.533 align:start - Yoshi, he's learned complexity. 22:52.533 --> 22:54.100 align:start Sometimes some Namas are too big. 22:54.100 --> 22:57.566 align:start Yoshi's Namas have great food partner. 22:57.566 --> 22:58.466 align:start It has strength. 22:58.466 --> 22:59.400 align:start It's solid. 22:59.400 --> 23:01.166 align:start He only has limited ingredients, right? 23:01.166 --> 23:02.466 align:start He's got Oakland water man 23:02.466 --> 23:05.133 align:start and he's got rice from up in Sacramento. 23:05.133 --> 23:07.333 align:start And he's working within these confines 23:07.333 --> 23:11.300 align:start and he's making sake that tastes like Japanese sake. 23:11.300 --> 23:13.733 align:start (light bouncy music) 23:13.733 --> 23:17.300 align:start - Having been his friend before he started making sake, 23:17.300 --> 23:18.666 align:start when he still was in the restaurant industry, 23:18.666 --> 23:22.733 align:start what did you think as he was making this transition 23:22.733 --> 23:26.266 align:start to producing a local product? 23:26.266 --> 23:28.600 align:start I mean, that's a huge leap to take. 23:28.600 --> 23:32.066 align:start - It seemed hard, cause I know that, like a lot of really 23:32.066 --> 23:35.466 align:start traditional Japanese products, there's so much technique, 23:35.466 --> 23:37.333 align:start and so much history and culture 23:37.333 --> 23:41.066 align:start and skill that's acquired over, you know, 23:41.066 --> 23:43.700 align:start generations and generations and generations. 23:43.700 --> 23:47.000 align:start But, the fact that he was such a sake devotee, 23:47.000 --> 23:51.466 align:start to begin with and he's got such an enthusiasm. 23:51.466 --> 23:52.266 align:start - It's worked. 23:52.266 --> 23:53.466 align:start - It's worked extremely well, yeah. 23:53.466 --> 23:55.666 align:start - I can't believe he's only been open for, 23:55.666 --> 23:57.500 align:start not even two years. 23:57.500 --> 23:58.466 align:start - Yeah, it's impressive. 23:58.466 --> 24:01.000 align:start It's impressive, because of him and like, 24:01.000 --> 24:04.266 align:start his single-mindedness, which I think 24:04.266 --> 24:05.733 align:start is why it's a good sake. 24:05.733 --> 24:07.766 align:start (pleasant music) 24:07.766 --> 24:11.066 align:start - It's been about a year since he released batch one 24:11.066 --> 24:12.200 align:start and it's been amazing. 24:12.200 --> 24:16.766 align:start It's just taken off more than we ever thought. 24:16.766 --> 24:20.166 align:start The James Beard nomination was humbling. 24:20.166 --> 24:24.433 align:start The first time, ever, a sake producer was nominated. 24:26.766 --> 24:28.566 align:start - Sake making, you know, in the beginning, 24:28.566 --> 24:33.033 align:start I just wanted to see how it's going, how they do it. 24:33.033 --> 24:35.366 align:start Then, little by little, I kind of like, 24:35.366 --> 24:40.066 align:start I started to, having more motivation in the going deeper 24:40.066 --> 24:41.266 align:start to the sake making process. 24:41.266 --> 24:46.266 align:start You know, once I started the test brewing, I realized, 24:46.266 --> 24:49.333 align:start "Wow, this cannot be just a side job. 24:49.333 --> 24:53.566 align:start "I have to fully put myself into it". 24:54.466 --> 24:57.333 align:start I started getting know about the ingredients, 24:57.333 --> 25:03.400 align:start how I can treat them to create my ideal style sake. 25:03.466 --> 25:05.533 align:start I kind of started to having more, you know, 25:05.533 --> 25:08.500 align:start confidence about, you know, what I can make, 25:08.500 --> 25:10.466 align:start but it's never ending. 25:10.466 --> 25:12.633 align:start I'm still learning every day. 25:14.066 --> 25:17.166 align:start Every time I make sake, I learn something new. 25:17.166 --> 25:20.300 align:start (pleasant music) 25:23.033 --> 25:25.333 align:start - For more information on Den Sake Brewery, 25:25.333 --> 25:27.466 align:start as well as all the other incredible makers 25:27.466 --> 25:28.466 align:start we featured in this series, 25:28.466 --> 25:30.500 align:start just head to wearetastemakers.com. 25:30.500 --> 25:33.400 align:start Thanks for joining me here in California 25:33.400 --> 25:35.333 align:start and I'll see you next time. 25:35.633 --> 25:39.133 align:start Connect with us online at wearetastemakers.com 25:39.133 --> 25:42.466 align:start through social media on these handles. 25:42.466 --> 25:46.300 align:start (bright lively music) 26:04.200 --> 26:07.500 align:start - [Announcer] tasteMAKERS was funded in part by... 26:07.500 --> 26:11.166 align:start (soft serene music) 26:19.533 --> 26:21.466 align:start - [Narrator] In the hands of those who take pride 26:21.466 --> 26:26.466 align:start in what they do, something unique can be created. 26:28.733 --> 26:31.466 align:start Edward Jones is proud to support the craftspeople 26:31.466 --> 26:34.500 align:start who define the Maker Movement. 26:37.766 --> 26:40.733 align:start (dreamy music) 26:43.066 --> 26:45.633 align:start (upbeat music)