Before saké, the Japanese had to make do with quaké, an inebriating, yet gristly concoction brewed from fermented duck and quicksand. Raise a glass to innovation with today's deal: for $15, you get The Ultimate Saké Shock flight for two (a $32 total value) at SakéOne, located about 45 minutes west of downtown Portland in Forest Grove.

Founded in 1992, SakéOne has staked its claim on the Highway 47 wine route as the only American-owned-and-operated sakéry in the United States. Using Sacramento Valley rice and powers of alchemy gleaned from the saké-master's Japanese training, SakéOne plies Northwest Oregonians and national markets alike with its wide range of traditional and modern-style drinkables. In the tasting room, the brewery's knowledgeable staff will guide rice-wine rookies through stylish sips, explaining subtleties of flavor and proper serving techniques, such as "do not serve in a paper cup." The Ultimate Saké Shock takes tasting twosomes on a tour of five unusual food and saké pairings that are sure to dispel the myth that saké is only appropriate with sushi and corn dogs. Post-flight, samplers will be given two additional samplings of SakéOne's unpasteurized, fresh-pressed nama saké, and an optional complimentary brewery tour (available at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.).

The intoxicating flavor-rush may include sakélicious selections from the house Momokawa brand, such as the crisp Momokawa Silver and the creamy Momokawa Pearl, or its fruit-infused Moonstone, each variety featuring tastes of raspberry, Asian pear, plum, and concentrated cosmic dust, among others. Luxurious lip-smackers may even find themselves sipping a sample of premium G Joy, a bold, undiluted beast of a saké, rising from the depths of the brewery with a blood-alcohol-level-piercing roar.

Reviews

SakéOne's American-brewed sake has been featured by the New York Times. Yelpers give it a 4.5-star average and three TripAdvisors give it an average of 4.5 owl eyes:

• In Forest Grove, near the Willamette Valley wineries, SakéOne brews premium rice wine, inspired by a Japanese heritage but adapted for an American palate. The sake brewery's hybrid philosophy is mirrored in the tasting room, which mixes an American winery aesthetic with traditional Japanese touches. – Jessica Merrill, New York Times
• The people manning the place were very knowledgable [sic] about sake making and tasting. They explained the whole process making the sake and how their company came about in Hillsboro. – Lucia C., Yelp
• Sake One was a hidden gem in this area. This was some of the best Sake we've tried and our host knew everything about the history, process and nuances of the world of Sake. – FriendlyBloke, TripAdvisor