They are the owner and mastermind, respectively, of the only sake brewery in Australia Sun Masamune.

Competing with 1500 big-guns in Japan, these Aussie blokes are using old and new recipes.

Currently producing a million litres a year, 80per cent of their sake is exported to Japan and the United States.

The rest is bottled to meet the growing demand in Australia.

Sake is becoming increasingly popular because it is cheaper than vodka and other spirits.

And it's not just an appetiser in sushi houses, it is making its way onto cocktail lists throughout the world.

Sake is also becoming popular with many Sydney restaurants and bars, including Rockpool, The Ivy and Establishment.

Mr Noble said breaking into the European market is difficult but their products are shaking things up, especially their sake-lychee alcopop, Tsunami.

Mr Noble opened the brewery in 1988 using rice from Leeton.

He said their Go-Shu black label, served chilled in summer and warm in winter, is the most popular sake in Australia.

Their semi-dry Blue sake is a cocktail mixer, their Nama is sweet and the Australia-inspired Daiginjo is great with a barbie or seafood.

In a first for Australia, they also make sake from plum wine.

If you enjoy whisky, the matured Juku, stored in French oak barrels, is for you.

Mr Noble said their pre-mixed cocktail Tsunami is popular in Japan due to its contrast with traditional sake.

``Hiro likes to try new things,'' he said. ``In Japan he was confined by the traditional sake hierarchy but here we are working for Australian tastes.''

He said Mr Uchiyama is also the brains behind their range of natural by-products.

The Nuka Skincare range includes soap and face-hand-body cream, enriched with orange or lemon myrtle to balance skin moisture, prevent wrinkles and help with eczema. How much they make of the skincare range depends on the availability of rice.

Mr Noble said usually Australia makes a million tonnes of rice a year but the drought last year was ``a real shocker'' with only 18,000 tonnes available.

Mr Uchiyama said making sake required exact timing.

``You need years and years to know when it's ready,'' he said. ``It's a gut reaction to see if it's right.''