Brooklyn Kura can claim a number of "firsts" - first Sake brewery in New York (and one of only a few in the country), first to work with custom built equipment like their koshiki rice steamer, fabricated for the brewery by a Brooklyn metal worker, first (and only) non-Japanese Sake to be distributed in Japan, thanks to their long-term partnership with Hakkaisan Brewery Company, one of the most prominent breweries in Niigata. But it's more than novelty that drew us to Brian Polen and Brandon Doughan's ambitious project out of Industry City in South Brooklyn; it's their respect for and adherence to Japanese sake brewing traditions that have evolved over a thousand years as a platform to highlight with unique American ingredients like Calrose and Yamada Nishiki. They're also constantly experimenting, like their dry-hopped Occidental Junmai Ginjo, a decidedly American craft sake utilizing classic west coast Citra hops.
Brian and Brandon started Brooklyn Kura with a mission: to establish a new tradition of hand-crafted American Craft Sake that builds on more than 1,000 years of Japanese brewing history while demystifying sake and making it more accessible. Most Americans think of sake as a distilled spirit to be served warm and enjoyed like a shot. They’re challenging that perception: good sake is subtle and complex, with particular nuances in each bottle, as worthy of a spotlight on pairing menus generally reserved for wine.
On Wednesday, September 25th, we're hosting national sales manager K.C. Laczin for an intimate tasting and pairing featuring the broad scope of Brooklyn Kura's offerings - from their staple bottles, the delicate #14 Junmai Ginjo and the stout Blue Door Junmai, all the way through their most limited offerings, including the aforementioned Occidental dry-hop and Greenwood Kimoto, named for the historic cemetery located steps from the brewery whose ambient microbes influence the sake.
Tickets are extremely limited!
5 Sake + 5 small bites