Good stuff R-san,

I am pleased to hear that this brew danced the dirty dance with an oilier fish than it's namesake - Tai aka Sea Bream aka red Snapper....

I love the sake also.... always have and always will......... the owner of this brewery is considered one of the "smartest" men in sake - he has several doctorate  degrees in various aspects of sake production.... and he is cool too!

He once took me to one of his favorite rice farmers plots....... we went into the old farmers house and sat at a table...... the farmer brought out a plastic tray of newly dried rice and set it in front of my host....... Mr. Narutotai (not his real name - rather it is his "for effect" name)... took the small tray in his hands and started sifting through the rice grains. In 10 seconds he separated roughly 15 small green grains from over 1000 nicely colored and sized beige grains..... he weeded them out like a ferret.... lightening fast..... he showed me the green grains and said "no good"..... 15 - 1000 "how is that ratio?" I asked and he said "Okay but not great"......... not great.... why does everything in Japan have to be "great"..... he then smiled and said that the rice would make good sake........... as you so well pointed out Ryan....