[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 56 (Tuesday, March 28, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E270-E271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              ORIGAMI SAKE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. FRENCH HILL

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 28, 2023

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the entrepreneurial 
creativity of Ben Bell and Matt Bell, who recently founded Origami Sake 
in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
  Although they are unrelated, these two Bells share the same last name 
and the same passion for sake.
  The pair met in 2016 after Ben returned to Arkansas from a trip to 
Japan, where he became interested in the art of making sake after 
living in that country for two years.
  After years of collaboration, Ben and Matt joined forces to begin 
brewing sake in Arkansas, which led to the opening of their business.
  Arkansas is the largest grower of rice in the United States and the 
Isbell farm has spent decades perfecting the proper rice to be used for 
sushi and now the proper rice that is needed for making high quality 
sake.
  Additionally, the magnificent water from the famous Hot Springs 
National Park has the perfect quality for sake brewing. Ben and Matt 
are taking advantage of these resources in Arkansas make Sake even more 
popular and

[[Page E271]]

distribute it home grown in Arkansas across the United States.
  I recently led a delegation to meet with leaders in Japan, where our 
members had the opportunity to present Arkansas brewed Sake to former 
Prime Minister Suga and Deputy Cabinet Secretary Seiji, along with key 
members of the Japanese Diet. We also entertained our great Ambassador, 
Ron Emmanuel, with his own taste of 1000 crane sake brewed in Arkansas.
  I applaud Ben and Matt for their originality, their entrepreneurship, 
and I commend them for leading in America in the brewing of sake.

                          ____________________