Drink Like a Samurai Tonight in Hollywood with Kerry san

Here’s a quick brain teaser to work up your thirst: What do you call a sake expert? A saketologist? A sake somm?

Give up? It’s far better than you can imagine: Sake Samurai, a real title bestowed by the Japanese Sake Brewers Association to select individuals who are dedicated to the appreciation and promotion of sake. While we at K&L can’t train you in kendo*, we can train your palate to learn the subtle differences in this ancient fermented rice beverage. Join us in Hollywood tonight and you’ll be well on the path to Samuraidom before you know it!

Kerry Tamura of World of Sake Imports will be leading the charge. Kerry was called by the Sake gods back in 2009, when his mother was on the verge of losing her bar, an oasis for Japanese expats in Chicago. While working as a server he became interested in artisanal sake, and, in a flash of brilliance, realized his mother’s bar could be saved by converting it to a sake lounge. Murasaki Sake Lounge was born, followed by education and trips to breweries and heavy, heavy drinking.

Saying sayonara to Chicago winters, he moved to sunny LA and started proudly representing World Sake Imports, a premier importer of truly historic, award-winning breweries and distilleries.

Tonight he’ll be pouring six different Ginjo sakes — a light and refreshing style achieved by polishing away 40 percent of the bran from each rice grain. We asked him what he’s most excited to pour tonight, and he said, “Hate to pick favorites, but the Masumi Arabashiri First Run is crafted by a 356-year-old, family-owned brewery. The release of this luscious, unpasteurized sake annually marks the beginning of the brewery’s fruits of passionate labor.”

Join us tonight April 19 from 5:30 to 7 PM. $5 to taste.

Kanpai!

- Kate Soto
 

* A martial art that Samurais must master