Sake Education Council

Newsletter for the CSP & ASP Community

Special Sake Day Announcement Issue
Greetings to all CSPs and ASPs,

I hope you are well in the enveloping autumn. While we had not expected to be sending a SEC

newsletter out this month, there are several events and announcements that seemed worth the extra effort. While there are no technical or cultural stories and anecdotes this month, we hope you find at least one of the events worth attending.

Below please find announcements about:

Sake Day in San Francisco sponsored by True Sake with proceeds going to earthquake victims
Texas’ first sake brewery

Also:
Sake Professional Course Las Vegas December 5-7 2011
Sake Professional Course Japan January 2011
SPC Level II February 2011

And finally, for SPC alumni and just plain sake/Japan fans:
Sake Tours, February and March 2012

Warm regards,
John Gauntner

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The main reason I squeezed out this newsletter now is the time-sensitiveness of the following two announcements.

The following event is put on by Beau Timken and True Sake, with the support of a whole host of others as well.

6th Annual Sake Day - A Toast to Recovery


The 6th Annual Sake Day Celebration entitled "A Toast To Recovery" will take place October 1st from 4 to 8pm in San Francisco's Japan Town. Sake Day is the Oktoberfest of the sake world! In Japan, October 1st is "Nihonshu no hi", or the day of sake. San Francisco's very own True Sake "America's first sake store" started SFs first Sake Day celebration 6 years ago to entertain and educate a new wave of sake enthusiasts about this often misunderstood ancient beverage. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the recovery efforts of the earthquake that occurred almost 7 months ago in Japan. This year's Sake Day features a record number of sake brewers, importers, and distributors pouring premium sakes in the heart of Japan Town. The culinary wizardly of Sho Kamio, the Executive Chef of Yoshi's will be the perfect compliment as he serves six cuisines from the six prefectures in the northern "Tohoku" region of Japan. A festive Okinawa live band will provide entertainment. Sake Day is not to be missed by any person who knows about sake or is looking to learn more. http://www.sakeday.com


For what it is worth, Beau was the first person to ever take a chance on SPC back in 2003.

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Texas Sake Brewery Opening, October 1, 2011

Yoed Anis
, SPC SF 2010, is about to open the first sake brewery in Texas, and
Texas Saké Co.
the second in the US. He has asked that I notify all CSPs and ASPs in the Texas area about the upcoming event.

***************
Next Saturday, October 1st is International Saké Day, and what better way to celebrate Saké than to join us in celebrating the Grand Opening of our Saké Kura (brewery). The day will mark the first Saké and organic alcohol producer in the State of Texas. Join us in the festivities!

Throughout the event we will have tastings both of our handcrafted sake lines as well as non-alcoholic beverages provided by Zhi Tea. Taco Deli and Sushi A Go Go will be on hand to provide delicious food options for purchase. Merchandise and pre-orders will also be available.

We are excited to be bringing these sake firsts to Austin and hope you are making plans to celebrate this special day with us.  We hope to see you soon!

Make sure you get your tickets online soon, as we have a limited number available for $25. Tickets should also be available at the gate for $30. www.txsake.com

More on Yoed, the company, and the history of rice in Texas can be found here:
http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2011/09/22/texas-sake-company-organic-local-sake/
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Sake Professional Course Las Vegas, December 5 to 7, 2011
MGM Grand, Las Vegas Nevada
Recognized by the Sake Education Council


Currently there are ten to fifteen seats remaining open for the SPCLV2011 course. Should you know (or employ!) someone interested, by all means, send them my way please.

From Monday, December 5 to Wednesday, December 7, 2011, I will hold the  ninth stateside version of the Sake Professional Course at the MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas. The cost for the three-day class, including all materials and sake for tasting, is  US$775. Participation is limited and reservations can be made now to secure a seat, with payment due by October 31, 2011. For reservations or inquiries, please send an email to sakeguy@gol.com.

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Sake Professional Course in Japan, January 23 - 27, 2012

This is it, folks, the best version of SPC that exists. Not only is all the content of SPC packed in there, but the group of 20 or so visits four breweries in two days, all of different scale, presenting a cross-section of the sake world. Evenings are spent together each night imbibing Japan’s best sake and food. The cost for the five day course, including all evening meals but not including transportation or hotel, is expected to be 180,000 yen. This has yet to be announced to the general public, and should you know (or employ!) anyone that might be interested, for reservations or inquiries, please send an email to sakeguy@gol.com.

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“Level II”: Sake Professional Course Level II, February 13 - 17, 2012

Sake Professional Course Level II and
Advanced Sake Professional Certification Testing

The “Level II” course and the subsequent ASP testing is scheduled for the week of February 13, 2012. As you likely know, the requirements are having successfully completed Level I. You do NOT have to have passed the CSP exam to take this course. However, to sit for the ASP exam you will need to take and pass the CSP exam, and an opportunity to do this will be provided to you at the beginning of the course.

The Level II ASP course is expected to cost 150,000 yen, with travel and lodging separate but evening meals included. Feel free to indicate your intention to attend if you are so inclined, and a more formal announcement will be sent next month.

Currently, those that have expressed interest in attending Level II are;
Tyler LeBrun
Nancy Cushman
Daniel Ford
Drew Peterson
Edith.Wong
John Mang
Julian Houseman
Michael Carlson
John Peiser
Janice Stein
Chad Lobner
Yoed Anis

Should you be on that list and want off, let me know. Should you be off that list and want on, please let me know that as well. An email to sakeguy@gol.com will do the trick!

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Sake Tours, 2012
“Ishi no ue ni mo san nen,” Even if you are just sitting on a rock, give it three years.

For the third year, Etsuko Nakamura, whom many of you know from SPC J and SPC II, will be operating her Sake Tours, again this year visiting Akita and San’in (Tottori and Shimane). I will be participating as well to provide some sake educational lectures.

Below is the announcement from the Sake Tours brochure.

                                                                           * * *

Sake Brewery Tours
are 5-day excursions into the world of sake brewing, drinking, and enjoyment, featuring an exclusive seminar with renowned expert and published author, Mr. John Gauntner. Tours of the breweries and dinners with the brewers truly open doors to the new insights to their life and philosophy. Enjoy sumptuous cuisine, luxurious yet quiet relaxing time at hot springs, and excursions to fantastic cultural highlights in areas seldom visited by foreigners.

In 2012, our special excursions take you to experience the best of the snow country in Akita, and to really immerse yourself in sake and culinary traditions in the Land of Myth, in the San-in region.

Akita February 27 - March 2, 2012 (Monday-Friday)
Take this opportunity to enjoy the best of the snow country, Akita. Meet the sake brewers, savor simple inaka-style Akita cuisine, and soak in onsen. Some very memorable experiences you will find only with us are: a visit to a brewer's private historic estate; hands-on soba making experience at a historic sake brewery; memorable private music performance; and more. On the last day, simply relax at the rustic hot springs far away from the city, in the deep snow.
Get Details (http://saketours.com/akita2012.html)

San-in 12-16 March 2011 (Monday-Friday)
Well off the beaten track, San-in offers deep insights into the traditional heritage of sake, tea culture, and history. Local food and sake producers are extending extra hospitality for Sake Brewery Tours so we can offer exquisite experiences to our guests. In addition to a chance to interview sake brewers, some special moments include: a private tour of a wagashi Japanese sweets maker and matcha tea maker, a masterful tea ceremony, and visits to artisanal food producers. Of course, we'll have time to explore the distinctive cultural heritage of the area and to relax at hot springs.

Get Details (http://saketours.com/sanin2012.html)
Please visit http://saketours.com for tour information. Group size is limited to 12.
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We hope you are well, where ever you are, and enjoying sake in some capacity. Next month our newsletter will have a bit more content other than events, but please be sure to support what Sake Day events you can.

Warm regard,
John Gauntner

www.sakeeducationcouncil.org