**** Offer Extended | A5 JAPANESE WAGYU. Access to the world’s finest beef - Limited Experience Sets ****

Hello Berserkers! I’m Sean Nguyen from Papa Wagyu! I spent most of my mid to late twenties building my family furniture business, working my way into a 3rd generation ownership position. I was lucky enough to service and build relationships with some fantastic clients along the way. However, I wasn’t fulfilled, and I struggled to be happy. When I turned 30, I made the hard decision to walk away from the family business with zero equity. I decided to jump into the tech space as a recruiter for Facebook since I love helping people.

Japanese wagyu beef is the highest marbled beef globally, and I’m fascinated with their techniques. I visited Japan in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the culture. Their lifelong commitment to kaizen, or continuous improvement, resonated with me. I love Japanese wagyu beef and I’m continued to be inspired. I decided to pursue my dreams full-time at Papa Wagyu and left Facebook.

My goal is to ship a moment of happiness to my clients, giving you a chance to rekindle relationships with your loved ones during these crazy times. Although I’m obsessed with procuring fine ingredients, I’m a simple lover of food at heart. I love building communities through exceptional food experiences, and I’d love to connect with you.




u Papa Wagyu[/u]
I source wagyu from rare and award-winning micro-farms from around the world. I’ve built relationships with the wagyu farmers and my suppliers, which allows me to have unique access. I enjoy interviewing the wagyu farmers I work with and would love to share their stories if you’re interested.

When $1M+ of A5 wagyu gets imported in, I hand select every loin to ensure I’m getting the best from the shipment. I’m looking for the needle in the haystack - beef marble scores (BMS) of 11 and 12. (There are only a few of these boxes within multiple palettes of A5 Wagyu). In the WineBerserker world, you’d call them unicorns.

I excel in finding these unicorns and there’s only a handful of people and Michelin restaurants in the world who can consistently source high BMS from non-commodity farms like me.

The truth is the largest wagyu retailers can only buy from commodity brands, such as Miyazakigyu, Hokkaido, and Kagoshima. It is very difficult for them to buy from the smaller farms l work with. All A5 wagyu is delicious, but if you’re looking for something truly exceptional, you’ve come to the right place. Here are my offers for BerserkerDay 13.



[u]1. A5 WAGYU & CAVIAR TASTING ($200, Limited to 22 sets)
https://papawagyu.com/products/a5-estate-reserve-caviar-set[/u]
Comes with two 4oz A5 steaks, .5oz estate caviar, .5oz reserve caviar, blinis, and a mother of pearl caviar spoon. We only have about 22 sets left.

Kirameki Wagyu
We’re lucky to have the first import of A5 Japanese Wagyu striploin from Kirameki farm (BMS 12). Kirameki comes from the same farm as our premium Takamori Drunken wagyu, without the special sake mash feed. 1st imports into the U.S. are typically the best since Japan sends the best loins. Kirameki wagyu is superior to many other brands from Japan due to its genetic lineage and animal husbandry techniques, so the marbling looks much different from other brands.

Most of the wagyu sold in the U.S. are F1 genetic hybrids (50% Japanese Wagyu x 50% Angus). A5 wagyu is famous for the unique melt-in-your-mouth experience since the beef has a low melting point around 78*. Most of the A5 wagyu you’ve had in the top restaurants have a beef marble score (BMS) of 8 or 9. A5 wagyu only comes from Japan and is produced in minuscule quantities relative to worldwide beef production. BMS 12 A5 Wagyu redefines the possibilities of beef marbling.

Tsar Nicoulai Caviar
We’ve partnered with Tsar Nicoulai due to their commitment to producing sustainable and delicious American caviar. They’ve worked with UC Davis (I’m an Aggie), and I’m a fan of their team. The estate and reserve caviar are favorites within the company. Our package comes with .5oz of each caviar, pre-made blinis, and a caviar spoon. Simply toast the blinis, add creme fraiche, chives, and caviar for an easy Valentine’s Day appetizer.



[u]2. GLOBAL WAGYU TASTING SET ($200, SOLD OUT)

We will have a new global wagyu tasting set in a few weeks. Please reach out to us if you’d like to be on the waiting list.
You can still buy individual steaks to create your own tasting set at www.papawagyu.com (we’re sold out of Masami)

Australian Wagyu Ribeye | Jack’s Creek
https://papawagyu.com/products/australian-wagyu-ribeye\

Japanese A5 Wagyu | BMS 12 Kirameki
https://papawagyu.com/products/kirameki-wagyu-steak\

Japanese A5 Wagyu | BMS 9 Drunken Wagyu
https://papawagyu.com/products/drunken-wagyu-steak\


*
https://papawagyu.com/products/global-wagyu-set[/u]
Comes with one 4oz A5 steak, 12oz Masami Ribeye, & 12oz Jack’s Creek Ribeye. We only have about 8 sets left.

This 3pc set has the highest grades possible in each category from Japan, America, and Australia.

Kirameki Striploin, A5 Japanese Wagyu
Same as above

Masami Ribeye, American F1 Hybrid (SOLD OUT)*
There are many American wagyu brands, but Masami is unique since a Japanese farmer runs many parts of the operation. Seiya San moved from Japan to pursue his dreams to become an Okinawan wagyu farmer and takes pride in producing premium F1 wagyu.

We have their highest platinum grade, which is extremely hard to procure - only a handful of people in the U.S. can get their hands on the platinum grade. This platinum grade marbles out close to a BMS 8 or 9 full-blood wagyu, which is insane. However, since Masami is a hybrid, you’ll have an incredibly tender steak-like texture instead of dissolving in your mouth like the A5.

Jack’s Creek Ribeye, F1 Hybrid
Australian wagyu tends to have a beefier flavor profile than most American and Japanese wagyu. Japanese and American wagyu tend to primarily be grain-fed, which keeps the beef relatively mild in flavor.

Most Australian wagyu brands tend to be grass-fed, with the beefy flavor you’ll love if you’re into dry-aged beef. However, these genetic hybrids have the velvety mouthfeel from crossing with Japanese cattle - yum.




uEase of Cooking[/u]
But wait, don’t I need to be a renowned chef to cook A5 wagyu? A5 wagyu is the most straightforward steak to cook since it’s delicious rare, or well done. Yes, well done A5 wagyu has my favorite melt-in-your-mouth experience since all of the fat is rendered down (think of biting into a cold stick of butter if you eat rare A5). Cooking lower marbled non-wagyu beef is difficult and requires precision to minimize moisture loss, aka a dried-out steak. Please message me here or on Instagram for more cooking instructions, regardless of where you buy your wagyu from.



u 10% Off Your Entire Order[/u]
Enter code “berserker” at checkout

While this doesn’t seem like a lot, the discount is significant since we work on slim margins. This year, we faced many price increases, including shipping (container/airplane, LTL domestically, and to our clients), wagyu, labor, etc. This whole set comes out to about the same price as ordering a 3-4oz steak of an A5 wagyu with similar quality at your local Michelin steakhouse.



u Shipping[/u]
$30 flat rate over $150 in CA, $50 flat rate over $300 outside of CA
(Note: a signature is required on delivery. We prefer to ship to a business address if at all possible.)

We use 1 or 2-day shipping, depending on where you live. Even though we have a solid Fedex account, most of our costs come from fast shipping. Since being profitable isn’t our North Star, we absorb most of the shipping costs.

Our minimum to ship outside of CA is $300 since the shipping costs have gone berserk (hovering around $100 on our end). Once you place your order, I will text you to confirm which day someone can sign for your package.

To get to the $300 minimum order outside of CA, you can add our other products. Here are some suggestions: ($55 - 70) 4oz smaller A5 petite steaks, $65 Australian Wagyu Ribeye steak, or ($100) 2.2lb box of Hokkaido Scallops. The 10% discount applies to your whole purchase. Click here to see everything currently available: https://papawagyu.com

We ship every Monday and Wednesday. If you’re on the East coast, we try our best to mitigate weather delays, and your help is greatly appreciated if you know there’s a storm in your area. Our packages are double insulated with special foam refrigerants and overpacked in the rare chance of a shipping delay.



(+)Upcoming Shipments
If you miss out on the packages above, don’t worry. We have 2 new A5 Japanese wagyu brands and new tasting sets coming in a few weeks. We also have a wagyu from Tasmanian where the cattle roam. I can honor the 10% deal once it comes in. Please reach out to me, and I’ll put you on the list.



(+)Questions?
I tried my best to keep the information in this post short. Please don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as you’d like.

I keep Papa Wagyu small to provide 1:1 service with my clients. I’d love to connect with you on social media. I’m also very responsive on Instagram @papa.wagyu, e-mail at sean@papawagyu.com, or text at 4086570885

Ok, brief notes as I selfishly assigned myself to this tasting, but (honestly) out of expediency, as I didn’t have time to dig up and communicate with more Monopole Cru tasters, plus he was overnighting as it was last minute. ANYWAY…

My first time tasting A5, and Sean was incredibly helpful in the packaging (amazing setup) as well as suggesting how to prepare and eat it. I was told (by Sean) to cook medium well to well done and I about lost my mind. NO!!! NOOOOO!!! Well, I did what I was told - sort of - and pre-sliced the steaks into 1/2 inch strips, cooking them in a variety of levels of doneness. Those that were more medium rare were like steak-flavored butter patties. Interesting, flavorful, but wasn’t impressed, frankly. Then I got to the medium and plus (medium well, one perhaps well done) and omg! Suddenly there was this new level of texture and grip, and the flavors just exploded! Absolutely extraordinary.

I know Patrick will have a MUCH more detailed review

Am I missing a link or is it sold out? I sent a text to my wife if I could spend this much on steak but I can’t see how to get it.

Looks like you can purchase here:
https://papawagyu.com/collections/experience-sets

I felt lucky to receive an A5 & Caviar Experience set from Papa Waygu. To pay it forward, I invited two friends to help me with the review. In retrospect, I should have hogged it all!

TL:DR – Highest quality steak I’ve ever had. Superb caviar. New kid on the block. Seriously great stuff. The list could go on. My favorite bite may have been a blini scraped with Waygu fat from the cutting board. I felt no shame.(No, I did not lick the cutting board. I have standards.)

The Full Review

Estate Caviar
First up was the Caviar. Both the Estate and Reserve were served three ways: plain, on a thinly sliced and rolled cucumber w/sour cream, and on a blini w/crème fraiche and dill. Each “course” was 2 bites per person, and each bit had about ¼ tsp of caviar. There was a little bit left at the end.

Estate – Plain: Superb consistency. Lightweight on the tongue, with an intense flavor rolling across and as the eggs burst. There was a fattiness reminiscent of salmon skin. Perfect amount of salt.

Estate – w/Cucumber, sour cream: The cucumber was a little dilutive and the caviar got lost. This was corrected on the second attempt by only eating half of the cucumber. This allowed the cucumber to serve as a palate cleanser.

Estate – w/Blini, dill, crème fraiche: This was good but again the caviar can get a bit lost. Use components sparingly. And keep in mind we were working with small portions of caviar.

Reserve Caviar
The reserve caviar was better in all phases, as expected. The eggs were larger, the flavor was more balanced, the salt popped a little more. There was a heavy umami quality that was quite enjoyable, and a very long finish.

Reserve – Plain: As noted above, everything was a step up. The finish was so excellent. Really enjoyable. I could eat a lot of this straight up, but it would get really intense.

Reserve – Cucumber, sour cream: Learning our lesson, we used half of the cucumber. There was a terrific interplay between the caviar and crème fraiche. It was really intriguing. The finish went on for a loooong time. Delicious.

Reserve – w/Blini, dill, crème fraiche: Since we were only using about ¼ teaspoon per bite, we only had a tiny bit of blini. The fresh dill hit my nose about 18 inches in front of my face and made me anticipate even more. The herb played well with the bite. This bite was the best melding of flavors.

The bites were chased with Vodka and sparkling Brut. (Frickin’ Dryuary relegated me to San Pelligrino.) My buddies love chasing the blini with vodka. I did not allow them to chuck the glasses into the fireplace. The bubbly was flat out awesome, adding a nutty component as well as cleansing the palate.

The A5 Waygu
Sean wrote above about how hard this stuff is to source. I was so nervous about screwing it up that I texted, called, and emailed. (He’s very responsive, btw.)

Per Sean’s recommendation, the A5 was cooked medium- to medium-well on stainless steel, about 3 minutes per side, then rested for 10 minutes. It could even have been cooked another minute or two longer to well-done. That may sound blasphemous, but because of the high marbling, you are basically cooking a stick of butter. The sear on the outside allows the fat to baste everything on the inside. The longer you wait, the better the baste. I would recommend medium-well to well-done.

Pro tips: Pay attention to your heat and smoke point, and consider disabling your smoke detector. Also, pour off the fat and save it to trade with your survivalist uncle who ended up being right about zombie apocalypse.

The A5 was served two ways: plain and over sushi rice with a few drops of soy-mirin sauce, a poor man’s Nishiki sauce.

What can I say? It melted in your mouth. Just like the caviar, the beef popped across the tongue as you bit through the crust. It was a flavor bomb. We talk about wine in terms of front, middle, and back, and the A5 was the same way. It was melting all the way through from start to finish. I don’t have enough superlatives to describe.

It may have been even better over sushi rice w/sauce. It was a truly indulgent bite that made your tongue come alive.

(Speaking of sushi, we had sushi as an intermezzo. Again per Sean’s recommendation. It helped cut the richness.)

Then I went back with a blini and scraped the Waygu fat off the cutting board. Felt no shame. To a foodie, it was like climbing Mt. Everest!

Wine Pairings
Both the A5 and Caviar were served with sparkling Brut. Beef with bubbly? YES! It was a fantastic pairing. Choose something with a finer mousse, so the bubbles don’t get in the way. Chablis would also be a good pairing.

The A5 can also be served with lighter reds that are lower in tannin. We paired it with a 2017 Franny Beck La Chenaie Pinot Noir. A lighter Sangiovese would be really good.

Summary
This was an evening of effortless eating. Just put a bite on your tongue and savor the experience. Enjoy the fats and the oils. Pair with foods that are neutral and complementary, because the A5 and caviar are the star of the show.

Packaging
This was the most carefully and well packaged item I have ever received. The box was very sturdy cardboard. Inside was an insulated bag. But wait – there’s more: inside the bag were two large frozen bricks, each the size of a small patio paver. The contents were nestled between the bricks, which were still frozen nearly 24 hours after the box had been open. It was a good sign of what was to come. The A5 Waygu immediately went into the freezer, and the caviar into the fridge.

Preparation
The A5 was removed from the freezer 24 hours before cooking. I cut off the packaging and set it on a plate in the fridge. I took it out about 30 minutes before dinner, as the melting point of the fat is just 78 degrees. (Party trick: run your finger across the meat and your body heat will start to melt the fat.)

The Caviar was removed from the fridge immediately before serving. It was kept in the fridge between courses. The set was inadvertently missing the mother of pearl spoon, so I improvised with a blue plastic spoon from Dairy Queen. Keepin’ it real.

Photos!

Hi Travis! I hope you’re doing well. Here are the two links to the deals. Please let me know if you have any more questions : )

A5 & Caviar Set
https://papawagyu.com/products/a5-estate-reserve-caviar-set

Global Wagyu Set
https://papawagyu.com/products/global-wagyu-set

Hi Rob! Thank you for posting the link! I just edited the post with the links. I owe you one!

Order in!

Thank you James! I hope you have an amazing experience with your loved ones. Please let me know if you have any questions. I’ll follow up with a text shortly : )

Ordered! Had to grab two to meet the minimum to ship to Washington, but can always find an occasion to enjoy some wagyu!

Just ordered the global tasting set, thanks!

Thank you for your support Kevan! Most people have wine refrigerators in their house, but having wagyu on hand definitely excites the guests. Cheers!

Thank you William! Seiya San, the Japanese farmer behind Masami, has an Instagram @seiya99ushi if you’d like to connect with him. He loves hearing feedback from his happy eaters

Order in! Looking forward to it. I’ll be reaching out for advice on preparing them.

I still have ONE steak remaining…now I’m getting a hankering for it!!! Need to pop some Chiron Cab with that

Order in!

Will you be cooking your steak medium-well or well? Chiron cab sounds delicious - I’ve never had it. I’m excited for you!! Hopefully, you can try out some of my new A5 soon (:

Thank you for the awesome order! I’m glad you were able to get your hands on the Kirameki ribeye as well . BMS 12, A5 ribeye cap is exceptional!

These look amazing.

Glad I was able to get the Global Tasting Set before it sold out.

Thanks Sean!

order in! Look forward to trying it