We like to welcome and thank Shogun Sake for their generosity in supporting the British Sake Association and the sake community in UK. They will be debuting in this year’s Grand Tasting so be sure to check them out!
Shogun Sakes is an independent start-up brewery based in South London, with ambitions of bringing the magical taste of sake to the masses. Founded by Ed Turner & Ali Maclaine after a trip to Japan in 2019 where they spent several weeks tasting sake across the country. The pair came to the realisation that table sake isn’t accessible anywhere else in the world. This was a light bulb moment and formed the basis of Shogun Sakes mission – producing sake in this style and price point making it affordable and accessible to a much wider audience than ever before.
The pair returned to the UK with the goal of creating a style of drink that would act as the gateway to introduce a nationwide audience to sake for the first time. Shogun Sakes RTD’s do just that, taking the best of Japanese sake (an umami rich genshu) and mixing it with ideal pairings to create delicious refreshing sake spritzes. Ed & Ali wanted to produce a drink that allows people to try the taste of sake for the first time in a familiar and un-intimidating way, or to see it in a whole new light. By pairing juices and teas that have been chosen specifically to promote the wonderful flavours of sake, you get the best of both worlds – delicious and unique flavours using all natural ingredients.
The three flavours; Bitter Orange, Peach Iced Tea and Lemon & Jasmine, offer the full range of tastes, from bitter to sweet to subtle and floral. Each can offers a delicious blend of tradition and innovation all crafted in South London.
The future holds even more exciting plans for Shogun Sakes as the brewery becomes operational to start producing premium English sake in different styles. These will be available in traditional 72cl bottles (with a Shogun twist) and 150ml ring pull cans. These cans of straight sake will be unique to the UK, and a big step in the right direction of making sake affordable and accessible.
Over the next 10 years and beyond, Ed & Ali are committed to using the successful blueprint of the English wine industry. Shogun Sakes will produce sake that will build on the styles and techniques of Japanese sake to produce something truly unique – premium English sake for the mass market.
British Sake Association 英国日本酒協会 