by Masayuki Igawa
The Japan America Society of Pennsylvania will host "Sake: Beyond the Basics," a virtual tasting and discussion, on August 26.
Dive into the world of sake with this lecture and go beyond the basic distinction of junmai and honjozo. Deb Mortillaro, certified sake sommelier, will guide us through how five elements - the rice, the region, the water, the yeast, and the brewer - combine to create unique flavors, even within the same grade of sake. We will learn how those elements are reflected in the labels so you can become a more confident sake connoisseur. This class is a practical tasting, covering Ishioka, Mighty Peak Tokubetsu Junmai;Housui, Fragrant Water Tokubetsu Junmai; Echigo Ikarashi-Gawa, Blue River Ginjo; and Hakuyou, White Sun Junmai Ginjo. For Pittsburgh-area participants, order & pick up your sake directly from Dreadnought Wines at 412-391-1709 ($64 for four 300ml bottles, optional).Those interested in the 6:30 pm session can register and pay the suggested donation online.