Welcome back to a nihonshu (or saké, if you will) focused instalment of our Melbourne briefing.
In this briefing:
- Celebrate world saké day with these saké-based cocktails;
- Tips on how to use Japan’s native rice wine in mixed drinks;
- Reuben Beasley-Palmer’s recipe for a saké-based aperitif cocktail;
- Two new bars opening soon.
Saké is not an easy thing to mix with. It’s delicate, dry and complex, without the sugar, acid, spice or bitterness levels of more traditional cocktail ingredients, meaning it can easily get lost in the bombast of western-style spirits and liqueurs, or throw a cocktail way out of whack with koji-fermented funk. But this Thursday is world saké day, so this week I set out to find Melbourne’s best saké-based cocktails and get some advice from bar professionals on how to make use of this wonderful product behind the bar.
My first stop had to be Bar Selecta in Hawthorn. Co-owner and bartender Joey Tai has a whole fridge full of Japanese rice wine to play with, and does so with uncommon skill. “There’s so much to saké once you start looking into it,” Joey says. “These days, most of it is made very naturally, so there’s sulphur character and it’s great for making low ABV drinks. Saké is hard to make the hero of a cocktail, but it’s an excellent modifier because it’s dry and has great texture.”
For example, Joey deploys a bright, floral saké from Fukushima in her Emerald Whisper cocktail made with earthy mezcal, white cacao liqueur and coconut water, topped with matcha and vanilla foam. “This Gakki Masamune Saké works well with the floral notes of the mezcal,” she says, “linking them to more the aromatic elements of the drink.”
Joey also enjoys using saké as a replacement for a portion of the sweet vermouth in what she calls an Umami Negroni, choosing a more umami and earthy style of rice wine rather than a floral one. “But you definitely want to stir it less than a normal Negroni to avoid overdilution,” she says, “because saké has a low alcohol content, so you’re already adding extra water.” She also suggests a variation on the traditional Spritz using a cloudy sparkling saké with Rhubi mistelle and just a splash of soda.
Bar Selecta is hosting a saké block party tomorrow with saké retailer Cellar Mates, with eight varieties from eight different regions to try, plus freshly shucked oysters, yakitori by Matsuyama Hibachi, and DJ Naru from Japan bringing the beats for the evening. (Get tickets).
Another great place to learn about saké in Melbourne is the recently opened Bar Kaeru. These guys have a real passion for Japanese rice wine, and the food is excellent, too. Most of their cocktail list steers towards easier territory by employing more robust Japanese ingredients like umeshu and shochu, but their house Martini replaces dry vermouth with a bone dry saké. This works, says Kaeru co-owner Sean Then, because it sits with the gin quietly while providing texture and dryness, keeping the Martini very clean. “Even dry vermouth can sometimes have quite a strong taste,” he says, “so here we’re really letting the gin shine.”
Continue your week of saké-fulled revelry with a special event at Bar Kaeru this Thursday featuring live music, mini games, a special menu by Chef Jayden, and of course, saké pairings with sessions at both 6pm and 8:30. (Get tickets).
Another bartender who’s no stranger to Japanese flavours is Bar Ferdinand’s Reuben Beasley-Palmer. Not only has he won both Suntory Cup and Nikka Perfect Serve cocktail comps, he also lived in Japan for several ski seasons, plying his trade for the thirsty snow bunnies of Niseko, Hokkaido. Reuben recently hosted the Japanese pavilion at the Fine Food Expo here in Melbourne, creating bespoke cocktails with each of the sakés he had on pour.
Reuben also shared one of the recipes he came up with; a low-abv aperitif-style cocktail based on a single plot junmai daiginjo saké from near where he used to work in Hokkaido. Paired with a strawberry and vanilla tea, it tastes like springtime in a glass. If you pop into Ferdinand and ask nicely, he might whip one up for you, or you can try your hand yourself with the recipe below.
Reuben Beasley-Palmer’s SSC (Saké, Strawberries & Cream)
Ingredients:
- 45ml Genshu Abira-Gawa Junmai Daiginjo Saké
- 15ml Cocchi Americano
- 20ml strawberries and cream tea
Method:
- Pour ingredients into a shaker tin filled with ice.
- Throw between two shaker tins to gently aerate and dilute.
- Strain into a chilled coupette and garnish with a slice of fresh strawberry.
Around the Bars
The Floor Is Magma. Fitzroy North neighbourhood favourite Pizzeria Magma will reopen in early October under the ownership of The Pinnacle’s Michael Bascetta and current Magma chef Matilde Razzoli, with The Pinnacle’s venue manager Jaime McDonnell (Reed House, JKS Restaurants London) leading front of house across both venues. Behind the bar, an expanded cocktail list is being put together by Riley King (assistant manager, The Pinnacle; formerly Cordelia and Molly). More details to come!
Charcoal Chic. The team from Yarraville modern fine-dining restaurant Navi have recently announced a new bar in the same neighborhood to open in October. Bar Gabi is a joint venture from Navi's Julian Hills and Georgia Roberts, alongside Navi Beverage Manager Miriam Wahlhütter, who will run the bar, and her partner, chef Paul Turner who will head up the kitchen. Intended as Navi's louder, younger sister Bar Gabi will feature a cocktail list inspired by fire and charcoal built on local and Australian producers. Expect a toasted wattleseed and macadamia Whisky Sour, a boozy rum, blood orange and rhubarb dessert drink finished with blowtorched miso caramel foam, and a paperbark-smoked twist on a tequila sunrise, alongside a concise, Australian-leaning wine list.
Ride It, My Pony. And finally, a big congratulations to Three Horses for debuting in their first year of operation on the extended World’s 50 Best Bars list at number 84! Joining Sydney’s Maybe Sammy (#75) as the only two Aussie bars on the extended list, our fingers are crossed for a bit of representation in the Top 50 when it’s announced in Milan on October 7th — keep an eye on your inbox, as Boothby’s Sam Bygrave will be there to send out the results once number one has been announced.
