Eikun Brewery, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake tasting: Eikun Brewery-Eikun Gokugoku Junmai Homarefuji

May 28, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste again a nectar by a Shizuoka City brewery, Eikun
On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste again a great nectar by Eikun Brewery from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, at another famous izakaya in Shizuoka City, Kodarumatei, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

Actually the bottle did not bear an official label although all needed information was printed on stickers!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 14 degrees
Dryness: 0
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in May 2015

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: very discreet and dry. Faint bananas and pineapple
Body: fluid
Taste: almost sweet and fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: dry bananas, coffee beans, dark chocolate.
Lingers for quite a while on the palate before departing on notes of dry greens.
Turns dry with food with more notes of greens.
Overall: elegant and almost feminine sake.
Sweeter than Shizuoka standards and so easy to drink.
A sake for all seasons.
Suggested pairings: shrimps and seafood, smoked duck, crab salad.

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Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Haginishiki Brewery, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Haginishiki Brewery-Haginishiki Minami Alps Tokubetsu Honjozo Nama Genshu

May 26, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste for the first time in a long time a nectar by a Shizuoka City brewery, Haginishiki Brewery, at a famous in Shizuoka City, You-to, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

It was a rare and very limited sake as You-to as You-to master, Toushirou Yamaguchi, confirmed he barely obtained the last 3 bottles just in time for the event!
It is an “arabashiri” style, meaning the first press unfiltered.

Rice: Biyama Nishiki and Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Dryness: + 5
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in February 2016

Clarity: cloudy (white lees unfiltered) but very clean
Color: almost transparent and whitish when stirred
Aroma: discreet and light. Faint bananas and melons
Body: fluid
Taste: Strong and almost sweetish attack.
Complex: white lees, bananas, melon.
Lingers for a while before departing on a strong white lees note.
Varies little with food.

Overall: both a traditional and extravagant sake in spite of its modest arabashiri status.
Very unusual by Shizuoka Prefecture standards.
For light white lees sake lovers.
Perfect for izakaya cuisine of any genre!
Suggested pairings: Japanese-style banya cauda,

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Numazu City, sake, Sake Breweries, Shizuoka Prefecture, Takashima Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune Junmai Homarefuji “Mount Fuji Day”

May 25, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste again a nectar by a favorite brewery of mine, Takashima Brewery in Numazu City, at a great izakaya in Shizuoka City, Kin no Okan, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

This particular brand is created every year to be bottled on March 22nd which Mount Fuji Day!
It is a junmai made with a Shizuoka-grown sake rice called Homarefuji!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 3~+ 4
Acidity: 1.3~1.4
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled on March 22nd=23rd, 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Tasted as “nurukan” according to Takashima Brewery’s wish
Aroma: light and discreet. Pineapple, banana.
Body: fluid
Taste: strong, dry and fruity attack backed with puissant junmai petillant
Complex: banana, melon, faint lemon.
Lingers for a while on the palate before departing on drier notes of pineapple.
Varies little food but for a drier note.
Very easy and enjoyable to drink as it invites to the next cup and the next one!

Overall: another splendid sake especially suited for “nurukan/about 40 degrees temperature”!
It would useful to know that Takashima Brewery produces only junmai-type sake these days!
A sake to enjoy with higher-class izakaya cuisine!
Suggested pairings: BBQ, kusaya, sausages, yakitori.

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Kikugawa City, Morimoto Brewery, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka Prefecture, Uncategorized

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery-Koshu Roman 2011Genshu Junmai

May 24, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to meet again an old friend, namely Hitoshi Morimoto, owner and master brewer at Morimoto Brewery in Kikugawa City at a great izakaya in Shizuoka City, Hana Oto, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

The sake served for this special event was a real and very gem, a koshu/aged sake brewed in 2011 and matured at room temperature. It goes without saying that you need incredible expertise and a lot of courage to create such a nectar!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Pasteurized only once
Matured at room temperature
Bottled in 2011

Clarity: very clean
Color: golden
Aroma: dry and fruity. Dry Sherry
Body: fluid
Taste: deep, fruity attack backed up with only a little junmai petillant.
Complex: dry sherry, plums
Lingers for a while before departing on drier notes of greens and more sherry.
Varies little with food but a sweeter note of white sherry.

Overall: simply extravagant and a very rare experience!
Absolutely splendid sake to be enjoyed as a sherry, either at room temperature or lightly warmed.
The kind of sake you appreciate like a fine sherry after dinner in special company!
If you really wish to pair it, do so with roast beef, BBQ, yakitori and cheese!

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sake, Sanwa Brewery, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Hagoromo no Mai Junmai Ginjo

May 23, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day, while shopping at Cenova Department Store I felt attracted by a old regular nectar by Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City.
Being a 300ml bottle it is very practical for keeping chilled in the fridge in these increasingly warm days!

Although Sanwa Brewery is mostly known now for its Garyubai Label, Hagoromo no Mai/The Light Veil Dance in commemoration of a famous legend occurring on Miho Beach in Shimizu Ku, is still produced after many years of existence.

It is completely different from the Garyubbai labels and I thought it was time to taste this year’s nectar!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in March 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: golden
Aroma: Assertive, dry and fruity. Pineapple, custard.
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and strong attack backed with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: coffee beans, almonds, faint oranges.
Lingers for a short while on the palate before departing on dry notes of smoked almonds and walnuts.
Takes an even drier turn with food with strong notes of smoked nuts.

Overall: strong, solid, old fashioned sake untypical of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Obviously conceived to accompany food, especially heavy izakaya fare.
For traditional dry sake lovers!
Suggested pairings: broiled meats, Nabe/Japanese pot-au-feu, BBQ, blue cheese.

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Japanese Cakes, Japanese Gastronomy, Wagashi

Japanese Cakes/Wagashi 1: Introduction

May 20, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

There is a traditional way of making cakes in Japan that ought to please no end vegans and people allergic to wheat flour and dairy products, namely Wagashi!

Wagashi (和菓子) is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits.

Wagashi is typically made from natural based (mainly plant) ingredients. The names used for wagashi commonly fit a formula—a natural beauty and a word from ancient literature; they are thus often written with hyōgaiji (kanji that are not commonly used or known), and are glossed with furigana.

Generally, confectioneries that were introduced from the West after the Meiji Restoration (1868) are not considered wagashi. Most sorts of Okinawan confectionery and those originating in Europe or China that use ingredients alien to traditional Japanese cuisine, e.g., kasutera, are only rarely referred to as wagashi.

Assortment of wagashi for a tea ceremony

During the Edo period, the production of sugarcane in Okinawa became highly productive, and low quality brown sugar as well as heavily processed white sugar became widely available. A type of sugar, wasanbon, was perfected in this period and is still used exclusively to make wagashi. Wagashi was a popular gift between samurai, in significance much like a good wine. Wagashi is served as part of a Japanese tea ceremony, and serving a good seasonal wagashi shows one’s educational background.

Wagashi in the shape of rape flowers/Na no Hana

There are many, many kinds of Wagashi.
I will introduce them in the next posting, followed by another posting on the basic preparation.

Shizuoka’s Abekawa Mochi

Just know that about every region in Japan has its own traditional Wagashi!

Avaibility:
Wagashi is widely available in Japan, but quite rare outside it.
Minamoto Kitchoan (源吉兆庵)
Has a varied selection, and stores in New York City (shipping throughout the US), London (shipping throughout Europe), and Singapore, in addition to Japan.
Toraya (とらや)
Has a full Paris store, stores in Japan, and sells a limited selection (yōkan only) at New York stores.
Fugetsu-do
Family owned and operated in the USA, since 1903, Fugetsu-do now ships anywhere in the USA.

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Craft beers, Japan, Japan Craft Beers, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Craft Beer: Aoi Brewing-Harumi　(2016 version-3rd Batch)

May 15, 2016 dragonlife 1 Comment

Last year Aoi Brewing produced its first Harumi craft beer, a fruit craft beer made with real mikan/mandarin oranges grown in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City called “harumi mikan”. Following its great success it will be brewed every year although the quantity is limited due to the restricted availability of the mandarins!

This year’s Harumi will actually be brewed into 3 different batches which are bound to taste differently according to the very difference between the harvested mikan.
The harumi used in this third batch were comparatively bigger and more juicy than in the second batch.
Again the yeast was different.

Served on tap
Barley, Pilsner Malt, Maris Otter malt, Topaz hop, Sapphire hop, French Saison yeast
Unfiltered
Natural carbonation
Acohol/ABV: 5.5 degrees
IBU: 17
Production: 450 l
Bubbles: Shortish head, very fine bubbles, creamy, white color
Color: lemon/orange
Aroma: dry and fruity. Stronger than second batch. Oranges and lemons, orange albedo.
Taste: very deep, dry and fruity attack.
Quite different from second batch. More complex with plenty of green mandarin oranges and citruses.
Beautiful acidity which will fade away on a lighter note.
Lingers long enough on palate for true tasting before departing on notes of oranges and complex acidity
Lemons tend to fight with oranges with every sip
Changes little with food but for the appearance of more and more dry mandarin oranges.

Overall: very elegant and intriguing fruit craft beer.
Simply extravagant, and even better than the second batch!
Should please ladies and dry fruit beer lovers in particular.
A craft beer for all seasons.
Suggested pairings: vegetable salads, mixed nuts.

Beer Junkie MOTEL

420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 11-5, IMAKKOKO Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-253-6558
Opening hours: 18:00~25:00
Closed on Tuesday
Parties welcome
FACEBOOK

BEER GARAGE

Aoi Brewing Co.,Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyagasaki Chyo, 30
Tel.: 054-294-8911
Opening hours: 17:00~23:00 (Monday~Friday), 15:00~23:00 (Saturday), 15:00~22:00 (Sunday)
Closed on Tuesdays
COD, Cash On Delivery only for all orders.
MAP
FACEBOOK

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

Some Aoi beers are also available at Aoi Brewery’s restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely

GROWSTOCK

420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koyamachi Naka Building, 5F
Tel.: 054-293-9331
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00 (Mon.~Thurs.), 17:00~27:00 (Fri & Sat.), 17:00~24:00 (Sun.)
Parties welcome (reserve!)
Credit Cards OK
FACEBOOK

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La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, Oomuraya Brewery, sake, Sake Breweries, Shimada City, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-Wakatake Premium Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

May 8, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

This time we tasted a very special and extravagant sake by Oomuraya Brewery in Shimada City!

Wakatake Premium Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Homarefuji!
This is still the only Junami Daiginjo made with Shziuoka Prefecture-grown Homarefuji sake rice in the whole Prefecture!

It was conceived by Master Brewer Wataru Hibino/日比野哲杜氏!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Single pasteurization
Dryness: + 3
Acidity: 1.3
Amino acids: 1.1
Yeast: Shizuoka HD-1
Bottled in April 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Lychees, faint pears, melon and banana.
Body: fluid. Slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong, dry and fruity attack backed with beautiful junmai petillant.
Complex: oranges, lychees.
Lingers for a while on the palate before departing on drier notes of oranges and apricots.
Lychees make a constant comeback with every sip.
Very pleasant alcohol but not overwhelming in spite of its high contents. Will actually milder with rise of temperature.

Overall: Extravagant, elegant and really masculine despite its complexity.
Will of course please ladies thanks to its superlative balance in strength and elegance.
A sake which ought to be tasted and enjoyed on its own but if you must absolutely pair it I would recommend blue cheese, chocolate, foie gras or broiled conger eel.
Definitely a high class digestif!
At its best slightly chilled, but beware of its alcohol contents! LOL

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00, 12:00~18:00 on Sundays & National Holidays
FACEBOOK (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

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