Kokonoe Saika Virtual Brewery Tour + Q&A | Oct. 7, 2020

Date | Wednesday, October 7^th, 2020
Time | 4:00 pm PT  | 7:00 pm ET
Location Free Zoom Registration 

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.