Category Archives: Sake Brewery

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery: Sayogoromo no Uta Genshu Nama Junmai Ginjo

May 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

“Sayogoromo no Uta/The Light Night Veil Song”! Call a Japanese friend to translate the label. It is worth it!
And the sake is also worth a long conversation as it it is practically untouched/adulterated in its making! No pure alcohol or water added!

Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Dryness: + 1
Acidity: 1.7
Bottled in 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Light, dry. Pears
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded dry attack with assertive junmai petillant.
Both complex and straightforward at the same time.
Pears and nothing else apparently!
Disappears quickly on a dry note.
Turns on a drier note with food with more junmai petillant.
Elegant in spite of its high alcohol content that tends to be dangerously forgotten!

Overall: Another Morimoto Brewery nectar off the beaten tracks of Shizuoka Prefecture or whatever traditions for that matter!
Chilled, makes for a superb aperitif, probably the best compliment to be made to any sake!
For special people only!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-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

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki

May 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

The toji/brewmaster at Shidaizumi brewery in Fujieda City is of the Noto School, that is from Noto Peninsula in Ichikawa Prefecture.
Ichikawa and Shizuoka Prefecture sake arevery similar in concept and many are made for sake tasting competitions.

Elegant presentation!

plenty of explanations but this is the very top!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 15^16 degrees
Yeast: Shizuoka HD-1
Dryness: + 4.0
Acidity: 1.3

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fleeting, elegant. Rice
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft well-rounded attack backed up by junmai petillant.
Abruptly turns to a very dry note at the back of the palate upon swallowing.
Complex:
Pears, hints of green apple, grapes. Late appearance of dry nuts.
Elegant and sophisticated. There is no point to drink it with food although it changes little.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived to be tasted on its own.
A great and so elegant aperitif when chilled.
But is eminently enjoyable at any temperature.
A sake to impress your friends or important people!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery-Sayogoromo Junmai Koshu Roman

May 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Morimoto brewery is not only “notorious” for its sake away from the general Shizuoka trend but it also produces extraordinary “koshu/old sake”!

But the more extraordinary is that that particular koshu had been matured at room temperature for the last 12 years!

And there were only 3 bottles left in the whole brewery!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Bottled in 2001

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden
Aroma: Chinese old spirits, very dry, sherry
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong pleasant dry attack.
Very complex.
Reminiscent of a dry sherry at first, but turns sweet on the palate before disappearing on a drier note.
Very fruity. Mandarines, apricot, loquats, dry persimmon.
Changes little with food although junmai petillant asserts itself.
So easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol contents.

Overall: A rare treat as usual!
To think that every year sees a new sake crafted to be left in the same spot for years and years!
Makes for the perfect aperitif although it would definitely make for a very dangerous proposition late at night!
For connoisseurs and gastronomes only!

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-Nyan Cup Junmai Ginjo

April 15, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City has the particularity to be the first to produce a sake in a cup with the name “Nyan/Pussy” character painted on the glass cup.

Both the name “Nyan Cup” and the design are registered copyrights! The fact it is directly “painted” on the cup make it impossible to copy!

Yes, this cute design is copyrighted!

And it is certainly not a cheap sake!

Although the marketed price is ridiculously low!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki 100%
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: 0
Alcohol: 15.8 degrees
Contents: 180 ml
Bottled in February 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Rice, white lees, banana
Body: Fluid
Tasting: Very fruity attack backed by junmai petillant.
Elegant and complex.
Lingers on very little and departs on a very soft note.
Pears, melon, almonds, hints of banana.
Changes little with food but for a little more pronounced dryness.

Overall: Absolutely extravagant for a sake cup sake. I would venture as far as to averring it is arguably the best sake sold in a cup in japan!
It would make for the perfect souvenir/present to a sake-loving lady! Now, if she does like cats, you’ll become a darling!
The soft elegance will appeal to any true sake lover. Almost sweet by Shizuoka standards.
Don’t bring too many with you! Danger! LOL!
I personally consider it as a great aperitif lightly chilled!
Next time I go to France, I’ll take a bunch with me!

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Iwata City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-“Kiwami” O karakuchi + 20 Honjozo

April 7, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

The toji/brew master in Senju Brewery, Iwata City, is the only Echigo School toji in Shizuoka Prefecture and it shows when creating limited brews!

This is a very dry sake even by Shizuoka dry standards!
Incidentally “kiwami/極” means “very good”!

At + 20 it must be a record here or very near it!

Rice milled down to 65%
Alcohol: 14~15 degrees (low alcohol)
Bottled in March 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fragrant, dry, oranges, banana, pineapple.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack but very fruity and easy to drink.
Warms up back of the palate in a gentle but insistent manner.
In spite of the elegant fruitiness the dryness tends to conceal the multiple facets of this sake which nonetheless appear on the tongue and palate once the dryness has receded.
Oranges, nuts, chestnuts, hints of coffee beans.
Lingers on only for a while.
Marries beautifully with any dish or food without interfering with the latter, almost taking a back seat.

Overall: An intriguing and very dry but still gentle sake.
Its multiple facets are difficult to catch, which entices you to the next sip and glass.
For dry sake lovers, be they ladies or gentlemen!
In spite of its dryness it is very elegant and soft as the alcohol level is somewhat low by Shizuoka standards.
Makes for a mysterious love affair with dark chocolate!
I personally think you could eminently enjoy it on its own at any temperature or with any food, be it a vegetable appetizer, a meat stew or a dessert.
A sure value!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Aoshima Brewery-Kikuyoi Futsushu Muroka Shiboritate Tooki Genshu

February 14, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

When Aoshima Brewery puts out a “futsushu/normal sake/non-premium sake”, it is a small event in itself!
In fact the very title shows it has got little normal about it!
“Futsushu” stands for “normal sake”, “Muroka” for “Unfiltered”, Shibroitate” for “Just pressed”, “Tooki” for “Winter Season” and “Genshu” for Unwatered sake”.
On top of that it is a “Gentei/Limited” sake!

Plenty of explanations for a “Normal sake#!

As I have already said it is a limited brand, and it could be the very last one as Aoshima San confided he might not make any more “futsushu” from next year as they turn to be more expensive than a premium honjozo!

Alcohol: 19~20 degrees
Bottled on 21st December 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color light golden hue
Aroma: Discreet end elegant. Alcohol. Rice
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong attack backed with puissant delicious alcohol and petillant akin to a junmai.
Very dry in approach.
Complex: dry nuts.
Lingers for a while with alcohol warming up back of the palate.
Varies very little with food. Only get drier with more petillant.
Actually marries marvelously with any food, especially heavy izakaya fare.

Overall: For lovers of elegant but strong sake!
You have to told again and again that it is only a “futsushu/normal sake” as there is nothing normal about it!
This is when you realize the general level of the sake found in Shizuoka Prefecture! Just add on top of that that Aoshima Brewery’s Kikuyoi brand regularly appears on national magazines…!!!!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji-Takasago Brewery-SOLEIL Daiginjo

February 13, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

Sometimes, actually more often than thought, sake brewers do have a special feeling for wine and present their best sake in the same fashion!

Fuji-Takasago brewery in Fujinomiya City goes as far as present it with a very special box for collectors!

The Missus has already put her hands on that particular box!
Actually “SOLEIL”, meaning “SUN” in French, has been produced as very special brand every year and is naturally very limited.
Incidentally there is not a single mistake in the French label!

Rice milled down to 35%
Alcohol: 15,5 degrees
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Fruity and dry. Alcohol. Banana, pineapple
Body: fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong pleasant alcohol accompanying fruity attack.
Nuts: chestnuts, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts.
Ends fairly quickly on a dry coffee beans,banana and dark chocolate note.
Elegant in spite of its fairly strong attack.
Complex with facets surging from nowhere.
Turns drier with food and takes a back step with heavy fare but marries well akin to a slightly dry wine.

Overall: Quite extravagant!
Mind you, it is a daiginjo created in a very peculiar fashion with rice milled all the way down to 35%, an extremely low level!
Probably best appreciated on its own like a fine mild/moelleux white wine.
Its very nutty taste would make would make for a beautiful liqueur slightly chilled.
Actually, I would recommend it instead of a wine to go with chocolate or cheese.
All in all, you couldn’t beat it as a nightcap in very special company!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fukuroi City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kokko Brewery-Tokubetsu Junmai Nakagumi Muroka Genshu “Miyabi no Iki”

February 1, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Another great sake from a great brewery with a story for a name!
Kokko Brewery in Fukuroi City is known for its very sake even in this Prefecture where sake are drier than usual!
The name “Miyabi no Iki/雅の粋2 could be translated as “The Essence of Elegance”!

“Naka Gumi/中汲み” stands for the fact that the sake was directly scooped out of the tank and “Murooka/無濾過” means that the sake was not filtered.

Rice: Yamada Nishiki 20% + Gohyakumangoku 80%
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: + 7
Acidity: 1.5
Amino acids: 1.3
Yeast: Shizuoka Ginjo HD-1
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Bottled in December 2012

Clarity: Slightly smoky due to the presence of sake kasu/white lees
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Discreet and elegant. Fruity. Banana
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong Junmai and sakekasu/white lees attack.
Very and very fruity: Melon, Oranges, lemon.
Disappears fairly quickly on an even drier note.
Complex and difficult to catch.
Varies little with food although turns slightly milder with more melon notes.

Overall: A strong sake by Shizuoka standards and more akin to “traditional sake” found outside our Prefecture, although its dryness will keep it apart from the latter.
Very pleasurable and easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol contents.
Can be enjoyed with any food, especially heavy izakaya food in spite of its elevated status.
At 55% millage, simply extravagant for a sake fit for izakaya cuisine!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gotemba City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Negami Brewery-Kanou Kinmei Junmai Ginjo

January 31, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

You do have to be on the lookout for limited brews with Negami Brewery in Gotemba City as they tend come and go very quickly, and unless you have the chance to know the brewer personally like my my lucky self, they will pass by you without notice!

This brew is particularly interesting as it experiments with Omachi rice from Okayama prefecture and Hattan 55 Rice from Hiroshima Prefecture, and this with the water and yeast of Shizuoka prefecture!

Rice: Omachi & Hattan 55
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: + 2
Acidity: 1.4
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in October 2012

Clarity: very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Dry and fruity. Melon, banana.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong and fruity attack with lovely dry junmai petillant warming u back of the palate.
Complex and elegant.
Lingers on only for a little while.
Melon, oranges, with notes of sweet lemon.
Begins on a sweetish note to quickly revert onto very fruity dryness.
Changes little with food although takes on an even drier turn.
Eminently enjoyable away from food as well as any time during a repast.

Overall: An elegant and rare sake typical of Negami Brewery.
A sake that elegantly invites you for more intriguing exploration.
Would please ladies and gentlemen alike.
I would definitely it for a special private tete a tete!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Omuraya Brewery-Tokubetsu Junmai Nama sake-Oni Otome Namida

January 11, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

This is the fourth and “last” of a new series of limited sake created by Omuraya Brery in Shimada City every season on the theme of “Oni Otome/鬼乙女/Goblin Lady as the brewery felt that the Oni/鬼/Goblin they were killing everyday with their famous brand “Oni Gorosjhi/鬼殺し/Killing a Goblin” well deserved a companion!

“Namida/涙” stands for “Tears”, obviously Joy tears from the Oni Otome dressed all in white as if for a wedding with her beloved Oni!
But don’t trust her! She is a devious and eminently dangerous lady!
No wonder as it is a “nama”, non-pasteurised sake!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Dryness: + 1.0
Acidity: 1.3
Amino Acids: 1.1
Bottled in December 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Discreet, dry and fruity. Banana
Body: fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack back with junmai petillant.
Oranges.
Disappears fairly quickly.
Complex and elegant and eminently enjoyable.
Varies little with food except for an accentuated dryness.
Actually marries well with food and improves accordingly.
Shows more facets with further sips including coffee beans.

Overall: A beautiful sake which marries well with food in spite of its fairly elevated status.
Perfect with izakaya cuisine and heavy food.
Especially appreciated by ladies. No wonder!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji Takasago Brewery-Limited Edition-Kotobuki

January 11, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Every year Fuji Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City has the interesting habit of producing a limited brew called “Kotobuki/寿?, meaning “Congratulations” with “leftovers of different brew concocted during the year.
Actually it is a very happy blend of sake difficult to classify but eminently enjoyable, the more for it that it is limited!
Note the character 寿/kotobuki/congratulations has been designed in the shape of a Snake as 2103 is the Year of the Snake!

Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 5.0
Bottled in November 21012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Light and fruity. Melon
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded fruity attack with beautiful alcohol warming up back of the palate.
Disappears quickly.
Very fruity in spite of its announced dryness.
Complex. Nutty flavor almost exploding on the tongue.
Almonds, dark chocolate, macadamia nuts.
Tends to become even drier with plenty of almonds popping up at the back of the palate after a few sips.

Overall: Very easy to drink and more elegant than expected!
Great with food, although could actually be enjoyed on its own as a chilled aperitif or a night cap!
Would greatly marry with cheese!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake: “Homare Fuji” Sake Rice Actively Promoted Locally and Nationally!

December 16, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Courtesy of Shizuoka Shinbun

Shizuoka sake brewed with Homare Fuji Rice being tasted at “Shizuoka Green Tea Plaza, Tokyo Prefectural Tokyo Tourism Office in Yuraku-Cho, Tokyo.

On the 13th of December no less than 20 Shizuoka Breweries, including internationally famous Doi (Kaiun) and Hatsukame Breweries, organised a tasting feast in Tokyo at the “Shizuoka Green Tea Plaza, Tokyo Prefectural Tokyo Tourism Office in Yuraku-Cho, to actively promote sake made exclusively with Homare Fuji Sake Rice first developped and grown in Shizuoka Prefecture, a feat noteworthy for its uniqueness in the very traditional world of sake brewing in Japan!

Courtesy of Shizuoka Shinbun.

On the Prefectural scene many breweries are active promoting sake made with Homare Fuji rice such as Kanzawagawa Brewery (Shosetsu) which has been organizes brewery viewing and sake seminars since 2005 on a regular basis! This year no less than 49 sake lovers participated to the latest seminar! Knowing the brewery well, the establishment must have been really crowded!

At least the future of Japanese sake is quite rosy here in Shizuoka Prefecture!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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Shizuoka Sake: A New” Brewery Born: Hiraki Shizuoka Brewery!

December 15, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Courtesy of Shizuoka Shinbun,

A”New” sake brewery is born in Shizuoka City!

Why “New” then?

Actually, by Japanese law you cannot/may not obtain a new brewery license. The only way to create/establish a new brewery is to acquire the license from a brewery which has decided to cease business before they give their license back to the government. In fact such a license can be kept indefinitely although the Tax & Excise Bureau do all it can to get it back as soon as possible. Strangely enough, such a rule applies only to sake breweries, brewers and owners…

Hiraki Company in Shizuoka City, a company with roots back in Edo Period, the biggest distributor of large spirits and drinks companies in Shizuoka Prefecture had momentarily moved from Kakegawa City in Shizuoka Prefecture to Okayama Prefecture in 1956 to acquire Hiraki Brewery while the law permitted it. They consequently moved back to Shizuoka City in 1967 to expand their business as the local distributor for big corporate companies producing drinks and spirits. Naturally, they sold their sake brand called Kihei (and still do. “Kihei” actually is the inverted name of “Hiraki”!) in Shizuoka Prefecture and were also very active in offering contracts between the local sake breweries and the big companies in Nada (Kobe area) to produce sake to the latter according to their requirements.

According to them they decided to produce sake again in Shizuoka Prefecture after a 45-year lapse (I think dates are manipulated there, but who am I to say?) after the new sake rice brand, namely “Homare Fuji” was recognized as such by the Shizuoka Prefecture and the Ministry of Agricultre and Forestry.
In 2009 they applied to the Japanese Tax & Excise Bureau after acquiring the license of Sogatsuru Brewery in Kakegawa City which had kept it (they had actually lent it to Hagi No Kura Brewery, presently Suruga Brewery for a while) ever since they stopped all activities more than 10 years ago.
Although you are not supposed to buy it, but just acquire it, I know from reliable sources that Hiraki Company obtained the license for 30,000,000 yen….

On the 1st of November 2012 they obtained permission from the Tax & excise Bureau and starting making sake end of November. They have moreover announced they are brewing real “Shizuoka sake” (although they have admitted they will also produce sake from other brands of sake rice from other Prefectures) with Shizuoka-grown Hoamre Fuji rice, Shizuoka yeast and Shizuoka water from the Abe River basin.

They have officially become members of The Shizuoka Prefecture Brewers Association and their sake will be on display at the next Shizuoka Sake Tasting Fair in March.
I was assured by the Shizuoka Prefecture Brewers Association that they were serious and did not plan to use their new brewery to facilitate sales of their Okayama Brewery sake…

Time will tell…

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-“Midoshi” Honjozo

December 12, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City holds this great tradtion to @roduce a honjozo with a beautiful label every year for the coming Japanese New Year!
Next year will be the year of the Serpent (Snake), that is Midshi/巳歳 in Japanese as you can see on the label!

Rice milled down to 60 %
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity, slightly sirupy
Taste: Dry and very fruity attack.
Alcohol pleasantly warming up back of the palate.
Lots of nuts including almonds and macadamia nuts. Banan.
Lingers only for a little while with a very pleasant aftermath.
Drinks easily and insistently calls for the “next cup”.
Take a drier turn with food with strong hints of coffee beans.
Makes a quick comeback to fruity, almost sweetish attack back with plenty of nuts and stronger banana once away from food.

Overall: A sake designed to be enjoyed at length. Although obviously conceived to accompany food, I enjoyed it best slightly chilled on its own. Would make for a great nightcap! Or even an afternoon drink in summer in spite of its being designed for the cold weather at the turn of the year.
Personally I would be very willing to drink it with very strong cheese!
On the Japanese Gastronomic theater it perfectly marries with o-shinko/pickles and heavy izakaya cuisine!

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Food, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-Senju Junmai Ginjyo Genshu Shiboritate

December 11, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Senju is a small but remarkable brewery in Iwata City, Western Shizuoka Prefecture, and it is not always easy to get their brews here in Shizuoka City, but for fortunately Matsuzakya Department Store has endeavored to make them known recently!

Since I found this junmai ginjo genshu, meaning it went through through no moderation, be it pure water or pure alcohol, I had the occasion to taste the original sake of the brewery!
Moreover, since the rice was grown in Shizuoka Prefecture, it makes for a truly local sake!

Rice: Shizuoka-groen Gohyakumangoku
Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Bottled in November 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Strong and pleasant. Alcohol. Chestnuts. Grilled nuts.
Body: Fluid
Tasting: Very dry attack backed by puissant junmai petillant.
Very pleasant first impression in spite of the high alcohol content warming up the back of the palate.
Complex and fruity. Very difficult to “catch”.
Nutty, dry roasted nuts, yoghurt.
Disappears very quickly on a drier note.
Varies little with food, although tends to take a slight turn to sweetness then.
Very unexpected taste and flavors for a Shizuoka sake.

Overall: An unusual sake for Shizuoka Prefecture, both in approach and taste.
Dry but complex, puissant but elegant, very difficult to catch. Fleetingg, mysterious.
Although macho in approach, will attract ladies in particular for its fleeting character.
Although eminently enjoyable with food it will probably best appreciated on its own slightly chilled.
Could be served as a beautiful aperitif, too!

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