Officially opening this weekend - here's the press release:
Toronto's first Sake Brewery to open this weekend
TORONTO, April 26 /CNW/ - The Ontario Spring Water Sake Company, located in downtown Toronto's Distillery Historic District, will be opening its brewery, retail store and tasting bar to the public on Friday April 29, 2011. This brewery is a first for Toronto, and indeed for all of eastern North America.
"Our sake's fresh and delightful flavour is enhanced by using a very special spring water chosen among the abundant water resources of northern Ontario," says Kaz Hayashi, General Manager of the company and formerly a key member of the team responsible for Ontario distribution of Gekkeikan, a major Japanese sake brand, while working at a large Toronto wine agency. "All of our sake is hand-prepared in the "Junmai" pure rice style in several varieties, including unpasteurized "Nama-Nama", for sale at the Distillery location brewery store and tasting counter," he continues.
The brewery commenced operations in February 2011 with advisory assistance from the venerable Miyasaka Brewing Co., Ltd., whose operations in Japan date back to the 1600's, currently producing sake under the MASUMI and MIYASAKA brands. It was via Miyasaka's team that the new brewery was able to connect with consulting master sake brewer Yoshiko Takahashi, an award winning brewmaster from the Nagano region of Japan, who arrived in Toronto several months ago to support the start-up.
The commencement of retail operations this weekend will be followed shortly by a delivery service to a select group of local restaurants, as well as listing applications at the LCBO for one or more of its products.
A unique offering at the brewery's retail store is its freshly pressed, unpasteurized and unfiltered sake, an exquisite beverage which is currently not available anywhere in Ontario or the eastern seaboard, making the new brewery in the Distillery a fascinating and delicious experience for sake, food and fine wine lovers alike. Other unique items available in the dramatic high stone-walled retail area of the brewery will include a variety of sake serving accessories and decorative items imported from Japan. Many available items will be labeled with the "IZUMI" brand (which means "spring water" in Japanese) which is the principal brand name used by the Company for its sake beverages.
Ontario Spring Water Sake Company is a member of the Brewing Society of Japan, and the first member of the Society located in Canada.
More information on the company can be found on the company's website:
www.ontariosake.com.
