Who We Are
The Ontario Spring Water Sake Company, located in downtown Toronto’s Distillery Historic District, is eastern North America’s first sake brewery. Using traditional Japanese methods and recipes with delicious Ontario spring water, Torontonians and visitors alike can now enjoy fresh, unpasteurized, locally-brewed sake for the first time. Ontario Spring Water Sake Company is a member of the Brewing Society of Japan.
The company’s retail store store is located within the brewery premises, and features a tasting bar with high ceilings and old limestone walls. Our IZUMI-branded sakes are now served in many of Toronto’s finest restaurants, and are also available at the LCBO (www.lcbo.com).
Our sake’s fresh and delightful flavour is enhanced by using a special spring water chosen among the abundant water resources of northern Ontario. All of our sake is prepared in the “Junmai” (pure rice) style in several varieties for sale at the Distillery location brewery store and tasting counter. The brewery commenced operations in February 2011 with advisory assistance from the venerable Miyasaka Brewing Co., Ltd. (whose operations in Japan date back to the 1600’s, currently producing sake under the MASUMI and MIYASAKA brands) and consulting master sake brewer Yoshiko Takahashi, an award winning brewmaster from the Nagano region of Japan.
Our Mission
As pioneers of sake brewing in North America, our mission is twofold: to uphold the Japanese tradition of mastery and excellence, and to innovate boldly, cultivating a distinctive sake culture here in North America and beyond.
- Preserve tradition: Uphold Japanese craftsmanship and educate new audiences
- Foster culture: Build a sake culture rooted in North America
- Drive innovation: Reimagine sake for new tastes and occasions