Attending this event will give you an opportunity to taste and order over 100 of our favorite portfolio gems, rarities, plus new available bottles with vendors and the JBS team, with catering provided by Rule of Thirds). Great for anyone working on their sake list, people who missed Taste Japan, new or future customers, somms and bev buyers looking to network, and people who want to come taste and learn about these incredible brands!

Set sail with Sake School of America’s Toshio Ueno as he introduces you to one of Japan’s craft spirits: Awamori. We will go further in-depth about the three featured awamori (Hanashimauta, Sakura Yamakawa Aged Awamori, and Mizuho) and more exciting information! Our guest presenter, an Awamori Jinbner, will share their thoughts on awamori, cocktails, and fun food pairings outside of Japanese food. All sessions will be followed by a Q&A section.

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*** MM Sake is currently offering 15% off their shochu/awamori! ***
Taste with us or try out something new using the discount code: JCS15 

Awamori Sunrise will be held during February (Shochu Month) and the first week of March, with different guests from the professional bar and restaurant scene! Please be sure to follow Sake School of America on our website, Instagram, and Facebook for updates on upcoming events.

—-WIN the Shochu Adviser Class for FREE!—-

At the end of each session, we will have a mini quiz and if you’re able to answer all the questions correctly, you will have a chance to win our Shochu Adviser Class! We will have one winner per session. Those who answer the quiz correctly will be entered into a randomized drawing and winners will be announced the following day. Join us every session for more chances to win!

What is an Awamori Jinbner?

“Jinbun” means “wisdom” in the Okinawan dialect, and an “Awamori Jinbner” is someone who will spread the beauty of awamori with wisdom across the world.

Fascinated by awamori, they have learned its history and culture, the unique ingredients and methods, and a variety of ways of enjoying and tasting it, and are qualified for the title. So far, there are only eleven Awamori Jinbners in the world.

The awamori specialist will show you the world of awamori that brims with originality, and you will surely be attracted to a joy you never experienced before.

Learn more: click here

About Our Guests

Host, Toshio Ueno | Vice President & Co-Founder @ Sake School of America

Certified Master Sake & Shochu Sommelier, Certified Sake Educator. Born in Japan where his family has grown Japanese wine grape, Koshu, for generations, Toshio grew up helping the business from a young age. Following his college education in the US and employment at an international trading company in Tokyo, Toshio joined Chateraise, a pastry and wine company as Director of Sales. There, he was put in charge of overseeing the personal wine collection of the company’s president, which intrigued him to enter the world of wine stewardship and research.

Toshio joined Mutual Trading Company in 2002, where he is Director of Sake Specialist Division in marketing Japanese foods, Jizake, and Shochu to the mainstream American trade. With his passion and expertise in Jizake, Shochu, and Wine, Toshio aims to further promote Japanese food and Sake cultures to new, international audiences.

Toshio Ueno was awarded the prestigious title of Sake Samurai in 2016. He is the only one in the world to hold Master of Sake, Master Sake Sommelier, and a WSET Sake Educator diploma.  Since 2010, Toshio has been the Vice President & Executive Instructor at Sake School of America and continues to judge some of the top wine and spirits competitions in the U.S. and internationally.

Kellie Thorn

Spirits Educator (Freelance), Beverage Director (Hugh Acheson Restaurants), Drinks Consultant (Freelance)

Register for Kellie’s Session!

Kellie Thorn has been in the restaurant industry for nearly twenty years and bartending for the last seventeen. Kellie, born in Atlanta and raised in various cities along the Southern coast, has received considerable critical recognition for her talents and skills. In 2010, Kellie joined forces with star chef Hugh Acheson to open Empire State South, Acheson’s vibrant reimagination of traditional southern fare, to develop a creative program balanced by a reverent nod to the classics. Her success in this role led her to the position of Beverage Director for Acheson’s restaurants in 2013.

Kellie is highly committed to furthering her education in spirits and wine, she has taken and passed the Introductory Course for Court of Sommeliers, participated in and passed the reputed BAR Five Day program in New York and most recently participated in the WSET Level Three Award in Spirits and received a Pass with Distinction. She believes that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, and she has turned her attention to utilizing her knowledge base to educate her peers. Kellie is a BNIC Certified Cognac Educator, passing the Certification in Cognac France in April 2015, as well as a WSET Certified Level Three Spirits Educator. She has been a panelist for educational seminars at Tales of the Cocktail, Bar Convent Brooklyn, and Bev Con.

Kellie is also very involved in her local community as well as the broader hospitality community. She has served on the Advisory Council for Atlanta Food and Wine, helped to organize annual charity events for Wholesome Wave Georgia and Community Farmer’s Market, and is currently serving on the Grants Committee for the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

In 2017 she was awarded the Les Dames D’Escoffier Legacy Award, and in 2018 she was named one of Wine Enthusiasts 40 under 40 Tastemakers.

You may know Japanese whiskey but are you familiar with other traditional spirits of Japan? If not, I invite you to deepen your understandings of a 500-year tradition of spirits making in Japan, “Shochu” and “Awamori” during this online event.

This event includes a tasting of a wide variety of Shochu and Awamori with lectures and you can enjoy a cocktail made with these Japanese spirits. There is also an opportunity to participate in a photo challenge to receive a gift.

Furthermore, you can adventure to Shochu breweries in Japan via online broadcasting!

If you are interested in doing business, you may communicate directly with the manufacturers and distributors of these spirits in a private room.

“Japanese Craft Spirits Festival” will provide you with some new taste of Japanese spirits with a lot of experience.

– Tasting of Shochu & Awamori with lectures from specialists
– Making cocktail by using Shochu & Awamori
– Participate in a photo challenge to post in #japanesecraftspirits. You may receive a gift after posting photos related to Shochu & Awamori such as enjoying with your partner, cocktail you made.
– Virtual brewery tour from Japan
– Discussion with manufacturers and distributors in a private room.

Date: Sunday, February 28 | 4:00 – 5:00 pm PT

Venue: You will get the Zoom link to meet us after registration.

Price: $10 (for webinar, shochu, and awamori – read more on event page)

We will celebrate February, AKA Shochu Month, with special cocktails, food pairings, webinars, and guests! Please be sure to follow Sake School of America on our website, Instagram, and Facebook for updates on upcoming events.

Let’s talk shochu, awamori, and Thai food with award-winning chef, filmmaker, and sake sommelier Tina Termsomket! Tina is the owner of and project head of multiple restaurants and wines: Must be Thai, Pineapple Thai, Share Wine, and Songkran Wine. Together with Toshio Ueno, Tina will share her journey with shochu and why she thinks it pairs well with Thai cuisine. We will be featuring Shimauta (Awamori) and one other shochu (a surprise for now).

*** MM Sake is currently offering 15% off their shochu/awamori! ***
Taste with us or try out something new using the discount code: JCS15 

We will celebrate February, AKA Shochu Month, with special cocktails, food pairings, webinars, and guests! Please be sure to follow Sake School of America on our website, Instagram, and Facebook for updates on upcoming events.

About Our Guests

Host, Toshio Ueno | Vice President & Co-Founder @ Sake School of America

Certified Master Sake & Shochu Sommelier, Certified Sake Educator. Born in Japan where his family has grown Japanese wine grape, Koshu, for generations, Toshio grew up helping the business from a young age. Following his college education in the US and employment at an international trading company in Tokyo, Toshio joined Chateraise, a pastry and wine company as Director of Sales. There, he was put in charge of overseeing the personal wine collection of the company’s president, which intrigued him to enter the world of wine stewardship and research.

Toshio joined Mutual Trading Company in 2002, where he is Director of Sake Specialist Division in marketing Japanese foods, Jizake, and Shochu to the mainstream American trade. With his passion and expertise in Jizake, Shochu, and Wine, Toshio aims to further promote Japanese food and Sake cultures to new, international audiences.

Toshio Ueno was awarded the prestigious title of Sake Samurai in 2016. He is the only one in the world to hold Master of Sake, Master Sake Sommelier, and a WSET Sake Educator diploma.  Since 2010, Toshio has been the Vice President & Executive Instructor at Sake School of America and continues to judge some of the top wine and spirits competitions in the U.S. and internationally.

Please join us for a LIVE, virtual seminar presented by Japan America Society North Carolina, Consulate-General of Japan in Georgia and Sake School of America. Sake School of America instructor Sara Guterbock will introduce exciting food and sake pairings.

Sake pairs perfectly with sushi and seafood but you already knew that! So Sara will guide you through non-traditional pairings of Southern Soul Food inspired dishes. Sara will be joined by the Executive Chef at the Consulate-General of Japan in Georgia. He will be doing cooking demonstration of our Japanese style Soul Food favorites

We’ve partnered with Tippsy.com so you can order this special set of sake to follow along in the tasting. Order here! Be sure to place your orders by Monday, 10/13 to ensure you receive the sake in time for the seminar!

• Kamotsuru Gold Tokusei Daiginjo 180ml

• Amabuki Strawberry Junmai Ginjo CUP

• Amabuki Marigold Junmai Yamahai CUP

• Kikusui Funaguchi Honjozo Nama Genshu Yellow CAN 200ml

If shipping is not available to your state, inquire with your local retailer.

About Our Hosts

Sara Guterbock
CBS, ISS, ASP, CS, CWE, DipWSET, JSA Sake Diploma,
WSET Level 3 Sake Educator, International Kikisake-shi

Sake School of America educator & seminar presenter, Sara E. Guterbock, has nearly 30 years of Food & Beverage experience, with over 18 years in alcohol beverage sales, more than half of which has been dedicated to product education & Sake portfolio management.

Sara spent a year living in Japan as a high school student and grew up in a family that placed great emphasis on learning and experiencing the Japanese language and culture.  Becoming proficient in Sake has brought together Sara’s passion for the beverage industry with her life-long love of Japan, its people, traditions, and cuisine.

Sara devotes a tremendous amount of energy introducing people to the complexities and beauties of Sake and its unmatched ability to pair with food.  She has developed a growing portfolio of 135 sakes, the largest in North Carolina, which she helps to distribute, market, and educate about throughout the state and beyond.

Join us for a rare chance to hear the President of famed fine sake and vinegar producer Kokonoe Saika introduce his brewery with their unique process and artisanal products.

Kokonoe Saika was founded in 1908 as a vinegar producer. The founder’s vision was to create the finest vinegar, and their approach was that by making good quality sake lees (a raw ingredient in making “akazu” vinegar). In 1934, the company’s vision expanded  to brewing sake that is suitable for the dining table.

As an extension of the founder’s vision, today Kokonoe Saika aims to bring fine vinegar to the dining table, while producing their own quality raw materials for their products. Their sake is specially designed to pair with vinegared dishes such as sunomono and sushi, and currently, most of the sake rice used to brew sake is grown by the company’s relatives locally in Wakayama.

About Our Hosts

Rachel Fiekowsky
Japanese Beverage Specialist, Sake Educator, Asst. Manager

Rachel Io Fiekowsky is a New Jersey native originally coming from a background studying medical sciences. She fell in love with Japan at an early age and was determined to learn Japanese, so she did so while working on the side in restaurants between biology courses. Her curious nature, a love of Sake and Shochu, and a deep appreciation for Japan’s culture and cuisine earned her a place at New York Mutual Trading as a Japanese Beverage Specialist. She has been with the company since 2012.

Rachel spends each day looking for new ways to share her passion with the world, and consults regularly with all sorts – producers, distributors, small businesses and consumers – on the most fun and interesting ways to experience Japan in every glass.

Sara Guterbock
CBS, ISS, ASP, CS, CWE, DipWSET, JSA Sake Diploma,
WSET Level 3 Sake Educator, International Kikisake-shi

Sake School of America educator & seminar presenter, Sara E. Guterbock, has nearly 30 years of Food & Beverage experience, with over 18 years in alcohol beverage sales, more than half of which has been dedicated to product education & Sake portfolio management.

Sara spent a year living in Japan as a high school student and grew up in a family that placed great emphasis on learning and experiencing the Japanese language and culture.  Becoming proficient in Sake has brought together Sara’s passion for the beverage industry with her life-long love of Japan, its people, traditions, and cuisine.

Sara devotes a tremendous amount of energy introducing people to the complexities and beauties of Sake and its unmatched ability to pair with food.  She has developed a growing portfolio of 135 sakes, the largest in North Carolina, which she helps to distribute, market, and educate about throughout the state and beyond.

Have you heard of Hakkaisan Amasake before? This nutritious, non-alcoholic rice drink with no added sugar is ubiquitous in Japan, but not yet well known in the States. It is healthy, delicious and a great example of a beneficial fermented food.

It is rich in nutrients including vitamin B1, B2, B6, folic acid, dietary fiber, oligosaccharide, cysteine, arginine and glutamine and it has an all natural sweetness from the use of koji rice with aboslutely no added sugar. Some even go so far as to call Amasake a “drinkable IV!”

Join Hakkaisan Global Brand Ambassador Timothy Sullivan as he introduces you to Hakkasian Amasake in a fun and delicious free webinar. Registration and participation are open to all. Come learn about how Amasake is made and all the health and beauty benefits you’ll enjoy by drinking amasake.

How to Join the Webinar:
1) Sign up for free Registration here.

2) If you live in the NYC area and you’d like to taste along, you can order Hakkaisan Amasake for home delivery.
Use Coupon Code “Amasake20” to get 20% off your amasake order from MTC Kitchen. This coupon is good until July 23, 2020.

If you’d like to taste along with Timothy During the Seminar and you live in New York City, you can order Hakkaisan Amasake before the seminar.

Historically amasake has been a summer drink to combat fatigue, so this is the perfect time of year to learn about it! You can enjoy Hakkaisan Amasake chilled, warmed and even as a mixer for smoothies, coffee and many other drinks. It brings an all natural sweetness to any beverage or dish.