BREWERY ・ 蔵元
Origami Sake
USA Arkansas
代表銘柄: Thousand Cranes Junmai
概要
Ben Bell, a proud Arkansan, has dedicated 15 years to perfecting the expertise of sake & sake brewing, culminating in the establishment of Origami Sake - Arkansas's first sake brewery.…
代表銘柄
蔵元・杜氏OWNER / TOJI
OWNER / 蔵元
Ben Bell and Matt Bell (no relation)
Ben Bell is a Japanese drinks specialist and Arkansas native with over 20 years of experience at all levels of the drinks business. He spent two years living in Japan and training at the international award-winning sake brewery Nanbu Bijin. He has recently been named one of the 2023 Wine Enthusiast Future 40 Honorees! Matt Bell is an Arkansas native and successful business entrepreneur. Matt co-founded Viridian which was recognized as Little Rock Sustainable Business of the Year (2012) and finalist of Arkansas Business of the Year in 2014. In 2017, Viridian successful merged to form Entegrity, the winner of Arkansas Business of the Year in 2021. Matt currently serves as the CEO and President of Origami Sake and is a certified Level 1 Sake Professional and is leading the growth and marketing strategy for the company.
TOJI / 杜氏
Justin Potts
A Pacific Northwest native, Justin has called Japan home since 2004. His past lives include roles media localization, marketing, education, event planning, digital publishing, agriculture, and tourism, resulting in his discovery of koji, and subsequently, sake; a path which led him to become one of Japan’s leading non-Japanese sake specialists. Justin spent several years as a kurabito (sake brewer) at the distinctive Kidoizumi Sake Brewery in Chiba, having also done stints brewing while working on a range of projects with sake producers throughout the country. At Origami Sake, Justin is central to helping assure quality, consistency, and character across every bottle and label that we send out into the world, leaning on his diverse exposure, experience, and insight into traditions and innovations throughout the Japanese sake industry.
蔵についてABOUT
Ben Bell, a proud Arkansan, has dedicated 15 years to perfecting the expertise of sake & sake brewing, culminating in the establishment of Origami Sake - Arkansas's first sake brewery. According to Ben, it all started when he was working as a wine specialist in Little Rock. One day, a unique-looking sake caught his eye, and he took it home to try. That experience left him intrigued, but also sparked a thought - since Arkansas is the "rice state," why not bring sake production here? That idea stuck with him and has been his driving force ever since. After his first sake experience, Ben's passion for the Japanese drink led him to travel to Hanamaki and Ninohe, Japan. There he spent two years working as a sake brewer at the award-winning Nanbu Bijin Brewery. Upon returning to his home state of Arkansas, Ben was determined to use his newfound skills to open a sake brewery. He soon met Matt Bell, who shared his enthusiasm and saw potential in Arkansas as a hub for sake production. In fact, Arkansas produces more rice than any other state in the nation, with 48% of the total rice supply coming from Arkansas. The key to making their vision a reality was finding a grower willing to specialize in sake rice. Luckily, they didn't have to look far - Isbell Farms, located near England, Arkansas, had been growing Japanese rice varieties for decades. They started with koshihikari rice, which drew attention from Japanese media and opened up new opportunities. Later, they also successfully grew Yamada Nishiki, the "king of sake rice." Ben met Chris Isbell of Isbell Farms in 2008. They kept in touch, and when Ben had a plan to start Origami Sake, he knew exactly where to turn for his rice supply. Origami Sake's first test batch was made in October 2022, and sales began in mid 2023. The founders of Origami Sake are proud to be brewing a 100% Arkansas-made product and are determined to lead the rediscovery of sake in America.
目指す姿・ビジョンVISION
Japan, we are so proud to show you our style and love of sake! Arkansas is the "Rice State" in the US, and we have some of the best rice farmers in the world. Please enjoy our sake and sake from around the world!
代表銘柄BRANDS
Thousand Cranes Junmai