Hours & Information

Location:

107 SE Washington St. #121, Portland OR 97214
The first exterior door to the right of the SE Washington main entrance. We are also accessible via the interior lobby. Our interior window is adjacent to the Washington St. main entrance.

Hours:

Tuesday 1-7
Wednesday 1-7
Thursday 1-7
Friday 2-8
Saturday 1-7
For classes and events, see our Event Calendar

Shipping:

First and foremost, Sunflower is a two-person business that cannot operate at the Amazon fulfillment and delivery pace. We pack every order by hand and try to ship 1-2x/week. When temperatures are high, we will always prioritize timing your shipment to avoid weekend warehousing with the shipper.

If your needs are urgent, please contact us immediately to see if we can fulfill in time, or seek out a local supplier. We're happy to help find you a good local option!

Summer shipping update (June-September):

THINGS ARE HEATING UP!

Now that we've entered peak Summer heat, we're implementing our Summer shipping policy to help prevent damage to sake in transit. While namazake is shipped at your own risk, we do endeavor to make our customers whole when something goes wrong. So we're raising the bar on our shipping conditions to help ensure a happy arrival.

* Except for overnight shipments or express consent to the risks, sparkling nigori nama is not eligible to be shipped until temperatures ease. These are basically ongoing fermentations, and it's just too risky. We've had a lot of issues with leaking bottles, and it's just not worth it!

* We are now offering discounted expedited shipping:
1) 2-Day with ice and insulation: $45 flat rate
2) Next Day Air with ice and insulation: $150 flat rate
3) UPS Ground (5-7 days transit): $30 - at your own risk!
I can't possibly recommend #3 when temps are exceeding 85. Ice and insulation aren't perfect, and ice does melt, but it sure helps! If you can afford the extra $15, I strongly recommend it.

* Shipping may be delayed in extreme heat. Please let us know if your shipment is time sensitive. We ship M-W (except overnight/short distance) so that estimated delivery lands before the weekend.

* Seasonal holds/storage is available for a small fee. (please inquire by email/DM)

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Shipping rates around the year:

Shipping rates vary throughout the year, depending on the accommodations necessary to deliver in good condition. Please note that even with insulation, ice, and 2-day shipping, namazake is still shipped at your own risk. UPS only guarantees overnight shipping, so and with ice and insulation, this is the only certain way to ensure namazake condition.

Shipping protocols and rates per case (1-12 bottles) are as follows, and may change at any time.

In peak Summer heat (typically mid-July to early September):

Ground (2-7 days in transit) $30 flat rate- at your own risk
2-Day Express (2 days in transit) WITH ice and insulation: $45 flat rate
Next Day Air with ice and insulation: $150 flat rate

Except for overnight shipments or express consent to the risks, sparkling nigori nama is not eligible to be shipped in peak Summer heat. These are basically ongoing fermentations, and it's just too risky with respect to leakage and bursting.

Seasonal hold/storage is available for a small fee. (please inquire by email/DM)

In the cool months, typically October through May:

Ground (2-7 days in transit) $30 flat rate
2-Day Express (2 days in transit) $60 flat rate
Add ice and insulation: $15

All orders are shipped via UPS or FedEx ground. Packages must be signed by a 21+ recipient not under the apparent influence of alcohol. Packages are shipped throughout the week. Namazake is shipped M-Tu unless temperatures are averaging below 45F.

In late Spring and early Summer, typically late May through mid-July:

Ground (2-7 days in transit) $30 flat rate
2-Day Express (2 days in transit) $50 flat rate
Add ice and insulation: $15

All orders are shipped via UPS or FedEx ground. Packages must be signed by a 21+ recipient not under the apparent influence of alcohol. Packages are shipped M-W only to avoid hot weekends in a truck. Namazake is shipped M-Tu unless temperatures are averaging below 45F. Packages may be held in heatwaves.

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Orders are typically packed Monday, on truck Tuesday. Carbon offsets for all shipments are offered through EcoCart.

Rates are discounted by $10 for club shipments, which can be adjusted up to a full case for no additional cost.

Note that insulated boxes are only available here in 6pk and 12pk sizes.

During unseasonal heat waves, we reserve the right to hold shipments until temperatures quell and will endeavor to notify you of long delays (>5 days)

Age Restrictions:

Note that a 21+ year old, not visibly intoxicated, must be present to receive and sign for your order.

Sake age:

One of the first things you'll learn in sake is that you should always enjoy your bottles within 6 months, 12 months at most, of bottling date and that the bottles should be stored under continuous refrigeration at or near 5C. This is also one of those things you un-learn over time. Sunflower's position is that post-bottling age on sake is not universally negative, that it depends on the particular product and storage conditions, and that evolution in sake (as in wine) can be an interesting and welcome change.

One of the reasons I decided to include a bar in my shop is so that I can check on bottles regularly to ensure good condition. If a bottle hasn't rotated after shelf presence for 1-2 months, at around the 6 & 12 month mark and regularly onward, sake is opened/checked for condition (color, aroma, flavor, hine-ka) & shared at the bar to also get live feedback from customers. Particularly as an American purveyor of Japanese sake, I have to work within the assumption that all sake arrives (at best) 2-6 months from bottling and often longer. So I trust my palate-- as someone who tastes daily, critically and honed through WSET diploma, Advanced Sake Professional and other courses-- and that of my customers and peers to determine quality. With that said, any bottles marked down are somewhat at your own risk. Not marked down, please always let me know if they are not tasting/looking right-- I'd very much like the opportunity to make it right.

Here are the rules I follow for inventory management:

All sake at Sunflower is sold or disposed of within 24 months of bottling (junmai/honjozo), ~18 months (ginjo/daiginjo), 12 months (nama) unless age is the intent/ acceptable by design (ex. Hanatomoe nama)
At roughly biannual intervals (January & July) all bottles at the 12 month mark (ginjo/daiginjo), 18 month mark (junmai/honjozo), 8 month mark (nama) are tasted and assessed. These numbers can vary depending also on the supply chain, e.g. if the distributor uses cold chain (40F) or if they only use cool chain (55F).
Bottles determined to be in good condition (aromatics within ~80% of usual, very minimal color change, 'true to style,' no off-flavors or aromas broadly classified as hine-ka-- DMTS, aldehyde, microbial or light taint, and tasting very good) are kept at price and closely monitored.
Bottles determined to be of good flavor and aroma but with notable evolution, no DMTS, no microbial or light taint, and minimal color change, are marked down 10-50% depending on condition and of course, the condition/age is described honestly on inquiry. When possible the condition is updated and shared on the website as well. Many bottles of this condition are at their best for okan.
Bottles determined to have evolved such that they are no longer true to style, or with detectible DMTS, any taint, notable color change, or otherwise just not tasty, are removed from sale entirely.
Koshu, already deliberately aged sake, and high acid/high umami styles which can improve with age (ex. yamahai, kimoto, bodaimoto), varieties of rice suited to age (ex. omachi, yamadanishiki) often maintain price and are determined to be of good (i.e. delicious) condition longer than those which depend on volatile esters for style (ginjo, daiginjo, nama). So if you purchase an aged yamahai 2 years past bottling, chances are it has been taste tested and is humming right along happily, and has been marked down simply as a courtesy or to pass on savings from the distributor, so please enjoy it.
"Natural" nama, i.e. Yoigokochi Selections & some Floating World, is designed for age & does not follow the above rules. As sake which is ageable and undergoes understood but highly variable aging curves, these are rarely, if ever, marked down, but their condition can vary. You can always send a message to ask about its current condition and I'll let you know how it was tasting the last time it was opened. If you purchase a bottle in an "off" phase, please store it in a cold place and check on it after 3-6 months.

Additional hours and events:

Instagram, email newsletter & events page are the best places to check for upcoming events.