Market Watch, November 2019

PHOTO BY TONY MARO ROCKIT RANCH PRODUCTIONSAlthough brewed sake is often referred to as rice wine and it pairs well with other wines in easy drinking tipples At Halifax in Hoboken New Jersey assistant general manager Maria Lovisettos Masha Drinks 14 blends Eiko Fuji Ban Ryu sake The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc house made strawberry syrup and fresh muddled strawberries while the Ceres Rayearth Windham 12 at Kaiyo in San Fran cisco mixes Joto Yuzu sake Martini Bitter liqueur and Anna de Codorníu Blanc de Blancs Reserva I think the low abv trend is here to stay and sake is here to stay with it as its still strong enough to stand alone or to complement other flavors in a cocktail H Clubs Davies says adding that he believes this trend will next extend to shochu a Japanese distilled spirit thats typically lower in abv than other spirits Shochu has outsold sake in Japan over the last decade but hasnt really gotten much attention here yet he notes Its great in cocktails and there are many different regional styles and types to play with It has a stronger taste than sake but is similarly lighter than other spirits Johnson of World Sake Imports agrees that these Japanese beverages have a bright future stateside We as bartenders and beverage alcohol educators set a goal for ourselves to share knowledge and experiences with our guests taking them on a journey through the flavors in the glass he says I think both sake and shochu will be a part of that trip in the future mwZipang sparkling sake while Billys Super Fresh Saketini 16 created by owner Billy Dec mixes equal parts Grey Goose vodka and Tozai Living Jewel Junmai sake plus simple syrup mint and muddled cucumber Take It EasyAnother way to make delicate cocktails where sake can really shine is to keep the abv low Cocktails that are lighter on the alcohol content are trending across the industry and since sake is naturally lower in alcohol content than its distilled spirits counterparts it makes an ideal base for these session drinks For years sake cocktails have been a staple at Japanese restaurants and venues that want to serve mixed drinks but only have beer and wine licenses says Tenzin Bajracharya manager of the New York City restaurant Soba Totto Now even venues with full liquor licenses are embracing sake as a base as more guests request low abv drinks Bajracharyas Oh Summer 14 is one such cocktail comprising Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo sake Cointreau orange liqueur orange and lemon juices brown sugar simple syrup egg white and a splash of lemon lime soda At the Los Angeles restaurant Inko Nito the Inko Cobbler 12 takes an already low abv classic the Sherry Cobbler and gives it the Japanese treatment The drink comprises Hana Lychee sake Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto bergamot liqueur lemon juice and house made pineapple shiso syrup At Sunda in Chicago lead bartender Nahm Kim works to ensure sake isnt overshadowed by pairing it with more subtle flavors His Peared Sake cocktail pictured features Gekkeikan Zipang sparkling sake with Grey Goose La Poire pear vodka pineapple juice and ginger syrup 78 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM NOVEMBER 2019MW1119_