Online sake brewery study abroad report
Online sake brewery study abroad isA sake mail order service that allows you to connect directly with local alcohol makers and toast together while staying at home.It is.
You can also taste the thoughts and personality of the sake brewer, and it becomes a place where ``life lessons'' and ``new connections'' are born through sake.
In this article, we will introduce the sake breweries that have participated in the online sake brewery study abroad program!
Please take a look at the sake brewery's thoughts and commitment through this article.♪
This time, we will be featuring the 35th Online Sake Brewery Study Abroad event.Shiraki Kosuke Shoten (Gifu Prefecture)We would like to introduce♪
About Shiraki Tsunesuke Shoten
Aged old sake"Daruma Samune"Kosuke Shiraki Shoten is known for its
We have been brewing old sake for over 50 years."Pioneer of aged sake"！！
Its sparkling amber color and mature, sweet taste have drawn people into the swamp of old sake.
Founded in 1835.
In the northern part of Gifu City, where the countryside spreads and a tributary of the Nagara River flows through.I will set up a storehouse.
Since its foundingThe brewery was brewing sake under the name "Kinsei," but in 1891 (Meiji 24), the brewery collapsed in the Nobi earthquake that hit the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture.
When rebuilding, we will remember the Dharma of falling down seven times and getting up eight times."Daruma Masamune"It was renamed to.
Currently, "Daruma Masamune"In addition, sake named after local famous trees"Usuzumizakura"etc. are brewed.
"Why doesn't that brewery sell sake?" Thoughts on old sake to avoid criticism
“When it comes to old sake, it’s Daruma Masamune.”Shiraki Kosuke Shoten's main product is old sake, but why did they choose to make old sake?
Started in the 1960s as the 6th generation brewer"Yoshiji Shiraki"It dates back to the era of
At that time, drinking local sake was the norm for evening drinks.
Eventually, television became popular and commercials from major sake brewers started playing, and local liquor stores started selling it, and the local sake that had been selling well until then gradually stopped selling.
In order to overcome this situation, the sixth generationUnique sake breweryI start thinking about it.
Then, by chance, he found a forgotten one-sho bottle in a corner of the storehouse.
When he gingerly opened a bottle of Japanese sake that had probably been around four or five years old, he was captivated by the unexpectedly beautiful golden color and the taste, which was completely different from his usual Japanese sake.He found hope in aged sake.
Then the challenge to revive old sake begins.
The 6th generation sake brewer, who started out with no knowledge of the brewing method, tried different types of sake every year, such as sweet Junmai sake and dry Ginjo sake, and spent many years verifying the results.
Every year, we make several varieties and let them mature without selling them.
And it's a long journey, with the intention of seeing the results five or ten years from now.
This long road to sake brewing was not easy.
From the surroundings,
“I save money without selling alcohol.”
“Shiraki-san is crazy.”
"Weird person"
I heard a voice from the government office that has jurisdiction over liquor tax.
"Let's sell alcohol quickly and pay taxes."
That's what I was told.
However, the sixth generation owner, who had his hopes in restoring old sake, did not pay any attention to the opinions of those around him.
I couldn't make old sake if I was worried about it.
After overcoming these various obstacles and steadily aging over time, sake was able to reach the market in the 1975s after being aged for three, five, and ten years.
However, when it first went on sale, it was difficult for people to accept old sake, with complaints such as, ``The alcohol has a color on it...'' and ``Can't it be made into vinegar?''
However, the company's efforts paid off, and it gradually gained understanding from sommeliers, buyers, and other people, and the value of aged sake was discovered.
It is now considered the world's largest and most prestigious wine competition."IWC (International Wine Challenge)"It has become well-known throughout the world as a representative brand of aged sake, winning numerous awards at domestic and international competitions such as .
Now, more than 50 years have passed since he started brewing old sake, and the sixth generation owner, Zenji Shiraki, looks back on his journey in old sake brewing.
``The fact that it has been aged for over 50 years under the current liquor tax laws and has maintained such good quality is nothing short of amazing. I'm lucky to know that.
Daruma Masamune's old sake will continue to live a long life while maintaining its dignity. ”
Long-aged aged sake of “Daruma Masamune”
As we have been producing aged sake for over 50 years, Kosuke Shiraki Shoten has 90 tanks in stock, including those for new sake.160 types of old sakeis stored.
In addition, there is a sea container installed outside the brewery, and the warehouse is so overflowing with old sake that vintage old sake is stored in bottles.
The rice used in the old sake of “Daruma Masamune” is"Nipponbare"。
It was the most commonly eaten edible rice in Japan when old sake brewing began in the 1960s.
The water used is underground water from the Mugi River, part of the Kiso River system, which flows by the storehouse.
The sake made from rice and water isFive-stage preparationIt is made with.
normal[Hatsuzoe] [Nakazoe] [Tomezoe]In addition to the three-stage preparation, the fourth stage"Malted Amazake", and lactic acid entered the fifth step."Sake mother"Insert.
By adding this sweetness and sourness, the result is a delicious sake that ages well.
Lineup of aged sake “Daruma Masamune”
The standard products of the aged sake "Daruma Masamune" are aged for three, five, ten, and twenty years.
It is also the face of "Daruma Masamune", and is an old sake that is recognized around the world and has won awards at numerous competitions both domestically and internationally.
Please enjoy the colors and flavors due to the different maturation years.♪
In addition to standard products, this one that takes advantage of the characteristics of aged sake is also popular at Shiraki Kosuke Shoten's online shop."To the future"！
Buy it when your baby is born (or give it as a baby gift).Just leave it upright at room temperature and it will become aged sake., a drink that you can toast to 20 years from now.
In addition to the birth of a baby, it is also chosen as a gift for a couple getting married to wish them a happy couple, as well as to commemorate a company's founding, or to celebrate a 60th birthday.♪
In addition to this, we also sell vintage old sake from each decade that has been aged since 1971, and the appeal of long-aged old sake is that you can enjoy it with memories.
The old sake of Daruma Masamune is filled with the precious times and dreams we have spent together.
On the Shiraki Kosuke Shoten sake brewery tour, you can taste old sake that has been aged for over 50 years, so be sure to experience a new frontier in Japanese sake.♪
Seventh generation representative employee “Shiri Shiraki”
Currently, the seventh generation representative employee (president) is inheriting the will of the sixth generation and enlivening the brewery."Shigeri Shiraki"Mr.
Common name"Samantha"A lively brewery popularly known as .
※"Samantha" isThis is the name Shisato calls when she is learning English.
Shisato was born as the second daughter of three sisters.
I thought that my older sister would take over the brewery until she graduated from high school, so I entered Gifu University's Faculty of Education, which is in a field other than sake brewing.
However, my mindset changed when my older sister got married and moved away from home.
He was not asked to take over the family business by his predecessor, but he wanted to preserve the tradition of old sake, so he decided to take over the family business in December of his fourth year at university.
After graduating, I once again studied alcoholic beverages as a research student at the National Tax Agency Brewing Laboratory in Tokyo and the Department of Brewing at Tokyo University of Agriculture.
Later, he married Hitoshi, whom he met at a brewing laboratory.
Mr. Kotobuki, who became the chief brewer of Shiraki Kosuke Shoten, and his husband and wife continue to preserve the traditional aged sake of ``Daruma Masamune.''
As many of you may know, speaking of Shisato,Humorous posts on SNSis a specialty.
It is a must-see as it thoroughly introduces the process of making aged sake, trivia, and the inside of the brewery!
The background behind Mr. Shisato's activities is his belief that he wants to be cheerful and positive both at work and in his private life, and his desire to have the value of aged sake recognized.
Old sake, which is made by aging sake without selling it, is like keeping your funds idle during that time.
Daruma Masamune's old sake, which has been in production for 50 years, has a lot of value because it is filled with various hardships, experiences, and techniques, and it cannot be easily sold cheaply.
However, the only way to get customers to pick up the product is to have them recognize its value.
With this passion, Mr. Shisato continues to promote the appeal of old sake, Daruma Masamune.
How to drink and enjoy old sake “Daruma Masamune”
Introducing how to drink and enjoy the aged sake of "Daruma Masamune" recommended by Mr. Shisato.♪
Please use it as a reference for your future sake debut!
It is generally drunk at room temperature. I think you can enjoy the original taste of alcohol the most.
[Cool]
I don't recommend drinking it too chilled, but in hot weather it's delicious to chill it and pour it into a glass.
You can make a refreshing old sake highball by dividing the alcohol with carbonated water at a ratio of about 6:4 and adding a little squeezed lemon juice.
This way of drinking is recommended when aged for 3 years. For sake that is quite old, we recommend drinking it straight.
[Warm up]
When old sake is heated, the flavor becomes rounder and softer.
Especially when the sake is aged for three years, it becomes much mellower when it is warmed.
Even five-year-old sake and ten-year-old sake become mellow.
However, I recommend that the temperature is not too hot, around 40 to 50 degrees, but I think everyone has their own preferences, so please enjoy it at various temperatures.
On the other hand, it is difficult to pair it with delicately flavored sashimi or chilled yakko.
[Shiraki Kosuke Shoten]
〒501-2528
61 Kadoyamon, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture
TEL:058-229-1008
FAX: 058-229-1010
HP/Online shop:https://www.daruma-masamune.co.jp/
Introducing Shiraki Kosuke Shoten's sake and pairings!
For the online sake brewery study abroad, we prepared three types of sake: 3-year-aged, 10-year-aged, and 20-year-aged, and all the international students tasted and compared them, so we would like to introduce each one!
Daruma Masamune aged three years
This pale amber aged 3-year sake is a well-balanced liquor made by blending several types of Daruma Masamune that have been aged for over three years.
Recommended for first-time sake drinkers with its mellow creamy sweetness and subtle aged aroma reminiscent of nuts.♪
You can enjoy it chilled at room temperature, hot in the cold, on the rocks in the hot summer, or even diluted with soda and garnished with lemon for a refreshing experience!
Daruma Masamune's aged sake is rich in protein and amino acids, and this three-year aged sake was previously used as a sauce for ANA's in-flight meals.
| raw materials | Rice/rice malt |
|---|---|
| Rice used | Nippon Sunny |
| Rice polishing ratio | 70% |
| Alcohol level | 15 degrees |
Pairing of “Daruma Masamune aged three years”
Three years of aging goes well with juicy yakitori and gyoza due to the synergistic effect of umami!
Also, Mimolette goes so well with it that it was highly praised by the French! !
In addition to this, it can also be paired with sashimi eaten with sweet soy sauce from Kyushu.♪
Daruma Masamune aged 10 years
What were you doing ten years ago?
Time passes quickly, but while drinking ten-year-old sake, I am relaxing and remembering the time that has passed.I want you to taste it.
This is a book filled with such thoughts.
This beautiful topaz-colored wine aged for 10 years is the brewery's signature product.
Its ability is
Won the overall victory at the [Tasting Trendies Sake Awards 2018] held in Hong Kong, and won the silver award in the aged category of the [Japan Women’s SAKE Award, Sake Competition 2023].
Furthermore, it is a talented drink that has been installed as an in-flight service drink in JAL's international first class for over 3 years!
The aroma is plump and sweet with a hint of dried fruit and a spicy aroma.
The sweetness in the second half is well-balanced, creating a satisfying taste that captivates the hearts of those who drink it.
| raw materials | Rice, rice malt, brewing alcohol |
|---|---|
| Rice used | Nippon Sunny |
| Rice polishing ratio | 70% |
| Alcohol level | 18 degrees |
Pairing of “Masamune Daruma 10 Years Aged”
For 10 years of aging, pair it with hearty meals such as miso cutlet or sweet and sour pork!
Red miso culture has spread to Gifu City, which is close to Aichi Prefecture, so you can have a great time with pork cutlet wrapped in sweet and spicy miso sauce and a cup of 10-year-old sake.♪
The combination with the distinctive aroma of blue cheese is also appealing.
Daruma Masamune aged 20 years
20 Year Old Sake is an alcoholic beverage made by Kosuke Shiraki Shoten, which has been working on aged sake for over 50 years.
This is a particularly rich type of Daruma Masamune's old sake, and is a blend of four types of sake that have been aged for over 20 years.
The aroma is complex and deep, such as brown sugar, caramel, and maple syrup, and the taste is sweet, yet has a firm core.
This is an old sake that should be enjoyed slowly after a meal, like sherry or dessert wine.
This wine also won the Gold Award in the Aged Sake (Sake) category at the Spanish International Liquor Competition (CINVE 2023), and the Platinum Award in the Aged Aged Sake category at the Brussels International Competition 2018.
| raw materials | Rice/rice malt |
|---|---|
| Rice used | Nippon Sunny |
| Rice polishing ratio | 70% |
| Alcohol level | 18 degrees |
Pairing of “Daruma Masamune aged 20 years”
The aroma of the sweet and spicy sauce whets your appetite, and the sweetness of the 20-year-old sake goes perfectly with the grilled eel!
Alternatively, pour it into a brandy glass and enjoy an elegant moment with chocolate or dried fruit.♪
Trivia about aged Japanese sake
In order to convey the appeal of aged sake to those who are not familiar with aged sake and those who are already hooked,“Long-term aging sake research group”I would like to introduce some trivia based on the materials!
*The Long-Term Aged Sake Study Group is a voluntary organization formed by sake brewing companies that was established in 1985 for the purpose of exchanging technology and developing markets for the production of aged sake.
What is aged sake?
At the long-term aging sake research group,"Sake that has been aged at the brewery for three years or more, excluding sugar-added sake"is defined as aged sake.
Aged old sake is not a "specific name sake" such as ginjo sake, junmai sake, or honjozo sake, soThere are no regulations regarding label display.。
For this reason, we have established a definition to make it easier to understand for consumers who want to drink aged sake.
After drinking long-term aged sake,“Sobering”It is characterized by
In the Edo period [Kunmo Yogon Monogatari],
"New sake only gets you drunk in the head. Aged sake leaves you feeling so pleasantly intoxicated that your entire body feels hydrated."
It is written.
The gentleness on the body and the gentleness of the taste are unique to aged sake.
History of aged sake
Aged Japanese sake has a long history.In a letter sent by Nichiren Shonin to his followers during the Kamakura period,
``You should doubt the path to Buddhahood of a woman who can spread old wine that can squeeze people's blood into the path of the Buddha Lotus.''
There are descriptions such as these, indicating that aged sake was treated as a valuable item even back then.
Also, in the literature of the Genroku period,
"When you get drunk on old sake, it's like the Gion Festival..."
Aged old sake has been a part of Japanese culture since ancient times.
However, it was imposed during the Meiji era."Stone tax"As a result, aged sake will disappear from the world.
The stone tax is a very harsh tax system that imposes a tax on sake as soon as it is squeezed.
When sake is aged in a sake brewery, a stone tax must be paid first before the sake is aged, so many sake breweries have stopped storing aged sake.
After the war, the stone tax was abolished, but it seems that it will take a lot of time for the once-lost culture of aged sake to be revived.
Type of aged sake
Aged old sake is generally classified into types based on the following three points.
- How to brew
- How to store and age
- Years of aging
With this in mind, let's take a look at the types of aged sake!
[Aging temperature]Aging at room temperature
[Features]
As it ages, its luster, color, aroma, and taste change dramatically. A unique aged sake with personality.
[Aging temperature]Combining low-temperature and room-temperature aging
[Features]
From low temperature aging to room temperature aging. Or, by storing it in the opposite way, this aged sake has a taste that is between the dark and light ripe types.
[Aging temperature]low temperature aging
[Features]
Aged old sake with a wide range of deep flavor that retains the goodness of ginjo sake, but has just the right amount of bitterness and aroma.。
How to enjoy aged sake
Basically, we recommend drinking it at the ripening temperature.
(Dark ripening: room temperature, light ripening: low temperature, etc.)。
Aged old sake is a type of alcoholic beverage that allows you to enjoy its taste as it changes over time and temperature, so it is best to enjoy it slowly and carefully, rather than adding more to it right away.
First, pour the aged sake into a glass, hold it against the light, and see the beauty of its sparkling color.
Next, shake the glass and bring it up to your nose to feel the unique aroma, then take a sip.
Feel the rich harmony of gentle texture and aroma, and enjoy the lingering taste as it changes.
In addition, it is a liquor that goes well with a wide range of foods, and goes well not only with Japanese cuisine, but also with Chinese and Western cuisine, desserts, and more.
In addition to the above, there are various ways to drink it, such as warm, with soda, and in cocktails, so please try finding your own way to enjoy it.♪
Shiraki Kosuke Shoten Q&A
Here are some of the questions asked to Mr. Shisato during the online sake brewery study abroad program.
- Is there any specification data such as the sake content and amino acid content of aged sake?
- Of course there is.
We measure data both during the mashing process and when pressing new sake. However, although it is possible to measure the alcohol content when the sake becomes aged, acidity is not measured because it is difficult to measure it.
Even when sake becomes old, the acidity does not change much compared to when it is new, so we use the data from when it was new as a reference. - What is the difference between aged sake with added alcohol and those without?
- The old sake of ``Daruma Masamune'' is made by blending, but there were various types of sake made in the 1960s, such as pure rice sake and honjozo.
Honjozo at that time was also used for blending, so it is labeled as brewing alcohol. - Why can “Towards the Future” be aged at home?
- The secret lies in the five-stage brewing technique and the bottle that resembles a tank.
By intentionally putting only 660ml into a 720ml bottle, the sake interacts with the air created above the bottle, and the lees gradually fall, allowing the sake to age.
How to participate in the online sake brewery study abroad program?
“I want to know more about the thoughts of sake brewers!” “I’m interested in studying abroad at a sake brewery online!”That's calledPlease join us below!
This will be a valuable opportunity to talk directly with a different sake brewery every month, so you might find one you can recommend.♪
We look forward to your participation!
Online sake brewery study abroad process
① Alcohol will be delivered in advance!
・After applying for the online sake brewery study abroad program, the sake will be delivered to your home.
② Participate in online sake brewery study abroad!
・Cheers with the creator! (ZOOM or YouTube LIVE)
・Divided into the first and second halves, we will explore the key points of Oshizo while interacting with everyone.
③ You can make drinking friends all over the country!
・Exchange information online with sake fans from all over the country and make drinking friends.
You can read the report summarizing past online sake brewery study abroad experiences here, so please check it out!
↓ ↓ ↓
With the creator"Connect"
The thoughts of the creator"Peek"
our worldview"Spread"
Cheers with a hands-on pose again next time!
*Past report articleshereFrom! !
