5 to Try: American-Made Sake

“Sake made in the States is ready for its close-up!” says Timothy Sullivan, pointing to the growing domestic industry, with new breweries opening regularly. Enamored by the complexity of sake, Sullivan has spent the past two decades exploring, learning, and promoting the category. A certified WSET Level 3 sake educator, Sullivan is also the founding president of the American Sake Association, and in 2020 launched his Sake Revolution podcast. Based in New York City and currently serving as the director of education at the Brooklyn Kura Sake Studies Center, Sullivan eagerly shares his recs for bottles of American-made sake. “We are now witnessing a unique American sake style emerge as more and more domestic producers pop up,” he says.

Brooklyn Kura, “Number Fourteen” Junmai Ginjo Nama 

Brooklyn Kura was New York state’s first sake brewery when they opened their facility in 2018, and they continue to brew both traditional styles of sake as well as more experimental batches with ingredients like hops. “‘Number Fourteen’ is a flagship sake for the Brooklyn Kura brand,” says Sullivan. “Produced with domestically grown Yamadanishiki and Calrose rice and using New York City’s famously soft water from the Catskills region, the sake has a flavor that’s fresh and juicy with notes of melon.” $35, tippsysake.com

Den, Yamada Nishiki, “Red Label” Junmai Ginjo

Yoshihiro Sako was a longtime bartender and sake sommelier. But to more fully understand sake, he wanted to brew it himself, founding Den Sake Brewery in Oakland in 2017. “The Den brand is truly small-batch sake,” says Sullivan, recommending the “Red Label” Junmai Ginjo. Made with Yamadanishiki sake rice grown in California’s Central Valley, the well-balanced sake displays bright and fruity characteristics with a hint of savory umami. $34, truesake.com

Sequoia, Junmai Ginjo Nama

“Sequoia is a local brewery in San Francisco and produces a popular line of unpasteurized sake,” says Sullivan. Founded in 2015, Sequoia Sake specializes in these lively, unpasteurized sakes that highlight the brew’s fruity notes. “This Junmai Ginjo Nama is rich and velvety in texture, and is best enjoyed from a wine glass to capture the apple, citrus, and rice aromas,” Sullivan says. $36.50, sequoiasake.com

Origami Sake, “A Thousand Cranes”

“Hot Springs, Arkansas, is one of the premier rice-growing regions in the United States,” explains Sullivan. With farmers such as Isbell Farms specializing in Japanese rice varieties, the region is contributing to the booming growth of domestic sake, and brewers like Origami Sake, founded in 2022, source directly from the farm. “Using hyper-local sake rice, they produce their ‘Thousand Cranes’ sake, which has a nice acidity and crisp finish,” says Sullivan. See drinkorigami.com for distribution.

Proper Sake, “The Diplomat” Junmai Ginjo Yamahai

A longtime chef with an interest in the alchemy of fermentation, Byron Stithem founded Proper Sake in 2016. “Stithem makes his sake in Nashville, Tennessee, and has become a champion of the Yamahai sake production method,” says Sullivan. The traditional approach to brewing relies on naturally occurring bacteria in the air to cultivate lactic acid. “This old-school, fermentation-starter method brings in extradepth of flavor, making this sake a standout.” $28, propersake.co