[Saga Prefecture/Totsuru Sake Brewery] Rediscover the charm of the rebranded sake “Totsuru”!

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!

This is a place that is highly recommended for those who have these kinds of thoughts! !

This is the 46th time for this online sake brewery study abroad program.President Nonaka from Tokatsu Sake Brewery, which has a brewery in Taku City, Saga Prefecture.Thank you for taking the stage!
This is the second time that President Nonaka has appeared on stage! This is the first time in three years since August 2021.
We talked about the history of the brewery and his thoughts on sake brewing, so we would like to introduce them to you.♪

46th Online Sake Brewery Study Abroad

■Date and time: August 31st (Sat) 19:00~

■Speaker: Mr. Yasunari Nonaka, 6th generation brewer of Tokatsu Sake Brewery

■Participating international students: 47 from 21 prefectures

 

■Study abroad contents■

・Introducing Totsuru Sake Brewery

・Toast with sake from Tokatsu Sake Brewery and pairing introduction

・Question time

・Discussion time among international students
[What pairing suits Tokaku this time? ]

・Question time

・Summary

・Next preview

 

This is the second time Tokatsu Sake Brewery will be on stage.[2nd monthly recommended brewery ranking (recommended sake for Mother's Day)]Since Tokatsu Sake Brewery won first place, we once again received attention, and they have appeared in the form of a revival! !
I think that the personality of the handsome Mr. Nonaka came through through the screen, and the content was able to promote Tokatsu Sake Brewery once again.♪

About Azumatsuru Sake Brewery

The company was founded in 1830, at the end of the Edo period.
Taku City, Saga Prefecture, where the brewery is located, is a land suitable for sake brewing, surrounded by mountains rich in nature.
Since our founding, we have continued to brew economic sake and sake brewing that is rooted in the local area, but due to the popularity of beer after the war,Due to the slump in demand for sake, the company was forced to close in 1989.

After being closed for about 20 years, in 2009, the 6th generation brewery revived the brewery, which was on the verge of going out of business.President Yasunari NonakaIt is.

With a fresh start and a new start, Tokatsu Sake Brewery has steadily revived its brewery with innovative ideas while respecting tradition and making sake that takes advantage of the geographical advantage, such as digging a well that was previously 10 meters deep to 100 meters to pump high-quality soft water.

Nowadays, we use not only standard brands but also black koji."Totsuru BLACK"using white koji"Totsuru WHITE"etc. every yearchallenge seriesUnder the title, we are working hard to create sake that has never been done before, and providing the enjoyment of sake.♪

[Totsuru Sake Brewery]

〒846-0012
3625-1 Oaza Beppu, Higashitaku-cho, Taku-shi, Saga Prefecture
TEL:0952-76-2421
FAX:0952-76-2432
HP:http://azumatsuru.com/

“A word from my friend’s mother” triggered the revival of sake brewing

President Nonaka has successfully revived a brewery that was in dire straits, but he was actually originallyI don't like sakeThat was it (lol)

President Nonaka had an image of sake as an intoxicating drink.
As a result, it seems that he had no intention of taking over the brewery or the option of reviving sake production.

Meanwhile, my friend's mother told me

“There is a sake brewery that is working hard in Saga Prefecture, so why not take a tour?”

I will ask for advice.

The sake brewery is located in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture."Komatsu Sake Brewery"It is.
Komatsu Sake Brewery once suspended sake brewing and was in danger of going out of business, but the seventh-generation brewer, who quit his job and joined the brewery, has revived the brewery.

Komatsu Sake Brewery's representative brand“Manrei”President Nonaka, who was given a drink of the sake, was shocked by the delicious taste of pure rice and the aroma of pure rice.“What kind of sake have I been drinking so far?”My idea was changed.

This led us to take the first step towards restarting sake brewing.
At the time, President Nonaka had close to zero knowledge of sake, so he attended a training course held at a brewing laboratory in Tokyo and learned the basics of sake brewing through practical skills and classroom lectures.

However, this alone does not allow you to experience sake brewing at the on-site level, so we recommend using representative brands."Taka"I decided to train at Nagayama Honke Sake Brewery (Yamaguchi Prefecture), which is known for its sake, for one season.
Nowadays, it is not uncommon for sake breweries where the owner himself is the chief brewer, but at the time there were not many of them, and President Nonaka recalls that the style of Nagayama Honke Sake Brewery, which he worked on at a young age, was a great learning experience for President Nonaka.

After completing his training period, President Nonaka returned to the brewery and became the chief brewer himself, and began producing the delicious sake he had set his sights on.

``Tokaku'' was reprinted through repeated trial and error, including searching for rice that was compatible with the brewing water and revising the koji-making process. Gradually, it was accepted by consumers, and production steadily grew from just 25 koku in the first year to 220 koku in the sixth year.

It has been 16 years since we restarted sake brewing.
Higashitsuru Sake Brewery has returned to being one of Saga Prefecture's leading sake breweries, and is helping to revitalize Taku City.[Taku Mirai Project]We continue to make sake that is rooted in the region, such as by participating in the following events.

The starting line that can be seen after overcoming hardships

Just when we thought we were finally on track after rebuilding the brewery, in 2019 (Reiwa 1), Tokaku Sake Brewery“Heavy rains in northern Kyushu in August 2019”be affected by. It was an unprecedented flood disaster.

The river that flows next to the warehouse overflowed and the water flowed in with such force that there was no way to save the warehouse, and the entire warehouse was submerged in water below the knees.

Things were scattered and the inside was covered in mud. The situation is hopeless, with most of the machines damaged.
The brewery almost gave up on continuing, but thanks to the support of the local community, fellow brewers, and crowdfunding, Totsuru Sake Brewery was revived.

For several years after the restoration, the liquor was becoming cloudy due to the muddy water and bacteria, so the decision was made to renovate the equipment.

We built a new koji room on the second floor, installed a Yabuta-style automatic mortar press, and created a clean environment by surrounding the room containing the brewing tank with a large prefabricated refrigerator.
As a result, the fermentation method has changed, resulting in a clear sake with a pure taste of rice.

I thought I was getting close to the ideal alcoholic beverage that President Nonaka was aiming for, but my own rating is around 60 points.
This is achieved by preparing the sake brewing environment and equipment.“We finally made it to the starting line as a sake brewery.”That's because I had this idea.

President Nonaka believes that by improving the sake brewing environment and combining the technical aspects of being a brewer, we will be able to get closer to the ideal sake.

What kind of sake will Totsuru Sake Brewery, which has overcome hardships and evolved, offer us in the future?
My expectations are high♪

Cheers with two bottles of sake from Totsuru Sake Brewery! ! Introducing pairings♪

[1st] Totsuru THE ORIGIN Yamada Nishiki

This is the new signature product of Totsuru Sake Brewery, which discontinued the standard products ``Totsuru Junmai Sake'' and ``Totsuru Junmai Ginjo Sake''.[Totsuru THE ORIGIN]！！

Made using Yamada Nishiki from Saga Prefecture using a classic manufacturing method.“Kimoto-zukuri”This sake is brewed with a lot of time and effort.
Generally, sake brewed using Kimoto-zukuri has a wild taste and aroma, but this THE ORIGINUtilizing only the good points of lactic acid bacteria in KimotoIt makes the taste clear.
It is perfect for the new flagship product that Tokaku was looking for, allowing you to enjoy the taste of rice straight away.culminationThe result is a drink that deserves to be called a sake!

When we rebranded our standard sake to THE ORIGIN, we also updated the label design to emphasize its presence as a signature product.
Also, the reason why we purposely do not call it junmaishu is because we are not bound by preconceived notions of junmaishu or junmai ginjo.I want people to drink it as “Totsuru”This is the feeling that is put into it.

Please enjoy Totsuru Sake Brewery's proud alcoholic beverage, ``Totsuru THE ORIGIN Yamada Nishiki.''♪

■Impressions from international students■

What snacks go well with “Totsuru THE ORIGIN Yamada Nishiki”? ?

THE ORIGIN is so fresh that you can almost feel the gas after opening the bottle, so we recommend pairing it with light and refreshing dishes and snacks.♪

The classic yakitori and cold shabu dishes perfect for summer let you savor the flavor of the meat while washing away the clear flavor of the rice.
You can truly experience a moment of bliss!
It's also great to warm it up and enjoy the change in taste.♪

[2nd bottle] Totsuru Junmai Spring Sun

Junmai sake named after the raw rice ``Shunyo''【Spring sun】。

Actually, this Shunyo is neither sake rice nor edible rice.
A medically edible rice developed so that people with high blood sugar levels can eat it without worrying about carbohydrates."Low Glutelin Rice"That's it.
Therefore, when brewing sake, the amino acid content is low, there is no unpleasant taste, and the aroma is light and lychee-like.

However, if the amino acid content is low, it will be difficult to feel the umami flavor, so for this Spring Sun, we set the sake content to be low,“Sweetness”I decided to supplement the umami part.
By increasing the acidity, we created a well-balanced sake with a sharp and sharp taste.
Springu Sun, a modern drink typical of Tokatsu Sake Brewery, is very easy to drink and is recommended for those who are reluctant to drink sake, as well as for women.♪

■Impressions from international students■

What snacks go well with “Totsuru Junmai Spring Sun”? ?

What you would want to pair with the refreshing taste of Spring Sun is a light and sour snack.

Although it is pure rice sake, it has a taste similar to white wine, so it is perfect for carpaccio, cheese, raw ham, etc. !

Totsuru Sake Brewery Direct Sales Shop [Alcohol and miscellaneous items]

In February 2024, Tokaku Sake Brewery renovated the building that had previously been used as an office and direct sales office, and opened a new direct sales office under the name "Sake and Miscellaneous."

The store name [Alcohol and Miscellaneous] comes from President Nonaka.As a sake brewery, we don't just sell alcohol.“I want to spread the positive information related to Tokatsuru.”This is the idea that is put into it.

Among them, the most noteworthy is the red vinegar made using sake lees from Totsuru Sake Brewery.

This red vinegar is made from rice-producing Saga Prefecture, which is considered a sake kingdom and a red vinegar production area.[Saga Prefecture Red Vinegar Project]Five sake breweries in the prefecture, including Totsuru Sake Brewery, are participating, and each vinegar is made from their own sake lees.

An ancient Japanese traditional method of aging sake lees in a sake brewery for over a year and producing vinegar using only nature and the power of acetic acid bacteria.“Static fermentation method”Because it is fermented for 90 days and aged for 90 days, it is characterized by its mellow flavor and rich umami components.
It is also attractive because it contains more beauty and health ingredients than black vinegar, which is said to have high health benefits.

Red vinegar is famous for being used in the shari of Edomae sushi, but it is also a highly versatile seasoning that can be mixed with carbonic acid and used as a sauce for gyoza or fried chicken, so please take this opportunity to try red vinegar for yourself.♪

In addition to red vinegar, they also sell sweets such as karinto and biscotti made with sake lees.

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of "various things" Totsuru Sake Brewery will release in the future.♪

[Thinking about it as an international student] What pairing goes well with the sake “Totsuru”?

Discussion time is one of the charms of online sake brewery study abroad!

This time's theme is“What pairing would go well with today’s two Tokakus? "is! !

The international students suggested snacks and dishes unique to Totsuru that are not limited by the concept of sake, and President Nonaka was also very interested.
We will introduce pairings that we think will go well with “Tokaku THE ORIGIN Yamada Nishiki” and “Tokaku Spring Sun”!

Totsuru Sake Brewery Q&A

Here are some of the questions asked to President Nonaka during this study abroad trip.

Summary

This is the second time I have been introduced to Totsuru Sake Brewery, and I was able to learn once again about the difficulty of continuing sake brewing and the importance of maintaining a good environment.

The product development that takes advantage of the consumer perspective of President Nonaka, who was originally not good at sake, is also very eye-catching, and I think this is a sake brewery that the sake industry will need in the future.

While you were talking
“I want sake to be recognized as a global drink, just like wine.”
As he said, I would like to see Saga Prefecture lead the sake industry in the future!

President Nonaka and all the international students, thank you for joining us this time!
I think it was a great learning opportunity as the international students actively interacted with each other.

See you again at the next online sake brewery study abroad event.♪

47th Online Sake Brewery Study Abroad Mr. Ryuichi Takazawa, 7th generation brewery brewer at Takasawa Sake Brewery

■Next date and time: September 28th (Sat) 19:00~
■Speaker: Ryuichi Takazawa, 7th generation brewer of Takazawa Sake Brewery

The next online sake brewery study abroad program will have a brewery in Himi City, Toyama Prefecture."Takazawa Sake Brewery"will be on stage.

Himi City is located on the east side of the Noto Peninsula.
When you think of the Noto Peninsula, you think of Ishikawa Prefecture, but it is located in the northwestern part of Toyama Prefecture.
Due to the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred on New Year's Day of this year, Takazawa Sake BreweryThe rice storehouse and liquor storehouse suffered severe damage, completely destroyed.

We would like to support Takazawa Sake Brewery as they aim to rebuild their brewery, so we will be appearing on stage as the fourth installment of the Hokuriku Support Series.
We would like to hear about your thoughts on the recovery, the traditional manufacturing methods that Takazawa Sake Brewery has continued to protect, and many other things!

Participate in an online sake brewery study abroad program

Cheers with a hands-on pose again next time!

*Past report articleshereFrom! !

Jun sake writer While I am involved in manufacturing, I am also a sake writer.
I discovered the deliciousness of Japanese sake and was completely hooked.
I would like to spread the culture of Japanese sake.♪

Hobbies: Glasswork, traveling, futsal

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