Tippsy Sake Review: Kanpai to Exploring Japan‘s Finest Sake at Home

Hey fellow sake fans, have you been searching far and wide for that perfect bottle of nihonshu? Well, I‘ve got great news – the holy grail of online sake shopping is here! Let me introduce you to my new obsession: Tippsy Sake.

Founded by certified sake sommelier Genki Ito, this premium online store is on a mission to bring the incredible diversity of Japanese sake to aficionados across the US. Trust me, once you experience the unparalleled selection and service Tippsy provides, you‘ll never look at supermarket sake the same way again.

Why Tippsy is the Ultimate Sake Destination

So what makes Tippsy so special? Let‘s start with the numbers:

• 400+ premium sakes in stock from over 80 legendary breweries
• Offerings span every major grade, style, and region of Japan
• Sakes curated by flavor profile, brewing techniques, and food pairings
• In-depth info on each brewery‘s history, rice varieties, and craftsman

To put that in perspective, here‘s how Tippsy stacks up against some of the biggest sake retailers in the biz:

Store	# of Sakes	Avg Price	Regions
Tippsy Sake	400+	$30	20 prefectures
Drizly	100+	$25	12 prefectures
Total Wine	40+	$15	8 prefectures
Sake Social	50+	$37	6 prefectures

As you can see, Tippsy blows the competition out of the water when it comes to variety and regional representation. But it‘s not just about quantity – the quality and curation is unmatched.

Ito uses his connections with the most prestigious breweries, or kura, to source exceptional, small-batch sakes rarely found outside of Japan. Many of these breweries have been perfecting their craft for centuries, using proprietary rice strains, local water sources, and meticulous brewing methods.

Take Asahi Shuzo for example, the maker of world-famous Dassai sake. This Yamaguchi brewery has been in operation since 1948 and is known for its "migaki-nishiki" milling technique that polishes rice beyond industry standards. Asahi Shuzo‘s president Maya Imai is one of the few female sake brewery owners in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Thanks to Tippsy‘s close partnership, you can get your hands on several of Asahi Shuzo‘s acclaimed Junmai Daiginjo sakes, from the best-selling Dassai 45 to the ultra-luxe Dassai Beyond.

A Sake Selection Dreams Are Made Of

Now I know what you‘re thinking – "400 sakes is a lot to choose from, how will I ever find my perfect match?" No need to worry! Tippsy makes it easy to navigate their expansive collection and discover your new favorite pour.

The site helpfully categorizes bottles by grade, region, rice polishing ratio, flavor profile, and more. So whether you‘re looking for a crisp and dry Niigata Tanrei Karakuchi or a rich and umami Kimoto style from Nara, you can filter to fit your exact taste.

But the real magic happens when you dive into the details. Every bottle has a beautiful product page packed with info on tasting notes, serving tips, regional highlights and the story behind the brewery. It‘s like having your own personal sake sommelier guiding you through each glass!

For example, when I was browsing Tippsy‘s Kyoto sake collection, the Kizakura Junmai Daiginjo caught my eye. The description painted a tantalizing picture:

"Brewed with the rare heirloom Iwai rice polished to 50%, this gorgeous sake exudes floral cherry blossom and apricot aromas. The flavor is soft and lush with a honeyed sweetness and velvety texture, while still being balanced by Kyoto‘s signature water purity."

Wow! Needless to say I ordered a bottle immediately and was blown away when I tasted it. The silky smoothness and beguiling fruitiness were unlike any sake I‘d experienced before. #SakeGoals achieved.

Sake Education Made Fun

In addition to selling exceptional sake, Tippsy is dedicated to spreading appreciation and knowledge about Japan‘s national drink.

As founder Genki Ito explained to me in an interview: "Sake is a beverage with over 2000 years of history and endless nuance. In the US, it‘s still a very niche category that people often only experience at sushi bars. I want to showcase the incredible depth and versatility of sake, from bold unpasteurized namazake to aged koshu, and everything in between."

To help customers learn about sake in a fun, approachable way, Tippsy offers a one-of-a-kind Sake Box subscription.

Each quarter, subscribers receive six curated 10 oz bottles highlighting a different theme, along with detailed tasting notes and a "Sake 101" booklet. Past themes have included:

• "Drink Like a Ninja: Discovering Funky, Unpasteurized Sake"
• "Autumn Harvest Sakes: Hiyaoroshi and Shinshu Releases"
• "Wandering the Sake Silk Road: Provincial Styles of Japan"
• "Sakes That Age Like a Fine Wine: Koshu and Taru Varietals"

I recently received my first "Sake Box" and was delighted by the experience. The packaging was beautiful and each sake was distinct and eye-opening in its own way.

My favorite from the bunch was the Tengumai Yamahai Junmai. This bold brew had an umami funkiness from the traditional Yamahai starter method and a savory richness that sang with grilled mushroom skewers. Reading about the 200-year old Ishikawa brewery and their commitment to reviving this old-school style made me appreciate each sip even more.

But you don‘t need to commit to a subscription to expand your sake horizons. Tippsy‘s website is packed with sake guides, regional maps, and food pairing tips that will have you geeking out like a true nihonshu nerd in no time.

Taking Sake Mainstream

With sake sales outside of Japan growing 5-10% every year, Tippsy is at the forefront of making this complex beverage more accessible and exciting for a new generation.

Haute cuisine is one realm where sake is sparking fresh enthusiasm. Trailblazing restaurants like n/naka in Los Angeles, SingleThread in Sonoma, and Vestry in New York are pushing the envelope with sake pairings to complement their Michelin star menus.

"Sake‘s diversity is incredible when it comes to pairing," n/naka owner Niki Nakayama told Food & Wine magazine. "High acidity sakes cut through fatty ingredients, aged sakes bring out the best in fermented and preserved foods, the umami sakes highlight seasonality and terroir…the possibilities are endless."

But you don‘t need to dine at a world-class restaurant to elevate your meals with sake. Tippsy‘s collections helpfully include tags like "Great with BBQ," "Compliments Spicy Food," and "Sushi Pairing" so you can play sommelier at home.

One of my most transcendent sake and food moments came courtesy of the Kikusui Funaguchi Nama Genshu I discovered on Tippsy. This Niigata-born unpasteurized sake hit me with a rush of fresh pineapple and lychee, followed by an addictive acidity.

Sipping it alongside a platter of raw Kumamoto oysters was pure bliss – the sake‘s laser-focused flavors sharpened the bivalves‘ brininess and turned the salinity into pure umami. I never would have known this life-changing combo without Tippsy‘s recommendation that Funaguchi was "Perfect with Shellfish." Game changer!

The Verdict

If you‘ve made it this far, I think you know I‘m a hardcore Tippsy convert. What started as a way to explore my love of sake has turned into a full-blown obsession, and I couldn‘t be happier.

Thanks to Tippsy‘s unrivaled selection, educational resources, and warm community of sake lovers, I‘ve been able to access a world of nihonshu that I never knew existed. Every bottle tells a story and lets me experience a taste of Japan‘s centuries-old tradition and craftsmanship.

Whether you‘re a seasoned sake drinker looking for rare regional finds, or a total newbie hoping to expand your palate, Tippsy is hands down the best place to start your journey.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Tippsy and dive into the wonderful world of sake headfirst! Kanpai!