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Origami Sake launches first non-alcoholic sake in the US
Arkansas-based brand Origami Sake has launched a non-alcoholic expression made using yeast which does not produce alcohol.
A non-alcoholic sake made by American sake brewing company Origami Sake is now available in a 750ml bottle format.
Called Zero, the sake has been crafted without alcohol-producing yeast.
Ben Bell, co-founder of Origami Sake, said of the new product: “With ZERO, we’re offering a product that brings the artistry of sake to everyone.”
“This is more than a non-alcoholic option — it’s an entirely new way to experience sake while celebrating Arkansas’ finest ingredients.”
Origami Sake is the first and only sake brewery in Arkansas.
The popularity of sake, Japan’s national drink, continues to rise in the US. In 2023 the United States was the largest export market in volume for Japanese sake and the second-largest in value terms behind China.
Sake brewing has also risen in popularity in the States. Arkansas natives Ben and Matt Bell founded Origami Sake, stating that their intention was to make the US state the ‘Napa Valley of sake’.
Arkansas accounts for over 50% of the nation’s rice production, and Origami Sake uses 100% locally-sourced ingredients including water from the Ouachita Mountains aquifer in Hot Springs.
“Sake has a 1,500-year history in Japan, with techniques refined over centuries,” said co-founder Matt Bell. “Bringing this craft to the US required adapting equipment from the wine and beer industries, but we’re proud to blend this tradition with Arkansas’ exceptional resources to create something truly special.”
Zero is available for US$24.99 at select retailers including H-E-B, Total Wine, and Spec’s.
UNESCO recently honoured the Japanese sake-making tradition with Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity status. The proposed “traditional knowledge and skills of sake making with ‘koji’ mould in Japan” specifically recognises the manual techniques of “toji” (master brewers), “kurabito” (brewers) and other craftspeople at sake breweries who utilize koji in the rice fermentation process. Read more here.
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