Sake is underrated. There, we said it. Sure, it’s possible a lot of you are appreciators of good sake when you’re out to dinner at your favorite Japanese restaurant, but when was the last time you picked up a bottle to bring home? C’mon…be honest.
October 1st marks World Sake Day, which is a perfect time for you to pick up a bottle of sake and start truly appreciating its merits. World Sake Day was created by the Japan Sake Brewers Association in 1978 as a way to mark the beginning of the sake-brewing season. And to celebrate, we here at The Manual just happen to have a recommendation for you—TY KU Sake.
TY KU is the fastest growing sake brand in the United States. Founded in 2004 their sake has since been profiled by style bible W Magazine and featured on wine lists at high end restaurants such as the Bryant Park Grill and the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York. Don’t worry about exclusivity, though—under the stewardship of CEO and co-founder, Andrew Chrisomalis, Ty Ku is available in all fifty states.
TY KU is perfect for the diet conscious drinker. All of TY KU’s sake varieties (Silver, Black, White, and Coconut) are created with premium, all-natural ingredients that are low calorie, gluten-free and sans sulfites and tannins. Though its founders are American, all of TY KU’s sakes are crafted in sake’s heartland: Nara, Japan.
Though we tend to prefer our sake straight, the good people at TY KU have provided us with a few recommended recipes to enjoy their fantastic sakes. We’ve included them below. So, whether you take yours straight or part of a specialty cocktail, October 1st is the day to celebrate sake and to make sure this fantastic international drink is properly appreciated.
GINGER CRUSH
2 oz. TY KU Sake
1 oz. Ginger Ale
Muddled fresh ginger
Hard shake with ice
ASIAN MOJITO
2 oz TY KU Sake
Fresh mint
Squeeze of lemon/lemon/orange
Hard shake with ice
SAKE-TINI
2 oz of TY KU Sake
1 oz TY KY Soju or Vodka
Sliced cucumber
Hard shake with ice
SAKE SUNRISE
2 oz TY KU Sake
1 oz Orange Juice
Splash of champagne