Dassai Blue
Dassai Blue is the US craft sake arm of Japanese parent Dassai Inc., operating a 55,000 sq ft Hyde Park, NY brewery producing Junmai Daiginjo sake with 140,000 cases/year capacity, sold DTC, through 30+ state wholesale, and via on-site tasting room and omakase experiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersHyde Park, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dassai Blue does
Dassai Blue is the US operating brand of Dassai USA INC., a craft sake brewery headquartered in Hyde Park, New York, and a subsidiary of the Japanese parent Dassai Inc. (formerly Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd., in continuous operation since the 1700s and now run by the fourth-generation Sakurai family). The facility, opened in 2023, occupies approximately 55,000 square feet and is designed for an annual capacity of 140,000 cases, with brewers sourced from the parent's 200+ brewer network across two continents. Production is exclusively dedicated to Junmai Daiginjo sake brewed from Yamada Nishiki rice, anchored by the flagship Type 23 and complemented by an expanding SKU set that includes Type 35, Type 50, Beyond, Nigori, Yuzu, and limited collaborations such as the Joe Hisaishi edition.
The product line spans accessible entry price points (Type 50 from $12) through the flagship Type 23 at $74 per 720ml and the ultra-premium Beyond SKU at $1,200 per 720ml. The go-to-market blends direct-to-consumer e-commerce, wholesale distribution across 30+ states (including named accounts such as Union Square Wine and Zheng Brothers), and an on-site tasting room and omakase dining program at the Hyde Park brewery (tours $50-$80; omakase $95 lunch / $250 dinner), supplemented by merchandise and gift sets such as the Essential Trio. Process control is highly deterministic: the koji-mold cultivation cycle is monitored with sub-0.1% moisture tolerance and temperature precision to 0.1°F, yielding a reputation for batch-to-batch consistency that supports both retail and restaurant program placement.
Strategically, the US operation is in a scaling phase. The 2025 renaming of the parent from Asahi Shuzo to Dassai Inc. consolidated global brand identity, while the October 2025 DASSAI MOON Project with JAXA and Mitsubishi positioned the company in a globally visible space-brewing initiative. The product roadmap has been active, with US-based Nigori production launched in September 2025, the Yuzu extension in May 2026, and the Beyond ultra-premium launch reinforcing price-ladder credibility. The business remains family-owned with no disclosed external funding, and forward indicators focus on product breadth, channel build-out, and experience-led brand building rather than on rapid headcount or external capital signals.
Dassai Blue firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dassai Blue
- Legal name
- Dassai USA INC.
- Website
- https://dassai-blue.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Dassai Blue is the US craft sake arm of Japanese parent Dassai Inc., operating a 55,000 sq ft Hyde Park, NY brewery producing Junmai Daiginjo sake with 140,000 cases/year capacity, sold DTC, through 30+ state wholesale, and via on-site tasting room and omakase experiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dassai Blue industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Sake Brewing
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sake, Soju & Other Asian Alcoholic Beverages Producers & Brands (CRADAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sake & Traditional Rice Wine Production (AFAFAAAG), Craft Distilleries & Microdistilleries (THAFALAH)
Keywords
Where Dassai Blue is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hyde Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dassai Blue business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Sake Product Sales: Direct sales of Junmai Daiginjo sake products including Type 23, Type 35, Type 50, Beyond, Nigori, and Yuzu varieties in various bottle sizes (375ml, 720ml). Products sold directly through e-commerce and at the tasting room.
- Tasting Room & Tours: Revenue from brewery tours ($50-$80 per person), sake tastings, by-the-glass purchases, and food service including sushi and light bites.
- Omakase Dining Experience: Sushi omakase dining experiences at $95/person for lunch and $250/person for dinner, with optional premium sake pairings.
- Merchandise & Accessories: Sales of branded merchandise including glassware (ochoko, masu cup, stemware), candles, apparel (baseball cap, t-shirt), gift cards, and books.
- Wholesale Distribution: Sales to restaurants and retail liquor stores across multiple US states.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Type 23 Junmai Daiginjo - Flagship product |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Type 35 Junmai Daiginjo - US rice expression |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Type 50 Junmai Daiginjo - Versatile expression |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Beyond Junmai Daiginjo - Ultra-premium pinnacle |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Yuzu Junmai Daiginjo - Citrus fusion |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Essential Trio - Gift set |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Nigori Sparkling - Cloudy sparkling sake |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tasting Room Experience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Omakase Dining Experience |
| Subscription | Monthly | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Dassai Blue product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dassai Blue operates a 55,000-square-foot craft sake brewery in Hyde Park, New York, producing exclusively Junmai Daiginjo sake using Yamada Nishiki rice (imported from Japan and cultivated in Arkansas) and Hudson Valley water. The company sells sake directly through its e-commerce site, on-site tasting room, and wholesale distribution, and complements sales with brewery tours, sushi omakase dining, and branded merchandise (glassware, apparel, candles).
Product overview
Dassai Blue is a craft sake brewery producing exclusively Junmai Daiginjo, the highest premium category of sake. The product portfolio centers on the Dassai Blue sake collection featuring Type 23 (flagship, 23% rice polishing), Type 35 (US-grown Arkansas rice, 35% polishing), Type 50 (50% polishing), Beyond (ultra-premium, 19% polishing), and specialty variants including Nama (unpasteurized), Nigori (cloudy), Nigori Sparkling, and Yuzu-infused expressions. The company operates a 55,000 square foot brewery in Hyde Park, New York with annual capacity of 140,000 cases, and offers experiential add-ons including brewery tours, sushi omakase dining, and branded merchandise such as glassware, apparel, and candles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dassai Blue Beyond Junmai Daiginjo Sake Ultra-premium Junmai Daiginjo brewed with Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 19% of the original grain, representing the pinnacle of the Dassai Blue portfolio. Packaged in a titanium bottle and stored frozen to preserve character.
- Dassai Blue Type 23 Junmai Daiginjo Sake Flagship Junmai Daiginjo using Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 23%, emphasizing Hudson Valley water qualities with aromatic notes of anise, pear, and marshmallow. Available in 720ml and 375ml formats.
- Dassai Blue Type 35 Junmai Daiginjo Sake Junmai Daiginjo made with Yamada Nishiki rice cultivated at Isbell Farm in Arkansas using Hudson Valley water, featuring white peach and papaya notes with subtle sweetness. Priced from $26 per 720ml bottle.
- Dassai Blue Type 50 Junmai Daiginjo Sake Junmai Daiginjo showcasing versatility of Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 50%, with licorice, cantaloupe, pineapple candy, and vanilla tasting notes. Available in 720ml, 375ml, NAMA, DRY, and NIGORI variants.
- Dassai Blue Nigori Sparkling Junmai Daiginjo Sake Sparkling Junmai Daiginjo Nigori made with in-bottle secondary fermentation without added sugar, featuring green apple and Japanese wagashi aroma with natural effervescence. Requires cold-chain shipping.
- Dassai Blue Nigori Junmai Daiginjo Sake Cloudy pasteurized Nigori Junmai Daiginjo made with Yamada Nishiki rice from Arkansas and Japan, polished to 50%, featuring delicate sweetness from blended moromi. First US-produced Nigori in the portfolio.
- Dassai Blue Yuzu Junmai Daiginjo Sake Junmai Daiginjo infused with yuzu juice from Yuzuco, offering a lower-alcohol (11% ABV) approachable expression with bright citrus acidity and clean finish, designed to broaden sake's appeal.
- Dassai Blue Essential Junmai Daiginjo Sake Trio Gift set containing three bottles of core sake products (Type 23, Type 35, Type 50) in 375ml or 720ml formats, showcasing the range of Dassai Blue expressions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Space-fermented sake sold for $700,000 (110 million yen) to Japanese buyer
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Dassai Blue
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dassai Blue technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Dassai Blue partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)coreJoint development of ultra-mini space brewing equipment for the DASSAI MOON Project. MHI designed and developed the specialized brewing hardware that was launched to the International Space Station aboard H3 Rocket No. 7. The equipment enables sake fermentation experiments in simulated lunar gravity (1/6G) inside the Japanese Experiment Module Kibou.
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)corePartner for the DASSAI MOON Project to conduct brewing experiments aboard the International Space Station. Astronaut Kimiya Yui operates the brewing equipment in the Kibou module. Project aims to eventually brew sake on the lunar surface.
- Isbell Farms (Arkansas)strategicUS-based rice farm cultivating Yamada Nishiki sake rice in Arkansas. Dassai Blue spent three years developing this partnership to grow Yamada Nishiki in the US and reduce carbon footprint while fostering a sustainable supply chain. Used for Type 35 production.
- GOCA GalleryminorArt gallery partnership to bring contemporary Japanese art to the Hudson Valley. DASSAI Gallery by GOCA hosts exhibitions at the Dassai Blue brewery, featuring Japanese artists such as Mitsumasa Kadota.
- YuzucostrategicSupplier of yuzu juice for the DASSAI BLUE Yuzu product. Yuzuco is known for high-quality citrus. The yuzu is sourced from Japan and blended with Type 50 Junmai Daiginjo.
- Tohoku UniversityminorAcademic partnership for analyzing chemical components of brewing residue from the space fermentation experiments, contributing to future space industry development.
- Four Corners (Chef David Israelow)minorPop-up dinner collaboration featuring Chef David Israelow's American restaurant cuisine paired with Dassai Blue sake at the brewery.
- Hakkasan at Fontainebleau Miami BeachminorEvent venue partnership for 'A Miami Evening with DASSAI' celebrating the 3rd Anniversary of DASSAI BLUE, featuring 4th Generation CEO Kazuhiro Sakurai and rare Dassai Beyond pour.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Dassai Blue competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- True Sake: San Francisco-based sake bar and retailer specializing in premium sake curation. Comparable as a premium sake-focused retailer serving as a channel and tastemaker for premium Japanese sake in the US market.
Direct peers
- Brooklyn Kura: US craft sake brewery based in Brooklyn, NY producing Junmai and Ginjo sake. Comparable as a small-scale American craft sake producer focused on premium quality and local market distribution.
- Gekkeikan Sake: Major Japanese sake producer with established US operations (Gekkeikan USA in Folsom, CA). Comparable as a traditional Japanese sake manufacturer selling Junmai and Daiginjo sake in the US wholesale and retail markets.
- Hakutsuru Sake: One of the largest and oldest sake producers in Japan, with major US distribution. Comparable as a premium Japanese sake brand sold in the US market across retail, wholesale, and DTC channels.
- Ozeki Sake: Long-established Japanese sake producer with US distribution. Comparable as a traditional sake manufacturer offering Junmai and Daiginjo sake across US retail and wholesale channels.
- Takara Sake USA (Sho Chiku Bai): US-based subsidiary of Japan's Takara Holdings, producing sake in Berkeley, CA. Comparable as a US-brewed sake manufacturer offering premium and traditional sake to US wholesale and DTC channels.
Emerging players
- Sequoia Sake: Craft sake brewery based in Eureka, CA producing premium Junmai and Daiginjo sake. Comparable as an emerging US craft sake producer competing for premium on-premise and retail accounts.
- Roe & Co Distillery: Premium Irish whiskey brand with distillery tour, tasting room, and DTC e-commerce. Comparable as a premium spirits brand using experiential tourism, tasting room sales, and direct-to-consumer channels.
Broad incumbents
- Dassai Inc. (Asahi Shuzo / Japan parent): Parent company of Dassai Blue and Japan's #1 premium sake brand. Comparable as the originator of the Junmai Daiginjo category and the brand identity that Dassai Blue extends into the US market.
- WhistlePig Whiskey: Premium American craft spirits producer with farm-distillery, tasting room, and ultra-premium SKU strategy. Comparable as a premium craft spirits brand using farm-distillery experiences and ultra-premium tiers to drive brand equity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dassai Blue social profiles
Digital presenceDassai Blue financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dassai Blue leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Dassai Blue funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dassai Blue M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dassai Blue
What does Dassai Blue do?
Dassai Blue operates a 55,000-square-foot craft sake brewery in Hyde Park, New York, producing exclusively Junmai Daiginjo sake using Yamada Nishiki rice (imported from Japan and cultivated in Arkansas) and Hudson Valley water. The company sells sake directly through its e-commerce site, on-site tasting room, and wholesale distribution, and complements sales with brewery tours, sushi omakase dining, and branded merchandise (glassware, apparel, candles).
Is Dassai Blue a public or private company?
Dassai Blue is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Dassai Blue founded?
Dassai Blue was founded in 2023.
Where is Dassai Blue based?
Dassai Blue is headquartered in Hyde Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dassai Blue make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Sake Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are tasting Room & Tours, omakase Dining Experience, merchandise & Accessories and wholesale Distribution.
Who are Dassai Blue's main competitors?
True Sake is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Brooklyn Kura, Gekkeikan Sake, Hakutsuru Sake, Ozeki Sake and Takara Sake USA (Sho Chiku Bai). Emerging players are Sequoia Sake and Roe & Co Distillery. Broad incumbents are Dassai Inc. (Asahi Shuzo / Japan parent) and WhistlePig Whiskey.
Does Dassai Blue have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dassai Blue.
What industry is Dassai Blue in?
Dassai Blue's product category is Craft Sake Brewing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAF, Sake, Soju & Other Asian Alcoholic Beverages Producers & Brands, with a secondary code of AFAFAAAG, Sake & Traditional Rice Wine Production. Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 2080.