Category Archives: Japanese sake

Japanese sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Hiyaoroshi Genshu

September 1, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, has produced this famous brand for some time.
The word “Garyubai” actually for the name of celebrated garden inside a temple in Okitsu, Shimizu Ku!

Sanwa Brewery is arguably the first brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture to put its “Hiyaoroshi/pasteurized only once” on the market in August!
At 16~17 degrees of alcohol, it can considered a “genshu/no water added”, making it an unaltered sake since it is also a junmai/no pure rice alcohol added!

Incidentally, the tasting was conducted at la Sommeliere Wine & Sake Bar in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki (Hyogo Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Dryness: + 1
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in August 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color: faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Pleasant alcohol. Pears, banana, hints of melon
Body: fluid
Taste: Dry, fruity and well-rounded attack backed by puissant junmai petillant and pleasant alcohol
Drier than expected.
Custard, macadamia nuts.
Lingers for a while ending with pleasant acidity.
Becomes slightly sweeter with food with dark chocolate and coffee beans making an appearance.
Marries beautifully with any food.

Overall: Elegant for such a strong alcohol sake. Surprisingly drier than expected.
Beautiful on its own although at its best with food. I tasted it with a French Croque-Monsieur for a great marriage.
It just proves that great sake holds its own to any great wine!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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

Fujieda City, Japanese sake, Sake Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sugii Brewery-Suginishiki Junmai Daiginjo Kimoto

August 29, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City has always been an innovator closely looked by connoisseurs all over Japan.
They are not afraid to innovate or trying old methods again as with this kimoto, a natural fermentation process difficult to control and bring to success!

This particular tastings like so many was conducted in another “secret lair” of mine.
Sorry, but I’m not allowed to divulge its name in articles! LOL

Rice: Yamada Nishiki (Hyogo Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 40% for the kooji rice and 50% for the kake rice
Yeast: Shizuoka HD-1
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.3
Bottled in July 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and dry. Pears
Body: Fluid
Taste: very fruity and slightly dry attack backed up by a little junmai petillant.
Both complex and straightforward.
Pears, apricots, chestnuts.
Drinks very easily.
Lingers on the palate longer than usual to end up on a drier note.
Dark chocolate appears with other cups.
Changes little with food.
Becomes sweeter and acquires a more pronounced well-rounded attack with rise in temperature.

Overall: A beauty when you consider the difficulty!
Very mysterious for a kimoto.
Best appreciated with food in spite of its elevated status.
Its dryness makes it a superb aperitif although thoroughly enjoyable for the whole meal whatever the gastronomy!
A discovery!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Croque-Monsieur, Japanese sake, Shizuoka City

Croque-Monsieur & Sanwa Brewery Junmai Ginjo Hiyaoroshi at La Sommeliere Wine & Sake Bar in Shizuoka City!

August 28, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Shy but very friendly
Equipment and facilities: Spotless clean. Superb washroom. Entirely non-smoking!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Local sake by the glass. Extensive wine list by the glass. Bottles on sale. Great local bread and pastries. Home-made light food

I have already said that 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 is already my third shizuoka sake tasting article conducted there!

This time the sake was also made in Shimizu Ku by Sanwa Brewery!
Garyubai has become the trade flag of the brewery and the latter is one of the first breweries to put their “Hiyaoroshi/pasteurized only once” on the market in Shizuoka Prefecture.
It is a Junmai ginjo and genshu/no pure rice alcohol blended in, to boot!
Report coming soon!

Croque-Monsieur (“Crunching a gentleman”) comes into many guises, especially in Japan, and I wanted to savor Mrs. Hiromi Hasegawa/長谷川浩美さん’s own version since I’m sure she a lady intent on devouring her male competitors!

Served with its own salad it easily becomes a full lunch!

長谷川浩美さん’s is a sandwich version made with two thin slices of Pain de Campagne/Country Bread baked by Trottix bakery in Shizuoka City!

The filling is a combination of sweet white onion and Iberico bacon.
The topping is real home-made bechamel sauce with French gruyere!

Looking forward to the next double tasting!

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
Closed on Sundays & National Holidays
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Japanese sake, Kyoto, Shinto Shrines

Japanese Sake Barrels and Others at Shinto Shrines in Kyoto City!

June 18, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

One big difference between Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples in japan is that you will find Japanese sake barrels in the former and never in the latter!
It is great fun for the sake lovers to check which breweries are being represented!