Mizuba Tea's Daily Matcha is something we've carried since the early days of Umami Mart. In fact, it has been since Lauren Purvis of Mizuba Tea Co. visited our store in 2014, so that's a whole decade of Mizuba Tea's matcha living on our shelves. Customers come in all the time for the Daily Matcha, as it has the perfect balance of umami, bitterness, and that distinct earthiness that is only found in shade grown, stone milled matcha.
Although we've chatted with Lauren about matcha, fun drinks, and holiday orders for the past ten years, last week was the first time we set aside an hour to talk, uninterrupted on Zoom. We wanted to learn more about Lauren's story – the farms that she works with, and how she got started in matcha. We are excited to be able to share her story for Female Frontrunners month this year. It's long overdue!
Lauren's connection to tea started when she was just eleven years old. She remembers collecting teas through high school and sharing them with friends and family. She soon became to realize that the world of tea was deep and explains, "Tea provides a way to understand flavor." It was in 2006 that her brother brought home a can of matcha tea to her and she was hooked. It all happened organically, as she subsequently visited Kyoto and got connected with a matcha producer.
Mizuba Tea was formed in 2013, and her commitment to the tea producers has been front and center for the business ever since. All of her matcha is from the Uji region, where many believe the earliest tea seeds were established in Japan, is the origin of the tea ceremony, and where the Emperor designated to be the only area that could grow tea for 200 years.
To spread the Mizuba word, Lauren did it the DIY way. She describes her first days promoting her matcha, "I went to local places that I could see serving exceptional matcha. In 2013, not many spots were, so I wanted to be intentional about who would treat the matcha well. I simply asked folks who ran the establishments if they'd like to have tea with me, and to my surprise, so many people said yes!" And that's how she also stumbled into Umami Mart in 2014. And we've been hooked since.
I asked Lauren what it means to support heritage matcha. Lauren explained that she works with producers that are committed to certain traditions. The most notable traditions are stonemilling and shading – practices that are fading due to their labor intensiveness and need for skill. She goes onto explain that matcha only accounts for 2% of Japan's entire tea production, and a small amount of that matcha production is heritage grown matcha.
The definition of heritage matcha is that it is:
1.) from Japan
2.) shade grown, which make the tea more sweet and savory
3.) from tencha leaves
4.) stone milled, giving the matcha more complex, nutty flavors (as compared to jet or ball milled matcha).
As for being a woman in the tea business, Lauren provides a positive perspective. "I have been so fortunate to be so supported by the tea community. It's a good time to be in tea, as I am seeing more women in tea." However, in the broader scheme of things, Kayoko and I can sympathize with what Lauren says, "It's still a challenge to achieve a work-life balance and navigate things like maternity leave."
We feel very fortunate to be able to work with women-owned small businesses like Mizuba Tea. Stocking our shelves with products made by people who are mindful, curious, and have wealth of knowledge in their field inspires us.
And for one last bit of inspiration, we asked Lauren what her current favorite ways to enjoy matcha are. "In LA, Stereoscope Coffee makes a simple tonic water and matcha drink that I love," says Lauren, "Electrica Coffee in Portland also make a great drink that incorporates strawberry puree and matcha. But still my favorite was to enjoy matcha is whisked plain in a chawan." Us too!!!
If you are curious to make a simple bowl of whisked matcha with Mizuba Tea's Daily Matcha, please see our recipe here.
Photos courtesy of Lauren Purvis.
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We’re starting 2024 with a big bang here at Shochu Gumi HQ! Yoko and I are fresh off the heels of a trip to Okinawa, where we toured several awamori distilleries and makers of Tsubota Yaki pottery, Shuri Ori textiles, and Bingata dyed fabric. It was a hugely inspirational trip, and I’m thrilled to feature an awamori from Ikehara Shuzo, a distillery we visited on Ishigaki Island.
This month we celebrate women with our annual Female Frontrunners feature. No matter where we are in the world, companies led by women are still few and far between – so as women owners of Umami Mart, it’s important for us to take a moment to highlight female makers and pioneers. Both bottles this month come from distilleries on tiny islands that were run by women at its founding. Today, Nishihira Shuzo, maker of Kana Kokuto Shochu on Amami Island, is helmed by fourth generation President Serena Nishihira (pictured above making shochu). The distillery’s first toji was Nishihira’s great-grandmother, said to be a very tough master brewer who wasn’t afraid of challenges, and employed many men to make shochu with her. As Nishihira’s role model, she wishes she could have worked with her great-grandmother. Nishihira uses traditions past and present to make shochu today, “The history is old, but the contents are fresh. Since many of our staff members are musicians, we create products and events that combine music and shochu.”
Over on Ishigaki, Yu Ikehara oversees operations at Ikehara Shuzo as third generation CEO – his great-grandparents started the company making miso, soy sauce and awamori in 1951, and was left to his great-grandmother Nobuko to manage (along with raising her family) when her husband passed away at 40. Ikehara today is making huge waves in the world of awamori, with the use of a black koji mold called Inui (aspergillus luchuensis). This mold was used to make awamori before the war, and is today rarely used in the awamori or shochu-making community – it produces an awamori that incorporates umami, acidity, and depth, and has won several international awards.
Both drams this quarter are handmade and bottled at tank strength, so you’ll get the lush mouthfeel and full impact of the ingredients without any dilution. Please enjoy the spirit of the islands and the rich history that each bottle brings.
Kanpai,
Kayoko
Co-Founder / Shochu + Awamori Director of Umami Mart
Kana Kokuto Shochu
Nishihira Shuzo (Amami Oshima, Kagoshima)
Distilled from kokuto (black sugar) grown in Okinawa / ABV 30%
Genshu (non-diluted) / Non chill-filtered / Koji: White / Yeast: Kagoshima #2
Distillation: Atmospheric / Aged one year in oak barrels
Kana means "beloved person" in the Amami dialect and President Serena Nishihira’s great-grandmother, the first toji of the company, used this shochu as a lotion! Amami Kokuto Shochu, a shochu style protected by a geographic indication for the region and its traditional shochu making practices, utilizes a higher ratio of koji to main ingredient (kokuto) than what is commonly practiced for other shochu styles – for this bottle, Nishihira uses 510kg of kokuto for 330kg of koji. As a musician, Nishihira says, “Rather than aiming for the same taste every time, I accept the climate and environment of the time, respect the team's different strengths, and enjoy making shochu as if I was making an album for that year. My experience in music is the reason why I am able to enjoy making shochu. It's from the body.” When asked what she enjoys most about shochu-making she added, “because we work with microorganisms, things don't always go the same way, so you always take on challenges with a sense of urgency.”
Tasting notes: Salted caramel, vanilla, rum raisin.
Food Pairing: Blue Fin maguro sashimi, miso ramen, country pate.
How to Drink: On-the-rocks.
Nishihira Tip: Mixed with chai, black tea, or milk.
+++
Shirayuri Inui Awamori
Ikehara Shuzo (Ishigaki Island, Okinawa)
Distilled from rice (Thai long grain) / ABV 44% / Genshu (non-diluted)
Koji: Black Distillation: Atmospheric, Jikabi (direct flame)
Aged in stainless steel for 1 week
Bubbling Inui moromi
When we pulled up to Ikehara Shuzo, I would have never guessed that the building
housed an awamori distillery. Situated in a residential neighborhood with no interior
space to waste, the pint-sized distillery and tasting room is extremely organized,
well-planned, and spotless – with all the fermentation tanks in one room, the still in
the main room, with the bottling room screened off by a glass door. CEO Yu Ikehara
was 24 years old when he took over the distillery, and in 2021, released this bottle to acclaim. Made by just two employees, Inui is a bombshell of a drink, and dammit, how on earth does it taste like it’s been aging for years?!?? That, my friends, must be the magical, historic Inui mold. We have yet to see what else Ikehara comes up with – the future of awamori is bright and ever-evolving.
Magazine spread of Yu Ikehara with his grandparents at Ikehara Shuzo
Tasting notes: Earth, saline, lavender, licorice.
Food Pairing: Cheddar, cioppino, burger.
How to Drink: Sodawari (with club soda and ice).
Ikehara Tip: Moscow Mules, Espresso Martinis, and various coffee cocktails.
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It feels especially meaningful to write about women in the sake brewing industry after just getting back from a weeklong awamori distillery tour in Okinawa, where Kayoko and I were always the only women in the room. It’s the little things you notice when you are the only woman in the room – questions posed are often directed at the other men in the room, and the other women you see are the ones you pass by the reception desk, on the way into the meeting rooms. These cues are mostly subconscious, as we felt very welcome and valued, but there’s no doubt that they snowball into the psyches of young women.
That’s why I am excited to round up another four bottles for Female Frontrunner month. All four are brewed by different women master brewers. Whether they came into the profession as the only family heir willing to take on the business (Mayuko Kita of Kita Shuzo), or they entered the industry through the Employment Security Office (Mie Abe of Hatsumomidi Shuzo), it is clear that the gender barrier in the sake industry has been decreasing in the past decade.
A few brewers have attributed the ability for women to work more methodically and raise children as an advantage when making sake. Abe of Hatsumomidi says, “Sake brewing is like raising children. If you give them love, they will respond. We aim to create sake that can only be done from a female perspective. I believe that this kind of sake brewing is a strength that comes from my experience of raising children.
Additionally, in order to brew sake in a clean environment, we carefully clean everything, applying the skills we know well as women – daily housework.” Matsuura of Honka Matsuura adds, “Many women are methodical and hardworking. This personality can be put to good use in sake brewing, where tidying up and cleaning are important.”
But all the brewers emphasized a bigger picture advantage that people, regardless of race, class, or gender must possess to brew sake. Kita of Kita Shuzo explains, “Sake brewing is a meaningful challenge for both women and men. The important thing is whether you have the desire to face sake brewing wholeheartedly and seriously.” I loved the almost poem-like passage that Matsuura emailed me regarding this subject:
Kanpai,
-Yoko (Sake Director and Co-Founder, Umami Mart)
LEVEL 1
Narutotai Junmai Chokarakuchi Tomoe
Honke Matsuura Shuzo (Tokushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Tokushima Yamada Nishiki (koji + kakemai) 70%, SMV: +11, Yeast: LED Dream, Acidity: 1.6
Motoko Matsuura, the master brewer at Honke Matsuura describes this sake as “Not just dry, but super dry!” We get generous aromas of raisin and banana contrasting with a dry, peppery finish that’s great chilled in a wine glass. You can also warm this sake up for a cozy night at home, in a wide mouthed ceramic cup. This was especially delicious with salty bites like chicken liver mousse, or a bowl of roasted nuts. We salute Matsuura who has been making sake for over 40 years. On this subject she says, “The sake I made when I was 20 and the sake I made when I was 40 felt completely different. And as I turn 60 this year, I feel that sake continues to evolve even further.”
Kirakucho Fox Junmai Ginjo
Kita Shuzo (Shiga, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki (koji) + Ginfubuki (kakemai) 60%, SMV: +3, Yeast: No. 14, Acidity: 1.8
Foxes are known to be the messengers of the rice-growing god. To give thanks to the foxes that live around the brewery and neighboring Inari Shrine, Mayuko Kita, master brewer at Kita Shuzo developed the idea for this striking bottle. Enjoy aromas of nectarine, and cooked rice with a pleasantly creamy mouthfeel and crisp finish. We love this sake at room temperature or lukewarm. The slightly heightened acidity makes it a great sake to pair with foods that are richer, including yakitori, olives, and canned sardines.
Tenbi Junmai Ginjo
Choshu Sake Brewery (Yamaguchi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki (koji + kakemai) 60%, SMV: N/A, Yeast: No. 901, Acidity: N/A
When asked about the label, master brewer Miki Fujioka explained, “The complex design expresses sake brewing, which is made up of many coincidences and the workings of life, and the craftsman’s commitment to capturing a single moment in order to make great sake.” Enjoy an intense bouquet of green apple and Sweet Tarts. This crisp sake balances citrus-like acidity and a subtle bitterness that lingers in the mouth. Try this sake chilled and have it with roasted poultry, chicken wings or lubya (Afghan beans).
Harada Gengetsu Muroka Genshu Junmai Ginjo
Hatsumomidi (Yamaguchi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki (koji) 50% + Saito No Shizuku (kakemai) 55%, SMV: -1, Yeast: No. 1801 and 901, Acidity: 1.5
Master brewer Mie Abe was approached by Japanese wine importer Mottox to create a sake that was similar to a Bordeaux blend. She decided to use two different rice varietals, “Yamada Nishiki gives power and gravity like Cabernet, and Saito No Shizuku gives freshness like Merlot. Terroir is also important, and Saito no Shizuku is Yamaguchi Prefecture’s representative sake rice, so it represents our terroir.” The result is a sake that boasts a bouquet of melons, french toast, and roses. With subdued acidity it showcases its sweetness, and finished with plenty of umami and round richness on the palette. Abe-san recommends having this sake chilled or at room temperature with cantaloupe melon and proscuitto, as it complements the sake’s aroma.
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People often ask me if rice strains have the same effect on sake as the grape varietals have on wine. My answer is yes and no. Yes, because different rice strains are ideal for growing in specific regions and can result in certain qualities in the finished sake. But also no; there are so many other factors that can have an effect on the result, such as rice polishing (which can affect how light or full-bodied a sake is) or the yeast used (which can determine its aroma). However, it’s still worth talking about rice strains, because many brewers take pride in using rice that is grown locally or go to great lengths to use a specific rice to achieve the profiles they want.
The two most commonly used sake rice strains are Yamada Nishiki (featured in the Gumi way back in August 2016) and Gohyakumangoku. This month, I am introducing sakes made with Miyama Nishiki, the third most commonly used rice strain for sake making in Japan. I wanted to highlight this rice because I love its resulting crisp and refreshing sakes.
The master brewer at Daisekkei Sake Brewery, Mamoru Nagase explains, “Miyama Nishiki has a hard rice quality that makes it difficult to dissolve in the moromi (fermentation mash). As a result, sake tends to have a clean, light taste and sharpness.” Toshihito Watari, the president of Watari Honten adds, “Another major feature is the moderate bitterness. Therefore, by aging it, you can enjoy the change in taste that becomes mellow.”
Miyama means “beautiful mountain” evoking the snow-capped mountains of Nagano, where the rice strain was born. Nishiki means “brocade” and is often used in reference to rice. Miyama Nishiki was introduced in 1978, and is a mutated version of Takane Nishiki. It can tolerate very cold temperatures and thrives in regions like Nagano and the Tohoku region. It is therefore no coincidence that the sakes featured this month come from Nagano, Akita, and Yamagata Prefectures, all known for their bitterly cold winters.
Kanpai,
-Yoko (Sake Director and Co-Founder, Umami Mart)
LEVEL 1
Daisekkei Junmai Ginjo
Daisekkei Sake Brewery (Nagano, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Miyama Nishiki 55%, SMV: 2, Yeast: 1001 + 1801, Acidity: 1.6
This is a perfect example of a refreshing sake brewed with Miyama Nishiki. Balancing light lychee and lemon aromas with crisp acidity, this is a crushable ginjo. Master Brewer Mamoru Nagase describes the locality of this sake, “Azumino, where we are located, is famous for its pristine water and is the number one wasabi producer. All of the sake rice used at Daisekkei Sake Brewery is locally grown in Azumino.” Try this sake chilled or at room temperature with dishes that are prepared simply, such as greek salad or steak with wasabi salt.
Dewanoyuki Yuki Kimoto Junmai
Watarai Honten (Yamagata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Miyama Nishiki 60% (Kojimai), Dewa Kirari or Haenuki 65% (Kakemai), SMV: 1.5, Yeast: NF-KA, Acidity: 1.8
In addition to using the kimoto technique, which is a longer starter method that enables naturally occurring lactic acid, the brewers age this sake for up to 11 months to mellow out the sharpness of the Miyama Nishiki. This results in a sake that President Toshihito Watarai says, “is akin to a full-bodied red wine-type alcohol that pairs perfectly with food.” In fact, the higher acidity which drinks dry with a sharpness of cedar was great with lasagna or soppressata. Try at room temperature in a wine glass or warm in a ceramic cup to get aromas of candied pecan and creme brulee. When asked why they used Miyama Nishiki for this sake, Watarai simply says, “Miyama Nishiki was originally the most easily available rice suitable for sake brewing in Yamagata Prefecture.”
Chokaisan “Mt Chokai Nama” Junmai Daiginjo Nama Genshu
Tenju Shuzo (Akita, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Miyama Nishiki 50%, SMV: +1, Yeast: ND4, Acidity: 1.5
Tenju Shuzo, takes pride in their rice. So much that in 1983, they established the Tenju Sake Rice Study Group, proclaiming, “sake production begins with rice cultivation.” Their mission is to create the best sake rice suitable for their climate. When asked why they use Miyama Nishiki, Managing Director Hitoshi Oi said, “It is compatible with local weather conditions, we have the best understanding of its properties and have confidence in it.” Brewed using ‘Flower Yeast ND4’ which is harvested from nadeshiko flowers, this sake has aromas of strawberry, with notes of creme fraiche, and a crisp, peppery finish reminiscent of burnt caramel. Try this sake chilled with smoked salmon, or parmesan crisps.
Arabashiri “First Wave” Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu
Azumanofumoto Sake Brewery (Yamagata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Miyama Nishiki 60%, SMV: 0, Yeast: K1801 + K901, Acidity: 1.6
Eiichi Shindo of the brewery says, “Arabashiri is a sake brewing term that refers to the first liquor that comes out of the pressing machine. It expresses the wildness and roughness of the first drink that comes out.” Indeed, this sake hits you like a maverick wave... of fruit and minerals! It’s got aromas of lemon and slate with a full-bodied texture that opens up with time yet finishes crisp. Although this sake does not symbolize the textbook Miyama Nishiki sake, Shindo explains why they use Miyama Nishiki, “It is a hard rice that does not dissolve easily. Moreover, it does not easily deteriorate when stored.” Store and drink chilled alongside a wintry feast like shabu shabu or grilled crab.
]]>Visiting President Chobei Yamamoto at Yucho Shuzo in Gose City was one of the most educational brewery visits I’ve ever experienced. He invited me into his meeting room, where he had piles of very old books on Nara’s history and sake-making. He eagerly pointed out obscure passages that hinted at how monks were making sake back in the 1400s. Yamamoto-san studies history to build upon it.
President of Yucho Shuzo, Chobei Yamamoto showing passages in old texts about sake-making.
Old journal about sake making in Nara.
Diagram showing the layout of the sake production site in old Nara.
One of Yamamoto-san's latest projects entitled Mizuhana takes two recipes from these old texts and recreates them. He has created two bottles under the Mizuhana line so far: 1335 and 1568. They are named after the years the recipes were penned.
To recreate these recipes, he ferments the sake in kame (clay pots) that his team build by hand in the warehouse. He says that they only use resources that would have been available at the time the recipes were used.
He explained to me that he thinks of sake-making as “layering techniques.” That is to say, you can control flavors and aroma with techniques like bodaimoto, skipping pasteurization, filtration, or dilution.
Yucho Shuzo brewery workers making a kame (clay pot) for sake fermentation.
Yamamoto-san showing us how small these pots are in comparison to the tanks that are used now.
Yamamoto-san refurbished the dusty old attic of the brewery into a gleaming new space to ferment Mizuhana sakes.
Mizuhana noren (cloth banner).
The two Mizuhana bottles named after the year of their respective recipes, 1335 and 1568.
I was fortunate enough to meet Haruna Nakagawa, the master brewer of Kaze no Mori.
Kaze no Mori sakes are one of the most popular sakes we sell at Umami Mart. They are fruity, vibrant, and effervescent. Nakagawa told me that she started at Yucho Shuzo at an entry level position and eventually became the head brewer for Kaze. She likes that the brewery isn't so focused on hierarchy and enjoys the creative freedom she can exercise.
For the Kaze No Mori line, she uses nitrogen at bottling and uses hard water that is obtained by drilling down 100 meters. The nitrogen lends an effervescent layer to the sake, while the hard water (with high mineral content) allows for Kaze No Mori sakes to have their signature rich texture.
Boxes of Kaze no Mori being shipped out.
Kaze no Mori forklift.
Finally, I was able to visit their newest facility, Yamato Distillery. This is where they are distilling Kikka Gin.
Yamato Distillery at Yucho Shuzo.
Column stills at Yamato Distillery.
Head distiller, Naoki Itadoko, at Yamato Distillery.
Yomogi (Japanese mugwort) is used as a botanical in Kikka Gin.
It was a true honor to be able to meet Yamamoto-san, Nakagawa-san, and Itadoko-san. I learned so much and felt very inspired by all the creativity and attention to history that goes into all of their products.
From L-R: Haruna Nakagawa, me, and Chobei Yamamoto
We can't wait to get the Mizuhana and Kikka Gin stateside!
]]>Yoshitani Woodworks was one of my favorite stops during my trip to Nara back in March. Yuki Yoshitani (the son) of the operation was there to greet me. He was energetic and really wants to visit the U.S. to see Ohtani play in the major leagues. I hope that one day he comes our to watch a game and visit Umami Mart.
Yuki Yoshitani and me in front of Yoshitani Woodworks
For 700 years, Yoshitani Woodworks has been making sanbo (wooden pedestals), used mainly for putting offerings like mochi for the new year. They use a slit technique to bend wood with no use of nails.
Worker bending wood
This technique is protected as a Japanese National treasure. They were very generous in showing me all the steps except for when they make the incisions in the wood for the technique (it's a 700 year-old secret, and they'd like to keep it that way).
Yuki-san is appropriating this technique to make other items like trays, coasters, boxes, and tongs. Since my visit, we have imported their items into our shop. The coaster have proved to be very popular. They are beautiful as they are functional.
New items that Yuki-san is making using the 700 year-old slit technology
Yoshinosugi is Japanese cedar from the Yoshino region of Nara. Yuki-san tells me that the middle of the wood is used for studs and lumber, while the outside is used for small things like the sanbo and trays. Yoshinosugi has a soothing minty smell and is known to be very dense and hard to crack.
Yoshinosugi stacked up along the side of the road near Yoshitani Woodworks
Here's a tour of their production facility. On the day I visited, they were making sanbo (which still remains their main product).
Workers feeding wood pieces into planer
Shavings discarded from planing wood. These shavings are used for packing material.
More wood coming out of a planer
Attaching the frame to the base of the upper portion of the sanbo
Bending the frame for sanbo
Stacks of sanbo bases and platforms
Like many of the craft traditions in Japan, woodworking is dying. Yuki-san says that there are not enough sons and daughters who are taking over the hard work of harvesting yoshinosugi (cedar). When the forests are not maintained and thinned, the forests do not regenerate. There is currently no real solution to the decline in this type of work. We hope that our appreciation for Yoshitani Woodwork's stunning creations will help future generations consider preserving this special craft.
]]>Me with Ohara-san, master brewer of Shroyakuji in Nara, at the birthplace of Bodaimoto and Seishu
During my time in Nara in March 2023, I visited woodworkers, ceramicists, textile makers, chasen craftsmen, and sake brewers. I found Nara to be compact, charming, and delicious; I could see myself living there. While Kyoto is inundated with tourists, and Tokyo is constantly hustling and bustling, I felt like Nara had a nice relaxing rhythm with all the amenities, and a rich history that is apparent in all that is crafted there – including sake.
A visit to Nara would not be complete without running into a few dozen deer
Much of the history of sake takes place in Nara. During the Muromachi Period (1336-1573), it was the temples of Nara that brought sake into the modern age. Sake made by monks in temples are referred to as soboshu (monk’s sake). Sake went from thick, porridge-like doburoku (usually made at home without licenses, and spoiled after 1-2 days) to clear, pressed, filtered and pasteurized seishu (clear sake, recognized by the Liquor Tax Law of Japan as legal sake) that could be shipped and stored for many months. With the establishment of seishu, a shelf stable product, sake became more marketable.
Shoryakuji Temple in Nara is the birthplace of seishu and sandanjikomi. In addition to establishing the steps to make seishu sake, they also developed the sandanjikomi method, which involves adding more rice, koji, and water to the moromi (starter mash) three times. This increased the volume of each batch, bringing sake-making into a mass commercial venture.
Shoryakuji Temple is also the birthplace of bodaimoto. A method of sake-making where instead of using steamed rice for the starter mash, the monks use rice soaked in water that runs along the side of the temple. Unfortunately, there are no bodaimoto in the lineup for this month’s Gumi, but I did want to touch on it since bodaimoto is an important part of Nara’s sake history. Bodaimoto, which are often high in acidity, are rare to come by. We do carry one on our shelves, and I encourage you to get a bottle if you come across one.
Yoshinosugi (cedar harvested in the Yoshino forest in Nara). Level 1 gets a sake aged in barrels made of yoshinosugi.
It’s hard to generalize the characteristics of Nara sake. Each brewer I asked says there are no defining aromas or flavors that sum up sake made in Nara. However, every brewer acknowledged the history of Nara sake. Tetsuya Sakai of Chiyo Shuzo says, “We aim to create new types of sake based on history and tradition.” While Kanako Yagi of Choryo Shuzo identified Nara sakes as, “The beginning and the future of sake.” I loved this phrase and have adopted it as the title of this month’s theme.
Kanpai!
Yoko (Sake Director and Co-Founder of Umami Mart)
Early spring sakura in the Yoshino District
LEVEL 1
Harushika Junmai Ginjo
Imanishi Seibee Shoten (Nara, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki + Fukunohana 60%, SMV: -2, Acidity: 1.3
This light gold sake offers green grapes in its aroma, while delivering tasting notes of juicy orange, Rainier cherries, and cotton candy. The sweeter flavors complement earthier foods like duck liver mousse. Enoy this sake chilled. This sake comes from one of Nara’s most famous breweries, Harushika Sake Brewery. It was founded in 1884 and is located in Fukuchiin-cho, Nara City. The brewery name Harushika (spring deer) reflects their surroundings as they are located in the middle of it all, where deer and humans coexist. Tetsuya Yoshida of Harushika explains the brewery’s philosophy, “’Polishing the rice, polishing the water, polishing the technique, and polishing the spirit,’ we are dedicated to brewing high-quality sake, with a focus on dry junmai.”
Yoshinosugi No Taru Sake
Choryo Shuzo (Nara, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Japanese Rice, SMV: 0, Acidity: 1.2
For this sake, Choryo ages their futsushu in cedar barrels for 20 days. Although tarusake has existed for hundreds of years, Choryo’s Yoshinosugi No Tarusake was born in 1964 as Japan’s first bottled tarusake. It was novel in that it encapsulated the distinctiveness provided from cedar barrels in a bottle format. Kanako Yagi of Choryo Brewery describes, “Cedar for these barrels comes from all over Japan, but it has been said since ancient times that cedar grown in the mountains of the Yoshino region located in southern Nara Prefecture is the best to use for sake because of the balance of aroma and taste.” We get notes of allspice, green apple, and nectarine, with a pleasing dryness of fresh cut cedar. For pairings Yagi-san adds, “Components derived from cedar barrels are said to easily emulsify with fats and oils, thereby rinsing away oily contents in the mouth, as well as enhancing the flavor compounds of a variety of foods.” Bring on the meatloaf, unagi, and tamago-yaki. Although this taruzake can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature, we love it warm.
Shinomine Chokara Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu
Chiyo Shuzo (Nara, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki 66%, SMV: +12, Acidity: 2.1
This junmai made with Yamada Nishiki rice has a crisp acidity that is satisfyingly refreshing – perfect for starting the new year! Indeed, President and Toji Tetsuya Sakai of the brewery echoes my sentiments, “We aim to create a drink that has a sharp taste and goes well with food. I believe that the beauty of the Yamada Nishiki variety is what makes this drink possible.” Sakai came to the brewery with experience in wine-making, and extends the concept of domaine to sake. Sakai says, “The phrase I’ve been using recently is that we value sake as a processed agricultural product. The sake brewer grows the rice himself and brews sake with that rice, similar to a domaine. We want to brew something that cannot be done without relying on the power of nature.” He adds that he designs the labels himself and wants the solid silver label to convey the sharp, crisp taste of his sake. Enjoy in a thin, stemless glass chilled or at room temperature with roasted poultry, gratin, or creamed spinach.
Kaze No Mori Yamadanishiki 807
Yucho Shuzo (Nara, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki 80%, SMV: N/A, Yeast: 7
Visiting President Chobei Yamamoto at Yucho Shuzo in Gose City, was one of the most educational brewery visits I’ve ever had. He invited me into his meeting room, where he had piles of very old books on Nara’s history and sake-making. He eagerly pointed out obscure passages that hinted at how monks were making sake back in the 1400s. Yamamoto-san studies history to build upon it. He explained to me that he thinks of sake-making as “layering techniques.” That is to say, you can control flavors and aroma with techniques like bodaimoto, skipping pasteurization, filtration, or dilution. For the Kaze No Mori line, he uses nitrogen at bottling and uses hard water that is obtained by drilling down 100 meters. The nitrogen lends an effervescent layer to the sake, while the hard water (with high mineral content) allows for Kaze No Mori sakes to have their signature rich texture. Yamamoto labels his sake with three digits. The first two digits reveal the seimaibuai (rice polishing ratio) and the third tells you the yeast type. For the Yamada Nishiki 807, this means that the rice polishing ratio is 80% – meaning there’s less polish for more acidity and flavor. Yeast number 7 is known to result in sturdy flavors and fruity aromas. Enjoy lively notes of pineapple, tart apples, all with the signature fizz of Kaze no Mori namazakes. Enjoy chilled with roast chicken, smoked salmon, or fried brussel sprouts.
L-R: Kaze No Mori’s Master Brewer Haruna Nakagawa , me and President Chobei Yamamoto
]]>After my visit to Nishiyoshida Shuzo in Chikugo, Fukuoka back in January, I had the distinct pleasure to tour Ikekame Shuzo in nearby Kurume. We first featured Ikekame Shuzo in February 2021 for Sake Gumi's theme Experimentations in Koji – Ikekame had brewed a sake made with black koji, high in acidity with a tropical fruit nose. I knew I would be featuring Ikekame Shuzo for both Sake Gumi and Shochu Gumi so I wanted to see the brewery for myself.
Hugging the Chikugo River, Ikekame is a boutique brewery in spirit that occupies a huge space from when they were making futsushu during the war. This was the first time I encountered a brewery like this – towering tanks after tanks, many huge walk-ins, and room after room of storage – harkening back to sake's futsushu heyday. President Teruyuki Kamachi was kind to meet me at the brewery early on a weekday morning to show me around and talk about the brewery and its history.
I got to the brewery early in the morning and you can see the steam from the chimney, signifying that sake-making is taking place!
The brewery's history goes back to 1875. This room used to house a rice mill. Today, it is a space for events, especially their annual New Day celebration.
Vintage sake casks and tools.
An old photograph of an aerial view of the brewery.
The entrance of the brewery with requisite sugidama (cedar ball).
You can see the original wood pillars being preserved and supported by steel beams. Incredible!
Rice steamer.
Active moromi.
Sake kasu for shochu.
Tanks:
Doorway to the...
... Yabuta sake press!
Both Yoko and I have noticed that many sake breweries now house their sake presses in a refrigerated space. I was told that this is so they can brew year round, even in the hot summers.
So many walk-in refrigerators!
The brewery started making shochu in the 80's when the sake industry was in a slump. Kamachi-san refers to himself as a "liquor engineer" and although they have a toji (master brewer) for the sake and shochu, he is very hands-on in creating Ikekame's bottles and is so knowledgable.
Kamachi-san's eyes lit up when he opened up the doors to the brewery's lab. This was where he keeps his yeasts and koji, which he loves experimenting with, as seen with the Kuro Kabuto line of sakes made with black or white koji, not the usual yellow koji used for sakes. There was a lot of tinkering going on the day I visited – I was lucky to witness it all the BTS magic!
Yeasts
Yellow and black koji.
Machine determining SMV and acidity.
Kamachi-san experiments with aging his shochus as well, and he showed me the Oak barrels filled with juice! I can't wait to taste this one in the future.
Kamachi-san kindly tasted me on his line of sakes and shochus. Many of their sakes use local Fukuoka-grown rice (as featured in my November 2023 Sake Gumi selection by Ikekame) and local ingredients for their shochus as well (as see for December's Shochu Gumi bottle, also by Ikekame). I especially enjoyed tasting their kasutori shochu (made with sake lees) and hope they export this soon!
Aside from the domestic market, the brewery exports their sake to Asia, Australia, U.S., and Europe. Kamachi-san enjoys traveling and I hope he visits Oakland soon!
A big thank you to Kamachi-san for giving me a special tour of the brewery and talking to me about your bottles and production. It is really important for us to visit breweries directly to see how the industry is growing and we are fortunate to get such generous access.
]]>Enough bullshit, and here is the recipe, and trust me, it is damn good.
1 pint of fat free plain yogurt -strained
3 yakult (each is about 2 oz)
2 tablespoon of sugar
After straining the yogurt (it renders a lot of water, and since we are adding liquid (Yakult), it's important to strain yogurt first), mix it with Yakult and sugar, put them into ice cream maker, and churn it for about 20 minutes.
As Aya Orangeoilgwa says, it gets way too firm once you freeze the mixture (due to high water content), so the key is to eat either right away, or thaw it pretty good before you eat them.
Due to the lawsuit against Pinkberry, we might get the exact recipe soon, but until then, this recipe will do the magic. I am making a batch tonight using Bikkle (similar to Yakult). I will report the result soon.
]]>
Our Holiday Shopping Guide has been updated this year! We first came out with this in 2021 when the world was coming out of the pandemic, and we wanted to make sure that our community of small retail businesses were being recognized during the holiday season. Doing so has never been more important!
Here's a list of shops in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco, where we find extra love and inspiration. We love our Bay Area retail community – please continue to shop small this season and take advantage of all the awesome shops that we have right in our own neighborhoods. You'll get to finish off your holiday shopping lists, meet great people, and some friendly dogs while you're at it.
A big thank you to everyone for supporting our own retail concept on our little block in Oakland! Happy shopping!
Alkali RyeOwners Kori Saika Chen and Jessica Moncada-Konte are veterans of the beverage industry here in the East Bay and we were over the moon when they opened Alkali Rye together in Oakland's Grand Lake neighborhood. Their passion and vision for spirits and drinks are palpable in their highly inclusive shop full of spirits, wines, and vermouths from around the globe (and hyper locally too). They regularly host tastings and community events too!
- Kayoko
Alkali Rye
3256 Grand Ave
Oakland, CA 94610
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Annie's Annuals + Perennials
2023 entry!
Annie's is a real gem in the East Bay. It's a wonderland of natives, flowers, and vines that stretches for as far as the eye can see. In addition to their great selection, I always appreciate the kind staff and their expertise.
- Yoko
Annie's Annuals
740 Market Ave
Richmond, CA 94801
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Bay-Made
2023 entry!
Focused exclusively on products made in the Bay Area, this shop in the Grand Lake neighborhood is a gem for unique gifts by local artisans. From candies and soaps to jewelry and original artwork, the space is packed to the gills with super fun gifts, all displayed with an artful eye. Look out for whimsical earrings and rings by our friend Becca Compton, sold here!
- Kayoko
Bay-Made
3295 Lakeshore Ave
Oakland, CA 94610
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Cultured Pickle Shop
2023 entry!
A pioneer in the fermentation scene here in the Bay and beyond, Cultured has been in operation for 27 years – 18 of them in this Berkeley space. Join them on weekends for a bowl of steamed rice glittering with their various housemade pickles, always rotating depending on the season. The jars of umeboshi, kraut, chili paste, and kasuzuke pickles make awesome stocking stuffers.
- Kayoko
Cultured Pickle Shop
800 Bancroft Way Suite #105
Berkeley, CA 94710
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Five Flavor Herbs
If I have a bout of insomnia or other aging lady issues, I head over to Five Flavor Herbs for tinctures and remedies prescribed by my acupuncturist that are rooted in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Located right around the corner from Umami Mart, this place is a mecca for wellness products, and is jam-packed with soothing oils, bath-time potions, and CBD goodies. Check out this stocking stuffer haven. The staff is a wealth of knowledge too!
- Kayoko
Five Flavor Herbs
344 40th St
Oakland, CA 94609
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Joodooboo
2023 entry!
We are so lucky to have a dooboo (tofu, in Korean) maker in Oakland! What's more, owner Steve Joo is in the kitchen not only creating his signature soft tofu everyday, but also the freshest California-inspired banchan. Their tofu and banchan subscription program is a weekly treat – the perfect gift for a local who could regularly use a night off of cooking. Also not to miss is their awesome merch!
- Kayoko
Joodooboo
4201 Market St
Oakland, CA 94608
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Maple Street Denim
I go to Maple Street Denim whenever I need a new pair of jeans I can work in, while still looking good. Owner Julie Harlemann's eye for sizing is incredible. She takes one look at a customer, and can dig out a few pairs of jeans from her stylish catalog of jeans. Plus, I can always get a soft shirt or a pair of socks, that's perfect for gifting everyone from your boyfriend to your niece.
- Yoko
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Mr. Mopps' Children's Books + Toys
2023 entry!
Historic Mr. Mopps' is one of the very best toy stores in the Bay! With their vast selection of non-commercial toys and educational tools, this is well worth the visit for anyone shopping for a kid. Their entire back wall is devoted to Calico Critters (same as Japan's Sylvanian Family) – my daughter's fave that is a fantastic alternative to Barbie, Paw Patrol, and My Little Pony. And their huge book shop is a wonderland for children and adults alike.
Mr. Mopps' Children's Books + Toys
1401 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Berkeley, CA 94709
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Monterey Fish Market
Around here, there's no better way to say "Happy Holidays!" than with crab and a dozen oysters. Is it weird to give them as gifts? Phooey, no way! Add in a bottle of sparkling sake and you're set. We love Monterey Market for the freshest variety of seafood, all sustainably harvested. Get a mix of Kumamoto and Beau Soleil oysters and they should have live Dungeness crabs right now. Don't miss the short season!
- Kayoko
Monterey Fish Market
1582 Hopkins St
Berkeley, CA 94707
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Local Butcher Shop
- Yoko
Local Butcher Shop
1600 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
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Oakland Yard Wine Shop + Junction
We are lucky to have a wine shop just around the corner from us that always has a recommendation at the ready. With plenty of bottles at all price ranges, Oakland Yard is our go-to when we are headed to a dinner party. And if you need a break during all of that holiday shopping (presumably at Umami Mart, of course), pop in at their cozy bar for a quick glass of what's on tap for the day!
- Yoko
Oakland Yard
420 40th St
Oakland, CA 94609
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Oaktown Spice Shop
Opened around the same time as Umami Mart, we feel a special kinship with Oaktown Spice Shop. For over a decade, they have provided expertise on all the spices we use everyday, plus those elusive spices that pop up in our cookbooks from the dusty ends of our bookshelves! During the holidays, we admire their beautifully packaged gift sets.
- Yoko
Throwback to retail babies in 2013
Oaktown Spice Shop
546 Grand Ave
Oakland, CA 94610
1224 Solano Ave
Albany, CA 94706
3295 Castro Valley Blvd
Castro Valley, CA 94546
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Your Local Book Shop (ours is Pegasus Books)
There is nothing sweeter than browsing the shelves at my library or book store. The service at Pegasus is bar-none – the staff's knowledge is encyclopedic and they are all so nice and patient. They have new and used books of all genres, and if they don't have a book I want, they always special order it and they text me when it's been delivered. They also have great jigsaw puzzles too! Books I read this year that I recommend were Stay True by Hua Hsu, Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, and Trust by Hernan Diaz. Get them at your local book shop and let me know what you think of them!
- Kayoko
Pegasus Books
5560 College Ave
Oakland, CA 94618
2349 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
1855 Solano Ave
Berkeley, CA 94707
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The Perish Trust
728 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94117
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Preserved: Fermentation Supply and Grocery
- Yoko
Preserved
5032 Telegraph Ave
Oakland, CA 94609
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Sesame a Tiny Bakery
2023 entry!
Sesame a Tiny Bakery, is always a huge treat. From their signature citrus shortbread cookies, to their seasonal cakes featuring plums, persimmons, cherries, and nuts, MaryKate deliciously encapsulates the fruits and treasure of the Bay Area into her sweets.
- Yoko
Sesame a Tiny Bakery
2533 Seventh St
Berkeley, CA 94710
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Sou Sou
People often ask me where I get all my boxy dresses and drawstring pants, so here you go! Sou Sou is an apparel company based in Kyoto and we are so lucky to have an outlet right in San Francisco, located inside the New People building in Japantown. I go here for dresses I may need for a special event like a wedding, or just casual everyday wear. Everything is made in Japan with high-quality local fabrics, all at surprisingly reasonable prices. I love their colorful prints and comfortable designs. Their tabi sock collection is also noteworthy.
- Kayoko
Sou Sou
1746 Post St #2F
San Francisco, CA 94115
*Most photos were taken by us or are courtesy of the retailer
]]>The jet lag was hitting me at once on the car ride to Furuse Gyozo Akahadayama in Nara Prefecture. But as soon as we pulled up to the gravel lot and I saw Noriko Furuse greet us, I was alert and awake. I felt like I was about to enter a Hayao Miyazaki movie. With sliding wooden doors, pottery pieces pressed into the stone walkway, and logs piled up along the entrance, I could feel I was entering a place that was cared for for generations.
Noriko-san took over as the 8th generation owner of the business after her dad. She greeted me at the door with an enthusiasm that was infectious. She is warm, talkative, and very much committed to her craft.
She lives and breathes the family business and is clearly proud of all of the history that is embedded on the grounds. She explained that they do everything is on site. They get the akahada (red clay) from their back yard. They have three kilns, a production site, a shop and showroom, all on the same lot. The whole operation consists of only five people but the array of wares they make is astonishing.
The view from the backyard. You can see another patch of akahada in the distance (the reddish oval in the top left part of the image). Akahada clay consists of red iron oxide which gives it its unique color.
One of the kilns on the property.
Inside of the kiln.
Akahada is native to Nara. Most of the kilns using this milky white clay with a hint of red started up in the 1500s. From cups and bowls, to carafes and statues, Noriko-san and her team are able to bring out the stunning natural beauty of the clay and glaze in their pieces, which all uniquely express hues of white, pink, soft purple, and powder blue.
Bowl with emblem made with Akahada clay.
Bowl with deer motif made with Akahada clay.
Plates with deer and other motifs made with Akahada clay.
Noriko-san and her team wrap and box each piece carefully, so places like our shop in Oakland can receive their wares undamaged.
As with many of the other makers I visited during my trip to Nara, Akahada potters started making things for the temples and shrines around Nara. They still have many pieces that can only be sold to the temples. Noriko-san and her team use a mold method where they put a slab of clay on the tabletop wheel and whack the clay into shape. It uses a lot of skill and I was really amazed that they can make these dishes the exact same size every time.
Plate made with Akahada clay using hand mold technique.
I came home to Oakland with a few pieces, hoping to share them at Umami Mart. I am so excited to have several of these specials pieces for everyone to see this holiday season. I hope to someday invite Noriko-san to Umami Mart so she can show us some of her techniques in person.
]]>Looking back at 2023, we had some amazing club bottles, didn’t we?!? These past few quarters I have brought in shochus from Japan just for the club, and I hope to continue this as much as possible going into the new year. I truly believe that our club is super special and want to thank you for being a member of America’s ONLY Shochu Club! Having exclusive bottles makes the club fun for all of us, and I’m thankful to our vendors who partner with me to bring in exceptional shochus from Japan that are little known stateside (it’s a painstaking endeavor that involves label approval from the government so it is no small feat!).
This quarter, I’m stoked to bring you two stunning bottles – from label to juice – that are exclusive to the club. They are distinctly bold and charismatic and will fit right in with your holiday spread. Kuroki Honten should be no stranger to you all, as their shochus Naka Naka and Hyakunen no Kodoku are best sellers at our shop. Located in majestic Miyazaki, they grow their own ingredients for their shochus, and fifth generation President Shinsaku Kuroki designs their chic bottles. Kuroki-san says, "We are so lucky to have such beautiful nature in Miyazaki, and by taking great care of it, in turn it can help us to keep making great shochu." Kuroki Honten itself was established in 1885 and more recently they opened Osuzuyama Distillery, where they make their newer releases of gins and whiskies. Our good friend Ian Rittmaster had the opportunity to visit them in 2022 – make sure to check out all the photos of the distillery and farms on our blog.
Barley grown in Fukuoka. Photo by Ikekame Shuzo.
On other side of Kyushu, in Fukuoka, I visited Ikekame Shuzo earlier this year where they make both sake and shochu. President Teruyuki Kamachi says, “The land is fertile, and double cropping is practiced in which rice is grown after wheat is harvested.” Honestly, this label first stopped me in my tracks, and I had to get my hands on it for the club! The face is a Mingei depiction of Kintaro (a folk tale of a boy with superhuman strength), used in local folk art. President Teruyuki Kamachi told me that as a boy, he would fly a kite with this face on it, which symbolized strength and good health for small children. The region is well-known for sake production, and Ikekame started making shochu in 1984 when, “the sake market was in a slump.” Kamachi-san oversees both sake and shochu production and aims to “make alcohol that I would like to drink myself.”
Kanpai to that! Happy Holidays,
Kayoko
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Ouka Imo Shochu
Kuroki Honten Distillery (Takanabe, Miyazaki)
Distilled from estate grown Tama Akane sweet potatoes and local Hinohikari rice
ABV 25% / Koji: Black / Distillation: Atmospheric
Aged in resin-coated iron vats
Made with handmade koji and a sweet potato called Tama Akane that is grown on Kuroki Honten’s farm, this a variety that is radiant orange in color has a high level of beta carotene. About Ouka, Kuroki-san says, “it is a valuable shochu because the potato is dicult to steam and the amount of alcohol that can be removed is small.” With strong notes of black tea, orange blossoms and vanilla (Celestial Seasoning’s Mandarin Orange Spice Tea, anyone?), this aromatic shochu brightens in any service style, even cocktails.
Food Pairing:
Buttermilk fried chicken
Camino Grilled Crab
How to Drink:
Sodawari (with club soda and ice)
Oyuwari (with hot water - see below)
Gimlet Cocktail: 2oz Ouka, 0.5oz lime, 0.5oz simple syrup. Shake for 10-15 seconds, pour into a coupe, garnish with lime peel.
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Chikugo Agura Kintaro Mugi Shochu
Ikekame Shuzo (Kurume, Fukuoka)
Distilled from local Hoshun mugi (barley) and barley koji
ABV 25% / Koji: Black / Distillation: Atmospheric
Aged in enamel tanks for 3 years
President Kamachi and Kayoko in front of the brewery.
Ikekame Shuzo is relatively new to shochu-making in comparison to their sake-making history of nearly 150 years. President Kamachi says, “We aim to create shochu that expresses the characteristics of the ingredients and the local climate” and for this bottle, Fukuoka barley is used. The result is a shochu with a buttery texture and notes of toast and chocolate with a cinnamony, burnt sugar tail.
Food Pairing:
Prime Rib
Holiday cheese board with charcuterie, hoshigaki, and nuts
How to drink:
Oyuwari
2 ounces in hot chocolate!
How to Make Oyuwari
Pour 2 ounces of hot water into a cup, then add 3 ounces of shochu.
Do it in this order or else you will burn the shochu!
Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 200 members throughout the country. Join today!
As we approach the end of 2023, I look forward to getting cozy in my big slippers and thick sweaters while sipping on soft and gentle sakes made with yukidoke (snow melt). Luckily, sakes made with snow melt are not hard to find as Japan is a mountainous island chain, famous for its soft water, and powdery ski slopes. Yukidoke used for sake does not directly flow from the mountain into the tanks of sake, instead it develops its character over decades. Nobuki Matsumoto, the toji of Shirataki Shuzo explains “After the snow melts, it takes several decades for the water to reach the underground veins from the surface of the earth, but the water is dug through wells and pumped up to be used for sake brewing.” Similarly, Kunihiro Ono at Yoshinogawa Brewery says, “They penetrate deep into the earth and undergo repeated filtration over many years, creating a clear, pure and cold underground water vein.”
All four breweries featured this month are located in snow country alongside dramatic mountain ranges. Chikuma Nishiki Sake is located along Asama mountain range in Nagano prefecture, and Ippongi Sake Brewery stands in the shadow of the sacred mountain Hakusan in Okuechizen, to the north-east of Fukui Prefecture, while both Shirataki Shuzo and Yoshinogawa Brewery, are located in Niigata, famous for getting record amounts of snow every year. In addition to providing an abundance of soft water, these bitterly cold winters inhibit unwanted bacterial behavior during the brewing process. Kakutaro Kubo, president of Ippongi Sake Brewery also adds, “Sake-specific rice strains (i.e. Gohyakumangoku) are perfectly adapted to the heavy snowfall and terrain.”
Water hardness is calculated by converting the amount of calcium and magnesium in water to calcium carbonate. Soft water is defined as having less than 60 mg/L of calcium carbonate, and all of the makers here emphasize that soft water allows their sakes to achieve a lighter taste and soft mouthfeel. If you remember the theme from October, Miyamizu, we tried sakes made with hard water. Matsumoto sums it up by saying, “Sake made using hard water is suitable for making heavy, dry alcohol. On the other hand, sake made using soft water tends to have a beautiful and gentle taste.” Ono of Yoshinogawa adds, “Soft water takes longer to ferment than hard water, so it often ends up with a finer, lighter flavor.” I find that the sakes this month have notes of mochi and light-as-air angel food cake.
Kubo describes the sensation of sake made in snow country poetically, “Sake with majesty that fades away like a dream.” That might be the way I’d like to remember 2023.
Kanpai,
Yoko, Co-Founder + Sake Director at Umami Mart
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LEVEL 1
Jozen White Junmai Ginjo
Shirataki Shuzo (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55% Gohyakumangoku, SMV: +4, Acidity: 1.2
“Our goal is to create a sake that is as smooth and transparent as melting snow,” says Matsumoto-san of Shirataki Shuzo. The bottle, designed by P Design Laboratory, tried to recreate the sparkling appearance of snow, resulting in the faceted surface. Enjoy aromas of whipped cream and flavors green melon and apples. This sake is suited for seafood, and recommended to pair with pasta alle vongole. Matsumoto recommends finishing the dish with a few spritz’ of Jozen White to bring out the umami of the seafood. Drink this sake warm or at room temperature.
Denshin Yuki Junmai Ginjo
Ippongi Kubohonten (Fukui, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55% Gohyakumangoku, SMV: N/A, Acidity: N/A
This sake is named yuki, or snow, to acknowledge the melting snow that flows down through the woods that is used for brewing. Kakutaro Kubo, president of Ippongi Sake Brewery says, “Our brewery in the city of Katsuyama stands in the shadow of the sacred mountain Hakusan in Okuechizen. This snow country is known for its particularly heavy snowfall and supplies all the water for the plain that stretches across the north of Fukui Prefecture.” The resulting sake is light gold, with notes of mochi, cornbread, cherry, and rootbeer. Kubo recommends having this sake with any dish that features a citric element, for example, steamed prawns or raw oysters with lemon. I enjoyed this sake slightly warmed (110°F) with stir-fried lotus root dressed with umeboshi.
Yoshinogawa Gokujo Ginjo
Yoshinogawa Sake Brewery (Niigata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55% Gohyakumangoku, SMV: +7, Acidity: 1.2
Kunihiro Ono of Yoshinogawa Sake Brewery describes the water used for brewing their sakes, “ We use groundwater drawn from a well on the premises (a shallow well approximately 10m deep) from Yoshino River. The water used for brewing is named ‘Tenka Kanrosen.’ The water is soft and is low in iron and minerals, which requires a longer fermentation time.” Low temperature, longer fermentation leads to a clean finish. Enjoy this savory sake slightly warmed to enjoy notes of earthy porridge, sassafras, and melon rinds. Pair with foods that are full of umami including raw oysters with lemon and fresh burrata dipped in soy sauce.
Kizan Sanban Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu
Chikuma Nishiki Shuzo (Nagano, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55% Miyama Nishiki, SMV: -16, Acidity: 3.0
We offered this sake at the Fifth Taste event last month and it sold out immediately. Luckily I had procured enough bottles for everyone in Level 2 prior to its arrival stateside. The name Kizan means “to return to the mountains.” Chikuma Nishiki Brewery is located in the Alps of Nagano Prefecture. This juicy sake proves its complexity by offering flavors of licorice, tart green apples, and sweet coconut. Enjoy this viscous namazake chilled in a flute to highlight its bright and slightly effervescent texture. The high acidity in this sake is an ideal pairing with heartier foods like rare steak, grilled tofu, and sukiyaki.
]]>In 2016, Yoko and I met our friend Anders in Kyushu. It was my first time on the southern most island of Japan (excluding Okinawa), and I absolutely fell in love with the towns we visited: Saga, Kumamoto, and Fukuoka. There is a laid back atmosphere to Kyushu and its people – compared to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, it’s just much more chill there. In Fukuoka, we were taken on a tour of Yame and its picturesque tea farms and had a lovely lunch around a irori (sunken hearth – nevermind it was boiling temperatures outside). Then, we were off to Kitaya Brewery, known for their sakes and shochus (see the tour on the blog!). Afterwards, we stayed at a lovely ryokan on the Chikugo River. I returned to Fukuoka earlier this year and stayed at that very same ryokan and explored other towns in the prefecture a bit more, as well as the dynamic namesake city, with its signature tonkotsu ramen, gyoza, and the lively yatai (food carts) that pop up nightly around the city center.
As Umami Mart’s Shochu Director, let me say that while Kyushu is known for shochu, Fukuoka also has a grand reputation for its sake production. Koji Umeki of Kitaya Shuzo told me that the oldest brewery in Fukuoka was founded in 1673 and by 1691, there were 613 sake breweries in Fukuoka; today it is home to 59 breweries all over the prefecture. The region’s climate makes it ideal for rice growing (the winters are cold yet dry), and sake brewers have become more committed to use locally grown rice.
“Fukuoka Prefecture is said to be one of Japan's three major sake producers, and was the second largest producer of sake in the country after Hyogo. Not only rice but also water was abundant, the population was large, and there were many workers and drinkers. It was blessed with a location where it was easy to obtain pure energy because there were many coal mines, and because it was surrounded by the sea, it was easy to transport alcohol across the country,” said Tetsuo Yamaguchi, the 11th generation brewer of Yamaguchi Sake Brewery.
In 2003, a strain of sake rice called Yume Ikkon was developed – President Teruyuki Kamachi of Ikekame Shuzo says, “Yumeikkon is a variety developed in Fukuoka Prefecture, and it is low in protein and has a refined taste.” Mr. Umeki of Kitaya Shuzo adds, “It is characterized by large grains, high yield, and is difficult to fall over.” Umeki-san refers to the height of the rice plants – Yamada Nishiki, although the king of sake rice, grows tall and has the tendency to fall over. Yume Ikkon on the other hand does not grow so high, so it is not as susceptible to damage. Tetsuo Yamaguchi adds that the strain is stable and has adapted to the hot Japanese summers.
I’m thrilled to feature sakes this month all made with Yume Ikkon and Yamada Nishiki rice from Fukuoka! One thing is clear about Fukuoka-made sakes: they are crisp and excellent with food. I hope you enjoy them, and even more, I hope you put Fukuoka on your itinerary for your next Japan trip! You won’t regret it.
Kanpai,
Kayoko
Co-Founder, Umami Mart
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LEVEL ONE
Niwa no Uguisu Junmai Ginjo 60
Yamaguchi Shuzojo (Fukuoka, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60% Yamadanishiki + Yume Ikkon, SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.5
Niwa no Uguisu translates to “nightingale of the garden”, and it’s the brand that the brewery is most well known for, winning many accolades. The “60” in the name is in regards to the rice polishing, and they use rice grown right by their brewery. Tetsuo Yamaguchi, 11th generation president of Yamaguchi Shuzojo says this is the sake he will drink at his saigo no bansan (last supper). Bold statement! The concept of this sake, he said, is that you can enjoy it cup after cup, and he always has it in his refrigerator at home. This sake is indeed super crisp yet supple and paired especially well with Estero Gold cheese and canned anchovies on Morrell’s country loaf.
Koji made with Yamada Nishiki rice grown nearby at Yamaguchi Shuzojo
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Kitaya Kansansui Junmai Daiginjo
Kitaya Shuzo (Fukuoka)
Seimaibuai: 45% Yamada Nishiki + Yume Ikkon
SMV: +1, Acidity: 1.5
We visited Kitaya Shuzo in 2016, a brewery located in the city of Yama, founded in 1820. Kansansui means “cold mountain water”, fitting since it’s brewed with water from the Yabe River, deep in the mountains of Yame. I recall the lush greenery surrounding the brewery, within a charming country setting. This sake uses a blend of Yamada Nishiki and Yume Ikkon, both grown in the prefecture. “By using multiple rice varieties with different characteristics, it creates a complex flavor. This sake brings out the best of both the aromatic and delicate flavor of Yamada Nishiki and the deep richness and rich flavor of Yume Ikkon.” Enjoy cold with Garrotxa cheese or temaki night.
Washed rice on drying racks at Kitaya Shuzo
Yamada Nishiki rice grown in Fukuoka. Photo by Kitaya Shuzo.
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LEVEL TWO
Minogame Muroka Tokubetsu Junmai
Ikekame Shuzo (Fukuoka)
Seimaibuai: 55% Yume Ikkon, SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.4
On a recent visit to Fukuoka, I was able to visit Ikekame Shuzo, a brewery in the town of Kurume. The brewery was founded in 1875 and its president Teruyuki Kamachi is doing some really rad things with his sakes! You may remember that we featured their Kuro Kabuto sake a few years back, which was made with white koji, creating a sake with high acidity. Kamachi-san says, “In addition to brewing sake, people in Fukuoka have been producing shochu for a long time, so I think there are many breweries that use flexible ideas to produce interesting sake.” This sake here is muroka (charcoal unfiltered), made with local Yume Ikkon. You’ll notice flecks of kasu (lees) and Kamachi-san adds, “we use yeast with a mild aroma, and we wanted to preserve the original flavor of moromi.” Enjoy the soft textures of this sake at room temperature in a large ceramic guinomi alongside a charcuterie board with Mt. Tam cheese and Fra Mani salamis. Kamachi himself designed the Minogame (a mythical turtle with algae growing from its shell), an auspicious symbol of longevity.
Chikugo River, flowing near Ikekame Shuzo
Niwa no Uguisu Junmai Daiginjo 45
Yamaguchi Shuzojo (Fukuoka)
Seimaibuai: 45% Yume Ikkon, SMV: +1, Acidity: 1.4
Dinking this sake is like floating upon a fluffy cloud against a bright blue sky. Yamaguchi says it is made with, “soft rice grown only in Fukuoka Prefecture. It is a sake that is full of flavor from the moment you press it – juicy and fragrant.” Well-balanced and elegant, the sake has a crisp entry with a long tail. I loved this cold with bolder, spicier dishes like mapo tofu or cioppino – a luxurious complement to the foods of the colder months.
]]>I never felt like I could explain just how deep and complex the chasen (matcha whisk) making culture is in Japan. But all of it became clear to me after meeting Yasaburo Tanimura and his son Keiichiro Tanimura of Suikaen Tanimura Chasen in the Takayama region in Nara, this past spring.
Upon driving up to the family's property, I saw bamboo sticks in teepee-like formations. The pink of the ume blossoms contrasted with the green stalks, providing an unbelievably Japanese landscape.
Both father and son welcomed me in at the entrance.
We got settled into the front room, where the warm, crisp spring light poured in. While Keiichiro-san talked to me about their craft, his father settled into his chair, quietly working. The father and son gave me a perfect demonstration of why this craft is so special – I took in the words of the son while watching his father worked skillfully right in front of my eyes.
Yasaburo Tanimura working at his station
The Tanimura family has been at this house making chasen for 530 years. Yasaburo-san (the father) is the 25th generation chasen maker in his family. Keiichiro-san will be the 26th. Keiichiro-san has been trained to make chasen, but he explains, "My father has not yet accepted my work as a product." Therefore, it will still take time for Keiichiro-san to take the reins completely.
When competition of chasen-making was fierce in the region, Keiichiro-san said that generations before only worked in the middle of the night for fear of having their chasen-making secrets stolen. This continued into Yasaburo-san's generation, as Keiichiro-san recounted his father sleeping from 5am-1pm after working all night. Yasaburo-san still says he works best at night because there are no interruptions.
There are three different types of bamboo for three different schools of tea:
Hachiku (white bamboo) - Urasenke school
Shichiku (purplish black) - Mushanokoji school
Susudake (reddish bamboo harvested from 200 year old thatched roof houses in Japan, now mostly in Shiga) - Omotesenke school
A mix of hachiku, susudake, and shichiku bamboo
I asked Keiichiro-san what the main differences are between Japanese-made and foreign-made chasen. He clarified for me the difference between Japanese and those made elsewhere (mostly China) – time and craft. Tanimura-san will harvest three-year old hachiku bamboo in the dead of winter when the bugs in the bamboo go underground. Then they boil the bamboo to remove the oil from the inside of the stalks. From there, they sun bleach them to get rid of water and bugs for one to two months, typically in January and February. When exposed to sunlight, the ultraviolet rays change the color of the bamboo from green to a beautiful milky white. This is done chemically outside of Japan which means the bamboo does not have that milky color.
After a month, they cure the bamboo in their shed for two years. There is a silica pack in the Chinese made whisks because they do not cure the bamboo for two years. Kenichiro-san says, "The reason we spend so much time (curing) is to increase the flexibility and durability of bamboo."
Keiichiro-san in front of their curing shed
The other difference is that curling is done by hand in Japan, while in China it is done by heat. You will see that this takes great skill to do. The heat curled versus hand-curled chasen look strikingly different. Keichiro-san outlines the curling process step-by-step:
1. 片木 (Hegi): peel one-third of the bamboo skin and divide it into 16 equal parts. Then separate skin and endodermis each of the parts, and cut out the endodermis.
2. 小割 (Kowari): divide 1 mm divided into 0.4mm and 0.6mm.
3. 味削り (Ajikezuri): Make the all bristles thinner just like your hair.
4. 面取り (Mentori): Shave the edge each of the bristles to round off the corners.
5. 下編み (Shitaami): Separate inner (0.4mm) and outer (0.6mm) bristles alternately with a thread.
6. 上編み (Uwaami): To keep the shape of the Chasen, knit the inner and outer bristles twice.
7. 仕上げ (Shiage): Arrange the each of the bristles to make beautiful shape.
Finally, there are no bleaching or chemicals applied to the bamboo in Japan, leaving the "imperfections" of the bamboo for the user to see. He says that the whisks made outside of Japan look unusually clean.
The progression in stages
The family business employs 30 people, but they only complete 20 chasen per day.
We are proud to say that we started importing these special chasen from Suikaen. The Tanimura family kindly wrapped the Shin Chasen in Umami Mart Red thread. These will be especially close to my heart and remind me of my visit that concluded with a delicious treat of matcha and wagashi in their beautiful tea room.
I want to thank the Tanimura family for welcoming me into their home and patiently explaining the whole process to me. Every time I see one of their chasen, I admire them as works of art.
]]>Umami Mart seeks a friendly and responsible team member to fill a hybrid, seasonal role supporting both the front of the house and Umami Mart Bar program staff. This will be at our shop located at 4027 Broadway in Oakland. This position will be for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (8 hours shifts each day), with extra shifts during the week. We are a small team, offering a dynamic work environment and fun perks!
Pay is $19 per hour, depending on experience. After a three-month probationary period, tips from bar sales split with non-management FOH staff depending on skillset of employee. New Shopkeeper Assistants will go through a 90-day evaluation period. During this period attendance will be assessed. Tardiness is not tolerated – you get two warnings, and the third time results in termination. We have a zero tolerance policy for drinking or drugs on the job.
This is a non-exempt hourly position. We are a small but expanding company and there will be opportunities for career growth and merit-based raises. We require your full support and availability between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
Umami Mart seeks a team member who:
Responsibilities include:
Please contact us with any questions or email us your resume AND cover letter to shop@umamimart.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
]]>Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 200 members throughout the country. Join today!
Considering that sake is made of 80% water, it is no wonder why almost every brewer we visit obsesses over the quality of their water. This month, we zero in on the most famous water for sake-making: Miyamizu.
Miyamizu is a portmanteau of the words Nishinomiya (a city neighboring Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture) and mizu (water). It refers to the water that was originally collected from Nishinomiya Shrine. The source of the water comes from the Mt. Rokko range in the northern part of Kobe’s Nada area. Miyamizu is harder than most water in Japan, meaning it contains more minerals. It is especially fit for brewing sake because while it is high in desirable minerals that promote healthy yeast growth and fermentation (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and salt brought from the sea), it is low in iron (iron can lead to off-flavors and colors, especially when aging). Miyamizu accumulates a high mineral content because it is filtered from millions of years of sea shell deposits that the underground water runs through.
Owner Masataka Shirakashi of Kenbishi Brewery (who makes Mizuho for Level 2) says, “The benefits of Miyamizu were proven in 1840. The sake made in the breweries in Nishinomiya City were highly evaluated, and the water used in those breweries was transported to other breweries and used in other breweries to improve the quality of the sake there. As a result, Miyamizu became known to be suitable for making sake.” Since then, the Nada district remains the largest sake-producing area in Japan – all thanks to Miyamizu and its desirable qualities for making sake.
So how does sake made with Miyamizu taste and why has it been so prized since 1840? Hironobu Kubota, Vice president of Fukuju Brewery in Kobe says, “It produces a dry taste with a rich flavor and sharpness.” Shirakashi-san of Kenbishi Brewery adds, “You can make sake with a strong umami flavor. Miyamizu also has the effect of suppressing offensive odor that tends to occur during storage.” Indeed, all the sakes for this month have sturdy umami and age well, harkening the old era of sake before the ginjo boom. These sakes are great for the hearty food pairings we start to indulge in as we head into the fall – like shellfish, red meat, and cheese.
Kanpai,
Yoko, Co-Founder + Sake Director at Umami Mart
Goka Sennenju Junmai Daiginjo
Tatsuuma-Honke Brewing (Hyogo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki 50%, SMV: +0, Acidity: 1.4
A luxurious creamy texture of custard is complemented by notes of dried mango and apricots. It features the signature Miyamizu finish – mineral forward and crisp. Hironobu Kubota, vice president of the brewery suggests having this sake with dishes full of umami to enhance the apricot notes of the sake. He suggests roast beef, or beef with mustard. I also enjoyed it with a chickpea salad. Sip this sake chilled in a Bordeaux-shaped wine glass.
Maneki Wanko “Lucky Dog”
Oka Brand (Hyogo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Hitomebore 70%, SMV: -10, Acidity: 1.5
This sake, packaged in an irresistible juicebox, is bursting with stewed cherries, cooked rice, and grapes. Level 1 members get a little bonus this month as you will get two boxes of this Lucky Dog. This sake is a bit sweeter – a departure from the textbook Miyamizu style sake that usually has a dry finish, but still has the signature umami-rich profile. The sweetness is perfect for spicier dishes like Thai spicy basil chicken or tofu, or Japanese-style ebi-chili. Have it straight out of the box with the straw chilled or in a white wine glass.
Bamboo Junmai Ginjo
Kobe Shushinkan Breweries (Hyogo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Local Rice 60%, SMV: +2, Acidity: 1.3
This junmai ginjo that’s been aged for four years, retains vibrant flavors of pineapple, apricot, and yellow nectarines, while offering a solid foundation of umami. The Miyamizu water comes through in its satisfyingly clean finish. Kubota-san says, “The use of Miyamizu allows for the expression of a well-balanced flavor with a rich umami taste and a fruity aroma.” He suggests having this sake chilled with dishes that have a creamy consistency to complement its fruity flavors – duck liver terrine, cottage cheese, or a pumpkin tart.
Kenbishi Mizuho Yamahai Junmai
Kenbishi Sake Brewing (Hyogo, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Yamada Nishiki 70%, SMV: +1, Acidity: 2
Founded in 1505, Kenbishi has the oldest trademarked logo in Japan, representing male and female, and the birth of life. Brimming with notes of honey, raisin, banana, vanilla, and cocoa, this sake has an unmistakable golden glow and ends with crisp acidity. Shirakashi-san of Kenbishi says, “Mizuho blends sake that have been stored for two to eight years and has a very wide range of pairings, as it does not get in the way of any dish.” Try this sake at room temperature with a creamy brie cheese, mushrooms sauteed in butter, or with a grilled filet of salmon.
]]>We are in peak produce season here in the Bay Area and I am constantly
inspired by all the radiant, bulbous fruit and vegetables that I find at the farmer’s
markets and Monterey Market in Berkeley. This is when all the colorful
tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, peaches, and berries thrive and call out to my
innate desire to create in the kitchen. Cooking is so calming and meditative for
me – we could all agree that making stu by hand is so gratifying and brings
out our innermost childlike curiosities and imagination. With the acceleration of
technology and the need for convenience, we often overlook the need to slow
down and make something. Anything.
The shochus I’m featuring this quarter are tezukuri (handmade). Yes, there are
many honkaku shochus out there, made with care, batch by batch, which is
what makes this spirit category so special. Shochu really is Japan’s best kept
secret, and there are a countless number of bottles that could have been
chosen for this theme. However, these two shochus have been hand-picked by
me as ultra handmade bottles, and arduously imported by our vendors so they
can be Shochu Gumi exclusives. I am absolutely thrilled to finally get to share
them with you!
Manzen Shuzo in the mountains of Kirishima
Our first bottle Manzen Imo is being re-introduced to the U.S. market in the
720ml bottle size (formerly it was scantily available as an isshobin 1.8L bottle).
The koji is devoutly handmade, which is rare in shochu-making as this part is
usually mechanized.
Making shochu by hand at Manzen Shuzo
Secondly, Ichinojo Kokuto Shochu is made with homegrown, organic black sugar! This is extremely uncommon, given that most kokuto shochus are made with sugar grown in Okinawa. You’re going to really taste both the koji and the kokuto in these respective bottles and I hope you will take a minute to enjoy these tezukuri shochus (paired with home cooked dishes!).
Asahi Shuzo Production Manager and owner Hiroyuki Kitei at the distillery’s organic sugarcane fields in Amami Oshima
Kanpai,
Kayoko
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Manzen Imo Shochu
Manzen Shuzo (Kirishima, Kagoshima)
Distilled from Koganesengan sweet potatoes and local Hinohikari rice
ABV 25% / Koji: Black / Distillation: Atmospheric
Aged in ceramic for three months
Shochu Gumi Exclusive!
Manzen Shuzo has been located in the mountains of Kirishima for the past 150
years. The company was revived by the current fourth generation president
Toshihiro Manzen and they make three shochus (one for each kind of koji) with the
pristine Kirishima rekka sui – waters full of volcanic minerals. Fermentation occurs
for about two weeks in the traditional kamejikomi style (in vats made out of
ceramic) and they use a finicky, labor-intensive wooden still for distillation. The
only mechanized step occurs in the steaming of the rice to make the koji.
Koganesengan potatoes at Manzen
Adding steamed sweet potato to the moromi
Stills made of sugi (Japanese cedar)
Toji Hiroyuki Manzen says that the koji is the most important step for his shochu-making, "For half the year, I stay overnight in the brewery and take care of the koji."
Manzen toji Hiroyuki Manzen
Hiroyuki-san recommends this shochu oyuwari (at 95 ̊F) with roast beef or torisashi (chicken sashimi), while I enjoyed it on the rocks or mizuwari with a summer vegetable ratatouille or Pollo a la Catalan (chicken braised with wine and dried fruits) from the recent issue of Milk Street.
Chicken sashimi is the recommended pairing for Manzen Imo
These dishes greatly complemented the fruity (think Hawaiian Fruit Punch!) yet earthy, minerally notes of the shochu. Fun fact: Hawaiian Shochu Company’s Ken Hirata apprenticed at Manzen before opening his distillery on Oahu.
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TIDA Ichinojo Kokuto Shochu
Asahi Brewery (Amami Oshima, Kagoshima)
Distilled from estate organic kokuto (black sugar) and Thai rice
ABV 25% / Koji: Black / Distillation: Atmospheric
Aged in enamel tanks for 1-2 years
Shochu Gumi Exclusive!
Since 1916, Asahi Shuzo has been making kokuto shochu and they now grow their
kokuto and rice organically on their own farm on Kikaijima, the eastern most
islands on the Amami archipelago.
Asahi Shuzo in the springtime
Ichinojo is made with 2.5 times the amount of sugar that is normally used for their flagship bottle. Production Manager Hiroyuki Kitei says they change the production depending on the condition of the raw materials and state of fermentation. A sip of Ichinojo is like taking a nose-dive into a bowl of dark raw kokuto sugar, with notes full of chocolate, purple fruit, custard, and roasted bananas. I love this with soda with hiyashi chuka (ramen salad) or a smothered porkchop with my father-in-law’s beans (ask me for the simple recipe!). Or have a nightcap on the rocks with a piece of dark chocolate. This bottle debuted in 2001, and Kitei-san named it Ichinojo (first brew) since it was his first release. All labels are handwritten by Kitei-san.
Raw sugarcane grown organically at Asahi Shuzo
]]>Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 200 members throughout the country. Join today!
Natsuzakes (summer sakes) typically get released starting in June, and satisfy thirsty sake lovers through the hottest months in Japan. The timing for us in Northern California is perfect, as the sakes start to arrive in August and September, when things really start heating up here.
Natsuzake is a pretty recent phenomenon – appearing on shelves in the late aughts. There was a hole in sake sales during the summer, as there was no sake equivalent to an ice cold beer or sparkling wine, which are often the drinks of choice for the summer time. Sakemakers knew a summer sake needed to have similar attributes: sessionable, low alcohol, light, fresh, and sparkling. To make sure that they can be enjoyed over a long period of time (say at a picnic or BBQ), these sakes need to be easy to drink. Many of these sakes balance sweetness and acidity, which you’ll notice on the stats on the reverse side (low SMV, high acidity). There are no specific requirements for calling a sake a natsuzake, hence the category is still quite open to interpretation.
I like drinking my natsuzake very cold in a small white wine glass. I often experiment and try the sake on-the-rocks as well. I urge you to try the Himezen with soda, as Nakamura-san recommends on the reverse side. Please store your natsuzakes in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Brewers know that people lose their appetites during the very hot and sticky summer in Japan, so they make these sakes to stand on their own, without food. This means the sake itself offers a range of tastes including sweetness, umami, and tartness – a light meal in a glass. Bring these sakes to a BBQ and sip while the food sizzles on the grill, or while you are setting the picnic table. The idea is that you can sip on these sakes all day while you hang out with friends and family at summer gatherings!
Kanpai,
Yoko (Co-Founder + Sake Director at Umami Mart)
Gokyo Nama Junmai
Saikai Brewing (Yamaguchi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Nihonbare 60%, SMV: +2, Acidity: 1.9, ABV 15%
Brewed in May, this sake makes it stateside just in time for our Indian Summer. Located in a delta that has abundant groundwater, Sakai Shuzo makes this fizzy, refreshing unpasteurized sake for the hot summer with aromas of lime and cucumber, accented by minerality and a crisp finish. The toji, Kenishi Morishige, recommends having this sake very cold with potato salad.
Himezen
Ichinokura (Miyagi, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Toyonishiki 65%, SMV: -70, Acidity: 4.8-5.2, ABV: 8%
This low alcohol sake was released after the previous president went to Europe to study the drinking culture there. Erina Nakamura, sales rep at Ichinokura, explains his experience, “While in Paris studying wine, he tried a Belgian Lambic beer. The beer was sour, aromatic and not very frothy, like wine. Then in Vienna, Austria, he tried a bubbly new wine, Heuriger, in a tavern run by a viticulturist. The experience of drinking beer like wine and wine like beer made him realize that there are no barriers between wine and beer. He began to imagine a world in which there could be sake like wine and sake like beer. When he returned to Japan, he set about developing this wine-like sake.” Enjoy notes of blood orange, ume, and grape juice. Nakamura recommends having 6oz Himezen, to 4oz soda on ice with a squeeze of lemon!
“Summer Light” Junmai Nama Genshu
Daisekkei Sake Brewing (Nagano, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Hitogokochi 65%, SMV: +1, Acidity: 1.7, ABV: 13%
Summer Light is a new product released in 2021. Brewmaster Mamoru Nagase explains its concept, “We prepared an unfiltered refreshing sake for the hot summer with an alcohol content of 13% and bottled it while retaining carbon dioxide gas (slightly foamy feeling) derived from fermentation.” With the tart aroma of grapefruit and dried cherries, complemented by notes of cream soda, this is definitely what I want to drink in my backyard on my day off. Drink this sparkly sake chilled in a wine glass with zaru soba or teriyaki chicken.
Masumi Shiro
Miyasaka Brewing Co. (Nagano, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Miyama Nishiki 55%, SMV: -3.3, Acidity: 1.5, ABV: 12%
When asked how Shiro came about, Kenji Nasu, the Executive Master Brewer said, “Recent changes in diet, health, and taste has increased interest in lower alcohol drinks, and brewers have put more effort into developing high-quality, low-alcohol sake.” At 12% ABV this sake is light enough to enjoy all day. Notice aromas of lemon and apple with a lingering finish of umami. Atsushi Nakano, the Master Brewer says they achieve a low ABV sake with enough body by, “setting a long and slow fermentation plan of at least 30 days and to lower the mash temperature to calm the yeast down before we filter the mash.” Try this sake chilled with summer greens, grilled shrimp, or shiitake.
]]>Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 200 members throughout the country. Join today!
I am going out on a bit of a limb here, introducing umeshu for Sake Gumi, but Umami Mart has always been about breaking boundaries. And based on the rising interest in our umeshu-making kit and hugely popular housemade umeshu we serve at the bar, I’m hoping that members will find the drink as interesting and refreshingly delicious as I do. In fact, I find that umeshu is a drink that’s enjoyed across the board – from wine and sake drinkers to whisky connoisseurs, it seems to be a flavor profile that many people find pleasing and nostalgic. It’s both sweet and tart with a distinct aroma of dried fruit. It’s also one of the most satisfying summer drinks when served on-the-rocks or with a splash of soda – perfect for August.
Umeshu is composed of two words, ume (often referred to as Japanese plum, but it is arguably closer to an apricot) and shu (the Japanese word for alcohol). Umeshu is often translated as “plum wine,” which is a bit of a misnomer since it’s not fermented – it is a maceration of ume and sugar in alcohol. Although most commonly soaked in shochu, umeshu can also be made with sake, whisky, and vodka. Since we are introducing umeshu in the context of Sake Gumi, I have chosen umeshus with a sake base. Each member this month will get an umeshu and a sake from the same brewer so you can compare their regular sake with their umeshu sake.
The first mention of umeshu was documented in 1695 in the Japanese culinary bible Honcho-shokkan. It’s unclear if the objective was to preserve the plums or end up with the liqueur that resulted from the process. Whatever the initial intention, it has evolved to become a drink that almost every household in Japan makes. Each family seems to have a different recipe consisting of three ingredients: ume, sugar, and alcohol, with varying techniques involving ume preparation (to remove the heta stem or not to?) and how long the umeshu infuses.
Commercially produced umeshu has proved to be very popular in Japan. Consequently, umeshus with additives (artificial color, and added vitamin C) started to appear on the shelves. To differentiate these with additive-free umeshu, the category of honkaku umeshu (authentic umeshu) was established.
I’ve chosen two honkaku umeshu for Sake Gumi this month, and both are unique for different reasons. Level 1 members will get Nanbu Bijin No Sugar Umeshu that has no added sugar and uses a zen koji sake which tastes a bit like mirin to make up for the lack of added sugar. Level 2 members will get the Saika Nigori Umeshu, which incorporates the pulp of premium Kishu ume to create a nigori (cloudy) umeshu.
I hope that you will enjoy going out on an ume tree limb with me this month. In addition to being a very fun summer category, I feel like it’s appropriate to discuss this very traditional Japanese drink with an interesting history.
Kanpai,
Yoko (Co-Founder + Sake Director at Umami Mart)
Nanbu Bijin No Sugar Umeshu
Nanbu Bijin (Iwate, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Toyonishiki 65%, SMV: -50, Acidity: 3.0
Nanbu Bijin’s umeshu adds no sugar and instead uses their All Koji Sake (a full-bodied sake with concentrated sweetness and umami made only with koji rice) to balance the tartness of the ume. Macerated with koji sake and ume for only two weeks, this clear, light pink umeshu is bright, light, tart, and clean – think fresh cranberries and pomegranates. One of my favorite things about this umeshu is that it proves that you don’t have to infuse ume for very long to take advantage of the fruit’s merits. A quick maceration highlights the fresh and light astringency of the ume skins. Kosuke Kuji, the 5th generation brewer of Nanbu Bijin adds, “We use plums from the plum grove around Shoboji Temple in Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture.” Try this elegant umeshu chilled in a wine glass with bolder flavors including al pastor tacos, chicken wings, and gindara misoyaki.
Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai
Nanbu Bijin (Iwate, Japan)
Seimaibuai: Gin Otome 55%, SMV: +5, Acidity: 1.6
A great midsummer sake, this tokubetsu (special) junmai uses local Iwate sake rice Gin Otome milled down to 55% and wafts aromas of juicy white peach, green apple, and cherry blossom. I love the light texture that tastes as vividly of white peach as it smells without being cloying. Kuji enjoys having this sake chilled with seafood carpaccio or stir-fried tofu.
Workers removing stems from each ume at Nanbu Bijin.
Saika Nigori Umeshu
Kokonoe Saika (Wakayama, Japan)
Seimaibuai: N/A, SMV: N/A, Acidity: N/A
At first glance, you may mistake this sake for a natty orange wine with sediment, but swirl it around and you’ll see ume pulp clinging to the sides of the glass, and then notice an intoxicating bouquet of dried apricot and figs. The texture is thick and chewy, but it’s surprisingly not as sweet as you may think. The tartness of this umeshu is reminiscent of INNA Jam’s Quince Shrub – one of my favorite shrubs.
President Toshimitsu Saga says, “the plums soaked in sake are pulled out after three months, strained, and finally blended back into the sake-based umeshu.” A hearty profile allows you to pair this sake on-the-rocks with heavier dishes such as BBQ ribs and kung pao chicken. Or, as Saga suggests, “pour it over ice cream!”
Saika Yamahai Junmai
Kokonoe Saika (Wakayama, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 65% Gohyakumangoku, SMV: +4, Acidity: 1.9
This yamahai junmai has a gorgeous light-golden hue which seems to hint at its aromas of dried apricot, dulce de leche, and banana. Enjoy hints of crème fraîche and savory dried fruit notes. Saga suggests having this sake at room temperature with flavorful fish such as tuna, salmon, and yellowtail. When asked about the label, he said “It is a three-legged crow called yatagarasu, and it is said to be the messenger of guidance.”
Production Manager Tatsuya Miyamoto at Kokonoe Saika.
]]>I visited Maruyama Fiber Industry who make Nawrap towels in Nara and learned about the traditional weaving technique native to the region. This was a few months back, in March of 2023 and I'm glad to finally be able to blog about it. When I got to the factory President Katsuhiro Maruyama greeted me at the door.
Me with Ms. Aratsu and President Maruyama.
He first took took me to the showroom where he showed me the different products they currently make.
I loved these shawls, they were soft like gauze. I got the indigo shawl for myself.
He then took me to the manufacturing area where they have huge machines making these thin fabric.
While he showed me around, he taught me more about this fabric.
Dating back hundreds of years, kaya (mosquito net) is a fabric weave that has holes less than 1mm in size and lets wind pass freely in and out without letting in mosquitos. Kaya, as mosquito nets, aren't used as often as they were in Japan, but they still in many other parts of the world.
Some of the machines require an artisan that brushes the thread into alignment.
They reminded me of strings in a piano.
This machine starches the fabric so it's flat and easier to handle.
Once the starch is washed, the texture is super soft, almost gauze like. This machine folds the sheets of fabric.
They found that layering kaya makes a great fukin (kitchen cloth) that is now ubiquitous in Japan (and at our bar!). Layering the very thin materials makes them super absorbent but quick drying. Nawrap makes all kinds of products for different uses with kaya. In addition to fukin (six layers), they also make pillowcases (four layers), tea towels (two layers), and more. An added bonus to kaya is that it becomes softer after every wash. Thank you for the grand tour Maruyama-san!
]]>We've had a fantastic time with our later summer bar hours - finally, our guests are able to make it by our bar for a quick one, two, or three on their way to dinner or just after. While we were enjoying our supreme reign as the top bar in Oakland to drink sake and shochu while the sun sits high in the sky on a Wednesday, having longer hours and more open days has given us the opportunity to meet more people, serve more drinks, and experiment a bit!
As a matter of fact, one fine Tuesday, a customer waltzed into our shop, made a bee-line for the bar and asked us for a lychee martini.
We were stunned. Not that this is a bizarre request by any means, but it's certainly an offering we hadn't exactly considered, given that we are usually drawing from Japanese whiskies, gins, and shochus for our drink creation.
As luck would have it, we just received the first shipment in the U.S. for Daiyame, an imo shochu made by Hamada Shuzo, and guess what the primary tasting note for this shochu is??? Yeah, you guessed it, lychee.
We had our work cut out for us. Here's what we came up with:
The Flirtini
aka Umami Mart Lychee Martini
Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass, and stir (NOT TOO MUCH) for 10-12 seconds. Strain into the best coupe glass you have for added sensuality and flair. Pierce your plump lychee with a cocktail pick and place just so into your creation, and enjoy!
We like this drink because we are shameless dry martini fiends - the lychee notes of the Daiyame are a little much on its own, and so we offset it with the bright orange and bubblegum aromas of the Toji Junpei Hanadori (a rare, aromatic, and super strong shochu from one of our favorite small Miyazaki distilleries). This also kicks the ABV up a bit (crucial). Sub in Umami Mart Junmai for vermouth for an added layer of umami and depth, and the Sour Cherry Bitters add the perfect blush - this martini is as fun to look at as it is to lap up.
This drink is simple and very delicious. Try it out on your own, or come taste it at our bar!
Thanks for reading.
xoxo Ian
]]>Originally from Oakland, twin sisters Sam (above left) and Ali Blatteis were living across the country from one another when they developed a passion for whisky. After many distillery tours, countless tastings, and their own personal studies, they launched Home Base Spirits together in the Bay Area in 2015. We actually first met Ali when she worked at Alchemy, the bottle shop on Grand Avenue that is now Alkali Rye. With her passion and knowledge for spirits, she, together with Sam, have released eleven bottles of American whiskies, bourbons, and California amaros. While distillation occurs off-site, they work together to perfect their terroir-driven blends at their Berkeley warehouse, batch by batch.
We were lucky to visit Sam and Ali, right before they jetted off to Seattle for the Good Food Awards, where they won in the spirits category!! As their business expands, we couldn't be more excited for them as people start to learn about their responsibly sourced and produced bottles. Plus, they are delicious!
I was able to ask the Blatteis sisters a few questions about their journey - Home Base will be at our Matsuri this year on August 5th and we're also proud to carry a few of their bottles on our shelves with more coming!
When did you start your operation in Berkeley?
We started Home Base Spirits in 2015 and our first home was a teeny space in a mixed-used warehouse in Jack London. We expanded to our current Berkeley warehouse in 2018.
Dozens of casks filled with aging whisky are stacked at Home Base – they source their casks locally!
Do you run the company just the two of you, or do you have other partners?
It is just the two of us but we are also thrilled to be working with Scottie Forer and two rad Bay Area spirits companies – Common Ground Spirits and Frijolotes – as part of the Bay Spirits Collective. Scottie helps all of our brands expand our reach and get our locally made products into Bay Area bars and store shelves.
What were your inspirations for starting the company?
We were inspired by our love of well made spirits as well as wanting to create whiskies with terroir – to see how we could make truly 'California' style spirits by sourcing locally and ecologically grown ingredients, then distilling with grain forwardness and our climate in mind. We also knew we wanted to create a drinking experience that would be welcoming and inclusive – something we wish we had had when we were first learning about whisky and spirits.
Ali and Sam were so kind to let us taste the liquid gold that were still aging in the casks.
What are your favorite whiskies (besides your own)?
We first fell in love with some classic Kentucky bourbons and ryes – Four Roses, Buffalo Trace, Willet, and then some stellar, grain forward international whiskies like NIkka Coffey Grain, Teeling and Green Spot Irish whiskies, Glenrothes and Springbank Scotches. We've also been really inspired by the American craft whiskies that are similarly focusing on ingredients and terroir, like Corsair, Balcones, Leopold Brothers and Westland. We can't stop exploring and trying new whiskies – it's just too much fun.
A few books for knowledge and inspiration
As sisters, were you both exposed to whisky early in life, or did you discover whisky separately? What are your earliest recollections of drinking whisky?
Ali learned that she enjoyed whisky while attending happy hours in SF with coworkers early in her (non-spirits) career. That led her to wanting to learn more about the category in a friendly, comfortable way, so she founded a women's whisky club with friends. Samantha was living across the country at the time and would attend when she was in town and credits Ali for introducing her to whisky.
Sam leading a tasting of their recent bottlings
What is your favorite part of whisky making?
Ali, our 'master blender and distiller', loves that making whisky is a craft. As a professional artist, it plays into her skills and passions, and lets her share her vision with others. Samantha enjoys sharing the story and shining the light on our farming, malting, and distillation partners.
This is where the blending magic happens!
Home Base collaborates with local artists to create their labels
What are your future goals for the company?Home Base hosts private tastings at their space, inquire here.
What is your favorite part of running a whisky company? What is your least favorite part?
Our favorite part is probably getting to have our hand in every step of the process and bringing our vision to fruition. We also love bringing more people into the fold of spirits and getting them to think about spirits as an agricultural and artistic product. Our least favorite, reporting and taxes. Alcohol is heavily regulated and spirits even more so!
Bottle labels and important Fedex ALC stickers
What do you like to do in your free time?
We don't have a ton of free time these days being small business owners on top of parents of young children, BUT we still love exploring the Bay Area, getting out into nature for hikes, creating art, and reviving the women's whisky club when we can.
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Thank you Ali and Sam for taking the time to answer my questions! We look forward to working with you in the coming years and helping to revive your rad whisky club for women!
]]>Planning my last trip to Japan had even been haphazard, as I had a very last-minute revelation to reroute my entire trip to spend some time in Fukuoka before making my way to Tokyo and Shiga. I was going all the way to Japan, I thought, mere weeks leading up to my trip, I needed to make as many visits as possible! I'm grateful for the newfound flexibility in policies post-covid, as airlines and hotels now often offer free changes and cancellations. This brave new world is perfect for this commitment-phobe.
My main motivation for visiting Fukuoka was to make my way to the small town of Chikugo, where Nishiyoshida Shuzo is located. I had been wanting to meet Director Kyoko Yoshida for some time, ever since I interviewed her for Shochu Gumi's Female Frontrunners month in 2022. Kyoko-san was always very gracious and down-to-earth and I wanted to meet her in person. Plus I had a hunch she was hilarious.
So somehow, I made it happen by flying directly to Fukuoka from SFO for a short two day stay, all for the same price as my ticket to Tokyo! I boarded the Kyushu Shinkansen in Fukuoka City early in the morning and made it to Chikugo in an hour where Kyoko-san picked me up. Shockingly, I realized that I had been there many years prior when Yoko and I had traveled Kyushu with Anders Arhoj and my husband Johnny! The familiarity of my surroundings told me I was right to change my trip around to make this stop.
Hooray! Me and Kyoko-san in front of the Nishiyoshida factory
Nishiyoshida Shuzo was founded in 1893 as a kasutori shochu producer. Chikugo is a robust sake brewing region and they used the kasu (sake lees) from their neighbors to distill and make kasutori shochu. Today they mainly make barley shochu, with many different brands and expressions that greatly vary in flavor profile. The kanban (banner) in front of their factory proudly displayed that this was the home of their most popular shochu Tsukushi.
Tsukushi is also written on their aging tanks, that can be seen from the road.
Bags of local barley were stored in the warehouse. They also use barley from Australia and every isshobin (1.8L bottle) of their shochu uses 1kg of barley.
As soon as I walked into the factory, I was enchanted. It felt like I was on the set of Bladerunner, it had a super sci-fi feel to it. I am accustomed to sake breweries and learned here that shochu distilleries have its own distinct feel. Everything here moved up and the ceilings were so high, and the machines so loud! It was all so majestic.
The most impressive piece of equipment I saw here was their barley soaker. This thing turns very slowly so the barley soaks uniformly. For every 1.5 tons of barley, they use 300 liters of water. They ultimately want the barley to soak in 30-35% of moisture, so it is easier to steam.
Managing Director Takafumi Yoshida pointing at their homemade barley soaking apparatus
Top down view of barley soaker
Soaked barley coming out!
Barley steamer
Tanks of fermenting moromi (mash)
The moromi looked and smelled like a banana shake!
This is black koji!
This machine was amazing and I wish I took more photos of it. Basically, it's hooked up to the barley steamer by a big hose and while the barley is being pumped out, the koji gets sprinkled onto each grain. Then, the pump shoots up to the koji-resting area.
After about 20-40 hours (depending on the method used for koji making), the barley has turned into koji.
The stills! They have both pot still and vacuum stills on site.
This here measures ABV.
The lab!
The aging tanks upon tanks.
Here was a lone barrel with a shochu aging inside.
Nishiyoshida has a little storefront where they showcase and sell all of their available bottles.
Their shochus get a lot of acclaim both in Japan and internationally, recently winning the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Kintaro - a super smoky barley shochu.
We love Nishiyoshida's shochus which showcase the range of barley, from refined to funk. Jakuunbaku, their unfiltered shochu has been featured in Shochu Gumi, and I'm proud to have recently brought in their Tsukushi Zenkoji, a chocolately shochu made with 100% barley shochu.
Each of their shochus bottled the way they used to back in the day, in ceramic jars
Nishiyoshida Shuzo is a family affair: the eldest brother Motohiko Yoshida is President, sister Kyoko-san is Director, and youngest brother Takafumi is Managing Director. Kyoko-san is in charge of marketing and travels the world promoting the company's shochus and Takafumi is in charge of production. They do not have a formal toji (head distiller) and instead collaborate and make decisions on new bottlings together. I am in awe that somehow they can work together as siblings and run a successful company together day in, day out – something that seems an impossible feat (as an older sister).
Kyoko-san and Masafumi-san in front of their company.
Thank you to the Yoshida family for spending the day with me, giving me a full tour and tasting me through all your incredible spirits. I left inspired and proud to introduce your shochus to our stateside customers and look forward to partnerships in the future!
]]>Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 200 members throughout the country. Join today!
Greetings Gumi folks, your whisky liaison and friendly neighborhood Dre is taking over Sake Gumi this month!
It's the same feeling as when you played Pokemon Red on your Game Boy back in 1996, the billboard you passed by causing you to reminisce on days past. Or at some point, somewhere, maybe at a friend's house or on a random TV channel you flipped to as a kid, you caught your first Studio Ghibli film and somehow you've recently found it again. That intangible and intimate emotion that carries the weight of the years and in its wake a wistful longing for a time and place with happy memories or personal associations. That feeling is Nostalgia. I was bursting at the seams with it through my travels, yet I'd never even been out of the country until now. So how can a person experience nostalgia for a place they’ve never been to before?
Well for me it's quite simple. Through the amalgamation of stories I've absorbed created by storytellers and artists who channeled their visions, emotions, experiences, and life philosophies through the cultural looking glass of the land they love. It’s a place where the spirits of the land, sea, and sky are still alive and the folks who live there still regularly interact with them. A place where the earth is still considered sacred and the people embody a deep love and respect for the land that they live.
You can see the history from the way the streets are laid out and the way the houses are designed to how little temples dot the landscapes every few miles. The language is old, flowing, and syllabic. Shrines filled with statues of gods and spirits can be found right in the streets and alleyways of the city. So if you know where to look, the yokai and kami are never far away. There’s no trash on the sidewalk (or anywhere for that matter), and the thought of theft never occurs to people so there's no need to lock up your bike. It's safe enough for young children to walk around fearlessly running errands on their own. The easy and constant access to vending machines means that if you ever experience hunger or thirst and are able to collect at least a hundred coins you can purchase something to sustain life a while longer.
To young me, this place sounds like a world out of mythology or a book series. The part of me that once upon a moon wanted nothing more than to travel and see the sites, places, and cultures of the world filled with the wondrous optimism of childhood. Teenage me unfortunately began to feel the walls of poverty and society closing in. Understanding more and more every year that the country I was born in in wasn't built for people like me, to say the least. Adult me is now filled with jaded perspective, fully resigned to the specific plight that only a black activist in their thirties could wholeheartedly grasp. As of now, that tiny cinder of optimism that I held onto for the sake of that child was reignited to a warm candle flame when adult me got invited to visit the very place that sounds like somewhere out of a storybook. A place where nature and modern life meet on equal terms. A place where everything still connects and the continuity of place and history can be glimpsed on the surface. That place is Japan and more specifically in my case, Fukushima.
I was relieved that I wore thick wool socks as we took our shoes off and softly padded up the stairs of the izakaya, located in the backstreets of Koriyama City a few blocks from our hotel. I’d never been to this type of place and was surprised that the rustic wood made little sound as we were guided to a hexagonal table, made purposefully large for communal merriment. Intentionally placed in the center rafter, next to a number of paintings, odds, ends, and knick knacks, a being from the old world rested quietly. Its long straw-like hair only partially obscured the elongated red nose of the Great Tengu mask, its fierce eyes staring defiantly towards the entrance. A fitting guardian for my first night drinking and eating with new friends soaking in the simple enjoyment of the sounds and sights. especially the ones I couldn't understand.
Of course my hotel window, lined with its gold and brown curtains, faced the perfect direction to catch the sun climbing over violet-tinted mountains to peek through and say hello the next morning. After breakfast we piled into our tour bus to start our trek around the prefecture sliding over its snow brushed mountains and passing by tiny dotted communities like a metallic caterpillar on a mission.
The first brewery we visited on our journey was Kokken Shuzo. Its weathered wooden gates spoke and told a story all their own as our procession crunched through the thin layer of snow covering the sidewalk. The tatami mat room where the head brewer told us of his family and how long they’d been making sake sat only a few yards from a koi pond, inhabited by local fish who’d chosen that exact spot to take in the dappled sunlight reflecting off the water. From there we toured the section of the brewery housing the polishing machine and freshly polished rice, walked across exhilaratingly precarious boards on the second floor to witness the size and scale of the brewing vats before getting to taste sake fresh from the press. The scent of grill smoke, containing our lunch, hung thinly in the air as we walked the few blocks to break bread with the brewers at our next destination.
The next brewery, Aizu Shuzo, is now run by the two sons of the family. Adjacent to where we ate our meal of grilled unagi served in delicate lacquerware, sat the preserved communal space where their family had lived over 300 years ago. Mere feet from the well that they’d been brewing sake from for just as long. The well itself radiated history, and touching it was like listening to a story told through your bones far too difficult to communicate accurately with words. The building is made from interlocking beams, logs and boards, whose tension has been keeping the brewery standing for generations. Each one a testament to traditional Japanese engineering and likely will still be doing their jobs long after my body has gone to the ancestors.
After departing Aizu Shuzo we were brought to the village of Ouchi-Juku nestled in a valley covered in white powder neighboring a smooth untouched field of snow that stretched for miles in each direction like a vast pearlescent lake. The single dirt road, now slushy with ice and puddles, bisected the small village proudly flaunting thatched roof houses straight from the Edo period and still stacked heavy with snowfall. In antiquity Ouchi Juku was once a ‘post town’ in which travelers could find food and lodging while making their way through the region with many of the people who currently live there or nearby still running traditional inns and shops right out of their homes. Beneath those thatched roofs, while dodging falling cold drops we browsed the inhabitants wares of snacks, charms, and keepsakes.
While searching for easy to transport souvenirs we met two elder women tending their stall selling beautifully-crafted fruit and vegetable plushies. The dry cold bothered them little, if at all in their kimono and small jackets, making them look content and dignified with the wisdom of their years. Yugo-san, one of the organizers for the program, explained to the pair that I was visiting Japan for the first time all the way from the American west coast. They looked me up and down, and with a particular resonance in their voices that reminded me too much of my own late grandmother, they in unison bowed and said, “yokoso!” I bowed low in return and gave them my best ‘thank you” in Japanese. Internally, the child, teenage, and adult me were all humbled to the core, feeling warmth spread through my chest like hot tea.
Ouchi Juku’s road ended at ice encrusted wooden steps built right into the mountainside leading up to a graveyard and shrines overlooking the winter vista below. The image akin to an ink painting brought to life from an ancient scroll. We paid our respects, took our pictures and walked slowly back to the tour bus with a feeling of calm elation. Watching the lingering sunset rays cast orange and purples hues seamlessly blending the shadowy winter whites and blues of the nearby snowfield as we sailed away.
Much to my surprise the next hotel we stayed in, located in Aizu Wakamatsu, was a ryokan, a traditional Japanese style inn. Each room looked like a set piece plucked from a movie with a low table for entertainment, tatami mats, and cushions set just so. A wicker table sat cutely with matching chairs and tea set staring out of the wall length windows onto the mountainside thick with trees and brush all twinkling with gentle snow. A waterfall and small river sang a constant hum below, right next to the outdoor onsen where I spent more than a few hours living out a long held dream. After a gorgeously curated feast and a long soak I sat at the wicker table and quietly took tea and a good book, occasionally listening to the forest and river converse beneath. Allowing the pleasing chill breeze leaking through the window to caress the goosebumps on my skin.
Parting from my beloved onsen was bittersweet the next morning as we loaded up for the next leg of our journey. The trip was anticlimactically short and we exited our bus in the parking lot based where what looked to be a human constructed lake. The trees dipped their branches low in the water as if reaching for a drink, each one gnarled and coated in multi-verdant moss and likely as old as the grounds themselves that we tread upon. It wasn’t until our second bend in the easily defensible single road did I understand that we were walking the length of a vast moat encircling one of Aizu Wakamatsu’s most prestigious sights. Tsurugajo (Tsuruga Castle), built during the 1300s and a living relic of days long past, its black stone outer walls looming high while its white tower shone in the midday sun.
We continued on to the castle museum with a note to return and pay my respects. Tsurugajo itself still held all the markers of its military practicality and its aesthetic sensibilities. Every room was expertly drafted for efficiency and space located across from small rectangular cutouts from the wall embedded in larger windows for musket and arrow fire. Our tour guide showed us the armory, filled with instruments of grim purpose making it chillingly clear why there’s only one way into Tsurugajo Castle. On that same way back, in full view of the castle windows we gave respect to Inari-Okami, and walked along the road away from the beautiful tale-filled trees and all the other preserved entities from eras long past.
The last stop on our bus tour was Yamatogawa Shuzo in Kitakata City, part sake museum, part tasting wonderland. Laden with farming tools over one hundred years old, barrels that have stood the test of time, photos in timeless sepia tones taken of brewers, bottles and landscapes. Of course located on the brewery grounds is the well that has been used to draw water for sake brewing over the centuries. which, in the tasting room, has been outfitted to pump local water automatically, giving you the chance to taste the local water pure enough to drink straight from the tap. The sake brewed can be tasted alongside the water it's made from and while drinking you can walk outside to gaze upon the mountain and tributaries that the water is traveling through. From ground to glass.
Our trip was scheduled to end with Yamatogawa, but thanks to circumstance I was lucky enough to be invited to one more brewery before coming home. As we drove through miles of rice fields whitened by more snow, I sat imagining the landscape ebbing and flowing through its seasonal color schemes, though it was mere minutes before we arrived. Daitengu, located in Motomiya City has been making sake for over 140 years highlighting the local rice and water supply. Saori, the 5th generation head brewer, was kind enough to show us around and educate us on the history of the brewery and share photos of the brewing cycle before letting us try some of her sake experiments. Unfortunately our time was limited so we didn't get to stay as long as we would have liked, but it was an enriching experience nonetheless. I found it auspicious that this chapter began with the Great Tengu watching over me at the izakaya and was bookended by saying goodbye at a brewery named for the Great Tengu.
A quick Google search will show that Fukushima is most known for the 2011 earthquake and subsequent damage to the region – a stigma that the people have been doing everything they can to shed for the past decade. The stigma is so widespread that very few in the West know that Fukushima makes some of the most prestigious sake in the world, winning competition after competition for over eight years in a row. From Daishichi Sake Brewery who focuses on traditional brewing practices and has served their sake to Dutch royalty, to Daitengu Shuzo who brews sake with yeast shot into space, the brewers of the region are dedicated to their craft. They work as much as possible with locally sourced and grown ingredients and collaborate with local farmers and people in their community, all while still using brewing methods old and new to make their crisp and refined brews. My trip to Japan was everything I’d hoped it would be giving perspective on people, place, and culture.
While sitting on the long flight back to the States, I reflected on everything from the sights and sounds to the tastes and sensations, hewing the experience into my memory like a carving on a tree. I gained a new appreciation for tradition and how it can be shaped and adapted over time; and respect for those who spend their lives preserving the culture around it. Most importantly, I’ve unlocked a new ‘why’ for everything that I do. An inspiration that runs blood-and-sweat deep, fueling my passion for creation. And just like the artists from my youth that I love, it’s my hope that my passion shines through the page. It’s also my hope that reading this will prompt you to cast off the stigma that such a picturesque place like Fukushima has been burdened with, and make your own journey to witness its mountains, fields, forests, cities, and people for yourself. Maybe even give an offering before you go like I did, and meet a kami of your own. And if any of your electronics need it, don’t forget to bring an adapter.
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Naraman Muroka Junmai
Yumegokoro Shuzo (Fukushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55% Gohyakumangoku, SMV:+4, Acidity 1.5
Yumegokoro Shuzo is said to have gotten its name when the 7th generation owner, who in his dedication to brewing sake forwent eating and sleeping, took a nap and was visited in the dream by Asahi Inari. The god taught the man secret brewing techniques and advised him to name themselves Yumegokoro (Dream Soul). This muroka (non-charcoal filtered) junmai has notes of melon and stone fruit on the nose with an earthy, balanced sweetness on a structured palate that leaves you wanting more. It’s great chilled or warm, and the brewer recommends this sake with grilled fish, and sashimi.
Daishichi Yukishibori Kimoto Nigori
Daishichi Shuzo (Fukushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 69% Gohyakumangoku, SMV: 1.5, Acidity: 1.4
Daishichi’s reputation is well established for having their sake served to both royalty in Japan and abroad and specializing in the traditional kimoto method brewing. They are also the innovators behind the Super Flat Rice Polishing method that preserves the rice’s original shape, leaving more of the shinpaku intact. I chose the Daishichi Yukishibori (Snow Pressed) Kimoto Nigori for this
month since I’d never seen a nigori sake brewed using the kimoto method until now. Yukishibori is slightly effervescent, and has a wonderful yuzu-like acidity which balances out the sweet notes of apple and melon while adding nuance to the creamy notes of banana and yogurt. Makes a great aperitif or digestif – served chilled.
Odayaka Junmai Ginjo
Niida Honke (Fukushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60% Organic Miyamanishiki, SMV: N/A, Acidity: N/A
Niida Honke is a brewery dedicated to sustainability and community. They own their rice fields that use natural cultivation methods and forgo the use of organic fertilizers in favor of natural compost produced from the rice fields themselves. They also host community events, intent on educating anyone seeking to learn with their “Rice Field School,” in which people can experience rice cultivation. Odayaka is brewed using 100% JAS organic Miyamanishiki rice, giving it a light and refreshing profile to start. We get notes of honeydew melon and steamed rice. Serve this one chilled with herb baked chicken, roasted meats, and vegetables.
Daitengu Usake Spring Junmai Ginjo
Daitengu Shuzo (Fukushima, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60% Yume no Kaori, SMV: +6, Acidity: 1.7
Saori Kobari, the toji of Daitengu, brews this sake four times a year to celebrate the changing seasons using Yume no Kaori (a rice local to Fukishima), spring water from Mt. Adatara, and a local yeast strain called Utsukushima Yume. Light, fresh, and off-dry, it complements lively dishes with fresh ingredients. We get notes of melon bread, grass, and blueberry on the nose with notes of yogurt, navel orange, and a bit of savory bell pepper on the palate. It took me months to realize that Usake sounds like Usagi (rabbit)!
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Originating over 600 years ago, awamori predates shochu and is the original zenkoji spirit. This refers to a style where the entire moromi (mash) is made of koji - the kanji for zenkoji 全麹 quite literally means all koji. As you may know, koji is Japan’s unique mold which is used to create staple ingredients like soy sauce, miso, and mirin. For sake and shochu, koji not only helps turn starch into sugar and alcohol simultaneously with yeast, but also creates the underlying umami quotient, evident from the high amino content in the drinks.
Ryukyu Awamori is a geographical indication and it is required that awamori is made in the zenkoji style – it gets so hot down there in Okinawa that using an entire black koji mash was the only way the moromi would not spoil. Genius! Ryukyu Awamori must also be made with all-koji rice, black koji, and must be produced and bottled in Okinawa using a pot still. Black koji (Aspergillus luchuensis) was first discovered in Okinawa (formerly called the Ryukyu Kingdom) and is their national fungi – where would shochu be without it?? Possibly non-existent and certainly not as dynamic. I am pleased to oer a Ryukyu Awamori that has just landed in the States, using an exciting open-fire boil method of distillation called jikabi.
Jikabi-style open fire pot stills at Seifuku Shuzo
When we first tasted Tsukushi Zenkoji over two years ago, a 100% barley shochu made with all koji – we were totally floored. Ever since, I’ve rallied super hard to get it for our club, and finally it is here! And worth the wait. I was fortunate enough to visit Nishiyoshida Brewery earlier this year (where Tsukushi is made), and got to see all the action IRL. Don’t miss all the photos and details on our blog – their barley soaking apparatus is insane!
Kanpai, Kayoko
Tsukushi Zenkoji Barley Shochu
Nishiyoshida Brewery (Chikugo, Fukuoka)
Distilled from 100% barley koji from Japan and Australia
ABV 25% / Koji: Black / Distillation: Atmospheric
Aged in enamel tanks for six months
As shochu on the mainland of Kyushu evolves, distilleries are experimenting more and more these days, and few have developed zenkoji-style shochus. At Nishiyoshida, they usually make shochu in a 4 dan odori-kake style, a four-tiered process where steamed barley is added to a one-week old moromi (koji, yeast, water), which is then fermented for an additional two weeks. Then, this process is repeated four times. For the zenkoji method, koji-fied barley is made three times and added to the moromi every three days. It is then fermented for about two weeks before being put through the distillation process.
Koji-fied barley at Nishiyoshida
Inspired by awamori production and the zenkoji method, Managing Director Tadafumi Yoshida created this shochu in 2005. Mr. Yoshida said, “By making shochu with all koji brewing, it is possible to bring out the maximum sweetness and flavor of the raw koji, resulting in a deeper flavor.” Get notes of roasted nuts and chocolate with rich vanilla accents. For a refreshing drink, I love this shochu with soda and ice, but the aroma comes out brightest with hot water. Enjoy with saucy barbecued pork ribs or a plate of pasta carbonara.
Seifuku Awamori
Seifuku Shuzo (Ishigaki, Okinawa)
Distilled from 100% rice koji from Thailand / ABV 30% Koji: Black / Distillation: Direct-fire pot distillation (jikabi)
Aged in stainless steel for six months Seifuku is located on the picturesque island of Ishigaki, known for its beef and crystal waters for diving. There are several awamori makers on the island and Seifuku was founded here in 1949. Seifuku’s unique open-fire pot still, called jikabi, is handcrafted by chairman Norihito Kanna (the president's father). This open-fire pot is an ancient method of distilling awamori, and is said to create a better flavor profile for the drink that also ages well. Awamori to me is dessert in a glass. The rich mouthfeel with ripe banana and vanilla notes are so distinct to this Okinawan spirit – it’s the tropics in every sip. What is particular about awamori is that the ABV is quite high compared to shochu, so it really packs a punch with all the malty flavors of the rice and black koji. Great in cocktails or a hot cup of coee bring a bottle of this to the next yakitori party and serve over lotsa ice and some soda with an orange garnish. I also love sipping on this with a big bowl of anchovy-filled olives.
Drink awamori every day on Ishigaki Island. Photo by Seifuku Shuzo
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Ah, June – it’s when summer break kicks in, the days are long, and the tank tops come out. And, if you’ve been a part of our little Umamiverse for a while, you know that June means Sakqueso! It’s when we bust our best pairings of sake and cheese. After a long winter, we deserve all the sun, sake, and cheese the universe has to offer.
Sake and cheese work so well together mainly because they share a common ingredient during fermentation: lactic acid. In addition to creating an environment where unwanted microorganisms cease multiplying, lactic acid results in flavors high in umami. And having sake and cheese, which are both high in umami, creates an umami explosion – often leading one to discover a third flavor that could only be unlocked when having them together.
Yamahais have particularly pronounced tartness because the shubo (starter) method involves naturally occurring lactic acid that is often more sturdy and robust, resulting in flavors reminiscent of yogurt (as is the case with the Level 2 bottle Kunoichi Yamahai Junmai). We also threw in a sake made from red rice (Ine Mankai Junmai Genshu) this year that balances sweetness and acidity for an unforgettable experience for the eyes and taste buds. Genshu (undiluted) sakes also work well with cheese as they tend to have a longer finish, allowing the brew to mingle with foods on the palate. You’ll see a genshu sake incuded in each level.
You may recall that last year our Sakqueso seminar sold out in less than 24 hours. We’ve lured our friend Kevin Cocoran (Certified Cheese Specialist) from Santa Cruz to join us once again to regale us with his cheese expertise. Due to high demand, we are offering two time slots for Sakqueso this year. There will be two sessions on Saturday June 17, at 12-1:30pm and 3-4:30pm. Reserve your tickets early, as this event will sell out! Members will get a secret code via email with special Gumi Pricing. If you can’t find it, call us at 510-250-9559 or email us at sake@umamimart.com.
Happy 8th Sakqueso,
Yoko (Co-Founder, Umami Mart)
Hakuro Suishu Kairyo Shinko Genshu Junmai Ginjo
Takenotsuyu Sakagura (Yamagata, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 55% Kairyoshinko, SMV: +2, Acidity: 1.5
This sake is one of my current favorites because of its velvety texture and berry-like aroma. This genshu (undiluted sake) offers a silky texture that isn’t too weighty (often an issue with genshus). Notice the light golden hue of this sake alongside aromas of cooked blackberries, rice, licorice, and melon. The berry bramble note of this chilled sake works wonders with Alpha Tolman gruyere cheese, which is earthy with hints of cashew. This cheese is firm but still retains a moist, raclette-like texture.
Gunma Izumi Yamahai Honjozo
Shimaoka Shuzo (Gunma, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 60% Wakamizu, SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.6
Toji Toshinori Shimaoka tells us that almost all of his sakes are aged two to three years. Because this sake is aged, you’ll notice a golden color along with some funky mineral aromas that remind us of onsen water and fig leaves. I’ve always loved Shimaoka-san’s sakes because they are incredibly brothy and great at room temperature or warm. We were blown away by how this earthy but dry sake went so well with all the goat cheese options we had on our cheeseboard. The cheese winners were Garrotxa, a Basque goat cheese which enhanced the mineralty of the sake, and the Bijou crotin that brought out a hidden caramel sweetness that we wouldn’t have had it not been for this cheese pairing.
Kunoichi Moon Bloom Yamahai Junmai
Wakabayashi Brewing (Nagano, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 70% Hitogokochi, SMV: -6, Acidity: 2.5
It’s not unusual for a yamahai to appear among the roster of picks for Sakqueso month, and this sake is a great example of how lactic and yogurty a yamahai can be. In addition to having the tell-tale yamahai profile of tartness, this sake has a great aroma, consisting of apples, pears, and yogurt. Because the yogurty note is so pronounced, we decided to pair this sake chilled with an equally tart fresh goat cheese by Andante. Pucker up!
Ine Mankai Junmai Genshu
Mukai Shuzo (Kyoto, Japan)
Seimaibuai: 92% Murasaki Komachi, 70% Kyo no Kagayaki, SMV: -40, Acidity: 5.8
I’m very excited to discuss this pairing last, as it’s one that Kayoko, Kevin, and I agreed should be on the dessert menu at our favorite fancy restaurants. Ine Mankai is made with red rice, resulting in a beautiful rose color with aromas of shoyu, stewed tomato and flavors of pomegranate. Serve this sake chilled with Point Reyes Quinta, a soft-ripened, bloomy rind cheesewrapped in Spruce bark infused with the essence of California Bay Laurel. We dubbed this pairing the “Dairy Delight.”
]]>The timing worked out perfectly. I was running an Organic Sake theme in April for Sake Gumi, the monthly sake club I program at the shop. So closing out the last day of the month with the event Going Organic with with Den Sake Brewery and Luna Koshihikari Rice was kismet.
We invited Yoshi and Lani of Den Sake and Wendy of Luna Koshihikari Rice to talk about organic rice and sake.
Kayoko poured sake for guests as they filed in to hear the presenters talk.
Wendy discussed how she got into developing the idea for organic Koshihikari rice. She shared with us the statistic that both wine and rice are $5 billion industries in California, yet most of us know little about rice farming.
She also explained that for the organic Koshihikari rice, the proteins, lipids, and starch are scattered throughout the rice grain. On the other hand, for sake rice, proteins and lipids live on the outside of the starchy core. This means that polishing away the outer portion of sake rice is crucial. However for the organic Koshihikari, less polishing is required since the three elements are distributed evenly throughout each rice grain.
Next Yoshi talked about how he used a low polish of 90% (meaning 10% of the outer portion of the rice grain removed) to convey the flavor of the rice in the sake for his newest release Den 90. He was surprised that the resulting sake was as fruity and delicate as it was despite such a low milling rate.
As the discussion transitioned into a Q+A session, Kayoko served guests the rice that Wendy had prepared in her donabe.
Yoshi answers some questions about the make up of rice. Here, the outer shaded area represents the concentration of lipids and fats in sake rice.
Bottles of Den 90 were enjoyed.
A captive audience.
Kayoko passed out tastes of the rice.
Taste of the rice were accompanied by tastes of cucumbers pickled in Den's sake kasu (the byproduct of the sake-making process).
Yoshi shows us the sake kasu, which was surprising dark brown in color.
The crowd extended outside of the bar area.
We gave away half-pound bags of sake kasu to interested parties.
Thank you to everyone who attended. We had so much fun hosting these Bay Area dynamos and sharing tastes with everyone. And it proved that everyone is crazy for organic rice and sake!
If you missed this event, don't despair – we've got a lot of events in the pipeline and you can keep up on the latest here.
]]>Walking into a sake brewery is like walking into someone's home. In the old days, it was customary that the kurabito (brewery workers) all stayed in shared housing at the brewery during the brewing season – people traveled from far and wide from their hometowns to work at the brewery for six months out of the year, leaving their families behind to make as much money as they could. The kurabito would be together for literally 24 hours a day – waking up at dawn, eating breakfast together, going through a grueling day of work, taking baths together, and sitting down for dinner with a few drinks before passing out. They become a family this way, whether they like it or not, which was probably the intention all along.
Our recent visit to Matsuse felt like this – stepping into someone's home, where the brewers all treated one another like family. The fit young onichan (elder brothers) all wore their uniforms with pride and looked up to their toji Keizo Ishida. It was mesmerizing to watch, them running from one end of the brewery to the other with a pail of rice on their shoulders; scooping freshly made rice into the drying machine; treating their koji with love and care.
Yoko and I pulled up to Matsuse Brewery on a Saturday morning – we realized how big Shiga Prefecture is as we traveled an hour to get there by taxi from Kita Brewery, also in Shiga. Every time we had told a local that we were going to Matsuse, they would raise their eyebrows and tell us they were famous and highly secretive, so we knew we were in for a treat. We had met Ishida-toji last year, when we hosted him at our shop for a Meet the Brewer event, and knew we wanted to visit him on our next trip to Japan.
Matsuse Brewery has been making sake since 1860 in the Ryuou area of Shiga Prefecture – they are the makers of the popular sake line Matsu no Tsukasa, which we carry at Umami Mart. They use organic practices for their rice growing, and as you'll see below,
We had asked him ahead of time if we could take photos of the shikomi (prep) for the day's batch of sake, and he kindly agreed. Wow, how lucky for us! We would get there right when the rice had finished steaming, and Yoko and I would be ready to photograph and video.
A sake brewer's version of scrubs
Gathering around the freshly steamed vat of rice
Mahiro Hishida loads the pail of rice onto his shoulder and runs it to the next room
Rice gets dumped here in the main room in preparation for koji
The rice is evenly divided and laid out on large sheet pans
Spreading out the rice to cool down
Ishida-toji overseeing the rice prep
President Tadayuki Matsuse
Ichitaro Kobayashi loads rice onto the drying machine
The rice spits out from the conveyor belt into this tank
A rain of rice
The tank is filled with water, freshly steamed rice, and ice to cool down the temperature as fast as possible
Kazunari Hara is an incredibly fit kurabito had the arduous task of stirring this mash, mixing the ice, water, and rice. Sake making continues to be a very physical task.
Taking the rice into the koji room
Ishida-toji training President Matsuse's son Hiroyoshi to make koji
Spreading koji onto the rice
Kneading the koji spores into the rice. They make a new batch of koji daily. The room was sweltering.
Taking koji inoculated rice upstairs. This building is over a century old
President Matsuse swirling the koji
Koji - it was super chewy and tasted spritzy
Ishida-toji was so kind to take us around to two of the plots of land they own to grow rice. Ishida-san is a terroir nut who believes that the differences in soil can affect the flavor of the rice, thus changing the flavors of the sake. This makes sense to me!
Back at the brewery we had a lengthy kikizake (sake tasting) where we were able to try his more experimental sakes of the last few years. His focus now is expressing terroir through the different plots of land they own around Shiga, as well as blending sakes. This month we are proud to feature Ishida-toji's first ever blended sake Cuvee Isabel for Sake Gumi.