A taste of

Japanese Culture

According to Japan’s Sake Tax Law, the alcohol content of sake is less than 22%. Generally, the alcohol content of sake is adjusted to around 15-16% by adding water (wari-mizu), which makes the sake smooth and gentle on the palate. Sake without wari-mizu is called Genshu, which has a strong attack and is a sake with a direct taste of its own character.

Genshu is available in a variety of alcohol contents, including low-alcohol sake (in Japan, low-alcohol sake is defined as less than 14% alcohol by volume). This set is designed to let you experience the strength of Genshu.

To enjoy the surprising experience of “Sake Rice Characteristics,” a comparison of sake made with different sake rice, but otherwise under the same conditions.The representative sake rice of Japan and its sake rice characteristics are introduced.

This time, Garyubai from Sanwa Shuzo, which positions local fresh water as the terroir’s individuality and is particular about bringing out the individuality of sake rice, was selected. The four Garyubai series products, Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Yamadanishiki, Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Gohyakumangoku, Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Homarefuji, and Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Miyamanishiki, were selected by specializing in a single yeast to bring out the individuality of the sake rice.

It is a surprising experience to be able to enjoy aromas of banana and apple in sake made from rice.

One of the ginjo aromas described as “fruity” is the use of a yeast that produces a lot of ethyl caproate, which gives sake an apple-like aroma. Also, if a yeast that produces “isoamyl acetate” is used, sake will have a banana-like aroma.
This section introduces typical yeasts that produce “ethyl caproate” and “isoamyl acetate”.

What is yeast? Yeast is said to be the backbone of sake production, and sake cannot be made without yeast.
Then,the role of yeast will be explained.

Yeast is a single-cell organism, and is used in brewing with “kyokai yeast” provided by the Japan Brewers Association and “kura-tsuki yeast” that lives in the brewery. Yeast is also found in nature, and we would like to tell them that there is sake made with “hana-yeast,” which is extracted from flowers.

First of all, I would like to tell you that there is a “World’s Best” competition. We also want to convey the fact that there is a sake selected there.

It is not a transient “world’s best”, but the result of a serious competition among many participating brands, judged by top-level judges in terms of knowledge, experience, and expertise, who do not lie about their own expertise. It is chosen only by blind tasting with the brand name hidden. How difficult is this? How much individuality is required? I would like to tell you about the judging process.

What kind of sake is the best sake that has been rigorously judged by quality international judges? Why were they selected? What was the reason for the selection? What are the testing comments? We would like to convey the evaluation of the overseas market. We would like to ask the sake brewery questions in these areas and receive detailed answers.

Winning the world’s top prize is so influential in overseas competitions that it is impossible to stock up. This time, as befits the first subscription to KURA-ONE, we have prepared a lineup of sakes that have won the world’s top prize in the competition.

The expression “dry / sweet” is used to describe the taste of sake. Basically, sake that contains a lot of sugar is called “sweet” and sake that contains little sugar is called “dry. This means that “dry” sake does not contain ingredients that make it “spicy” but “not sweet”. Because it is not sweet, sake should be drunk with meals to understand the role of sake in mealtime.

To further deepen the characteristics of this role, it is easy to understand the positioning of dry sake in the four quadrants by multiplying “light / dark mellow”. This time, we selected dry sake from sake breweries in Tohoku, Kansai, and Kyushu. The word “dry” in one word has a variety of characteristics. We hope you enjoy these unique dry sake.