A New Dawn for Sake in Singapore
The PEAK Singapore|October 2024
More Singaporeans are entering sake breweries and shaking things up. The Peak explores how these trailblazers are reimagining the age-old drink one grain at a time.
BEN CHIN
A New Dawn for Sake in Singapore

As sake brewer Yamamoto Yumika sprinkles koji spores onto sheets of rice, her movements methodical and unhurried, the air around her is redolent with the sweet, nutty aroma of the koji. The brewery's atmosphere is still hazy and rich with microbial activity. As she looks out the window, the view that greets her isn't the lush, mountainous region of Niigata in Japan, or the golden rice fields of Hyogo prefecture, but the bustling seaport in Jurong, where Singapore's first sake brewery, Orchid Craftworks resides..

Co-founded by sake sommelier Oh Reuben Luke, the brewery quietly whirred to life in May, guided by brewers from Tokyo's Konohanano Brewery. "I used to think brewing sake in Singapore was particularly difficult or even impossible due to the water quality. But after visiting Japan and finding breweries in metropolitan cities like Tokyo, I realised that water can be filtered (to remove fluorides) and fortified with minerals."

Oh first became acquainted with Hosoi Yosuke, the owner of Konohanano Brewery, in the summer of 2022. He was in the Land of the Rising Sun by invitation of the Embassy of Japan in Singapore after he was named the Young Sake Ambassador by London's Sake Sommelier Association in 2021. Conversation blossomed, and soon, "even though it didn't make financial sense, we wanted to see if it was possible in Singapore, of all places," Oh admits.

They got their answer when the first bottles of uTama sake started rolling off the production line. Named after Sang Nila Utama, the legendary founder of ancient Singapore, with "tama" also meaning "spirit" or "soul" in Japanese, the sake is brewed with Japanese rice, koji, and yeast, at least for the time being. There is a shortage of sake brewing literature on Southeast Asian rice, so the team have begun experimenting independently. "Jasmine rice didn't work, but Thai black rice seems promising," he divulges.

This story is from the October 2024 edition of The PEAK Singapore.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2024 edition of The PEAK Singapore.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE PEAK SINGAPOREView All
From Screen to Store
The PEAK Singapore

From Screen to Store

Heini Zachariassen, founder of global wine rating app Vivino on how its first retail store in the world brings data-driven curation to wine lovers.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
In the Dining Spotlight
The PEAK Singapore

In the Dining Spotlight

Renowned Dutch chef Sergio Herman, whose name has been associated with the Michelin Guide in the Netherlands and Belgium, is expanding his Asian footprint with his Singapore outpost, Le Pristine in Grand Hyatt Singapore.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
All for One
The PEAK Singapore

All for One

How would you navigate a corner if you were hearing-impaired or enjoy school if you were on the spectrum? These architects posit that inclusive design must be part of mainstream standards to improve overall living environments.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Pods and Swirling Staircases
The PEAK Singapore

Pods and Swirling Staircases

This quirky and playful home designed by Park Associates is shaped after its owners, a young family with three children.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Stories Behind the Kebava
The PEAK Singapore

Stories Behind the Kebava

Sufiyanto A. S., one half of the duo behind the Kebaya.Societe Instagram account, has had enough of seeing Malay identity erased and forgotten.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Good to Go
The PEAK Singapore

Good to Go

Driving classic Jaguars on the legendary Goodwood Motor Circuit is all the magic a motorhead needs.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
Seasons of the Snake
The PEAK Singapore

Seasons of the Snake

Japanese architect Tadao Ando once again works his magic for Bvlgari, with the Serpenti Tubogas as an artistic canvas for nature's cyclical transformation.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Phoenix Rising
The PEAK Singapore

Phoenix Rising

One gutsy retired pharmaceutical executive rescued two-century-old Swiss watchmaker Bovet, and today, its presence is stronger than ever in Southeast Asia.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Con Amore, Leggiero, Presto!
The PEAK Singapore

Con Amore, Leggiero, Presto!

Chan Weitian injects new insights into Presto Drycleaners, blending operational innovation with time-honoured values.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
Preserving Paradise
The PEAK Singapore

Preserving Paradise

Gaya Island Resort takes eco-tourism beyond the expected, blending conservation efforts with authentic luxury.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024