Blue Kudzu Sake Brewery is back

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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In July, a group of friends launched an ambitious plan to raise 25 grand for a new sake microbrewery and sake bar in town. Their effort failed to reach its goal, but still managed $9430 in fan support.

But since Kickstarter funds only successful campaigns, the nine grand went nowhere.

Still hoping to build what they say is only the nation’s fourth sake craft brewery, or kura, the same team is back with a new Kickstarter and a new goal: $12,500.

Supporter perks include stickers, brewery tours, souvenir glasses and special thanks on a donor wall. But where’s the one perk everyone really wants, the one that could fire up out-of-area donors and (IMO) light a fire under their campaign?

Where’s the donor perk of fresh-brewed local sake?

Sake for supporters or not, Ashvegas wishes yet another great local business idea well.

From the Blue Kudzu Sake Company Kickstarter page:

Why We Need Your Help

We do have several obstacles to overcome. First, it will take us 6 months for licensing, and that means we cannot sell anything for 6 months. The real catch is that we have to have the space leased before we can apply for our permits from the state and the federal governments. That’s 6 months of down time, 5 months to go.

Our second obstacle: We do have a financial backers who will loan us the money to open our brewery, but we have to raise atleast an additional $10,000 or more, to combine with our own cash reserves to be able to get the loan. We have secured several micro investors, totaling about $20,000 but it is not enough to get us off the ground. If we can raise another $10,000 we will have enough to secure the final funding and move forward!

We are also breaking new ground and have had a difficult time finding equipment suppliers. Most brewery design companies do not know anything about building a sake brewery and do not want to risk their reputation by putting their name on a project that they are unfamiliar with. However, through persistence, we have equipment suppliers lined up and the brewery designed. A brewery is an expensive endeavor. That’s why we need your help.

How much we are able to raise will dictate the scope and scale of our final operation. We are also hoping to raise enough capital to visit Japan to work with some very old sake brewers, and learn from them as well as gain insight into the traditions and methodology of sake brewing. It is also our hope that we can hire a toji (master sake brewer) from Japan to come work with us in the initial months to help us keep true to traditional sake brewing techniques, and perfect our process as well. We need all the help we can get to make this all come to fruition.

Kickstarter page here.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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4 Comments

  1. Cat Ford-Coates September 13, 2012

    Hi Jennifer!!!
    To answer your question (sigh with sadness) we cannot offer fresh brewed locally (or otherwise) made sake as a reward because :
    1. Giving away alcoholic beverages of any kind is illegal in NC
    2. Offering alcohol as a reward incentive is against kickstarter’s guidelines.
    However, we throw a mean party and we will be offering tastings with the brewery tours!!! As we move forward (and believe you me we are moving forward like gangbusters!) we welcome everyone to come enjoy the new kura and our very own locally made, hand-crafted sake.
    Much Love and Thanks for all of your support!
    -Cat

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Saylor September 13, 2012

      Of course! Should have realized! What a shame, and what a kink in your plans! There are no work-arounds?

      Reply
      1. Cat Ford-Coates September 13, 2012

        i like to think that by supporting blue kudzu’s kickstarter the perk is that we get to PROVIDE hand crafted, locally made sake as THE perk of perks 🙂
        Unfortunately the work around is we have parties as the batches finish up {oh darn}. i’ll be sure to send you an invite. next one should be in about 6 weeks!

        Reply

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