What is online sake brewery study abroad?
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 through sake you can learn about life and create new connections.
Having fun learning with friends who live far away will make your regular drinks even more delicious and flavorful.
・I want to go on a sake brewery tour, but I don't have time...
・I want to increase my knowledge of various types of sake!
・I want a friend who loves sake!
・I want to support sake breweries! !
This is a place that is highly recommended for those who have these kinds of thoughts! !
55th Online Sake Brewery Study Abroad
■Date and time: May 31st (Sat) 19:00~
■Speaker: Takashi Kuramoto, seventh generation brewer of Kuramoto Sake Brewery
The speaker this time was Kuramoto Sake Brewery, a sake brewery located in Nara City, Nara Prefecture.
Speaking of Nara"The birthplace of Japanese sake"。
The online sake brewery study abroad program has been attended by many sake breweries.
Hands-On SAKE has created and supported the sake brewery culture, but perhaps this is the first time that we have invited a sake brewery from Nara, the birthplace of Japanese sake, to perform.
I feel like I've gone back and forth and finally gotten back to the basics.
From Kuramoto Sake Brewery, Japan's oldest sake mash which is the history of Nara sake.“Bodhimoto”We had the opportunity to hear a lot about the future of Japanese sake that the seventh generation brewer envisions, so we'd love to introduce you to him!
About Kuramoto Sake Brewery
Founded in 1871 (Meiji 4).
Yamato Plateau in the northeastern mountainous region of Nara Prefecture.
A small, long-established sake brewery located in Tsuge, an area with harsh winters at an altitude of approximately 500 meters.
During the Nara period, this area was once dotted with icehouses, and wooden tablets excavated from the ruins of the residence of King Nagaya in Heijo Kyoto reveal that"Tsuge Himuro"There is a historical background in which ice was said to have been presented to the imperial court, as evidenced by the fact that some items with this inscription have been found.
We grow high-quality rice in this still cold region and draw water from our own mountains.
Since its founding, Kuramoto Sake Brewery has been brewing sake that takes advantage of its geographical advantage.
A local brand that has been brewed for generations at Kuramoto Sake Brewery."Kingaku"。
Clouds hang over the mountains surrounding the storehouse, and when the light shines through the clouds, the distant peaks shine in golden yellow, forming Kin-no-dake.
It was named ``Kanadake'' because of this appearance.
Later, in the sixth generation, the brewer's volunteers revived Nara's traditional sake base, Bodhimoto.
And the classic sake made with Bodhimoto"Tsuge no Himuro"is born.
As a result, Kuramoto Sake Brewery became one of the few Bodhimoto breweries in Nara Prefecture.
Currently, the seventh generation, Takashi Kuramoto, is leading the brewery as chief brewer and has devised his own method of utilizing lactic acid bacteria.New sake using “FLaP manufacturing method” etc."KURAMOTO"We are brewing sake that respects tradition while also being innovative.
mountains are water
"Mountains are water"
This is the concept that Kuramoto Sake Brewery values when brewing sake.
The back mountain has been carefully cared for for generations.
The sweet and soft mountain water that has been slowly filtered through the strata of pyroclastic flow deposits is unique to this brewery, and this mountain and water can be said to be the foundation of Kuramoto Sake Brewery.
The sake, which is carefully brewed in small batches using the gifts of the earth and taking time and effort, has been loved by the local community.
In 2021, we renewed our brewery's logo to a design inspired by ``mountains'' and ``water ripples,'' expressing our gratitude for the blessings of nature and our belief that we must protect them.
In the future, Kuramoto Sake Brewery will continue to fascinate us with this mark as well as unique local sake that allows you to feel the terroir of Tsuge.
History of Nara Sake What is “Bodaimoto”?
History of Nara sake
"The birthplace of Japanese sake"Nara.
The technology that forms the basis of today's sake production technology was established in Nara at the end of the Muromachi period.
During the Heian period, sake brewing techniques were carried out by a sake brewing organization directly under the control of the Imperial Court, but by the Muromachi period, the technology had been transferred to private sake breweries and large temples.
In the medieval period, large temples such as Kofuku-ji, Todai-ji, and Shoraku-ji in Nara played the role of educational and political institutions with the financial resources of the imperial court and shogunate.However, in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods, and after the Onin War, various regions were in turmoil, and due to changes in the economic situation, temples had to take economic measures.
Therefore, sake brewing was carried out as a means of raising funds for temple management.
At that time, alcoholic beverages made in templesSoboushuIt was called.
In particular, Sobozake is made at Bodaizan Shorakuji Temple in Bodaiyama-cho, a suburb in the southeastern part of Nara City."Bodhi Spring"Ha,The roots of various styles of sake brewingIt is also said thatThe origin of modern sake mash makingIt can also be said“Bodaimoto making”has been established.
>Sobozake eventually evolved into an alcoholic beverage called ``Morohaku-zukuri,'' but in the process of establishing ``Morohaku-zukuri,'' five elements were created that became the foundation of modern sake brewing technology.
・"Use of white rice"
・"Upper tank"
・"Pasteurization"
・"Sake mother"
・"Tou method (stage preparation)"
The establishment and development of this modern brewing technology is the reason why Nara is called "the birthplace of Japanese sake."“Nara sake”It is also a tradition.
By the way, since the sake is made into sake after passing through the upper tank (squeezing), it is natural that sake lees will remain in the barrel and squeeze bag.
In Nara, there has been a pickle called ``Narazuke'' made from this sake lees since ancient times, and as you can see from the name, Mr. Kuramoto seems to think that this is proof that Nara is the ``birthplace of Japanese sake.''
Characteristics of Bodhimoto
The main types of sake base commonly used in modern sake brewing are ``Sokujo'', ``Kimoto'', and ``Yamahaimoto''.
In order to obtain the lactic acid necessary for sake brewing, there are two types: ``kimoto-type shubo,'' which uses the power of nature to grow lactic acid bacteria from scratch, and ``sokujo-type shubo,'' which adds artificially created lactic acid.Both types involve lactic acid in steamed rice and koji.
The big difference between Bodhimoto and these two is that it is made by soaking raw rice in water before steaming."Soyashi water"Preparing sour lactic acid water in advance.
By using this ``Soyashi Mizu'' to prepare the yeast mash, we have made it possible to quickly grow the mash under acidic conditions.
In this way, Bodaimoto was established as Japan's oldest sake base during the Muromachi period, but after the introduction of quick brewing in 1910 (Meiji 43), Bodaimoto production continued to decline and eventually ceased.
However, in 1996 (Heisei 8), volunteer brewers in Nara Prefecture came together to revive Bodhimoto and established the Nara Prefecture Bodhimoto Sake Production Study Group (Bodhiken).
In 1998 (Heisei 10), we were granted a license to manufacture sake mash and revived temple brewing together with Bodaizan Shorakuji Temple.
Since then, we have continued to jointly make Bodhimoto every year to this day, and each of our eight member breweries divides it up and takes it home, where each brewery brews its own Bodhimoto Junmaishu.
At Bodaisan Shoraku-ji Temple, Bodhiken brews brewing together with the temple using the environment of the Shoraku-ji temple grounds, Iwashimizu that gushes out from the grounds, Shoraku-ji lactic acid bacteria isolated at Shoraku-ji temple, and Shoraku-ji yeast isolated at Shoraku-ji temple, and plays the role of recreating the temple brewing of the Muromachi period in modern times and passing it on to future generations from both a cultural and scientific perspective.
``KURAMOTO'', a standard sake brewed by a seventh-generation brewer
Takashi Kuramoto currently serves as the seventh generation brewer and executive director of Kuramoto Sake Brewery.
I enrolled in the Department of Brewing Science at the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences at Tokyo University of Agriculture with the intention of taking over the brewery, but the brewery at the time was not in a good condition to take over, so I ended up joining Morinaga Milk, which had something in common with me in handling lactic acid bacteria.
I had planned to get a permanent job, but an encounter with a certain glass of sake sparked my interest in sake brewing again.
This glass of sake, brewed by a brewery in Fukushima Prefecture, was fruity, easy to drink, and tasted delicious to the core.
“If we can make such delicious sake, I think more people will drink sake.”
Feeling this way, I decided to return to the brewery in 2015.
Mr. Kuramoto was shocked by the fruity taste of sake, but after returning to the brewery and drinking the sake his father brewed again, he realized the appeal of Nara sake, which has a strong acidity derived from bodhi moto.
He became the chief sake brewer in 2017, and the following year, in 2018, he created a new standard for sake that expresses sake more freely while respecting the history of the brewery and the tradition of Nara sake."KURAMOTO"Start.
With the introduction of ``KURAMOTO'', many people became aware of Kuramoto Sake Brewery, and it suddenly became a flagship company.
Among them, the alcoholic beverage that Mr. Kuramoto has a special fondness for is the one pictured above."KURAMOTO SE"。
This sake expresses the new aroma of Japanese sake brewed by Kuramoto Sake Brewery, and is characterized by a scent that is a fusion of lychee, muscat, and grapefruit.
It has a crisp, refreshing blue aroma that is found in the white wine Sauvignon Blanc and some craft beers, making it a must-try for wine users and sake beginners alike.
When you drink it, the refreshing acidity and well-balanced sweetness spread through your mouth, leaving a smooth aftertaste.
This is a bottle that you should definitely drink chilled in a wine glass.
In addition, Mr. Kuramoto's subtle touch is that the label is embossed with emerald green foil to evoke the refreshing blue scent.
KURAMOTO” series also includes new sake flavors derived from Bodhimoto."KURAMOTO R1"Ya"KURAMOTO AP"All of them will lead you to a world of sake that you have never seen before.
The sake produced by Kuramoto Sake Brewery is an alcoholic beverage that can be enjoyed by making full use of all five senses: drinking, looking, and imagining.
New sake experience “KURAMOTO SDP”
“I want people to enjoy sake more closely and casually.”
With this in mind, Kuramoto Sake Brewery has developed a pouch sake comparison set through crowdfunding."KURAMOTO SDP"It is.
What can we do to get a wider range of people to drink sake?
Through trial and error, we tried to find ways to create scenes such as ``enjoying the taste of coffee at home on a holiday'' or ``toasting with a slightly special craft beer'' using sake.
KURAMOTO SDP 3 points
■Comparison set of 3 types of flavorful sake■
Makuake “[Tradition x Challenge] A new sake experience by comparing three types of sake made by a long-established sake brewery that has been in business for over 150 years” project page
Don't think too hard. In order to casually enjoy the rich flavor of Japanese sake, we have selected and set the following 1 cup x 3 types of alcohol.
・KURAMOTO R1
・KURAMOTO Ym64 SAKE-TEN
・Tsuge no Himuro Bodhimoto Pure Rice Sake
You can enjoy the difference in taste of each sake while being excited to meet your favorite sake.♪
■Package that improves your mood■
In order to make it enjoyable even for people who are not familiar with sake, we designed the packaging to be a casual and stylish pouch rather than a traditional bottle.
It's easy to store and can be mailed, making it the perfect gift!
■A set of 3 types of 1 cup that is easy to drink even for 1 to 2 people■
Makuake “[Tradition x Challenge] A new sake experience by comparing three types of sake made by a long-established sake brewery that has been in business for over 150 years” project page
It's a set of 1 cup x 3 types, so whether you're alone or with 2 or 3 people, you can enjoy a special drinking comparison experience.
This set is perfect as a souvenir for a home party or as a special "thank you for your hard work" on the weekend, so be sure to spend a special time with your loved one at KURAMOTO SDP.
This "KURAMOTO SDP" was sold exclusively through crowdfunding, so we are looking forward to it becoming a regular product in the future.♪
[Kuramoto Sake Brewery]
〒632-0231
2501 Tsugetoyamacho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture
TEL:0743-82-0008
FAX:0743-82-1748
HP:https://kuramoto-sake.com/
Online shop:https://kuramotosake.thebase.in/
Review of Kuramoto Sake Brewery's pouch sake♪
During this online sake brewery study abroad trip, Kuramoto Sake Brewery delivered sake to us in pouch containers.
The contents are a little different from "KURAMOTO-SDP", and this time we have selected aged sake from "Tsuge no Himuro", so I would like to review it right away!
KURAMOTO R1
This is a sake that expresses the new taste of Japanese sake brewed by Kuramoto Sake Brewery.
Soyashi water is essential for brewing Bodhimoto.
Mr. Kuramoto independently developed this using the Shoryakuji lactic acid bacteria used at that time.“FLaP manufacturing method”Brewed by
This manufacturing method focuses on the power of lactic acid bacteria and the taste of lactic acid, as well as the refreshing taste, and is also the future use of lactic acid bacteria.
In the mouth, the mellow acidity derived from lactic acid bacteria and well-balanced sweetness spread out, with a light texture and a refreshing aftertaste.
If you drink it chilled and crisp, you will be able to open up a new world of sake. Highly recommended for sake beginners!
By the way, Kuramoto Sake Brewery's sake has a rice polishing ratio of 64% and 81%, which are unusual numbers, but these are8 and 9 squaredMr. Kuramoto's number play that represents ``is hidden.''
Boxwood Himuro Bodhimoto Pure Rice Sake
Bodaimoto is Japan's oldest sake base, created in the Muromachi period (1400s) at Bodaizan Shorakuji Temple in Nara.
In 1998, the production method was revived for the first time in 500 years, led by a group of volunteer brewers in Nara Prefecture (Bodhiken).
An extremely valuable and small quantity of sake mash is made at Shorakuji Temple using rice and water from the temple, Shorakuji yeast, and Shorakuji lactic acid bacteria, and is divided and taken home by Bodaiken member breweries.
This ``Tsuge no Himuro'' is a junmaishu that combines the sake mash brought back with modern brewing methods to create a rich, delicious junmai sake with sweetness and sourness.
As mentioned above, in the past there was a"Tsuge Himuro"There is a historical background that ice is said to have been presented to the imperial court.
We named the brand after its history.
Tsuge no Himuro Bodhimoto Pure Rice Sake 15 Year Old Sake
A very luxurious old sake made by blending old sake aged for over 15 years from ``Tsuge no Himuro.''
A deep and complex aroma of dried fruit that comes from long-term aging and a relaxing grain feel.
The subtle sweetness and sourness combine with the concentrated umami to create an exquisite balance that slowly spreads throughout your mouth.
The rich aftertaste that is unique to old sake is long and strong, but it is not persistent and leaves a clear and beautiful impression.
Once you put it in your mouth, the long years of aging will be etched into it, and it will be a moment of bliss.
The amber-colored aged sake poured from the pouch had a sparkling and fresh feel.
Kuramoto Sake Brewery Q&A
Here are some of the questions asked to Mr. Kuramoto during this study abroad trip.
- Isn't it natural to add lactic acid bacteria from Shoraku-ji Temple to Bodhimoto Soyashi Water?
- We cultivate lactic acid bacteria made from Shorakuji Temple's water.
This is because each brewery gathers together to make sake mash, so we add cultured materials from the perspective of safe brewing. - Is the filling of the pouches done outsourced?
- We do it ourselves. I would be happy if changing the container would spread the appeal of sake.
- Many of Kuramoto Sake Brewery's alcoholic beverages are low-refined, but is there anything you are particular about?
- After all, you can make more unique sake without polishing.
For example, Nara's sake rice ``Tsuhakaze'' has a characteristic bitterness, and we try to utilize this rather than eliminate it.
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! !
