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Step out of the ordinary and hop on Interstate 64 to visit North American Sake Brewery in Charlottesville, the commonwealth’s first craft sake brewery, which recently turned 1. Located inside a warehouse at 522 Second St. SE, it's part of IX Art Park, an old industrial complex that houses restaurants and galleries.
Interested imbibers can experience the variety of offerings the brewed rice drink presents. Using local koji (a fungus used for fermentation), water from the Blue Ridge Mountains and rice from the U.S., North American Sake has pushed the libation far beyond the traditional warmed version that most people are used to.
The sake here is served chilled, and the tastes can run the gamut from crisp and dry to sweet and floral. Depending on the filtration, the sake can appear clear or have a cloudy pearlescence that gives it a silky mouthfeel.
Flights are an ideal way to work through all the variations of the ancient brewing technique, including intriguing sakes infused with lemon and mint, or even fruit punch. A standout is Big Baby, an unfiltered variety that’s slightly cloudy and as quaffable as a crisp pinot grigio. Pro tip: Bring home a bottle or two for a little porch sipping.
