Yumi Ohira

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn abt #SAKE!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We’d like to introduce you to #Japan Executive Markets Mgr. Yumi Ohira fr @DassaiSake on @keepercoll #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Executive Markets Mgr. Yumi Ohira on @keepercoll to say hello & so she knows you're here! #SAKE #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: As we ask Executive Markets Mgr. Yumi Ohira our Qs, you can ask Yumi Ohira your Qs to @keepercoll as well! She’ll do her best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 Yumi Ohira on @keepercoll 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: Yumi here from @DassaiSake- getting ready for #SommChattoday on @keepercoll- can’t wait for all of your#SakeQuestions

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #SAKE with #Japan Executive Markets Mgr. Yumi Ohira fr @DassaiSake on @keepercoll #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake Can you tell us how long you have been in the #sake business? And how you started this journey? #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: I have been in #Sake Buisness for 15 years and the entire time with #DassaiSake From the beginning I was a writer and I was asked to write about #Sake. When I drank #Dassaisake I was amazed & my life was changed when I got a job with #dassai #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake How does #sake differ from #wine? Can you tell us more about how it is made?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: #Sake is made from Rice, water, yeast, & Kogi (which is mold that is grown on a portion of sake rice) and selection of each of these ingredients is very important. At #dassaisake we focus on highest level of ingredients and the proper methods for each of the #sake we make #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake What are the specific #flavors and #smells that you associate @DassaiSake with?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: #dassaisake is often associated with aromas of #peach #melon and white flower

For flavors you can taste the beautiful sweetness of #rice in your mouth

and around the throat it is easy to drink and very smooth

#Dassai also has a brilliant finish #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake Why do you think your Sparkling #sake has been so successful?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: Our #DassaiSake Sparkling is unique - it has carbonization that makes it very refreshing. It is different because of our methods from other sparkling #Sakes. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira Is @DassaiSake sold in most major markets in #US? Is it more in restaurant or retail or mixture of both?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: Our current major mats in #US are #NYC, #TEXAS, #California #Lasvegas & #florida. Our goal is to continue to grow in these markets & expand to others in the #US. We have greater exposure in #restaurants but are working to expand #retail as well. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake What do you do with the rice that is left over from polishing?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: We sell the rice powder that is left over to the rice cracker companies and it can be used for making #mirin. The outer part of the rice powder is often brown and is used for animal stock feed. At #dassaisake we do not want to waste anything. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira What is proper temperature storage for Dassai Sake?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: We suggest that our #dassaisake is stored in refrigeration around 41 degrees F. So storing in #wine cellar at 55 degrees is not optimal for our #sake to maintain its quality. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira Are there any of your #Sakes that are better for BTG program than others?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: For BTG, #dassai 50 would be a great choice as well as the Dassai 50 Nigori would make a great addition to a #restaurant list program. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira Do you suggest aging your #sake or drink upon release?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: We recommend you drink #dassaisake fresh and upon release. We are one of the few #sake #Breweries to brew all year long. So when it is released in you market, buy it and serve it fresh. We send our #sake all year long to the #US. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira How can I tell if a #sake has been stored properly? #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: Just like w/ #wine, if #Sake is not stored properly, it can be oxidized. This will affect what you smell on nose & what you taste on your palate. We require that all #US distributors of #Dassai store our #sake in refrigerated warehouse. This is also shipping requirement #SommChat

Courtney Quinn @Path2Wine: Yumi @DassaiSake I’m looking forward to tasting you great #sake again in a few days at #texsom Glad to learn more about it via #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: Thanks Courtney, we will have a room for tasting where we will be on SAT and we will also have a table @TEXSOM grand tasting on Saturday night - see you there #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake How do you think @DassaiSake stands out from other #sake? #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: #Dassai brews only premium #Sake level #Junmai #Daiginjo 4 all 7 selections sent 2 #US -

we also have Dassai 50, 39 and 23 - each of these is named after amount of rice polishing which makes it easy 2 understand

The high quality ingredients we use all make it special #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira@DassaiSake rice polishing – as you go from 50-39-23 how does this change the taste? #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: The more you polish the #Sake rice, the cleaner, sophisticated and smoother the taste becomes. Many say that the more polished, the more individual flavors you can taste.

#SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake What food pairings do you suggest for 50? For 39? For 23? #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: Our #dassaisake is made to go with many types of foods, not just #japanese food. For example, Dassai 50 can be paired with #vegetables #herbs and even melon and #prosciutto Try these and tweet to me what you think! ….#SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: For #Dassaisake 39, it pairs lovely with #Mushrooms and #umami forward dishes. Let me know when you try this and how it worked…. #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: For the 23, we have enjoyed #DassaiSake with Smoked Salmon, goat Cheese and dill on a cracker - how good does that sound??? there are so many options with our #Sake #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: And don’t forget that #dassaisake pairs great with many #Cheeses. Just the other night master #Sommelier @yrmom_safoodie paired a Stilton blue Cheese with our Dassai 50 Nigori and we loved it #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake How does Dassai choose the rice they use and is it the same every year?

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: Most important at #Dassaisake is 2 use highest available ingredients. we believe Yamadanishiki from Hyogo Prefecture is excellent & we have used this 4 30 years - we have contracts with farmers in that area for their rice. each year we decide on the best we can find . #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #SAKE talk with #Japan Executive Markets Mgr. Yumi Ohira fr @DassaiSake on @keepercoll #SAKE #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: It was great to have #Japan Executive Markets Mgr. Yumi Ohira join us today on @keepercoll for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did! #WineWednesday

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake for her time #SommChat

Yumi Ohira @DassaiSake: This was great to have you all here on #SommChat talking #dassaiSake - I could go on and on about how great our #Sake is. I hope to see as many of you as I can @TEXSOM in a couple of days. Don’t forget to make a reservation to visit our #brewery in #Japan next time you are there!