Season 2, Ep. 6 | From Rice To Glass: Sake, Brooklyn-Style
In this episode, we have the pleasure of welcoming Brian Polen, the founder and CEO of Brooklyn Kura, an innovative American craft sake company based in Brooklyn, New York. Brian shares his journey from a successful career at American Express to embracing entrepreneurship and building a business rooted in more than a thousand years of Japanese brewing tradition. Our conversation explores how Brooklyn Kura aims to demystify sake and make it accessible and relevant to a wide audience beyond traditional contexts.
Brian takes us through the powerful inspiration sparked by a trip to Japan, where he and his co-founder first encountered the craftsmanship behind sake. We discuss the early stages of their venture, from home brewing experiments to navigating the complex regulatory and manufacturing environment of New York City. The importance of creating a taproom experience emerges as a key factor for engaging customers directly and educating them about sake culture.
We also delve into the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and how Brooklyn Kura adapted through thoughtful financial management and a pivot to direct-to-consumer sales and subscription services. A highlight of our conversation is the long-term partnership with Hakkaisan, one of Japan’s most respected breweries, which has enabled Brooklyn Kura to scale production and expand into global markets.
This episode offers valuable insights into entrepreneurial resilience, the power of community, and the delicate balance between honoring tradition while innovating in a modern marketplace. Whether you’re deeply involved in food and beverage or simply curious about entrepreneurial journeys, Brian’s story delivers compelling lessons and authentic inspiration.
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Show Notes
Brian Polen has emerged as a leader in the American craft sake movement and was awarded Wine Enthusiasts’ 40 Under 40 Award in 2019. Through Brooklyn Kura, Brian challenges sake stereotypes, converting craft beer and wine enthusiasts into sake fans by introducing them to the breadth and complexity of the beverage.
Previously, Brian held multiple positions over his ten-year career at American Express, including the Vice President of Marketing & Big Data Platforms and various director roles. He graduated with a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California in Irvine.
Key More Elephant Takeaways in this Episode:
Brian shares how Brooklyn Kura is creating a new tradition of American craft sake, building on a thousand years of Japanese brewing and making it accessible in the U.S.
Brian emphasizes the importance of planning and a calculated approach to risk management in building and scaling a business
Brian shares how Brooklyn Kura survived the pandemic’s disruption by quickly pivoting—relying on cash reserves, launching direct-to-consumer sales, introducing a subscription service, and deepening their community connections
…and more.
More About Brian Polen:
Brooklyn Kura | LinkedIn | Instagram | Sake Studies Center | Kura Sochu
Conversation References:
Sake Revolution Podcast | Timothy Sullivan
Transcript
More Elephant Intro
[00:00:38] Jason Rudman: As we continue our series of food and transformation, our guest today is in the tradition of what we've been talking about in the last few episodes, and that is taking something that you're familiar with and building a new tradition of what Brian Polen, who's the CEO and founder of Brooklyn Kura, would say is a new tradition of American craft sake.
His company is building on more than a thousand years of Japanese brewing history, demystifying sake and making it more accessible to all. So it is my honor, I'm really, really thrilled, to reconnect and invite Brian Polen to the More Elephant Podcast.
[00:01:21] Brian Polen: It's a privilege being here, Jason. I mean, I've been following you from a distance and it's a great privilege to be able to chat you through what we're doing at Brooklyn Kura.
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