In Hong Kong, a love for Japanese culture runs deep, with locals frequently traveling to Japan and filling sushi spots across the city. This cultural connection also inspired Keita Wu, Eummie Chik, and Kiu Au to create a unique women-led craft sake project: Three Sisters Sake Brew. Blending Hong Kong flavors with Japanese ingredients, the trio has crafted sakes that celebrate both cultures in each sip.
The idea was born during a casual gathering, as Wu, a certified sake sommelier, Chik, who has connections with Japanese rice farmers, and Au, a travel blogger who’s explored every Japanese prefecture, discussed creating a fusion sake line. Wu, who leads the project, explained, “We were chatting over drinks, a bit tipsy, and realized we could do something together that would represent both Hong Kong and Japan.”
Craft sake, similar to the craft beer movement, has grown in popularity, especially during the pandemic. Wu’s team saw this as a chance to honor traditional Hong Kong flavors while elevating sake beyond mass-produced varieties. After brainstorming with representatives from a Japanese brewery, the trio decided to develop a sake based on Hong Kong’s winter dessert, sweet potato soup. Typically made with sweet potatoes and ginger, this dessert felt novel to Japanese partners, who had rarely seen whole sweet potatoes in a drink.
The sweet potato sake, brewed in partnership with Librom brewery in Fukuoka, Japan, launched in May to warm reception. The 10% ABV drink is best enjoyed warm, between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius (104 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit), to enhance its flavor. With her extensive sake knowledge, Wu oversees taste testing, Chik selects the rice, and Au handles ingredient sourcing, bringing a collaborative spirit to each bottle.
Three Sisters didn’t stop there. In August, they introduced a red bean soup-flavored sake in collaboration with Tokyo-based brewery Konohanano. Red beans sourced from Hokkaido’s Tokachi region and dried mandarin peels—a staple in Hong Kong desserts—were key ingredients, creating a unique texture and flavor. This blend appeals to Japanese tastes as it resembles oshiruko, a sweet red bean soup enjoyed in Japan.
Available widely across Hong Kong, including at the Hong Kong Jockey Club and various sake bars, Three Sisters’ sakes are inspiring innovative cocktails at bars like Tenju Bar and God of Teppanyaki. While the trio worked together on this project, Wu notes that Three Sisters was designed to welcome new members, so future brews might be crafted by a fresh team of women connected to Japanese culture.
“Our aim is to keep this collaboration dynamic and open,” Wu explains, hinting that next year’s lineup may bring new creative voices to the mix. The story of Three Sisters Sake Brew is only beginning, but it already speaks to the rich, evolving relationship between Hong Kong and Japan.
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