SAKE WEEK 2024 AT BROOKLYN KURA
Happy Nihonshu no Hi! The first day of October is celebrated as Nihonshu no Hi, or World Sake Day, officially designated by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association in 1978. Why October 1? October marks the beginning of the sake brewing season in Japan, perfectly sandwiched between the rice harvest in September and the beginning of winter, which is the ideal time for fermentation, the essential process in brewing the beverage.
To celebrate, Brooklyn Kura, New York’s first sake brewery, is hosting events not just today but the entire week! Visit the taproom at 34 34th Street near the Japan Village complex in Industry City, Brooklyn, to enjoy tastings and educational sessions.
Sake Week 2024 at Brooklyn Kura
Sake Revolution Podcast LIVE!
Today, October 1
6:00 p.m. – Taproom opens
7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. – LIVE Sake Revolution recording
9:00 p.m. – Taproom closes
Admission: $15 (includes admission for one, plus two tasting pours of sake)
Snacks and additional sake will be available for purchase.
John Puma (left) and Timothy Sullivan, hosts of the Sake Revolution podcast
Sake Revolution, America's first sake podcast will do a studio audience recording to mark the occasion of Sake Day. Your hosts, John Puma and Timothy Sullivan, invite you to join in the studio audience to laugh and sip along with them and experience Sake Revolution LIVE! On this very special Sake Day episode, they’ll be interviewing the master sake brewers of New York City: Brandon Doughan of Brooklyn Kura and Shinobu Kato of Kato Sake Works. They’ll explore their trailblazing journeys to producing premium sake in NYC. Both Doughan and Kato will each bring a sake for the audience to taste as they are recording, which is included in the ticket price.
In addition, audience members will be able to submit written questions to the tojis. This will be an engaging, interactive, and delicious podcast experience! The Brooklyn Kura taproom will be open before and after the recording to hang out, enjoy, and purchase additional sake and snacks to make your Sake Day complete!
Chizuko Niikawa Helton (center) of Sake Discoveries
Sake Caliente Warm Sake Night
Wednesday, October 2 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Admission: $70.77
Join this special evening of exploring all aspects of warm sake with Sake Samurai Chizuko Niikawa Helton! Niikawa Helton is a leading expert in preparing "okan" (warm sake), and you'll be amazed with the flavors, textures, and aromas that premium warm sake can produce.
All together you'll taste five premium expressions of warm sake, prepared with a delicious twist by Niikawa Helton. Each sake tasting is paired with a delicious small bite prepared by the Brooklyn Kura chefs as they launch our new fall menu. Go at your own pace and enjoy each course to the fullest.
The event starts at 6:00 p.m., but guests can arrive at any time before 8:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura's offerings
Exclusive Event for Kura Kin Members
Thursday, October 3
Brooklyn Kura will have a special evening of brewery tours and tastings offered for free, exclusively to their active Kura Kin members! Kura Kin is Brooklyn Kura’s subscription program for limited-release bottles.
At the special brewery tour, Kura Kin members can sip and taste steamed sake rice, Koji rice, Moromi fermentation mash, and even sake kasu along the way as the brewers dive deep into their brewing process. Members will also learn about “shizuku drip,” a special way to drip-press super premium sake.
Current Kura Kin Sake subscription members received invitations. Not a Kura Kin member? Join here!
The Birth of Sake Documentary Screening
Friday, October 4 at 8:00 p.m.
Admission: $16.33
Join Brooklyn Kura's first movie night as they screen the acclaimed 2015 sake documentary The Birth of Sake, directed by Erik Shirai and staring the staff and family of the Yoshida family, makers of Tedorigawa sake.
Your ticket includes entrance to the screening and a glass of Tedorigawa sake that is featured in the film! Special gourmet popcorn and additional sake will be available for purchase from the bar throughout the film.
Winner of Best Documentary Director Special Jury Mention at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival and Best Documentary Film at the 2016 Palm Springs International Film Festival, The Birth of Sake is a cinematic documentary that reveals the story of passionate sake-makers and what it takes to make world-class sake at Yoshida Brewery, a 144-year-old family-owned small brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture. In a world where most mass-produced goods are heavily automated, a small group of artisans must brave unusual working conditions to preserve a 2000-year-old tradition. The workers at Yoshida Brewery are an eclectic cast of characters, ranging from 20 to 70 years old. As a vital part of this cast that must live and work for a six-month period through the brutal winter, charismatic veteran brewmaster Yamamoto (65) and the brewery’s sixth-generation heir, Yasuyuki Yoshida (27), are keepers of this tradition and are the main characters who bring the narrative forward. Currently, stiff competition and the eventual retirement of experienced workers intensify the pressure of preserving quality of taste, tradition, and brand reputation for Yoshida Brewery. As craftsmen who must dedicate their whole lives to the making of this world-class sake, their private sacrifices are often sizable and unseen.
To purchase tickets to any of the above Sake Week events, please visit Brooklyn Kura’s website.
American Sake Association’s Sake Day USA Sake Tasting Event
Saturday, October 5 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Admission: $75
The American Sake Association, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is hosting a sake tasting event at Brooklyn Kura to support their ongoing sake education efforts throughout the U.S.
Premium Sake Tasting
Taste sake from dozens of breweries from all over Japan. The sake will be flowing, and featured brands and varieties being poured will change every hour. Confirmed importers and brands include Mutual Trading, Niigata Sake Selections, Joto Sake, Hakkaisan, Kubota, HEAVENSAKE, Kato Sake Works, Brooklyn Kura, World Sake Imports, Kome Collective and MORE!
Culinary Delights
The tasting will also feature a great selection of food to pair with the sake along with the ever popular onigiri bar from SEN restaurant.
To purchase tickets for Saturday’s event, please visit the American Sake Association’s website.
Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries
New Hope: Sake Tasting Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries
Monday, February 12 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura – 34 34th Street, Industry City, Brooklyn
Admission: $108.55
The American Sake Association and Brooklyn Kura have teamed up to host New Hope: Sake Tasting Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries.
On New Year's Day 2024, Japan was hit with a major earthquake. While several prefectures were affected, the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture was the epicenter. In total, eleven sake breweries were completely destroyed, and several others have lost their entire stock of sake.
To support the Ishikawa sake industry, ASA and Brooklyn Kura are organizing a sake tasting fundraiser to send donations to the Ishikawa Sake Brewer's Association. Assistance from these funds will go directly to the impacted sake brewers.
Event Highlights
Premium Sake Tasting:
Taste sake from dozens of breweries from all over Japan. The sake will be flowing, and the featured brands and varieties being poured will change every hour.
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: JOTO SAKE | SAKEMAN | SKURNIK | NIIGATA SAKE SELECTIONS | WISMETTEC
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: DASSAI BLUE | MUTUAL TRADING CO | JFC | HEAVEN SAKE | KATO SAKE WORKS
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: WINE OF JAPAN | KOME COLLECTIVE | WORLD SAKE IMPORTS | SOTO | HAKKAISAN
Culinary Delights:
Delicious flavors from a variety of well-known chefs and restaurants will be available. Enjoy a range of tastes with dishes changing throughout the night. (Subject to change)
Chef Abe Hiroki – Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Shabu Shabu
Taka Sakeda and Jihan Lee of Nami Nori – Hand Rolls
Chef Foo Kanegae of Karazishi Botan – Chicken Wings
Chef Masaru Kajihara of Ootoya – Sesame Tofu
Sen Japanese Restaurant – Onigiri Bar
Chef Chika Hanyu of C by C Pastry – Chocolates and Dessert
Assorted Japanese savory snacks for sake sipping
Behind the Bar:
Guest bartender Kenta Goto will provide cocktails throughout the evening.
Music: DJ Aki, Executive Chef of Tokyo Record Bar, will be spinning tunes.
Raffle:
The price of admission grants you one ticket for an exciting sake goods and experiences raffle. Win sake sets, sake cups, carafes, sake classes, tastings, restaurant dinners, artwork, and more! You can purchase additional tickets at the event for only $10 each.
To purchase tickets to the fundraiser, please visit ASA and Brooklyn Kura’s Eventbrite page.
The Impact of Your Donation
Ticket sales will be collected by the American Sake Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All profits from this event will be donated to the Ishikawa Sake Brewers Association, and these funds will directly benefit the impacted sake brewers of Ishikawa.
Ishikawa Breweries Affected by the New Year’s Day Earthquake
Matsuba Shuzo
Sakurada Shuzo
Tsuruno Shuzo
Hiyoshi Shuzo
Sogen Shuzo
Kazuma Shuzo
Shimizu Shuzo
Hakuto Shuzoten
Nakajima Shuzo
Nakano Shuzo
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