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American Craft Sake Fest

@craftsakefest

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🗓️ Sept 5, 2026: 4 PM - 8 PM
🍶 Join us for the largest gathering of the North American sake industry in the US
🎟️ Early bird pricing ends soon!

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Sake + matcha 🤝 we had a blast at the first annual American craft sake fest last month! Looking forward to more fun collaborations!
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#matchadachi #matcha #matchalover #sake

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Would you rather be a hero or workaholic?

Dr. Hiroshi Takagi's explains how sake yeast being bred as a “workaholic” comes with a tradeoff between producing ethanol and protecting itself from stress. He goes on to cover how that stress impacts the sake we make and how it should inform our yeast choices.

Originally presented during Industry Day at the 2026 American Craft Sake Fest (@craftsakefest).

Miss the presentation, or just want to relisten? Comment “YEAST” for links to the full talk + slides via Kitano Sake.

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Can rice be too good?

While filming a documentary about knowledge sharing between Japanese and Arkansan rice farmers growing Yamada Nishiki, one meeting took an unexpected turn. Find the full details on YouTube, comment "Farm" for the link.

From Jeremny and Whitney Jones of @isbellfarms and @cypresscreekmilling presenting "Hit me With your Best Crop" at Industry Day of @craftsakefest 2026.

Comment “farm” and to get the full talk + slides via Kitano Sake.

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Vanilla doesn't just appear out of nowhere as sake ages. Dr. Chiaki Takahashi of @islandersake explains how vanillin can be present in young sake before can notice it's there. What else changes with time?

This clip comes from Chiaki's in-depth presentation "TIME AS AN INGREDIENT: The Science and Art of Sake Maturation" presented on Industry Day of @craftsakefest 2026 in Los Angeles.

Did you miss her talk or just want to hear it again? Comment "time" to get links to the full talk and slides via Kitano Sake.

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Your moromi can look liquid without being especially sweet. Lucas separates the often conflated rice dissolution from glucose production. An important distinction when you’re thinking about adding enzymes to aid your sake brewing.

Taken from “Enzymes: Turning Entropy to Awesome Sauce” presented by Lucas Smolic of @origamisakeco and @sakebrewersguild Industry Day at the 2026 @craftsakefest

Want the full talk? Comment “enzymes” and get the recording + slides via Kitano Sake.

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Cheers to World Sake Day 🍶

Fun fact: Did you know Yama Sushi Marketplace has the largest curated sake selection in Southern California with over 220+ selections? Whether you’re a longtime sake lover or just beginning to explore, there’s always something new to discover at Yama.

We’re raising a glass and throwing it back to the American Craft Sake Festival from earlier this month! It was an incredible celebration of sake, craftsmanship, community, and the talented brewers helping shape the world of Japanese and American craft sake.

Here’s to great sake, great sushi, and even better memories. Kanpai 🍶✨

#WorldSakeDay #SakeDay #YamaSushiMarketplace #AmericanCraftSakeFestival #Kanpai

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Thank you Los Angeles and everyone who voted during the @CraftSakeFest for @ShojosDojo to come out with gold 🥇 People’s Choice Award 2026! We are truly humbled and so thankful! One thing we always say is that if one of us wins, we all do! The goal is to just have more of YOU drinking SAKE! 🍶

A huge congratulations to our friends @TheVoidSake from Kentucky for taking silver 🥈 and @NovaBrewingCo from California for taking bronze 🥉. Support your local breweries!

TOMA MAS SAKE • DRINK MORE SAKE • もっと日本酒を飲もう

KANPAI 🥂 SEE YOU NEXT YEAR 🫰

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My soul left my body at that first bite of fresh maguro 🍣👻 The American Craft Sake Fest 2026 was an absolute dream!

Huge shoutout to @yamasushimarketplace & @craftsakefest for the sake, food and vibes!
Between the live tuna cutting show, the endless craft sake pours, the hot Tonkotsu ramen, and walking away hugging a whole case of green tea... I was in my element! 🥰🍶

If you missed out this year, you absolutely HAVE to grab tickets for next year!✨

#CraftSakeFest #SakeFestival #YamaSushiMarketplace #sushi #losangelesevents

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What happens when sake meets some unexpected snacks?🍶🧀

From Dill pickles and Oreo Cookies to Aged white cheddar and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, each pairing can bring out something different. Sake can soften intensity, amplify flavors, create contrast, or reveal characteristics you may not have noticed before.

Through familiar foods and surprising combinations, @sakeschoolofamerica demonstrated at @craftsakefest how the right pairing can completely change the tasting experience—and just how versatile sake can be at the table.

Swipe through to see how each pairing changes what you taste.✨

#mutualtrading #sakeschoolofamerica #saketasting #sakeparing #foodpairing

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American Craft Sake Fest 2026

What. You didn’t think we’d come back empty handed, did you?

It’s always such a treat to be able to spend time with fellow industry folk and to introduce The Void to the uninitiated. Looks like they approved. So it’s a true honor to bring this piece of hardware back to the bluegrass. Thank you. We love LA!

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You. Already. KNOW!
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Thanks so much to @craftsakefest for not only putting together an amazing event that we can’t wait for next year, BUT also making this beautiful post for us. We out here baby!
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#sakesunday #shojosdojo #miami #floridasfirst #oneandonly

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🍶🇺🇸 A toast to American craft sake! @craftsakefest

It was so nice meeting the talented American sake breweries at this year’s American Craft Sake Festival! What makes American craft sake especially special is the community behind it — local brewers, restaurants, sake lovers, and curious drinkers coming together to grow a sake culture of their own.

Swipe through to meet some of the breweries we connected with! 👀🍶

& A huge congratulations to @sakeassociation @sawtellesake @yamasushimarketplace on bringing the first American Craft Sake Festival to the West Coast and on such an incredible turnout! 🍶✨ Here’s to many more celebrations of American craft sake to come. Kanpai!

#SupportSAKE #AmericanCraftSake #SakeCommunity #DrinkResponsibly

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