Sato is Thailand's traditional rice wine, fermented from sticky rice. It is brewed like sake — fermented, never distilled — and has been made in Thai villages for centuries. Still Rice Brewery gives sato a dedicated craft brewery.

Is sato the same as sake?

No. Both are fermented rice beverages, but sato is Thai, made from Thai glutinous (sticky) rice with Thai fermentation starters, and typically shows a sweeter profile with a gentle natural sourness.

What is Still Rice Brewery?

Still Rice Brewery is a Thai craft brewery dedicated to sato, producing two brands: Sato 422, a super-premium traditional-style sato, and Kwan Khao, a contemporary Thai rice wine. Its motto is Beyond Tradition.

Where can I drink Sato 422?

Sato 422 is exclusive to two restaurants: Potong Restaurant (one Michelin star, Bangkok) and Khao San Sek. It is not sold in retail.

Where can I buy Kwan Khao?

Kwan Khao is available through selected restaurants, bars, hotels and retail partners, in three expressions: White, Rosé and Red.

What rice does Still Rice Brewery use?

Two heirloom Thai rices: San Pa Tong sticky rice, a fragrant northern Thai variety discovered in 1953 in Chiang Mai, and Luem Pua, a black sticky rice of the Hmong people from highland Tak province. Kwan Khao uses GI-certified rice.

How should sato be served?

Chilled. Sato 422 White is best at 6–8°C and 422 Red at 8–10°C, in a stemmed glass or ceramic cup. Kwan Khao White and Rosé are served at 8–10°C and Red at 10–12°C in a wine glass.

Why is Sato 422 cloudy?

The natural cloudiness comes from suspended rice after traditional fermentation. It is a feature of traditional-style sato, giving a fuller, more generous texture — not a flaw.

Rice — Still Rice Brewery

Every bottle begins
long before brewing.

At Still Rice, we believe great Sato begins long before fermentation. It starts with the rice itself—its variety, its origin, the hands that cultivated it, and the land that shaped it. We carefully select every harvest and prepare each grain with precision and consistency, because the quality of fermentation can never exceed the quality of what came before it.

Where Great Rice Begins

Long before fermentation begins, every bottle starts in San Pa Tong, Chiang Mai—a fertile valley shaped by mountain water, rich alluvial soil, and generations of rice cultivation. It was here, at the San Pa Tong Rice Research Center, that the remarkable sticky rice variety 137-1-16 was patiently developed over seven years, becoming one of Thailand’s most celebrated glutinous rice cultivars.

For us, this is more than provenance. Like the world’s great wines, the character of Sato begins with its terroir. Climate, soil, altitude, water, and every growing season shape the grain long before it reaches our brewery. Those natural expressions remain within the rice and are gently revealed through fermentation.

PREPARING THE GRAIN

Rice deserves the same precision as fermentation. Every harvest is washed, soaked, steamed, and cooled under carefully controlled conditions to achieve consistency from grain to grain. The way rice is prepared determines how starch is released, how yeast performs, and ultimately how aroma, texture, and balance develop throughout fermentation.

We believe craftsmanship begins before brewing ever starts.

Fermentation is a living process where rice, water, yeast, and time work in harmony to create Sato. Every batch is carefully monitored, with temperature and fermentation conditions precisely managed to encourage a slow, balanced transformation. Rather than forcing flavour, we allow it to develop naturally—revealing the full character of the rice with clarity, depth, and balance.

The Living Craft

Where Heritage Meets the Highlands

Unlike San Pa Tong, Luem Pua was not created in a research centre—it was preserved by generations of Hmong farmers. Cultivated in the cool mountain landscapes of Phop Phra, Tak Province, every harvest reflects its place of origin, where altitude, climate, and traditional farming practices shape the grain season after season.

For us, Luem Pua represents the deeper side of Sato. Naturally rich in anthocyanins and grown at a slower pace, it contributes body, structure, subtle earthiness, and lasting depth. Together with San Pa Tong, it creates the balance that defines every expression of Still Rice.

Composed by Nature

Every harvest is different. Rainfall, temperature, sunlight, and the rhythm of each growing season leave their mark on the grain. Rather than forcing consistency through heavy intervention, we begin by understanding the character of every harvest, carefully adjusting our blend to preserve balance while allowing each season to express itself naturally.