Brian Polen gives sake a Brooklyn twist in Industry City
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
August 8, 2024 Alice Gilbert
Brian Polen. Photo courtesy of Ward 8 Studios
Brooklyn might not be the first place that comes to mind when we think of craft sake brewing, but maybe it should be. Brooklyn Kura’s craft sake stands up to the distinguished products coming out of Japan, which says a lot since those have been brewed for hundreds of years, while this humble brewery only opened in 2018. At its helm is Brian Polen, whose love for this product has put it on the map far beyond its Industry City home.
Tell me about yourself and how you came to start Brooklyn Kura.
I grew up in southern California. I went to undergraduate school there, graduate school in Michigan and moved to New York City to work at American Express, where I worked for about eight years. In 2013, I was traveling and met Brandon Doughan at our mutual friend’s wedding in Japan.
If you’ve never been to Japan and experienced locally-produced sake, it’s hard to represent the diversity, affordability and quality. It is similar to the American craft beer industry. Both Brandon and I were inspired by that experience, so we started to make sake in our homes — a project that became Brooklyn Kura.
What does the name mean?
We’re a Brooklyn-based company, first and foremost. Kura, in Japanese, means a warehouse, traditionally associated with the storage of valuable goods. Beyond that, it’s a word used to describe a place where sake, shoujo, miso, soy and other fermented products are made.
Which came first, this makers’ philosophy or the makers’ location of Industry City?
It’s been relatively organic, and it has taken place over a relatively long period. We were the first beverage or alcohol producer in this corridor in Industry City’s Building 6. What I’ve seen from the Industry City team is this collaborative desire to bring craftspeople together and make an interesting retail experience.
What else does Industry City provide in terms of support and exposure?
The everyday operators of Industry City that take care of the six million square feet of this place are all productive, supportive and encouraging members of our team. We’re pretty embedded in the IC community. My business has been more successful because of the relationships I have with the IC leadership and operating team. They have a lot of experience on the development side. They owned and operated Chelsea Market, among other places. They’ve supported us growing from 3,000 square feet to almost 20,000 square feet.