Sake maker breaks ground for brewery
The operation will be at the site of the former Stop & Shop supermarket on St. Andrews Road.
Asahishuzo, the Japanese brewer of Dassai brand sake, has broken ground here for its first sake brewery in the United States.
At a ceremony on the grounds of the former Stop & Shop supermarket on St. Andrews Road, just off U.S. Route 9, government leaders and interested residents gathered Monday to hear Dassai’s Kazahiro Sakurai thank Dutchess County officials for shepherding the project at an expedited pace.
Sakurai credited town of Hyde Park Supervisor Aileen Rohr for an amendment to town zoning laws to allow for the construction of the sake brewery and tasting room, as well as Michael Dupree, chairman of the town Planning Board, who, according to Sakurai, “worked closely with the project’s architects to balance Japanese principles with the historic character of Hyde Park.
Dupree said the project “reactivates a site that has been empty for many years” and will “bring more tourism to Hyde Park.”
According to the Dassai representative, Dutchess County’s government
played a critical role by offering unspecified tax incentives for the project that will help provide financial stability from construction through the initial years of production of sake, an alcoholic beverage made from rice and water.
County Executive Marc Molinaro said the facility will add to the already popular tourism destinations in Dutchess County.
“Dutchess is already the epicenter of great food and beverage with the Culinary Institute [of America] and many other breweries,” Molinaro said. “Dassai has world-class sake, the best sake in the world. Here, in the gateway to Hyde Park, it is not only a great accomplishment, but it will put people to work, expand Dutchess as a brand and also continue to enhance Hyde Park as a community.”
Rick Tietjen, chief of staff of the Culinary Institute, said the Hyde Park school has been working for well over a year to build a strong educational connection with Dassai to enhance its Japanese cooking programs. Sake education, Tietjen said, will play a pivotal role in the programming, and he declared the area will now be a “food, beverage and sake destination.”
Sakurai said Tietjen “has helped bridge the gap between the Japanese sake
culture and the culinary world.”
Hiroshi Sakurai, father of Kazahiro and founder/chairman of Dassai, also was on hand Monday to thank the supporters and announce, through a translator, that he will live in the Hudson Valley for at least the next year as the brewery takes shape.
“We are honored that you welcome us to your community and allow us to create the first sake brewery in the United States here in the Hudson Valley,” he said.
Sakurai also introduced a friend of his from Japan, chef Hiroshi Ogata, who made the trip to prepare light fare for attendees considered to pair well with the sake. Ogata prepared grilled eel, smoked eel and a mixture of karasumi and mullet roe that is sautéed and sun dried before being served with the sake. The chef also prepared an eel rice topped with fuku.
The brewery and tasting room are scheduled to open to the public in early 2020.