By Gerard Alexis, Master Sommelier of Sake, OMU NOMU Craft Sake & Raw Bar

Modernity in Sato: Devanom Brewery in the nighttime

Across Asia, a number of traditional alcoholic beverages have stepped back into the spotlight. While better known tipples like Japanese Sake and Korean Soju have taken centre stage in popularity, Thailand’s native sato – a fermented rice beverage – has been emerging from rural villages onto the menus of Bangkok’s bars and restaurants. With Thai establishments on The World’s 50 Best calling sato the ‘drink of the moment’, the once rustic folk brew has gotten a facelift, as a new generation of craft brewers recontextualise its production, perception and flavour.

Devanom: Craft Beer, Mead & Craft Sato

Devanom Brewery, a craft drinks producer in Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok, was founded in 2014 by brothers Nattachai and Teerapat Ungsriwong, better known as Ob and Art, who were first making beer at home before Devanom’s commercial operation began. Sato brewing started in 2022, positioning their modern interpretation as tradition reimagined with modern craft. In the beginning, craft beer and mead was their primary source of revenue, however sales of their sato has begun surpassing that of the other products they brew. Devanom currently produces about 5000 to 6000 litres of sato per month, with additional tanks arriving that are expected to triple production capacity.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of my night time visit was not in the glass, but behind it. Through broad glass windows that intentionally open the brewery to public view, the production space reveals itself in full: almost surgical in its cleanliness, so immaculately kept from floor to high ceilings, and unmistakably modern with rows of stainless steel brewing tanks, casks and tidy pipelines. It is the sort of clean and controlled brewing environment one naturally associates with a professional craft production – but that it’s built for sato brewing, definitely makes the impression all the more striking.


That’s Nattachai “Ob” Ungsriwong, co-founder of Devanom Brewery. Notice how impressively clean and shiny his beer and sato production space is.

What is Sato?

At its roots, sato is a traditional Thai alcoholic rice beverage, long associated with Isan in Thailand’s northeast. Made by fermenting sticky rice with a mixed starter called luk paeng (say ‘loog-peng’), it undergoes a two-stage saccharification and fermentation process under ambient tropical conditions. Fermentation may last from days to weeks in glass or earthen vessels — jars, tubs, buckets, whatever is practical. The resulting brew may then be filtered to a generally clear appearance, or left unfiltered, with milky rice solids remaining in suspension.

Lesson time: learning how sato is made by Devanom Brewery

Traditional sato is local, handmade and variable. It is, after all, a village brew, shaped by family habits, inherited practices and local conditions. Alcohol levels can range from 2% to 12% ABV, while flavour profiles run from sweet to distinctly sour, sometimes with light effervescence and noticeable textural variation. From batch to batch, variability is celebrated as part of sato’s folk identity.

Looks like stones up close, but that’s luk paeng. Credit: Facebook

Much of that variability begins with luk paeng itself. Roughly translated as ‘flour ball’, its what Ob describes more simply as a fermenter ball: a small starter cake that functions as a compact microbial community, containing everything and sometimes more to kickstart fermentation – moulds that break rice starch down into fermentable sugars, and yeasts that turn those sugars into alcohol. Because luk paeng is shaped by house traditions, small-batch production and informal production settings, no two starters are exactly alike. Some may also contain lactic acid bacteria, herbs and a wider range of ambient microorganisms, all of which contribute to the breadth of profiles found in traditional sato. For Devanom, studying that variability became an important starting point in understanding how to create a more controlled and consistent modern brew.

Sato, Reborn

This is where sato’s modernization begins. The brothers’ approach starts with addressing sato’s natural variability, not by abandoning tradition, but by understanding it more closely. By studying the starter at a microbial level, Devanom realised that by inoculating sticky rice directly with isolated Amylomyces rouxii (A. rouxii) – the mould responsible for saccharification found within the luk paeng – resulted in less variability, greater consistency, repeatability, and a cleaner expression of flavour.

A petri dish of isolated Amylomyces rouxii.

Furthermore, Devanom’s suite of 10 proprietary yeasts, comprising isolated sato yeasts alongside beer and wine yeasts, and used in a method that remains a trade secret – gives its craft sato a profile that’s unique, unmistakably contemporary, yet rooted in tradition.

What Devanom offers, in my mind, is not a replacement for traditional sato, but a fresh, contemporary reading of it: Developing the science behind the art, refining its core elements, and reimagining its identity through technology and creativity of the modern brewing world.

Precision in the Ferment

Devanom’s modern interpretation carries throughout the entire brewing process. It begins with a curation of Thai rice varieties, including non-sticky cultivars such as organic Jasmine rice and red Sangyod, alongside sticky rice varieties like black Luem Pua, and Kiaw Ngoo. After washing and a six-hour soak, the rice is steamed in traditional baskets in small five kilogram batches, then cooled to 40°C in preparation for A. rouxii inoculation. While the process may resemble Japanese koji-zukuri, the warmer, wetter conditions produce a moist, syrupy rice culture, vastly different from the dry, granular and softly furred form of finished koji.

Small Batches: Post-saccharification of inoculated Kiaw Ngoo

From there, fermentation begins with a controlled addition of water— roughly one and a half litres for every kilogram of rice — alongside the brewery’s proprietary yeasts. Alcoholic fermentation then proceeds for thirty days in temperature-controlled steel tanks maintained at 20–30°C. Unlike traditional sato, Devanom stirs the mash periodically to keep fermentation active and temperatures even, especially as the viscous, melting sticky rice can slow yeast movement. 

Once the brew reaches its desired point, it is drip-pressed for 24 hours in a fukuroshibori-style process. Suspended in hanging bags and separated gently by gravity under the mash’s own weight alone, this delicate process reduces the extraction of excess lipids and proteins from the rice solids which contributes to a harsher flavour.

Peeking down the tank: A mash of Devanom Yeast #3 and Leum Pua, a Thai black sticky rice.

The pressed sato is matured for three to six months at 0°C in closed conical tanks, racked for clarity and bottled under oxygen-purged conditions to maintain peak freshness. What Devanom achieves with precision, patience and a technically advanced process is a fresher and fruitier sato, underpinned by a rounded backbone of umami richness, smoothness, clarity, and calculated complexity.

Beyond the Tank

Control and refinement are only part of the story. Devanom keeps an active slate of experiments, pushing the boundaries of modern sato. Among the most successful is an ongoing series of Barrel Aged mature brews, the most recent release being a Kiaw Ngoo sticky rice sato matured in a Shiraz barrel:

"A straw yellow color emerges from the bottle, showing notes of oak, vanilla, plum, and spun sugar alongside a chardonnay-esque acidity, pronounced rice character, and a returning woody astringency on the back palate."

Where no sato has gone before: French oak barrels and airlock valves definitely aren’t traditional sato brewing tools 

At the same time, we were privileged to peer into one of their latest experiments – a barrel containing sato fermented with Brettanomyces, the wild yeast genus most closely associated with Belgian lambic beers, known for its intensely funky, sour and barnyard character.

Through the bunghole we witnessed the beautiful pellicles formed by Brettanomyces yeasts

Devanom in Japan

A week after our visit to the brewery, Devanom stepped onto the Japanese stage with an appearance at Tokyo’s Sake Park 6, marking a notable moment in the brewery’s regional visibility. I met up with Ob and Art to see what was on show for a second tasting of their lineup.

From Nonthaburi to Akasaka: Ob holds Devanom’s Red Label and his new side project, the Dewanomu Junmai Nama Sake

First up is Devanom’s Luem Pua sato, a black sticky rice varietal so fragrant that its name literally means “forget husband”, evoking the image of a wife who cooks the rice only to become so captivated by its scent that she eats it all. Ob notes that the rice was milled more than usual to allow for a deeper inoculation of A. rouxii. From March 2026, Devanom’s Leum Pua will be available on Thai Airways’ First and Business Class in-service menus.

"In the glass, a purpler-than-rosé, clear tourmaline colour with notes of coconut, berries, pulut hitam and red bean. Sweet, slightly sour with a tight, tannic astringency that would pair beautifully with Thai fishcakes and green curry."

L to R: Devanom’s Craft Sato (can); Luem Pua; Red Label; Dewanomu Junmai Namazake

Next, the Craft Sato in a can. Despite its casual – and intentional – packaging, it doesn’t pale in quality beside the rest. Made with Kiaw Ngoo, translated as “snake fang”, it is a prized northern Thai sticky rice varietal with a slender grain, gentle sweetness and supple texture.

"Citrusy and floral, with prominent lychee and pink guava notes. Definitely ricey on the attack, with rich sweetness and green tones, yet it remains crisp and surprisingly off-dry on the finish. Refreshing, young, and uniquely fun to enjoy."

The Red Label being poured into my little Sake Park cup

Third, the Red Label, also sporting Kiaw Ngoo rice. This label is a brewery exclusive, being an unpasteurized, undiluted (with no post-production water adjustment) sato.

"A crystalline sato, shining in the glass with an exuberance of tropical fruits, lychee and muscat. Layered, sweet, juicy, rich and balanced. I absolutely loved how vibrant and fresh it tasted."

Lastly, the Dewanomu Junmai Namazake. Its name is a Japan-ified rendering of Devanom, with subtle nods to both Thailand and Japan on the bottle. Still made with Kiaw Ngoo rice, but this time inoculated with Japanese koji and brewed with sake yeast.

"A delicate sake, with hints of grain, herbs and coconut juice. Weightier than your typical sake due to the use of sticky rice, yet, crisp, granular, full and refreshing – perfect when standing sun drenched in the heat of Thailand."

An all important we-fie with Ob, myself and rather important guests of Sake Park 6. (forgive my poor Japanese proficiency and inebriated memory after five too many drinks)

Leaving the event after saying farewell to the two brothers, what really stayed with me was not simply the quality of Devanom’s brews, but the clarity of intent behind them. To me, this is not sato stripped of its past, nor tradition dressed up for novelty’s sake, but a thoughtful, modernistic interpretation of a deeply local and historical drink.

In that sense, Devanom is not just brewing sato well — it is helping expand the way sato can be seen, understood, and enjoyed locally and hopefully, across the globe in the near future.

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If you want to taste Devanom’s Craft Sato Can and the Red Label, you’ll find it and more at OMU NOMU Craft Sake & Raw Bar:

302 Beach Road, #01-08
Concourse Skyline S199600
Mondays – Saturdays, 12-2:30pm & 5:30-12am
https://omunomu.sg (Instagram: @omunomu.sg)

-OMU NOMU also plans to build Devanom’s brand as the local representative in the near future.-

Words & Photos By:

Gerard Alexis (Master Sommelier of Sake, SSI)

Chef-Owner and Sake Sommelier of OMU NOMU Craft Sake & Raw Bar, Representing the Japan Craft Sake Breweries Association in Singapore Craft Sake Lover; Certified Sake Sommelier; Intl’ Sakasho; Sake Scholar; JSS Academy Alumni

(Instagram: @alexdrinkscraftsake)