Tag Archives: sake

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/11/01): Autumn 2012 Release: Yabai-Yabai Strong Scotch Ale

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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Autumn 2012 Release: Yabai-Yabai Strong Scotch Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The wait is over. Today we are releasing from our cellars the 2012 version of Yabai-Yabai Strong Scotch Ale! You should be able to find pints on draught at your favorite Baird Beer drinking establishment beginning Friday, November 2 (and at our own Taproom pubs beginning today — Thursday, November 1). Bottles (360 ml) too are available through our network of Baird Beer retailing liquor stores in Japan.

New Seasonal Baird Beer Releases:
*Yabai-Yabai Strong Scotch Ale 2012 (ABV 7.5%):

Scotland, an historically important center of beer brewing, has a cool climate that favors cultivation of the hardy barley plant. Scottish Ales, thus, tend to feature the rich and robust flavor of malted barley. Baird Yabai-Yabai Strong Scotch Ale is, in a word, opulent! The color is a deep mahogany brown and the head is dense, creamy and tan. The aroma is one of soft fruit esters and warm fusel alcohols. The body is chewy and the flavor exhibits notes of molasses, caramel apples, rum cake and pit fruit. One hearty pint is enough to take the bite out of the late autumn chill. Two pints will leave you toasty, and blissfully, warm. Three pints and…. YABAI!

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Negami Brewery-Kinmei Junmai Genshu Shiboritate

Negami Brewery is one of only 13 breweries that exclusively produce junmai sake in Japan, meaning they never mix it/blend it with pure rice alcohol.
It has acquired a lot of recognition in Shizuoka and else recently although the brewery rarely participates to competitions due to its unusually long brewing season.

Every year they produce their first sake as early as October, as indicated by this “Shiboritate/Just pressed” when other breweries start their “shikomi/rice import” only by the end of the same month!

Rice:
Shubo kome/Yeast starter: Yamada Nishiki milled down to 50%
Koji Kome/Koji mold rice: Yamada Nishiki milled down to 50%
Kake kome/Rice added to form the moromi/mash: Omachi milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 18% (genshu)
Acidity: 2.1
Bottled in October 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Puissant attack backed by pleasant alcohol.
Fruity: pears. Faint custard.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack backed by very puissant alcohol first hand in hand with junmai petillant.
Fruity and complex: Pears shoulder their way forward quickly followed by custard and macadamia nuts.
Lingers away for a while waving good-bye on a drier note with raw almonds perking out.
Alcohol tends to nicely fade away leaving the way open to fruity facets.
The delicious dryness is enhanced by a higher acidity than generally met in sake created in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Fruits explode back inside the palate with every new sip.
Marries very well with any food, especially izakaya gastronomy.
Although heady and almost untamed this sake is pleasant to the point of elegance in spite of its high alcohol content.

Overall: A deliciously surprising sake full of wild strength.
My lady friends loved it because of its very dry acidity.
Drinks like a very dry sherry wine!
Although it marries beautifully with any food, it is definitely best appreciated on its own at any temperature.
The prefect last cup for the road or catnap!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujimasa Brewery-Fujinomiya Kouriki Junmai Ginjo Homare Fuji Genshu

Fujimasa Brewery lays at the bottom of Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya City.
Their sake are not easy to find away from Eastern Shizuoka but they definitively worth the efforts to discover them!
Moreover Fujimasa is also actively promoting local products as well as Mount Fuji and the surrounding tourism!

This also another brewery using long descriptions for their sake!
“Fujinomiya Kouriki” means “Strong Promotion of Fujinomiya City”.

The sake is made with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji Sake rice!

Rice: Homare Fuji
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees (genshu)
Bottled in August 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Very dry. Fruity. Dry bananas, rice, alcohol.
Body: fluid
Taste: Very dry attack. Slightly sirupy. Strong alcohol.
Fruity. Deep dry almonds, macadamia nuts, coffee beans, oranges, chestnuts.
Complex.
Lingers for a little while warming up back of the palate with junmai petillant.
Show many new facets with each sip.
Takes on a drier turn but softer note with food.
Coffee beans and chestnuts make a strong comeback away from food.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived for heavy izakaya food but definitely can be enjoyed on its won.
Actually I found it more interesting on its own with so many facets keeping popping up and its beautiful dryness.
Had a strong tendency to change with the further cup, even becoming almost sweet got me lost in wonder!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Italian Gastronomy: Shizuoka Autumn Products Dinner at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

Service: Pro and very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Great overall cleanliness and superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Fresh local ingredients whenever possible. Both traditional and inventive Italian cuisine. Good wine list at moderate prices. Open late!

The other evening, after another long day of shopping, the Missus and I were not in a hurry to go back home and start cooking!
We decided to visit Solio to sample their Autumn menu, mostly made with Shizuoka Prefecture local products!

To cut a long story short, what de we order?

Antimisto Pasti!

Pork roulade with mushrooms marinade!
Note that all vegetables, raw or cooked are from Shizuoka Prefecture, most of them organic!

Seafood gratin!

Italian-style ratatouille!

Hiroshima mussles steamed in white wine!
Very soft!

Raw ham and ricotta cheese fritters!!

Beautiful!

Solio-style Banya Cauda with organic vegetables grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Did I tell you that Solio serves the best rizotto in the Prefecture?

Edamame and smoked cheese baked rizotto!
Note that the luccola are grown organically in Shizuoka, too!

The Missus did not agree with me, but I had to have the dessert!

Almaretto semi-freddo ice cream!

Plum compote and red fruit!

Almaretto Tiramisu!

One of these days I will have to come alone just to sample all the desserts! LOL

To be continued…

SOLOIO
420-0858 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 9-7, Kita, 1
Tel./fax: 054-260-4637
Business hours: 16:00~24:00
Closed on Monday
Credit cards OK
Private parties welcome!
Smoking allowed BUT Non-smoking until 20:00 everyday!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Hiyaoroshi Sake Gastronomic Party by Team Kumagusu & Nagashima Wine Store in Shizuoka City!

On Monday October the 15th Team Kumagusu, an association of Shizuoka Chefs, and Nagashima Wine Store, who all work very hard to promote the Shizuoka Gastronomy and producers, held a gastronomic party at Baker’s Market in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City to celebrate Hiyaoroshi sake/new sake by three breweries and introduce local products from all over the Prefecture!

Mr. Nagashima of Nagashima Wine Store!

Mr. Tozaki of Hana Oto Restaurant and Mr. Sano of Kamoshibito Restaurant!

Mr. Shimura of Narusei Restaurant and Mr. Yoshimura of Uzu Restaurant.
Mr. Nakada of Hiro Sushi Restaurant could not come but his cuisine was also featured!

With 54 guests they certainly needed all the help they could muster!

Some of the appetizers being prepared before the guests made their entrance!

Precise work!

Mr. Takashima Of Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!

Mr. Sugii of Suginishiki Brewery in Fujieda City!

Mr. Doi of Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City!

Some of the sake brought by Mr. Takashima:
Yamahai Junmai Hiyaoroshi
Nigori Junmai
Kimoto Junmai (not on sale yet!)

The mystery sake!

Some of the sake brought by Mr. Sugii:
Kimoto Junmai Hiyaoroshi
Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo (brewed in 2010)

Sake brought by Mr. Doi:
Junmai Ginjo Koshu ((brewed in 1995!)
Junmai Ginjo Nama (brewed in 2010)
Junmai Hiyaoroshi

The chefs tasted the sake before the guests arrived, naturally!

All the water on the tables came directly from the breweries’ wells!

Guests attentively listening to the pre-dinner explanations!

The guests patiently waiting for the festivities to start!
Now, what was on the menu?

A lot actually: Grilled eggplant and trout in konbujime style with sesame oil By Hiro Sushi.

Varied appetizers including:
Jumbo boiled peanuts from Fujinonomiya City by Hana Oto
Small turnip and persimmon marinated by Kamoshibito
Matsunaga tofu marinated in sake malt and crackers by Uzu
shinju Scallops brochette by Narusei

Frogfish liver/ankimo steamed in Seikyousuke style by Uzu

Herring and herring roe by Uzu

Avocado and Scallops in egg yolk umeshu dressing by Uzu.

Fresh mozuku seaweed from Miyako Island in Okinawa.

Organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City steamed by Uzu.

These beautiful vegetables were served with three different sauces!

More beautiful vegetables!
Natural salt was also on hand!

I just couldn’t stop looking at them and asking for more!

Amagi Shamo Chicken from Horie Farm in Izu Peninsula and seasonal vegetables sauteed Chinese style by Hana Oto!

Magenton pork from Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City fried with maitake/Broomstick mushrooms in daikon in daikon sauce by Kamoshibito!

Smoked sawara/Spanish mackerel by Narusei!

Ebihimo and eringe mushrooms in walnut sauce by Kamoshibito!

Mackerel and barracuda pressed sushi by Hiro Sushi!

Fried rice vermicelli by Hana Oto!

A feast!
Looking forward to the next event!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-Junmai Daiginjo Homare Fuji

Not many breweries have attempted or been able yet to produce sake of the daiginjo class with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji rice but Senju brewery in Iwata City has certainly succeeded!

Rice: Homare Fuji
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: Discreet, elegant, fruity. Pears, apples, banana
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft attack backed up by a reasonable amount of junmai petillant.
Turns dry very quickly with an elegant turn.
Complex and fruity: almonds, macadamia nuts, cherries, custard.
Disappears very quickly asking many questions.
Elegant and fleeting.
I did not taste it with food for many reasons and drank it at room temperature only.

Overall: Elegant is the only adjective to describe this sake.
Very fleeting to the point of revealing a very feminine personality.
This is the first time I drank a Junmai Daiginjo with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji rice.
Both a discovery and a secret!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-Ginjo Hiyaoroshi Nama Genshu

September and October are the season for Hiyaoroshi Sake!

Hiyaoroshi generally means that the sake is sold out of the tank without a second pasteurization.
Well this one, being a nama, was never pasteurized!
Moreover it is a genshu limited to a mere 80 bottles!

Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 18~19 degrees
Limited to 80 bottles
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Puissant and dry. Alcohol. Vanilla, pineapple
Body: Fluid
Taste: Smooth attack backed with strong alcohol warming up back of the palate.
Fruity and complex.
Coffee beans, oranges, almonds, dark chocolate.
Very pleasant and easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol content.
Lingers for a little while on a very dry note with more coffee beans and dry almonds perking up.
Varies little with food except for a drier note with more coffee beans and very dry almonds.

Overall: It is not often you can enjoy such a limited premium sake with a very macho character especially in Shizuoka Prefecture. Marries well with food, although extravagant for a meal. I definitely enjoyed best on its own but also drank it with Shizuoka oden! You can’t have it in a more local manner although a lot of people would kill drinking such a beauty with so simple food!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-”Fuji no Kuni” Junmai Ginjo Homare Fuji

Iwata City for all its economic importance in Shizuoka Prefecture has only one Sake Brewery, Senju, but it is head and shoulders above the Japanese average although it is a fairly unknown and small brewery.
Not only they produce top-class nectars, they also actively promote local agriculture and tourism with this sake made with Shizuoka-grown sake rice and named “Fuji no Kuni”, the official nickname of our Prefecture!

Rice: Homare Fuji 100%
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Water from own well into Tenryuu River bed
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Pears, rice.
Body: Fluid & a little sirupy
Taste: Very well-rounded attack. Complex and fruity.
Junmai petillant warming up back of the palate.
Dark chocolate, cherries, pears, almonds. Faint coffee beans.
Disappears fairly quickly on a very dry note.
Turns very dry with food.
Very pleasant on its own.
Marries well with food, although shows different facets then.
Sweetens to linger back under palate once away from food.
Seems to always entice you back.

Overall: Very pleasant sake fit for any food, although eminently drinkable on its own.
Extravagant for a sake made with Homare Fuji rice!
A difficult sake to escape from!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Junmai Ginjo

Sanwa Brewery in Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, is a bit of a maverick as it is the only one not to use the Shizuoka Yeast as a matter of policy!
I love their retro Garyubai label!

This is the season for all the breweries to bottle “Hiyaoroshi/pateurized only once” nectars!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 3
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in August 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Discreet, sweetish, fruity. Vanilla
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft attack backed by junmai petillant warming up back of the palate.
Fruity and a little sirupy. Complex: pears, coffee beans, cherries. Reminiscent of “cherry bonbon”!
Lingers for a while before taking an exit on a drier and fruity note with nuts, almonds and dark chocolate.
Very pleasant and easy to drink.
Takes a drier path with food with more nuts and dark chocolate.
Marries well with food, although it tends to take a back seat with spicy foods.

Overall: An elegant sake off the beaten Shizuoka tracks.
Very pleasant on its own.
Constantly calling for the next glass/cup.
Marries well with food although gets a bit overwhelmed by spicy or heavy food.
A sake to be enjoyed for its sake!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Sake Brewery Tours

Sake Brewery Tours are 5-day excursions into the world of sake brewing, drinking, and enjoyment, featuring an exclusive seminar with respected expert and author, Mr. John Gauntner. Tour of the breweries and dinners with the brewers truly open doors to the new insights to the brewing tradition. Enjoy sumptuous cuisine, luxurious yet quiet
relaxing time at hot springs, and excursions to fantastic cultural highlights.

In 2013, our special excursions take you to experience the best of the snow country in Akita, and to really immerse yourself in the ancient capitals of Japan in the Kansai region.

Register before November 30, 2012 and mention Shizuoka Gourmet to get a special discount.

Akita: February 23 – 27, 2013 (Saturday – Wednesday) 4 nights/5 days
Take this opportunity to enjoy the best of the snow country, Akita.
Meet the sake brewers, savor simple inaka-style Akita cuisine, and soak in onsen. Some very memorable experiences you will find only with us are: a visit to a brewer’s private historic estate; hands-on soba
making experience at a historic sake brewery; memorable private music performance; and more. On the last day, simply relax at the rustic hot springs in the deep snow far away from the city.
Breweries: (Yuki no Bosha, Ama no To, Mansaku no Haha/Manabito, Kariho)
Get Details: http://www.saketours.com/akita2013.html

Kansai: (Kyoto, Nara, Shiga) March 4 – 8, 2013 (Monday – Friday) 5 nights/5 days
Experience Kansai through the lives of people who have devoted themselves to perfecting ancient traditions. Unlike regular tours, we will meet and discuss sake, food, pottery, and the art and culture of Buddhism with those who know it best. From our base in Kyoto, we will have day excursions in the city and out to neighboring Nara and Shiga.
Explore historic small towns most people have never heard of!
In addition to a chance to visit sake breweries during the brewing season, our special excursions include: a taste of three culinary traditions that are very close, yet, distinctive to each area; sake vessel seminar with Robert Yellin and visits to pottery studios; a different view of Japan’s spiritual backbone through the sacred Goma
fire ceremony at a mountain temple.
Breweries: Tsuki no Katsura, Shichihon Yari, Harushika)
http://www.saketours.com/kansai2013.html
Please visit http://saketours.com for tour information. Group size is
limited to 12.

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-Wakatake-Oni Otome Sachi-Tokubetsu Junmai

Oumuraya Brewery in Shimada City has been long famed for its “Oni Goroshi/Kill the Goblin” sake brand.
This year they felt that Oni/Goblins should not be confined to males only!
So they came with cute “Oni-Otome/Lady Goblin” series obviously to kill the sake lovers!
This the third one actually, brown color after the previous pink and blue labels. A fourth white label will appear next winter!

Incidentally “Sachi” means “Dry” in this case!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: 1
Acidity: 1.3
Amino acids: 1.2
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Discreet, fleeting. Pineapple, oranges
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up with alcohol and junmai petillant
Lingers for a while getting even drier with pleasant alcohol warming up the back of the palate.
Complex and fruity.
Almonds, dark chocolate, macadamia nuts followed by drier almonds and faint coffee beans.
For all its sweetish start as indicated + 1 level, the transition to dryness is very accentuated and lasting.
Changes little with food. except with a little rise in sweetness with more coffee beans appearing.
Drinks easily with any food.
Tends to become more complex just after food with new facets.

Overall: A great sake to enjoy with any food, especially izakaya gastronomy.
Changes little with food.
Very pleasurable on its own.
Another sake fit for any food or party.
And that label is so cute!
Kill me with love and sake!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Suruga Brewery-Tenko-Choo Karakuchi Natsu Ki Gentei Genshu + 21

Suruga Brewery in Shizuoka City like some other breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture tends to come up with limited brews with very long names!
Tenko is the name of Suruga Brewery’s main brand.
“Choo Karakuchi” means it is a very dry sake.
“Natsu Ki Gentei” stands for “limited Summer Brew”.

Now “Genshu” means a sake to which no pure water was not blended.
Since it is also a junmai, no pure rice alcohol was added either.
“+21” stands for the dryness level.
Extremely dry, indeed!

Rice: Biyama Nishiki
Rice milled down to 55%
Yeast: Association No 901
Alcohol: 19~20 degrees
Dryness: + 21
Acidity: 2.7
Bottled in June 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: very light golden hue
Body: fluid, sirupy
Aroma: Strong and complex. Alcohol. Dry. Fruity: banana
Taste: Strong attack backed up by puissant junmai petillant, very dry at first, then smooth and sirupy in spite of its dryness.
Complex. Banana, almonds, macadamia nuts.
Lingers for a short while with a lot of junmai petillant with almonds lurking on the palate.
Changes very little with food.

Overall: A very dry sake, indeed, although not as aggressive as expected thanks to its complexity.
Marries perfectly with any food, even sushi!
Another sake I would take to nay house party or BBQ!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Prefecture Gastronomic Guide 1: Sake Breweries

Shizuoka Sake Line-Up made with Shizuoka Homare Fuji Sake Rice (Official Shizuoka Brewers HP)

This is the first part of a long series featuring all aspects Shizuoka Prefecture Gastronomy from Restaurants to brwers and Producers which hopefully will serve as a complete guide in the future
This particular article features all the working (and producing their own sake) Sake Breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture:

EASTERN PART:


Bandai Brewery
Izu City, Toshigawa, 34
Tel.: 0558-72-0050


Takashima Brewery (Hakuin Masamune)
Numazu City, Hara, 354-1
Tel.: 055-966-0018


Fuji-Takasago Brewery
Fujinomiya City, Takara machi, 9-25
Tel.: 0544-27-2008


Fujimasa Brewery (Chiyonomine)
Fujinomiya City, Shimojyou, 642-1
Tel.: 0544-58-0003


Makino Brewery (Shiraito, Fujisan)
Fujinon\miya City, Shimojyou, 1037
Tel.: 0544-58-1188


Fujinishiki Brewery
Fujinomiya City, Kamiyuno, 631
Tel.: 0544-66-0005


Negami Brewery (Kinmei)
Gotemba City, Hodozawa, 850-4
Tel.: 0550-89-3555

CENTRAL PART:


Eikun Brewery
Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Iriyama, 2152
Tel.: 0550-89-3555


Kansawagawa Brewery (Shosetsu)
ShizuokaCity, Shimizu Ku, Yui, 181
Tel.: 054-389-1733


Sanwa Brewery (Garyubai, Hagoromo no Mai)
Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Nishikubo, 501-10
Tel.: 054-366-0839


Haginishiki Brewery
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Nishiwaki, 381
Tel.: 054-285-2371


Masu-Ichi Brewery
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Yamazaki, 2-32, 5
Tel.: 054-278-6005


Kumpai Brewery
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Tegoshi, 302
Tel.: 054-259-3062


Suruga Brewery (Tenko)
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Nishiwaki, 25-1
Tel.:054-288-0003


Hatsukame Brewery
Fujieda City, Okabe Cho, Okabe, 744
Tel.: 054-667-2222


Isojiman
Yaizu City, Negishima, 307
Tel.: 054-628-2204


Sugii Brewery (Sugi Nishiki)
City, Koishikawa Cho, 406-4
tel.: 054-641-0606


Aoshima Brewery (Kikuyoi)
Fujieda City, Aoshima, 246
Tel.: 054-641-5533


Shidaizumi Brewery
Fujieda City, Miyahara, 423-22-1
Tel.: 054-639-0010


Oomuraya Brewery (Wakatake, Onigoroshi, Onna Nakase)
Shimada City, Hontoori, 1-1-8
tel.: 0547-37-3058

WESTERN PART


Morimoto Brewery (Sayogoromo)
Kikugawa City, Horinouchi, 103-3
Tel.: 0537-35-2067


Doi Brewery (Kaiun)
Kakegawa City, Konuki, 633
Tel.: 0537-74-2006


Yamanaka Brewery (Aoitenka)
Kakegwa City, Yokosuka, 61
Tel.: 0537-48-2012


Kokkou Brewery
Fukuroi City, Yamada, 537
Tel.: 0538-48-6405


Senju Brewery
Iwata City, Nakaizumi, 2914-6
Tel.: 0538-32-7341


Hana no Mai Brewery
Hamamatsu City, Kita Ku, Miyaguchi, 632
tel.: 053-582-2121


Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery (Shusseijyo)
Hamamtsu City, naka Ku, Tenjin Cho, 3-57
Tel.: 053-461-6145

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sugii Brewery-Kin No Suke Junmai Natsu Shibori Nakatori Genshu Kimoto Shikomi

Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City makes nectars not only famous all over Japan but also comes with very detailed titles for them!
Alright, let’s go through some explanations:
Kin no Suke/きんの介 is the name of that particular series of sake.
Junmai/純米 means no pure sake alcohol was blended in.
Natsu Shibori/夏搾り means it was pressed in the summer

Nakatori/中取り means only the sake in the middle of the pressing was used.
Genshu/原酒 means that there was no pure water added to lower the alcohol level.

Kimoto Shikomi/生もと仕込み basically means that the whole process was done the traditional natural way.

Rice: Blended rice
Rice milled down to 70%
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.7
Yeast: Association No 7
Alcohol: 18~19 degrees
Bottled in July 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: Strong attack backed with pleasant alcohol. Fruity: Banana, vanilla.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry soft attack in spite of strong and pleasant alcohol.
Disappears quickly on an even drier note.
Complex: Almonds, nuts, greens.
Varies little and stays dry with food. Dark chocolate appears later.
Very reminiscent of sake I used to drink a very long time ago.
Turns sweetish with vinegared foods. Dark chocolate and coffee beans appear with salty foods.

Overall: Another sake obviously conceived to enjoy food!
Although varies little with food, tends to show some very interesting facets depending on the dish.
Definitely takes on a sweeter note for a while just away from food.
Both straightforward and complex, a sake to enjoy with izakaya gastronomy!

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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

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

Sanwa Brewery is located in Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku.
The name of this long seller sake, “Hagoromo no Mai” is directly related with a famous legend taking place in Miho, Shimizu Ku.
A goddess has to dance (“Mai/舞”) for a local fisherman to reclaim her veil (“hagoromo/羽衣) she had carelessly hung on a branch.

The other day I discovered a nice range of Shizuoka sake sold in 180ml bottles along with some better than usual explanations and decided to start the whole line-up!

Their cards actually gave more information than indicated on their bottle labels!

Rice: Blended rice
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15=16 degrees
Dryness: +5
Bottled in April 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Dry. Alcohol. Cherries, greens
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack backed by alcohol and junmai petillant.
Complex. Cherries, traces of coffee beans and almonds.
Disappears on an even drier note with nuts and oranges peeking out.
Takes a softer turn with food with more coffee beans, almonds and cashew nuts.
Greens making a comeback away from food.
Pleasant and easy to drink, especially with food.

Overall: A sake obviously designed to accompany food.
Definitely for dry sake lovers!
Stays very dry with food.
Ideal to accompany heavy foods and sauces as in izakayas.

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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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