On 2006-11-21 09:38:10 -0800, said:

> ive recently compiled a Sake Guide that i think people might find
> useful. i read and talked to a few sake experts & websites, and put it
> into one web page, and one easy-to-use PDF for printing (i bring it to
> the store w/ me). its he
>
> http://www.sushi-review.com/Guides/sake.aspx
>
> ...the site is something i put together. im not a sake or sushi
> professional, just a guy w/ an interest. if you like it, great! if not,
> just dont blast me for trying on my own dime.

BLAST YOU! How DARE you put up something that can be disagreed with by
aimless passers-by, and so on and so forth.

By the way, you oughta check out Guantner-sama's site:

http://www.sakeonline.com

They have a monthly letter, opportunities to actually buy the stuff and so on.

Just got back from Japan and actually got to play a formal game of
Niigata vs Iwate.

I had heard that Niigata and Morioka as the respective capitals of
these two prefectures had long had a rivalry over whose sake is better.
Niigata says it's all about water, and theirs is the best. Iwate says
it more about rice and theirs is better. Maybe I have the components
switched. Apparently nobody is touting themselves as the koji masters,
I don't know.

Anyway, two years ago in Morioka I kept saying, "I hear Niigata's sakes
are really good, you have any of that?" At which point that would
bring out their best Iwate-ken sake so I could check how superior
theirs was to that crap from Niigata. The sake was unbelievable by the
way. I've never been to Niigata but intend to try the ruse there.

So last week I'm in a joint in Shinjuku and have been introduced to a
guy and when he says he's from Niigata (actually a mountain town
nearby--even better), I realize I'm sitting with two sake-drinkers
countrmen from opposing sides! So I throw out the wedge issue and sure
enough they are on it like white on highly-polished rice!

So I managed to try at least 4 killer sakes while they snorted about
clarity and maturity and "seriousness" and such. Eventually it
disintegrated into carping that the sake wasn't the issue, it was a
matter of what the sake bar had--not enough--that made the gambit a
draw. If only the GOOD stuff from their respective prefectures had
been stocked then the obvious winner could be named.

The only ones I remember off the top of my head (I think I have others
scribbled down that we didn't try) is Hakai-san from Niigata and Nanbu
Bigin from Morioka. These are apparently more easily acquired. Both
are fabulous.

Some fun.
--
What a day this has been, what a rare mood I'm in.