Market Watch, November 2019
74 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM NOVEMBER 2019SIPPERSThe Japanese rice wine is a valuable addition to the modern mixology sceneBY SALLY KRALMIXOLOGYSAKEPHOTO BY ANDREW BEZEKSome consumers still struggle with sake as a beverage according to Chris Johnson certified sake sommelier and national sales and distribution manager for World Sake Imports Sake some times gets a bad rap Ive had encoun ters where a guest will say I hate sake and when I ask them more they reveal theyve only had it dropped in a beer or squeezed into their mouth by a chef at Benihana he says I tell those people that what they drank was not the best version of sake and to please give it another try After all most people dont say they hate beer after one skunked or bad one John son adds that once guests try high quality sake they become fans and now that bartenders are using sake more often in cocktails even more drinkers are being intro duced to the Japanese rice wine Trefor Davies beverage manager at H Club in Los Angeles notes that experimental bartenders have helped create a platform for consumers to be open to ingredients they may not have previously experienced or considered Gone are the days when ones only experience with sake was a warm shot in a sushi restaurant he says I see more and more non Japanese restau rants choosing to carry sake and bar professionals choosing to highlight sake cocktails I believe this has led to a greater array of opportunities to taste it and to expand consumers palates As bartenders have embraced sake as a unique addition to a cocktail their drink offerings have expanded and evolved Sake based cocktails continue to transform organically as all things generally involving cocktails have says Nahm Kim lead mixologist at Sunda in Chicago As the ingredients and techniques and their intelligent applications exponentially grow we have more options than ever to create drinks never seen before Sake based drinks are becoming more common in the cocktail world served at such venues as Momo fuku in Las Vegas in its Yuzu Negroni pictured
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