We recently sat down with SakeOne, a craft sake brewery, to discuss the deep connection between clean water and great sake. From their home base in Forest Grove, Oregon, SakeOne has spent nearly three decades perfecting the art of premium sake brewing. As a company that depends on the health of local waterways for every bottle they produce, SakeOne has partnered with The Freshwater Trust through their new We Protect Our Waterways initiative to help protect and restore the freshwater ecosystems that make their work possible.
Tell us about SakeOne and what sets your brand apart.
SakeOne is America’s original craft sake brewery and is now in its 28th year of sake making at its Forest Grove, Oregon location. All our Oregon craft sake are of gingjo or daiginjo grade, meaning they are premium quality sake meant to be served chilled rather than warmed.
Why is TFT’s mission of restoring and preserving freshwater ecosystems important to you/SakeOne?
The water quality for our sake is of the utmost importance – really of equal importance to the quality of rice used for brewing. Since our water is sourced from Coastal Range runoff, we have a consistent supply of clean, iron-free water. Our values in preserving freshwater ecosystems align precisely with those of The Freshwater Trust. We simply cannot brew great-tasting sake without this important natural resource.
What is the “We Protect Our Waterways” initiative? What influenced the development of this commitment to healthy waterways?
With the rebranding of our flagship sake brand “Momokawa” in 2025, we intentionally wanted the new sake label to embrace and showcase the importance of pure water as a leading quality attribute for the tastiness of the finished product. The “We Protect Our Waterways” contribution to TFT is our way of joining in the effort to preserve, enhance, and demonstrate our commitment to this important ongoing initiative.
What is SakeOne’s home river?
SakeOne really has two “home” rivers — the Tualatin River, which flows closest to our brewery in Forest Grove, Oregon, and the nearby Willamette River, which flows through some of America’s most fertile farmland.
What do you want readers to know about your product?
SakeOne is a leader in crafting some of America’s finest expressions of sake, and we have been tirelessly educating American consumers about how wonderful sake pairs with all types of cuisine – not just Japanese food!
What’s next for SakeOne?
An upcoming brewery expansion that will enable us to brew an even wider range of top-end Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo sake. And with most of our rice being grown and sourced in California’s Sacramento Valley (the closest rice growing area to our brewery), we will work with our rice partners there to better understand the mission of The Freshwater Trust in the Sacramento River area.
