Many Asian restaurants in Utah offer imported sake on their beverage lists – usually from Japan. But did you know that you can now enjoy Japanese-style premium sake that’s made right here in Utah? Yup. Well, sort of.
In February of 2020 three partners – Jillian Watanabe, Kirk Terashima and Ty Eldridge – embarked on a mission to produce high-quality sake right here in the Salt Lake Valley, which would definitely be a first for Utah.
Well, the pandemic put a monkey wrench into those plans and the partners’ plan to open a sake brewery and taproom in Salt Lake City. However, that didn’t keep them from launching Utah’s own Tsuki Sake. For now, Tsuki has partnered with Denver’s Colorado Sake Company where they’ve honed the craft of making sake, even as they search for a location for Tsuki Sake here in SLC.
The three partners have strong ties to Utah’s food and drink community. Jillian has worked in restaurants here and is Head Brewer and Co-Founder of Tsuki Sake. Kirk is Co-owner and Executive Chef at Park City’s acclaimed Yuki Yama Sushi and has a well-developed palate for sake. And Ty is a Utah native who has been a fixture in the Salt Lake brewing community.
Tsuki currently offers two sake products. Junmai Daiginjo is their premium sake brewed with American-grown Yamada Nishiki rice and Tsuki also makes a White Peach Nigori sake – unfiltered, brewed with American-grown Calrose rice and infused with natural peach flavor.
Since Tsuki Sake is classified as a wine, it must be purchased through the DABC here in Utah and is currently available by the case or by the bottle at the DABC Club Store (1625 S. 900 W.). In addition, these restaurants offer Tsuki Sake: Hamachi, Takashi, Post Office Place, Sapa, and Yuki Yama Sushi.
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THIS CONTENT IS FROM UTAH BITES NEWSLETTER.
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Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine & travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers.
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