Sake No. 004 "Nabeshima, Tokubetsu-junmai, Kassei-Nigori, Namasake"

Hey everybody! It's me Yusuke.
I'm busy recently, and a day not to be able to readily drink the Sake continues.
I cannot buy new liquor early when I don't consume it.
However, in the case of delicious liquor, I want to drink it slowly.

By the way, it is a famous Sake to introduce this time. It is "Nabeshima, Tokubetsu-junmai, Kassei-Nigori, Namasake". Nabeshima is the brand which I still drink relatively frequently in one of the Sake which was a chance that I become the Sake enthusiast. It becomes an already brand of popularity now and becomes hard to buy them because I was recognized even before several years.

Therefore these days I chose a other delicious Sake exclusively recently. However, I wanted to drink it after a long absence, and I found an interesting thing in a liquor shop when I went to buy Nabeshima.

"Nabeshima, Tokubetsu-junmai, Kassei-Nigori, Namasake" A tag promoting attention in the upper part is turned on.

"Nigori" is Nigorizake which I commented on at the time of the lecture and is the Sake which an ingredient enters, and is cloudy. In addition to it, this Sake is called Kassei-shu (活性酒, Means "Active Sake"). It is the same as Namasake that yeast is living, but, for a characteristic, lets fermentation advance in a bottle in the case of this kind of the Sake.

The yeast uses sugar and makes alcohol. Therefore carbon dioxide releases them on this occasion though it becomes the liquor. It becomes the soda because carbon dioxide melts into the Sake. You may think that it is for the Sake of Champagne.

Of course atmospheric pressure is strengthened like champagne in the bottle. Therefore if you get a wrong how to open, most gush it, and your table will drink it deliciously. There are instructions to be outstanding in a bottle because a complaint sometimes comes to the brewery.

The ingredient of Nigori precipitates if in condition to calm down. When you drink, you shake slowly once or twice to mix an ingredient, but may drink only a clear part. How to drink is up to the person.

How to open them open out in a low temperature state for rest little by little. It is important to rest quietly. It is the same as becoming a big trouble if Coke is shaked. Similarly the low temperature is a very necessary factor.I often open unexpectedly smoothly when movement of the yeast slows down.

And I open out while letting gas little by little. Though it is a method to open after the most comfortable one making a hole with a needle to a stopper, and missing gas beforehand, in that case, I leave it and may leak in the refrigerator when I keep it. However, It is passable that you open out on a sink because it sheds it how if unlucky.

Nigorisake where is in condition that this was mixed. As can be seen, it is cloudy. We can drink without minding alcohol's dry taste because taste is thick.

An introduction has got longer.

Outline

Kashima with Fukuchiyo-Brewery is located at the west end of Tsukushi plains in Kyushu. Cultivation of rice is prosperous, and naturally this neighborhood has a lot of delicious Sake. For example, "Amabuki (天吹), Nogomi (能古見), Azumazuru (東鶴), Shichida (七田), Azumaichi (東一)". These are Saga sides, but of course there is the much delicious Sake in the Fukuoka side that is the east side. I will introduce them soon because I just traveled in last spring.

There is Fukuchiyo-Brewery in a village called Hizen-hama (肥前浜) in Kashima-city (鹿島). Hizen of Hizen-hama is the wide area place name for the range that merged Nagasaki with Saga roughly, and such a name was common before the Edo era.

In other words the wide area place name was attached to the head because Hama was the common place name to distinguish it from other local Hama. There are the most such cases in Japan. Aizu is the wide area place name, and, in the case of Aizu-bange of the place where Hiroki which I introduced is prepared into, Bange is the original place name first.

This is old station building of Hizen-hama Station. Hizen (肥前) is the wide area place name. Hama (浜) is the place name of details. "驛" means station.

By the way, Hama is a meaning called Shore simply. There is the village in the place facing the sea according to the name. There was formed as a fishing village in the Middle Ages and prospered as the center of this area as a "Shukuba (宿場町, wikipedia)" in the Edo era. However, the base characteristics are moved now in Kashima nearby.

It is a small town, but is the area where breweries crowds so that it is unusual here in the whole country. There are such six breweries between several hundred meters. You can enjoy competition for drink in various places if you go in a weekday because there is much Brewery such as the tourist facility. When you return, you will completely get drunk.

Main street of Hama where many breweries stand as for this. Excellent buildings of the Edo era and the Meiji era are seen a lot. It is the place that can enjoy even sightseeing here. However, you can enjoy the most which goes weekdays if made from breweries being closed on Saturdays and holidays.

In addition, old cityscape of the Edo era is the same figure, and this town in itself is left in the scene preservation district (重要伝統的建造物群保存地, wikipedia) because it is appointed. There is the simple town where there are not so many tourists in without being maintained, but is wonderful place letting me feel somewhere nostalgia. When I visit this town as another three times, I get drunk.

I stopped at Fukuchiyo-Brewery which made Nabeshima several times. In late years this brewery attracts attention in particular in breweries in this town.

The photograph before one is Shukuba, but the scenery of the former fishing village is left in the edge of a town. The old house having a traditional roof of thatch is slightly seen.

Character

Name: Nabeshima, Tokubetsu-junmai, Kassei-Nigori, Namasake (鍋島、特別純米、活性にごり、生酒)
Place: Fukuchiyo-Brewery (富久千代酒造), Kashima, Saga prefecture
Class: Tokubetsu-Junmai
Rice: Yamadanishiki (山田錦) and  Saganohana (佐賀の華)
Rice polishing rate: 55%
Yeast: Unknown
Filtration: No
Heat treatment: No
Water addition: Yes
Other characteristics: Kassei, Nigori
Alcohol content: 15-16%
Sake meter: +5
Acid meter: 1.6
Price: JPY 2,862 (1,800ml)
Official website: http://nabeshima.biz/
My rating: B (BB "After the time has passed")

The manual is concise.

Taste

There are few fragrances, but is sweets reminding of fruit. It is a refined fragrance.

And I took a sip. Naturally a bubbly wild carbonic acid stimulated my tongue first because it is Kasseishu. The sweetness is felt slightly by the depths, but I receive an impression giving in to other taste. It is taste such as the desert if I say because the impact of the carbonic acid is considerably strong with the Sake of the impression that is dry taste.

In the case of Nigori, the added flavor in the course of the brewing of rice is one of the charm, but is not the thing which is comfortable just to be gritty about this Sake.

Rather the which I drank after I put time, and some carbonic acid fall out becomes slightly delicious. However, still the rough touch of rice continues staying on a tongue and changes into bitterness finally. There is predominantly in comparison with usual Nabeshima little Umami.

There was a much favorite Sake in Kasseishu, but this Sake was not slightly good enough without swelling of the taste being felt. I made up my mind to drink delicious "Nabeshima, Junmai-ginjo, Namasake" passably when I drank on the next time.

I think that sashimi or sushi and affinity are good because I don't feel it that much, as for the sweetness. The taste is thick, but is the thing which does not disturb a meal.

My story

As previously described, it is one of the liquor which made me a Sake enthusiast. The encounter of me and Nabeshim is time when I drank from the uncle who is a teacher in the whole Liquor rather than the Sake. It was Nabeshima, Junmai-ginjo, Namasake delicious commonly then to have drunk. Thereafter, it had many things more than Ginjo that I bought.

When I drank in a bar, there was much Nabeshima. "What kind of Nabeshima is available today?" I asked a salesclerk it in the opening first. "I had orange labels of Nabeshima today" even if I said nothing soon, the salesclerk told it.

Then would I really drink Nabeshima dozens of times? I like "Nabeshima, New-moon" which is Shinshu in particular. I like what's called which rice was used for Aiyama (愛山) with unique sweetness. I like relatively inexpensive, delicious "Ura-Nabeshima (裏鍋島)".

However, it was long silence because the Sake which, besides, was delicious gained power recently. Therefore my this opportunity is interregnum really since one year ago for that matter.

This is Ura-Nabeshima. Ura means the underside. So you will understand that the letter of the label turns over. This Sake called the extra stand, and is the thing of the position. It is the Sake which is satisfactory drinking very much because various kinds of parts that the taste is especially thick squeezed last are blended. It is hard to obtain this, but is favorite one of me.

It was what I understood later, but I seemed to have drunk this Kassei-Nigori only once in old days. I had the thing pointed out when I told what I bought to my uncle. Probably, "I don't remember well" will be that the impression in particular was not left about the taste either.

The story when I went to Fukuchiyo-Brewery thinks to write it, when I introduce delicious Nabeshima next.

This is Fukuchiyo-Brewery. This is old and is a small building, but a big factory is built in the depths.

How to buy (or drink)

It is the Sake with the popularity like Hiroki, but it is not so difficult to buy a bottle because there is relatively much quantity of production. However, there are few shops to sell unexpectedly. It is Machidaya (Google maps) of Nakano to be famous in that. It is inconvenience slightly far from the station, but you do your best, and endure it.

Naturally there are many places stocked in a bar. A lot of shops stocking will come out if you search it with "鍋島" in the following sites. It is mellow, but it is recommended to drink in a bar because there is much liquor in accord with a dish.
http://tabelog.com/

Sake No. 003 "Kagamiyama, Tokubetsu-junmai, Omachi, Muroka-Nama-Genshu"

Hey. It's me Yusuke. How are you doing?
I can continue introducing the Sake smoothly somehow, is my sentence readable?
Even rough content should be able to reach you, but you are frank, and, please hit anger on me at time that it is incomprehensible.

A Sake which I introduce this time is "Kagamiyama, Tokubetsu-junmai, Omachi, Muroka-Nama-Genshu". First Hiroki is made in Tohoku-District, and Second Kozaemon is made in Chubu-District. Accordingly I'll introduce the Sake made in Kanto District this time. I think to write an article so that I begin blog, and production areas don't continue if possible for the time being.

About this Kagamiyama, I am partial to them unconsciously because the brewery producing it is near from Tokyo where I live in.  Probably it will not take one hour by a train from the home. So around three of them go to buy the bottle which is different in types for one year. It is imminent as much as that for me and is the Sake with the contemplation.

"Kagamiyama, Tokubetsu-junmai Muroka-Nama-Genshu"

Outline

Speaking of Kawagoe (川越) with Koedo-Kagamiyama-brewery, it is a very popular sightseeing spot for the people living in Tokyo and Kanto District. Edo where the word called Koedo named by Brewery is small. In other words it is the meaning called the castle town where old cityscape is left. Actually, there are many traditional buildings in Kawagoe.
There is the trace that greatly prospered as a distribution center of farm products harvested as a scene from the Middle Ages to the Edo era and lined with excellent old storehouses. In addition, there was prefectural seat of Iruma-prefecture which was established only for several years after the Meiji era began.

It is such Kawagoe overflowing with a tourist throughout the year, but this Sake is not known to people unexpectedly. Why is the reason? In fact, this Brewery is the newer company which was just founded in 2007. It has not yet passed for ten years after it is founded either.

Actually, the name "Kagamiyama" was a thing succeeded to by the Sake which had been ever made in Kawagoe, but first generation Kagamiyama-brewery which made it has closed in 2000. However, The local youths stood up after and revived it because many people said "I'm lonely becouse Kawagoe that is a sightseeing spot does'nt have any breweries".

This is old city street in Kawagoe. One with many buildings called "Kura, 蔵" of the structure having an excellent roof is to store a trade product in this in the Edo era. There are many such buildings in the place called the merchant town of Japan.

However, unfortunately, in used Brewery's buildings, there was never a place to make because it was converted into a tourist facility. Therefore they reached that they started production of the Sake somehow because SoysourceFactory called local Matsumoto-Soysource-Shop cooperated and lent a part of the site to them. Even if I only recite the history of a certain such twists and turns Kagamiyama, I seem to have enough. However, I go to how many degrees and Kawagoe afterward and buy it because quality of the Sake made there is splendid quality.

This is Come-on-Rakuza (醸ん楽座) with Koedo-Kagamiyama-Brewery. This building rebuilt Kura, too. There is the entrance of the stand in the depths along a street.

By the way, soy sauce is sold together in the brewery because they lodge from a soy sauce factory. Leading, as for the soy sauce here, a dark thing of the taste that the soy sauce which they made is brewed again once, and was made called Saishikomi is made. They show distinguished affinity to sashimi and sushi.

After having walked the old cityscape aimlessly, how about that you buy the Sake and soy sauce for a souvenir? And, speaking of Kawagoe, there is the sweet potato cake, too. It is the town which is not troubled to a thing to buy.

This is a state in the stands of Come-on-Rakuza. The put thing is the soy sauce center because the scale has a bigger Soysource-factory than Sake-brewery. Kagamiyama which I intended to buy is in the back refrigeration showcase.

Character

Name: Kagamiyama, Tokubetsu-junmai ,Omachi, Muroka-Nama-Genshu (鏡山、特別純米、無濾過生原酒)
Place: Koedo-Kagamiyama-brewery (小江戸鏡山酒造), Kawagoe, Saitama prefecture
Class: Tokubetsu-Junmai
Rice: Omachi (雄町)
Rice polishing rate: 60%
Yeast: The Society No.18 (協会18号)
Filtration: No
Heat treatment: No
Water addition: No
Other characteristics:
Alcohol content: 17%
Sake meter: Unknown
Acid meter: Unknown
Price: JPY 3,564 (1,800ml)
Official website: http://www.kagamiyama.jp/
My rating: AA

The explanation is very very concise.

Taste

The fragrance is sweets associating the quiet calm, but the quality is very heavy. Strangely, there is refreshment, and the fragrance makes having no cares going through the nose straight look so deep. It is a sexy fragrance associating some green apples.

Umami and seetness with unique rough are mixed when I take a sip, and each insists on presence. They spread through a lot of mouths so as that they bring a fragrance of a while ago and seem to overflow. By the way, there are not acidity and most of the dry taste, but there is no lacking something.

Two tastes that they influenced in a mouth before long change into a lingering sound while gradually changing into presence of mind, some bitterness, and they continue staying on my tongue for a while.

There are many things that sweetness and the fragrance of the apple are impressive in this way in the Sake where rice of Omachi was used for, but a unique flavor is put together with Omachi of Kagamiyama and creates the characteristics that there is not elsewhere. Even if the unique view of the world is right called Kagamiyama world, there will not be it by the exaggeration!

I drank Kagamiyama with katsudon. The katsudon of salted and sweetened is very uncongenial to strong Kagamiyama of the sweetness by mismatch. The one where I drank only in the Sake is better.

My story

It is autumn three years ago that I met Kagamiyama for the first time. It was time that a New-Sake was just completed. I obtained information that there was the already delicious Sake in Kawagoe and did that I bought a Sake than sightseeing from a beginning in a purpose then.

I had seen the sights of Kawagoe several times from childhood and walked while feeling nostalgia. I thought even if "it was what lucky" because there was the brewery which made my favorite Sake in such a place.

The belfry which is a famous symbol of Kawagoe. It is an area to be able to enjoy even if a lot of interesting shops come to the neighborhood how many times here.

There is Koedo-Kagamiyama-Brewery in the place that deviated from the main route a little. There is small sale space called Come-on-Rakuza (醸ん楽座), and soy sauce is exhibited in the center there. However, I found Kagamiyama and the written bottle of the label in the depths.

When I look at the state for a while, many Sake is selling like hot cakes. I could buy it before Those were sold out.

Later, I had an opportunity to let my uncle who was an old-timer do tasting about the liquor when I was impressed in the splendid taste.

The uncle liked it and asked me for an errand when "You buy another one of them" and I would go to Kawagoe again a few days later.

This is "Kagamiyama, Junmai, Shinshu-Shiboritate" of Kagamiyama which I drank first. The taste is totally different from OMACHI which I introduced this time because used meters are different. Rice from a local called Sake-musashi (さけ武蔵) is used for this Sake and there can be a unique flavor and is delicious again. Some this is more inexpensive.

How to buy (or drink)

Kagamiyama is a not much known Sake, but there is little amount of production absolutely. So it is often sold out in a few days when regular quality is excluded.

There are few shops, but is stocked in Suzuden-Shop(Google maps) in Yotsuya, Tokyo like the last time. In addition, I think that what go is good to buy it in a sightseeing occasion if you are in Tokyo because Kawagoe is near from Tokyo. You can buy it in the brewery and can buy it in Kurari (蔵里, Google maps) of the souvenir shop of the station square. In fact, this Kurari is the thing which reused a building of first Kagamiyama-Brewery. How about when I stop by once ? There is near from Hon-Kawagoe Station.

There are very few bars stocking Kagamiyama because there is little amount of production, but It is not no. Please search it with the word "鏡山" in the following sites.
http://tabelog.com/

Sake No. 002 "Kozaemon, Tokubetsu-junmai, Shinano-Miyamanishiki, Muroka-Nama, Shiboritate"

Hello.It's me Yusuke.
Secondary to the last time, I introduce the Sake. Last Hiroki was the famous Sake towards the Sake enthusiast, but I introduce the known Sake of the name this time.

This Sake is "Kozaemon, Tokubetsu-junmai, Shinano-Miyamanishiki, Muroka-Nama, Shiboritate" (小左衛門、特別純米、信濃美山錦、無濾過生、しぼりたて)

The acquisition is relatively easy in this Sake not having the abnormal popularity like Hiroki. Nevertheless, the taste is so good.

The popularity of the Sake often is not necessarily connected directly with taste.  A thing happens quite often that brand image leads, and popularity soars. The thing happens quite often that only the impression of the brand leads, and popularity soars.  As an example, Dassai (獺祭) comes under it itself though it is delicious

"Kozaemon, Tokubetsu-junmai, Shinano-Miyamanishiki, Muroka-Nama, Shiboritate"

Outline

Kozaemon is made in the small city of a population of 38,000 people called Mizunami (瑞浪) vested in the Tono (東濃) district of East Gifu prefecture since 1702. It was an excellent production center of the ceramics, and, in this neighborhood, the ceramics spread the name in the all over Japan as Minoyaki (美濃焼) from the times in the Middle Ages. The industry is still left while reducing a number than the heyday.

However, there shows a stronger characteristic called the commuter town of Nagoya that is a huge city now. At distance of the degree not to take one hour by a train from Nagoya, there is much number, and the access is relatively good.

In addition, east body district is an area with much my favorite Sake. There is Michizakura (三千櫻), Miyozakura (御代桜) elsewhere. I'm fun when I compare by drinking them. If you go to Kiso from there, You won't be troubled with sightseeing. However, the simple highlight including the castle town in Iwamura (岩村) and Eihoji-Temple (永保寺) in Tajimi (多治見) and Ena-Gorge (恵那峡) in Ena (恵那) has much Tono near by. You can enjoy those places at will because there are not many many tourists.

This is Iwamura-castle. Iwamura is a town with much highlight in particular. By the way, there is the brewery in Iwamura, too. So this neighborhood is a nice area for the Sake enthusiast

Character

Name: Kozaemon, Tokubetsu-junmai, Shinano-Miyamanishiki, Muroka-Nama, Shiboritate (小左衛門、特別純米、信濃美山錦、無濾過生酒、しぼりたて)
Place: Nakajima-brewery (中島醸造), Mizunami, Gifu prefecture
Class: Tokubetsu-Junmai
Rice: Miyamanishiki (美山錦) Made in Nagano
Rice polishing rate: 55%
Yeast: Unknown
Filtration: No
Heat treatment: No
Water addition: Yes
Other characteristics: Shiboritate (Just squeezed)
Alcohol content: 16.5%
Sake meter: +1
Acid meter: 1.4
Price: JPY 2,800 (1,800ml)
Official website: http://www.kozaemon.jp/
My rating: A

Taste

Its fragrance is not such a strong thing. A soft sweet fragrance tickles a nostril quietly slightly.

Sweetness spreads in a mouth first when I gulp it down. The quality of the sweetness is light, but sticks on a tongue firmly.

Just after, the lump of Umami (旨味, wikipedia) of the amino acid flocks at a stretch that, and those two taste of "sweetness and Umami" occupy over a tongue at a stretch. On the other hand, there were moderate acidity and dry tastes, and two taste continued staying on a tongue without being disturbed for a while. They are not at all unpleasant things, and the taste is light to the last. They take time a little and gradually fade out.

Therefore, this Sake is the things that sweetness and Umami are impressive till the last, but they are not glaring things, and the aftertaste is an unexpectedly frank thing.

It may be good to have with fish dishes in substitution for white wine, because the strong sweetness of the things is light as for the taste as for it.

This Kozaemon became the setoff of the dish, and I felt it to be particularly congenial to fishery products dish.

My story

The first encounter with me and Kozaemon dates back to several years ago. It was time when I continued a trip slowly towards the west while seeing the sights of the Tono district with Chuo Line from Tokyo then. There was often what I saw it by the lineup of the bar, but did not visit the front of it until then at an opportunity after all either. However, I asked about an opportunity because I always obtained information that this Sake was delicious when I wanted to stop at Nakajima-brewery which made Kozaemon while I saw the sights of Tono.

When I travel, I move while supplying me the Sake in a journey, and drinking. I stop at each the berewery and am with posture to ask that employee about a Sake's story, and to enjoy selection of the Sake in itself if possible. As the posture, I decided to come to the berewery this time.

Nakajima-Brewery is in the range that I can walk from Mizunami Station, and there is it in the relatively convenient place. And a signboard written as "Shiroku (始禄)" in the place that has finished crossing the Toki River meats into my eyes. "Shiroku" is the main brand which Nakajima-Brewery makes. In "Kozaemon" the name is added to the Sake of high quality in that.

Nakajima-Brewery is stand facing the river. The building is wooden it is old and is greatly powerful. The building passed for some time in this riverside for several hundred years and would see the change of the town.

Brewery was the structure that did not assume that a visitor came very much. However, He opened the shutter of the warehouse nearby with a smile when I called out to him towards the employee whom there was near. Shiroku equals various types of Kozaemon in that, and the cash register is installed in the depths, too. General way of sale facility seemed to be set.

Kozaemon has various types of things in the brewery. I am troubled with choice because anything looks delicious. Rather I want to drink all the kinds!

There was various kinds of Kozaemon, but I decided it in asking him recommendation of this time, and buying "Kozaemon, Junmai-Ginjo, Omachi, Muroka-Nama, Shiboritate" to drink it for the first time. Of course the bottle of 1,800ml chose 720ml to buy it in the middle of a trip because it was too heavy.

"Kozaemon, Junmai-Ginjo, Omachi, Muroka-Nama, Shiboritate" is taste full of changes very much. I rival with a sharp taste in "dry taste and Umami" falls below the meantime. The sexy sweetness peculiar to the Omachi used rice is attractive.

You don't need to talk about the taste. I am a captive of Kozaemon since I drank it.

How to buy (or drink)

Kozaemon is the brand which begins to become popular, but can buy abnormal popularity such as Hiroki in liquor shops stocking commonly because there is not it. If you stay Tokyo, Suzuden-Shop (Google maps) close to Yotsuya Station will be easy to go. (I don't guarantee the stock)
Because there is the medium-sized bottle of 720 ml other than a big jar of 1,800 ml, how about drinking it with a family and a friend and a travelling companion?

Therefore about bar. In late years, despite a brand becoming popular, there are not many shops to sell as Hiroki.

Still, in the one wanting to drink in a bar, a shop to sell is displayed if you  search it with "小左衛門" in the following site.
http://tabelog.com/

Sake No. 001 "Hiroki, Tokubetsu-junmai, Muroka-Nama-Genshu"

Hello. It's me Yusuke.
My PC broke down and wasn't able to readily raise an article.

By the way, the Sake which I introduce is this first. It's a Hiroki, Tokubetu-junmai, Muroka-Nama-Genshu (飛露喜、特別純米、無濾過生原酒).

Hiroki is a famous brand ranking with Juyondai, Denshu. I might say the first article this time and chose the thing which was relatively known. I think whether the Sake fanciers already knows.

However you should drink it if you don't know it. I can recommend it to anyone.

"Hiroki, Tokubetsu-junmai, Muroka-Nama-Genshu"

Outline

Hiroki is brewed by Hiroki-brewery in the Aizu-Basin, Fukushima. It belongs to Fukushima, but the distance is far with the Fukushima area because Aizu sandwiches the central watershed and is located in the Sea of Japan side. And there is a unique cultural area. So its psychological distance is rather closer in Niigata. In addition, the Aizu Basin doesn't come under an influence of the radioactivity very much to sandwich the mountain between either.

In addition, Aizu-Basin is a rice granary. Sake-brewery of approximately 30 competes fiercely for the rice granary in the local one that the making of the Sake is active naturally in this area. Some favorite Sake in Aizu have me as well as Hiroki, too. For example, Sharaku (寫楽), Naraman (奈良萬), Tenmei (天明), Kazegafuku (風が吹く), Kokken (国権) , etc.

There is Hiroki-brewery in the small town called Aizu-bange (会津坂下) of a population of 16,000 people in Aizu-basin since 1804-1830. Because there is it in the central city area of the station square, we can arrive at it by rain of Tadami-Line (JR East) and bus from Aizu-wakamatsu. However, we cannot almost buy it in brewery because the Sake is a thing with too intense popularity. It is very difficult for us to obtain it in neighboring Liquor shop and is easy to rather obtain in Tokyo about the bottle.

However, it is done stock in bar in Aizu.  You should talk with the tourist information center in Aizu-wakamatsu which is that Central city of Aizu-basin. if you are in Aizu and want to drink it.

Why don't you drink the local noted Sake while an old temple and castle see the sights of staying Aizu?

This little little village is Miyako, Kitakata.  There are many houses having an excellent roof because Aizu is a heavy snowfall area. By the way, this village is called a village of the soba. Kitakata where here belongs to is apt to associate ramen, but the soba is a special product too.

Character

Name: Hiroki, Tokubetsu-junmai, Muroka-Nama-Genshu (飛露喜、特別純米、無濾過生原酒)
Place: Hiroki-brewery (廣木酒造本店), Aizu-bange, Fukushima prefecture
Class: Tokubetsu-junmai
Rice: Gohyakumangoku (五百万石)
Rice polishing rate: 55%
Yeast: Unknown
Filtration: No
Heat treatment: No
Water addition: No
Other characteristics:
Alcohol content: 17%
Sake meter: Unknown
Acid meter: Unknown
Price: JPY 2,808 (1,800ml)
Official website: None
My rating: AA

This Sake has little notation. However, it is guaranteed taste.

Taste

A light and sweet fragrance came through my nose when I've brought a nose close.

It is sweetness with the presence to feel me to be first. It is acidity and a slight dry taste to insist following it calmly. It gave an extremely refined impression not such a strong thing. They gradually spread through the whole of the tongue, and, as for me, moderate feeling of satisfaction was got.

Ultimately, slight bitterness that Gohyakumangoku of the used rice which was the biggest accent of this Hiroki came from completed the last. It gathered the taste that spread slowly and lets them converge.

I was able to continue drinking as many as one likes without getting tired really because those balance was perfect.
Hiroki was the thing of the position where was immovable as guide of the Sake, I realized it again.

It is thick, because thickness in itself is Muroka-Nama-Genshu. However is the Sake of the type that never disturbs the meal.

As for it, the affinity looks good with any dish, but is the best with the thing which added ginger soy sauce to Satsuma-age (fried fish balls).

Though it is famous, it is Hiroki to have had firm characteristics. It is distinguished for the affinity with any meal.

My story

I've not been drinking Hiroki unexpectedly until recently. At that time, there was not me at an opportunity to drink Hiroki which was relatively famous in the local Sake because I had the policy that the famous Sake didn't drink very much. I thought the taste to be the thing which did not have a great thing with safety before drinking.

However, it is approximately two years ago that imagination of me was greatly overturned.
I obtained an opportunity to drink "Hiroki, Tokubetsu-junmai Kasumi" in the bar with Soba. I said it whether "Is this that famous Hiroki..." and drink it without expecting it too much while posing slant at the start.
However, I distinguished that it was delicious liquor, and my prejudice was corrected in the place where I brought a nose close to by the sweet smell.

I sometimes drink in a bar after having noticed the unexpected taste. I couln't usually buy bottles which I introduced, but, fortunately, I was able to obtain it at the time of year-end bargain sale.

This Sake is Hiroki which I drank for the first time. "Kasumi" means "cloudy thinly", and the implication is near to Origarami. So the taste is slightly heavier than Muroka-Nama-Genshu which I introduced this time.

How to buy (or drink)

It is very difficult to buy a bottle. When even I who live in Tokyo am not very lucky, it is not available. On the other hand, it is the Sake that it is easy if you only want to drink it because it is a thing put to a bar well. Hiroki-Junmai-Namazume where it is Maine of Hiroki to see most. There is not the impact like the Muroka-Nama-Genshu which I introduced this time, but I think that rather this is correct as for the dish in the perfect Sake while this calms down.

If you search it with "飛露喜" in this site, you can look for the bar which you can drink in Japan. Please come to Japan, and drink it once if you expect it when you want to drink it by all means.
http://tabelog.com/

Sake's lecture - part 1 "Kinds of the Sake and each difference"

Hey! It's me Yusuke.
I wanted to start an introduction about the sake immediately, but thought that you couldn't understand it when you didn't have knowledge about basic Sake. Then at first I decided to begin a simple sake lecture because it was unkind.

This time, I'll lecture you about a kind of the Sake and the difference. The sake has surprisingly various kinds. There are various things such as the thing that only hot, sweets, expensive, cheap, thing of the mass production, several hundred a year are made.

In a certain liquor shop in Kesennuma, Miyagi. Various Sake is exhibited. I seem to be troubled which I should buy.

By the way, with this blog, I won't introduce the sake of the mass production as policy. For example, I exclude Hakutsuru (白鶴) and Ozeki (大関), Gekkeikan (月桂冠), Kizakura (黄桜), Shochikubai (松竹梅) sold in a convenience store and a supermarket because even others are introduced. For a similar reason, I won't introduce Hakkaisan (八海山), Kubota (久保田), Koshinokanbai (越乃寒梅), Kikusui (菊水) either.

Therefore the Sake to introduce in this blog is the thing which is not known to many people from different countries for production in small quantities mainly. Because I'm not so rich, the price chooses the basically reasonable thing.

It produces Sake of enormous kinds in one place of Sake brewery. We can sample it in Kunimare-brewery in Mashike, Hokkaido. At first which shall we drink?

In addition, as for the Sake to introduce in this site, there are many things needing refrigeration preservation raw called the Namasake (生酒).
I mention it later about it in detail, but therefore it is slightly difficult for a tourist to buy it as a souvenir willingly.
However, a lot of things of the simple size that can drink it up in the middle of a trip can easily drink depending on the mind.
Moreover, the bars where the Sake which worked of the mind was put increased recently.

I'm glad when you get into the world of splendid Sake if there is an opportunity.

It is the simplest method to drink with a delicious dish in a bar. Let's drink sake with a nice person!

Sake's attribute and technical terms

1, Futsu-shu and Tokutei-meisho-shu

The sake is greatly classified in two groups. The special designation Sake (特定名称酒 "Tokutei-meisho-shu") is liquor divided into one of eight groups to show in the following charts, and a thing belonging to none of the group adversely becomes the Ordinary Sake (普通酒 "Futsu-shu").



In addition, there is it that raw materials and the manufacturing method meet a constant standard as a definition of the special designation Sake. The traditional Sake is originally made with only rice and malted rice and water, but the additive which is some very small amounts in the present age when the technique advanced is used. There is division about the addition of the distilled alcohol closely soon, and it corresponds to the middle part and thelower part of the chart. On the contrary, the Sake which a distilled alchol is not added in at all is sorted by higher part of the chart Pure rice (純米 "Junmai").

Among charts, "Rice polishing ratio" (精米歩合, "Seimai-buai") show the ratio of part which the surface of rice is polished in it, and was left. It is polished so as to be low if a number is low. When the Sake is made, rice bran and the starch in the surface of rice are trimmed because it is a too many part becoming smart.

Junmai-shu (純米酒, Pure rice) and Honjozo-shu (本醸造酒, Genuine brew) 70%,
Junmai-ginjo-shu (純米吟醸酒, Pure rice, Special brew) and Ginjo-shu 60% (吟醸酒, Special brew), Junmai-daiginjo-shu (純米大吟醸酒, Pure rice, Very special brew) and Daiginjo-shu 50% (大吟醸酒, Very special brew). As for them, a thing less than each numerical value is established. The Sake having low percentage is strong in a fragrance, but naturally, as for the gross weight, those prices become expensive so that it is polished because they decrease.

I was able to sample it by the festival in Yamanokotobuki-brewery in Kurume, Fukuoka. The liquor which I can sample forms a line in order of Junmai-daiginjo, Junmai-ginjo, Junmai from the left. They don't have the difference except the rice cleaning rate, but the difference in taste is obvious.

In addition, the particularly superior thing of Junmai-shu and Honjozo-shu can be attached a name of Tokubetsu-junmai-shu (特別純米酒, Special pure rice) and Tokubetsu-honjozo-shu (特別本醸造酒, Special genuine brew) with the intention of the manufacturer.

Without a problem, you may transcribe Daiginjo-shu into Honjozo-shu even if you attach it freely if you follow the above-mentioned rule. However, it becomes the fraud when liquor equal to Honjozo-shu is pretended to be Daiginjo-shu adversely. Furthermore, the use of Tokubetsu-junmai and Junmai-ginjo and Tokubetsu-honjozo and Ginjo where a definition does not have many differences is decided by personal judgment of the breweries.

In addition, there is the Sake seasoned by a large quantity of additives or sweeteners in the cheap sake which was in the paper pack. The Sake is called compound sake (合成酒 "Gose-shu") and doesn't belong to Futsu-shu because they don't meet the condition that is Sake either. Such a thing isn't swallowed up directly and is used as a secret ingredient when we make Japanese food mainly.

2, Distilled alcohol

Sugar cane is used for the raw materials of the distilled alcohol (醸造アルコール "Jozo alcohol") mainly.It fermented, and a distilled thing becomes the alcohol. As previously described, the attribute of the Sake changes in having its addition or not.

In the case of cheap Sake, it is used for a dilution purpose. However, quantity that it is used for is very few at the Sake brewery with the policy. In that case, it is used for the purpose of tightening the taste.

However the Sake which the distilled alcohol is not used for because it's Junmai boom recently is more popular. I don't want to drink the liquor which the distilled alcohol was added in very much.

The local SakeBrewery gave a stand by the Chichibu nocturnal festival in Chichibu, Saitama. If anything, the human being who doesn't usually drink Sake very much tends to choose cheap Honjozo. A letter of Honjozo-Muroka-Nama-Genshu shakes on a hung label.

3, Heat treatment

Sake is generally completed in a tank and a tree pail and it is squeezed and is done a bottle.　Because yeast lives in the state that was just completed, it begins fermentation again when temperature rises, and bacteria deteriorating the Sake called the hiochi bacterium live in the Sake. It is usually heat-treated as twice to sterilize them, and to stabilize quality. In the case of common sake written in nothing, the processing has been already carried out.

Timings of the heat treatment are different, and the taste changes according to it each, too.

On the contrary, Namasake (生酒, Raw Sake) omitted the processing entirely.
I love them, and this blog is going to introduce it centrally. A unique fragrance and solid taste are left in it in that because it's never heated, and we can enjoy its good change because the yeast lives there. However, the safekeeping with the refrigerator becomes required because it is easy to deteriorate in a high temperature and sunlight weakly.

Namachozo (生貯蔵, Sake stocked raw) is a raw status and is saved in a tank, and only once is heat-treated when it is shipped. We can enjoy the unique matured fragrance because it's a raw state and is saved in a tank.

It's reverse to it, and, in Namazume (生詰, Sake bottled raw), heat treatment is considered to be it only once when liquor was completed, and it's shipped afterwards without being heat-treated. We can enjoy the Sake of the state of the fresh one after time passed because it was just made and is heat-treated.

This is the refrigeration showcase of Raifuku-brewery in Chikuse, Ibaraki. Namasake needs refrigerator preservation. It rots in a few days when neglected at normal temperature and becomes the vinegar. The important liquor will keep it carefully.

4, Filtration

An ingredient precipitates the sake which was just made. I think that you don't understand that I don't explain a manufacturing method to you, but, please understand it when it's such a thing now. Therefore an upper transparent part is scooped, but a float or a pigment are mixed by all means.

Filtration to remove them is filtered in a preservation purpose like heat treatment because it's easy to be corrupt when there are them in Sake. An activated carbon is used, and an extra ingredient and float, pigments adsorb it on this occasion. By the processing, it became hard to rot, and felt clear; taste it. It means that the sake written in nothing has been already filtered. The thing which is not filtered is written as Muroka (無濾過). In addition, the Sake which did a bottle in the state that left some cloudiness is called Origarami (おりがらみ).

This Sake is Takachiyo in Minami-uonuma, Niigata. This is Sake of Orrigarami. It is normal Sake visually, but, in fact, a white ingredient precipitates at the bottom. The taste is so thick.

# Nigoriszake (にごり酒, Muddy sake)
In famous Nigorizake, an ingredient collecting below daringly is mixed, and a bottle is done Sake having cloudy.

This Sake is Sakagurano-toramazu in Maesawa, Iwate. This is a kind of Nigorizake called Doburoku. It is muddy like yogurt white so as to understand it at first glance. The taste is awfully thick. Its food feeling is not drink, but eating.

5, Add water

Soon after having been completed, the sake is uneven in the alcohol percentage. The normal Sake is increased water to adjust to become around 14%. The thing which omitted this process is called Genshu (原酒 Undiluted). As a matter of course, the Genshu has many things having high alcohol percentage.

This Sake is Kikubunme in Tojo, Hiroshima. This Sake is alcohol frequency a little less than 20% in Genshu of no, adding water. It is recommended to drink such a Sake with a chaser like whiskey little by little in turn.

6, Sokujo and Kimoto and Yamahai

This is still a story of the first person made with Sake. A lactic acid bacterium is added to the sake so that other various germs don't propagate at a production stage of the yeast called Shubo (酒母, The cause of the sake). It's called Sokujo (速醸, Fast brewing) then to add the lactic acid bacterium which has been already completed. The thing which nothing is written is it.

Kimoto (生もと, Natural lactic acid) and Yamahai (山廃, Omitted yamaoroshi) are classic and traditional manufacturing processes. Naturally there was not the technique to keep a lactic acid bacterium for the old days, and a natural lactic acid bacterium inhabiting the wooden building waits to get and multiplies it. It's with the liquor which taste is very strong in because the yeast strongly grows up after time in the process. Sokujo takes ten days from one week, but the double time hangs over Kimoto and Yamahai.

This Sake is Yamamoto in Hachimori, Akita. This Sake is Yamahai, and sexy acidity adds an intonation to taste. The liquor of Yamahai has many that acidity and a sharp taste are strong, but this Sake insists on the sweetness there and gets overall balance.

There is work to grind Shubo called Yamaoroshi (Yamaoroshi) in Kimoto. Saccharification of the starch of rice is promoted, and this work promotes fermentation.
However, this work was very severe while it was cold by hard labor to be performed in forgetting food and sleep.
The thing which omitted it is Yamahai (山廃、山卸廃止, omitted Yamaoroshi)

Now and the bygone days of Yamaoroshi. This great work was carried out in old days in Sake brewery of any place.

7, Rice 

The taste of the Sake varies according to a kind to be used of rice. Yamada-nishiki (山田錦), Omachi (雄町),  Gohyakumangoku (五百万石) are popular, and they are so characteristic each. Yourself accept your preference of rice, and let's decide it!

Some policies which rice use for Maine by a Sake brewery exist, but various rice is used impartially in one place of brewery. However some scenes that they mix it, and are used are irregular.

These Sake are Yamayu in Akita-city,Akita. Sake of two of them looks like the same thing, but, in fact, both are different things, and, as for the left thing, some labels do pinkness. The specifications except the use rice were the same, and these were things made with a concept to taste a difference of rice. As for the left thing, Kairyo-shinko is used, and, as for the right thing, Akita-sakekomachi is used. The left thing was the taste that I drank well, and sweetness and balance of the acidity did not get tired of. Conversely, I felt some right thing to be strong in acidity.

8, Yeast

The taste varies according to the yeast which is added when it ferments. In the case of an wood and old building of Sake blewery, the natural yeast which settled down in the wooden building is in it. When it is a strange example, Flower yeast extracted from a flower is popular recently, and, as for the Sake which they were used for, there is a unique gorgeous flavor.

This Sake is Amabuki in Miyaki, Saga. As for this liquor, yeast extracted from the gillyflower is used. I want to imagine it when I hear it with flower yeast when a fragrance will be very good, but do not right betray the expectation. A gorgeous fragrance to hark back to a banana gets wide to my nasal cavity.

9, Season
Finally, I explain a season. It begins to be generally made with the Sake in late fall and is completed at the end of the year. The Sake which was just completed is called Shinshu (新酒 New Sake) then. It is the taste that various taste fights and are complicated, and is interesting.

Then time goes by for a while, and the taste calms down when it is made to mature a little until spring and summer. The difference is remarkable in the Namasake drink in particular.

This is Hachinohe brewery in Hachinohe, Aomori here. Shinshu being shipped and cedar ball which can hang at the entrance for the same period are renovated. It is the signal that Shinshu was completed. Made cedar ball is bright green and becomes gradually brown whenever time passes.

Viewpoint of the label

By the way, let's really watch a label of the Sake if you understand the meaning of words. There is the thing which is hardly displayed by the intention of the brewery if there is the thing listed like the following images finely.

However, the commentary about each numerical value lists below me in a label first because the numerical value that I have not yet explained to you is written.

1, Alcohol content

As can be seen, this shows the alcohol frequency of the Sake. The explanation to you about it will be unnecessary.

2, Sake meter (日本酒度, "Nihonshu-do")

This is numerical value of the specific gravity of the Sake and the pure water.
In the case of the measurement, the measure called the Sake degree meter is used. When numerical value rises, the specific gravity of the sake is light and gets heavy when numerical value falls. The real nature of the weight is the sugar which melted into Sake. Therefore Sake with negative numerical value is the sweet which a lot of sugar was included in.

So this numerical value becomes the criterion of "sweet or dry". A thing near "+2" becomes the moderate taste. It's the Sake which is hot if this numerical value is high basically. On the contrary, It's the Sake which is sweet if numerical value is low. However, it shouldn't put too much confidence in you because it is not absolute.

The method for measurement is listed in the following homepages. Please come to reference.
http://www.kikumasamune.co.jp/toshokan/05/05_06.html
(Kikumasamune brewery, Used Japanese language)

3, Acidity meter (酸度, "San-do")

This is rarely listed than Sake meter, but sometimes see it.These showed quantity of various acid contained in Sake such as lactic acid and succinic acid and citric acid and malic acid. It's not sour because it is acid.

I have a feeling that taste is tightened if this numerical value is high. About it, it will be the thing which you don't need to regard as important like that, I think. 

A series of explanation is the end in the above.

From above-mentioned mention, I understand that it is Muroka-Nama-Genshu which is considerably high in a Sake meter. Therefore, in used Oseto of rice, taste and acidity are stronger properties. Thus, I can expect that it is thick dry liquor of the taste. However, this Sake is one with many mentions, and there are almost many things which there is not of the information.

How was it? Did the knowledge about the Sake deepen?
The explanation became very long, but is all right even if I understand none of these. Many Japanese don't understand it, and this is because it buys them without thinking about anything. However, it becomes easy to choose the Sake of the oneself preference when you know it. Please look at an article about Sake of Wikipedia if you think that you want to know it more.

From the next time, I'm going to introduce the Sake which is a purpose of this blog. See you.