Singapore’s sake scene takes an adventurous turn this July as SAKERAMA debuts with more than 100 craft sakes that challenge traditional notions of Japan’s iconic rice brew through innovation, experimentation and global collaboration.
Singapore has never been short of sake festivals, but SAKERAMA is betting that today’s drinkers are looking for something a little less traditional. Making its debut on 25 and 26 July 2026 at 37 Tanjong Pagar Distripark, this two-day event positions itself as Singapore’s first festival dedicated entirely to craft sake, shining a spotlight on brewers who are reimagining what Japan’s iconic rice beverage can become.
Organised by the experienced team behind Sake Matsuri, Southeast Asia’s largest sake festival, SAKERAMA is led by co-founders Adrian Goh — Singapore’s first Sake Samurai — and Kevin Ngan, alongside festival ambassador Alex Lee, founder of OMU NOMU Craft Sake & Raw Bar and a recognised advocate of the global craft sake movement. Together, they have assembled more than 100 craft sakes from breweries across Japan, Singapore, Thailand, France and the United States, presenting both established producers and a new generation of experimental brewers under one roof.
Rather than focusing solely on conventional styles, the festival explores the broader craft sake landscape. While the concept of craft can vary for different drink categories, “craft sake” in Japan doesn’t simply mean artisanal or small batch. Instead it is brewed under a different licence compared to a more restrictive traditional sake licence, one where craft brewers can use it to legally innovate, such as adding fruit, herbs, and spices, or using methods conventional sake-making forbids.
Featured at SAKERAMA include Fukuoka’s craft sake pioneers LIBROM, Haccoba from Fukushima, nanobrewery Happy Taro in Shiga, and many more.
Then there’s the global sake movement. Traditional nihonshu, of course, must be brewed in Japan with local ingredients. SAKERAMA celebrates the craft’s global evolution — featuring international producers like Singapore’s own Orchid Sake Brewery, alongside traditional rice-based ferments from across Asia, including Thailand’s celebrated Sato.
Visitors can sample traditional unpressed doburoku, discover hopped and botanical-infused expressions that blur the boundaries between sake and craft beer, or taste internationally produced sakes such as New York’s Dassai Blue, Singapore’s Orchid Sake Brewery and Thailand’s Devanom Brewery. The line-up also includes inventive bottlings from producers such as Haccoba, LIBROM, Wakaze and Lagoon Sake Brewery, demonstrating how sake continues to evolve while remaining rooted in Japanese fermentation traditions.
The venue reflects that contemporary approach. Set within the industrial surrounds of Tanjong Pagar Distripark, SAKERAMA pairs its drinks programme with live DJs, sake cocktails and performances by YOSAKOI Lah!, Singapore’s homegrown yosakoi festival celebrating contemporary Japanese dance. Food comes courtesy of Ye Olde Cow and The Oyster Cart, while those keen to deepen their appreciation can join a series of Craft Sake Workshops exploring the brewing techniques, philosophies and stories behind the featured producers.
Unlike traditional free-flow tasting events, SAKERAMA adopts a pay-by-the-cup format using tokens priced at S$5 each, allowing visitors to sample widely at their own pace. Standard one-day tickets start from S$38 and include entry, one complimentary 80ml sake pour and access to the full festival programme, while weekend passes and a limited-edition collaboration ticket featuring an exclusive SAKERAMA x Orchid Sake Brewery Yuzu Sake are also available.
Ahead of the festival, sake enthusiasts can also take part in an islandwide gachapon campaign across seven participating venues, where qualifying purchases unlock guaranteed prizes ranging from discounts and venue perks to festival tickets.
For drinkers who thought they already knew sake, SAKERAMA offers a timely reminder that the category is evolving faster than ever. Equal parts tasting festival, cultural showcase and celebration of brewing creativity, it promises an accessible introduction to a side of sake that remains largely undiscovered in Singapore.
To find out more about SAKERAMA or to purchase tickets, visit: https://sakerama.sg/.
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