---

World awash in
resurgence of
sake popularity

This week, I've decided to write an un-wine column, dealing with other beverages. A lot has been going on -- here is the latest buzz.

Sake joys

Sake is raging across the country. In response, the International Sake Association orchestrated its fifth annual Joy of Sake event, and what an event! This year's list of world-class judges included sake experts from Japan as well as master sommeliers in wine from such prominent restaurants as Chanterelle Restaurant and Bao 111 in New York and Rubicon in San Francisco.

Of the 214 sakes entered in this year's competition, one real standout was the sake house Okunomatsu (from Fukushima, Japan), which is available in Hawaii in select stores. These sakes across the board scored remarkably well. Another sake worth seeking out is the Kubota "Manjyu." This hard-to-get specialty from Niigata, Japan, is only available in top restaurants.

Participating in the sake judging was a huge revelation for me. Tasting sake has similarities to tasting wine but is really quite different. I encourage you to check out them out.

Best in beers

At a recent tasting, I was especially taken by a handful of imported, "handcrafted" beers that are well worth seeking out.

The most striking was the Ayinger Brau-Weisse, a wonderfully fragrant, crisp and delicious unfiltered Bavarian wheat beer. This is certainly one to unwind with after a hard day of work.

Wine-meisters should check out the Trappist Ales from Westmalle (specifically the Tripel) and Rochefort (the Trappist Ale "10"). These deeply flavored, rich, multidimensional beers will wow you with their wonderful layers of complexity.

For a fruity, slightly sweet, bright and fresh beer, try Lindeman's Framboise Lambic, a raspberry-infused Belgian beer. And for the health-conscious I recommend Samuel Smith's Organic Lager. This certified organic English beer is wonderfully fragrant, crisp and snappy.

Boutique coffee

Incredible single-estate coffees can be found virtually in our own back yard. Two of the very best come from Honaunau on the Big Island: Harens "Old Tree" Estate (808-328-8161) and Langenstein Farms (808-938-4739).

The estates are in one of the world's finest coffee belts, a small corridor near and around Honaunau. Both farms are located on very steep, rocky, volcanic soils, and both have very old coffee trees. If you are looking for an interesting cup of coffee or a great gift, look no further.

Pure water

Yes, I taste water, too, and one of the best I have found is from the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority facility on the Big Island.

Guy Toyama runs a high-tech plant that converts pure, centuries-old sea water from more than 3,000 feet below the surface of the ocean, into the most incredible, flavorful drinking water I have tasted. He has not yet gotten federal approval of this conversion of salt water to fresh, though, so few are able to taste his product.

In the meantime, I've found that the widely available Fiji water has a wonderful purity that places it head and shoulders above most water in stores.

---