About

SAKE 36 is a Berlin based sake importer and distributor, running a Store and Tasting Room in Berlin Kreuzberg. It was founded by Maximilian Fritzsch, Richie Hawtin and Laura Käding to share their passion, vision and knowledge of contemporary Japanese Sake. They are internationally trained Sake professionals, certified by Sake Professional Course (SPC) and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).

When the three of them met in 2017 they quickly realized they shared their passion for Sake and all dreamed of helping spread awareness about Japanese Sake throughout Europe. They imagined a local place where they could introduce a wide selection of Sake to private customers and businesses alike and hold tastings and special events. Combining Fritzsch’s expertise in import and distribution with Hawtin’s audience of ENTER.Sake seemed to offer a unique opportunity to do something special together. Since Richie Hawtin has a strong connection to the Berlin Techno scene and Max and Laura are deeply connected to their hometown Berlin, the city was the natural choice for their endeavour.

The name SAKE 36 references the location in Berlin Kreuzberg, the district in Berlin’s south-east, which has a solid foothold in the city’s eclectic gastronomy and music landscape and perfectly combines the talents and passions of the team. The logo symbolizes the three partners and their commitment to sharing their expertise in sake, while also referencing the traditional “kikichoko” tasting cups used when evaluating sake in technical competitions.

Maximilian Frizsch first travelled to Japan during his business studies and was fascinated by the craft and precision that goes into the process of brewing Sake and its delicate aromas and flavours. After his graduation he returned to Japan and to professionalize his knowledge about Sake. In 2014 Fritzsch founded his own Sake distribution company TOKURI in Berlin and has been supplying his hand-picked selection of Sake to restaurants and private customers throughout Germany. He holds WSET Level II credentials in Wine and Spirits, Sake Professional Course Level I & II and is certified by the Sake Sommelier Association.

The Canadian DJ and producer Richie Hawtin first went to Japan in 1993 to perform and quickly fell in love with the taste, feeling and social customs surrounding Japanese Sake. Over the years he took every opportunity to return to Japan to dive deeper into the world of Sake and eventually studied it professionally. Richie founded his own Sake collection ENTER.Sake with the mission to support Japanese Sake brewers and make the beverage more popular internationally, especially amongst the young audience which he is connected to through his DJ gigs at clubs and festivals around the world. For his efforts Richie Hawtin was awarded the title of Sake Samurai by the Japanese Sake Brewers Association in 2014. He holds credentials from SPC Level I & II and WSET Level III in Sake.

Laura Käding spent several months in Japan before starting her studies at university. Her love of Japanese art and craft lead her to discover a deep interest in Japanese Sake, as she found that dedication to excellence, honouring of traditions and technical innovation are key values shared by artists and Sake Brewers alike. In addition to holding a masters degree in Art History, Kaeding went on to complete both SPC Level I & II.