Dassai Blue Sake Brewery to Hold Open House, Tasting in Hyde Park

The Hudson Valley's newest brewery is opening its doors to the public for the first time, offering free tastings and a tour of its impressive operation in Hyde Park this weekend.

Now open on the corner of Route 9 and St. Andrews Road in Hyde Park, the $80 million, 55,000 square-foot brewery and tasting room is inviting the community to come and say hello.

The world-renowned sake maker creates its Dassai Blue sake in small batches using handmade koji, which is a bacteria that ferments the rice, creating sugars and alcohol. The detailed process creates a premium sake that's extremely rare, even by Japanese standards. Dassai uses 100 percent Yamada Nishiki, known in the industry as "the gold standard of sake rice".

Open House at Dassai Blue Sake Brewery in Hyde Park, New York

The company announced that it would be celebrating the holidays by hosting a free open house on Saturday, December 23. The event includes a free tasting of Nama 23, the brewery's newest release, music, giveaways and complimentary Japanese food from the popular Manhattan restaurant and sake bar, Sakagura.

Dassai says that the party is inspired by a tradition at their store in the prefecture of Yamaguchi, Japan. On the 23 of each month, the business celebrates its flagship sake, Type 23.

It appears that the open house in Hyde Park may also become a regular event. Dassai is calling this their "first-ever 23rd celebration".

Those interested in attending the open house don't need to make a reservation. Doors will open at 5pm and the party will continue until 8pm this Saturday night.