Category Archives: Sanwa Brewery

Japanese sake, Sanwa Brewery, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery Junmai Daiginjo!

March 15, 2020 dragonlife Leave a comment

Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shzuoka City is already producing standard 180ml bottles, but they have recently come up with a cute blue vase-shaped bottle. The Missus is impatiently waiting to use it as a small flower vase! LOL

For practical and esthetic reasons the “label” is used to seal the top!

You have to read it on both sides!

And on top!

Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in January 2020

Clarity: very clear
Color: very faint golden hue
Aroma: soft, fruity, discreet, pleasant. Faint pineapple and pears.

Tasting: soft attack warming up the palate. Junmai petillant. Dry and fruity. Pears.
Tends to spread all over the palate, almost aggressively with food in a complete transformation although flavors do not vanish!
Comes back to original state once away fro food, but with the appearance of coffee beans and mikan.
Will take an even drier turn with desserts.

Comments: very fine sake, arguably bets appreciated on its own as it tends to greatly vary with food, although thatin itself becomes a very interesting trait!

Recommended pairings: light food and s greens such as asparaguses and fresh oysters. otherwise would change too much!

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Japanese sake, One Cup sake, Sanwa Brewery, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: One Cup Series 16: Sanwa Brewery Garyubai junmai ginjo homarefuji, 120th Anniversary of Shimizu Port!

March 15, 2020 dragonlife Leave a comment

Finally Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City has joined the One Cup Sake Movement! LOL

They had many reasons to do beside the obvious business advantages.
First it became an opportunity to introduce the local mascot and remind people that Mount Fuji stands in Shizuoka Prefecture (and Yamanashi Prefecture! And certainly not in Kanagawa Prefecture or Tokyo!)!

It also commemorates the 120th Anniversary of the founding of modern times Shimizu Port!

This sake was made with locally grown Homare Fuji rice!

Rice: Homare Fuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled in December 2019

Clarity: very clear
Color: very light golden hue
Aroma: light, fruity, dry. Pears, pineapple, green apples

Tasting: strong dry attack backed with junmai petillant. Almonds, pineapple, nuts, oranges.
disappears quickly enough finishing on a very dry note.
Takes on a milder turn with food and nuttier with still a dry finish.
Drier almonds and oranges and junmai petillant making a strong comeback once away from food.

Comments: very dry and strong sake for a Garyubai by Sanwa Brewery.
Comparatively uncomplicated, solid, dependable sake.
Despite its high status of junmai ginjo a sake fit for any food, especially heavy or izakaya cuisine.

Recommended pairings: grilled meats, stews, nabemono, cheese.

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La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, sake, Sake Brewery, Sanwa Brewery, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Fukurotsuri Shizuku Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

August 29, 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 nectar produced by Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

As usual it bears a long name!
Fukurotsuri Shizuku (the sake is filtered through a suspended cloth bag drip by drip) Junmai (no pure rice alcohol blended in) Ginjo Nama (unpasteurized) Genshu (no pure water blended in) Homarefuji (sake rice grown in Shizuoka Prefecture)!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 5%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Dryness: + 5
Acidity: 1.5
Bottled in May 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: light golden hue
Aroma: very dry. Greens, water spinach (kuushinsai)
Body: fluid
Taste: dry and vegetables backed with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex. Lychees, faint dark chocolate, star fruit.
Lingers for a while before departing on more notes of sweet and sour vegetables.
Ends up more complex and dry with rise in temperature.
Varies little with food.

Overall: a very unusual sake, difficult to classify and the more intriguing for it.
Taste it first chilled to later discover more and more new facets with rise in temperature.
A discovery!
Suggested pairings: Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines, mabodofu, dry curry rice.

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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sake, Sake Brewery, Sanwa Brewery, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Junmai Ginjo “Ryoofu Kashu”

July 6, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

It is the time of the year when Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City puts out its summer limited sake!

Its name?
“Ryoofu Kashu/涼風夏酒”, that is “”cool wind, summer sake”!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku (Toyama Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.3
Bottled in June 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: dry and fruity. Dry bananas, dry melons, apricot
Body: fluid
Taste: strong, dry and fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: dry melons.
Lingers for a short while on palate before departing with dry notes of apricot, banana and flowers.
Tends to show more facets with further sips such as faint coffee beans.
Varies little with food.
Peaches and plums will appear with rise of temperature.

Overall:: very dry and elegant sake. Drier and more masculine than usual although ladies will also appreciate it.
Can be enjoyed at any temperature on its own or with any food.
Suggested pairings: salads, asparaguses, oden.

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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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