tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68666934465244734832024-02-06T20:21:04.495-08:00Sake ChurchBased in Portland, Oregon. I help consumers + restaurant and bar professionals decode the most misunderstood beverage. Living in Japan and the USA, building bridges between consumers and craft sake breweries. If enthusiasm is contagious, I am a vector for sake consumption.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-22121825304448834342015-02-28T12:17:00.000-08:002015-02-28T12:17:50.102-08:00My story in the New York Times<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My story is out!! <a href="http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/gordon-heady-sake/?_r=0" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>, yo!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am grateful for the opportunity to brew sake in Fukuoka and for your support and encouragement. May I be an instrument to further respect for the brewing and appreciation for the consuming of premium sake from Kyushu! Kanpai!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me clear up a few items:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sake is not “rice wine”. This is like calling hefeweizen “wheat wine” or merlot “grape beer”. Sake is fermented from rice, water, yeast and koji and should be categorized in its own unique category.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not trying to change how American sake is brewed. I do enjoy helping American brewers who ask me for help or advice. If I can't help them personally, I ask my Toji and questions get answered! But in the end, it would be impossible for me to care less than I do about how American sake tastes. I drink premium sake from Japan. That said, most of the start-up breweries in North America that I have either consulted with or otherwise know through tasting their wares are making quality jizakes that I enjoy and are worthy of your attention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The quote describing our delicious genrokshu (A Zen Ai Koshu) comes from the canny Beau Timken of True Sake in San Francisco. I would describe this very rare, aged sake as having notes of hazelnut, chocolate, orange and persimmon. I’ve been drinking sake for 25 years and I haven’t had a sake quite like it! Oishi desu ne! It is the only sake that we brew at Wakatakeya Shuzo that can be purchased in the USA at True Sake’s website. Please enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">お神酒上がらぬ神はない</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Even the gods drink sake, so it is natural that so should we.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan33.5903547 130.4017155000000233.1673787 129.75626850000003 34.0133307 131.0471625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-38504477297971031792014-05-14T10:45:00.001-07:002014-05-14T10:50:22.181-07:0010,000 Waves, Izanami, and My New Home<div>I moved to Santa Fe to steward the sake program for Izanami—a remarkable izakaya located at 10,000 Waves—a unique Japanese-inspired mountain resort/spa/onsen. I am elated!!</div><div><br></div><div>The term "izakaya" is new to many. It's an informal restaurant (I liken it to a tavern) designed to encourage the sharing of food and drink; celebrating life; and enjoying camaraderie with friends or even strangers. </div><div><br></div><div>As you can imagine, sake plays a vital role in izakaya-life! Training, educating, prostyletizing colleagues and customers on the history, mystery, nuances, and abundant virtues of premium sake from Japan is my great gift; my most rewarding passion; and no less than my 生き甲斐 ("ikigai"). I am humbled to work at Izanami.</div><div><br></div><div>"Ikigai" is a Japanese term that refers to one's raison d'être or one's reason for being; the discovery of which brings satisfaction and meaning to life. Everyone has an ikigai. Finding it requires a deep and often lengthy search of self. I regard such a search as being very important, since the discovery of one's ikigai brings satisfaction and meaning to life. Living out one's ikigai is one of the reasons the people of Japan have the longest lifespans of any nation in the world.</div><div><br></div><div>Much of what makes working at Izanami so rewarding goes beyond my role. I hold the leadership team; whom I met in 2012 through the fateful intercession of Yoramu-san, a sake bar owner based in Kyoto; in very high regard. I am respected and received with uncommon kindness. I share their vision for Izanami and how sake should be appreciated.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, in the winter I will return to Wakatakeya Shuzo to continue my work as a humble kurabito, while being allowed to return to Izanami with my job intact. Oscillating between Japan and New Mexico in this way, between brewery and izakaya, is wonderful. I'm grateful Izanami will allow this to happen.</div><div><br></div><div>Farmers, kurabito, tojis, kuramotos bring sake to life. Importers, wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants bring it to the public. May consumers everywhere come to appreciate premium sake, the greatest bounty of Japan, and one of the great wonders of the world. I am thrilled to play my part, in Fukuoka, and now in Santa Fe.</div><div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7s8wDHGZ_xFJnBYsdlIZYMKYkB1KzC1_j8tU1eDX22jLmEKqqMk2JtiXlJMYUu6ghAy5MdgAxYXq2z2QrJphs2GwXn3fRr7jVxkmxXyvezaMqpoTVgjIP9e0s86XTKSbU-mBIo2MqqV5/s640/blogger-image-192683062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7s8wDHGZ_xFJnBYsdlIZYMKYkB1KzC1_j8tU1eDX22jLmEKqqMk2JtiXlJMYUu6ghAy5MdgAxYXq2z2QrJphs2GwXn3fRr7jVxkmxXyvezaMqpoTVgjIP9e0s86XTKSbU-mBIo2MqqV5/s640/blogger-image-192683062.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0Ten Thousand Waves 3451 Hyde Park Rd, Santa Fe35.717478 -105.889756tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-73816536589817493082014-03-28T17:14:00.001-07:002014-03-28T17:15:52.322-07:00Born-again Shinto! A Religion I Can Endorse :-)<div>Fushimi Inari Taisha, established in the year 711 AD is the head shrine of Inari—the Shinto god of rice and sake. It's my favorite part of Kyoto—so far!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1m-Hjfi3C__g4a33xWE-0XbY9Mt2o76F32hdELV7QF_GMdcLV9aEMrSlPJfFC0Q4XYW5WSWRH-83zsUeZ6qOVYowUef6lHaY-Y_dpEXrt-bZCsKK_Vnlw8aKd7OTed0yPEwHwOx1qTDx7/s640/blogger-image-1519524125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1m-Hjfi3C__g4a33xWE-0XbY9Mt2o76F32hdELV7QF_GMdcLV9aEMrSlPJfFC0Q4XYW5WSWRH-83zsUeZ6qOVYowUef6lHaY-Y_dpEXrt-bZCsKK_Vnlw8aKd7OTed0yPEwHwOx1qTDx7/s640/blogger-image-1519524125.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGSBiaQ_L44aWT3swkcgrTVToL5hyphenhypheniiNFGLZvjtMziXuHsKj_cSEn-tbuigkuytuD0WU4CYZQ-VfqaulFr6XmyXRXrllbNGez5faBE-A2ESaYY8uI_amd3eApe-oLKP8Nv0ywrdYIVlqx/s640/blogger-image-1598215310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGSBiaQ_L44aWT3swkcgrTVToL5hyphenhypheniiNFGLZvjtMziXuHsKj_cSEn-tbuigkuytuD0WU4CYZQ-VfqaulFr6XmyXRXrllbNGez5faBE-A2ESaYY8uI_amd3eApe-oLKP8Nv0ywrdYIVlqx/s640/blogger-image-1598215310.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Merchants and manufacturers have traditionally worshipped Inari. Each of the 10,000 torii (gates) at Fushimi Inari Taisha is donated by a Japanese business. To walk through them all requires a rigorous two-hour hike up Inari Mountain. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Dx8AKrDL8uq9em9nIOgNMOIQmw2xKPQP6xC1qiB7BDDXkD9DYGMYZ0cc5DZaydGl8e1zv-oqgnQqcc9NuZtDgIFvMzWT2OS-qXqnGXCbsOgA8iof3IRXC3fHQPpbK7d2IkvQMK15gNM6/s640/blogger-image--1726600328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Dx8AKrDL8uq9em9nIOgNMOIQmw2xKPQP6xC1qiB7BDDXkD9DYGMYZ0cc5DZaydGl8e1zv-oqgnQqcc9NuZtDgIFvMzWT2OS-qXqnGXCbsOgA8iof3IRXC3fHQPpbK7d2IkvQMK15gNM6/s640/blogger-image--1726600328.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTyuXxzIHu8iExLiJRd0Rbi_rGhIt7gA-8P6muodHqAh47OwEYxC0vpMa9v7zwlP7AgSsYWq7lzPZ2U2CuDuZAFRlYNrDj2q-H3dsVhlv5XW9wsitTYMOsG6_QcAU3r_sLGViFJtXofww/s640/blogger-image--448748651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTyuXxzIHu8iExLiJRd0Rbi_rGhIt7gA-8P6muodHqAh47OwEYxC0vpMa9v7zwlP7AgSsYWq7lzPZ2U2CuDuZAFRlYNrDj2q-H3dsVhlv5XW9wsitTYMOsG6_QcAU3r_sLGViFJtXofww/s640/blogger-image--448748651.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Signs along the way warn pilgrims "Please do not feed the wild monkeys. Do not look at the wild monkeys. If the wild monkeys approach you, pretend to throw a rock."</div><div><br></div><div>Stone foxes, regarded as the messengers, are everywhere. In their mouth there is usually a key for the rice warehouse! What does this fox say? "I guard the sake that you brew, Kurabito. Respect!" </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWV8ZBrbj28NLOh1Ua9PPkTpbxPIbMKd6_nJRNrx4GQ5QmqhSxnrIGJb4bZ9e9xeBHc48aKJ26AzRUPD_ZwZp2unx_Wa_UmoVpm8apJfmH88vUcRzkiNDkzQR5zW59eMm1r9TcdtohiM1D/s640/blogger-image-211054402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWV8ZBrbj28NLOh1Ua9PPkTpbxPIbMKd6_nJRNrx4GQ5QmqhSxnrIGJb4bZ9e9xeBHc48aKJ26AzRUPD_ZwZp2unx_Wa_UmoVpm8apJfmH88vUcRzkiNDkzQR5zW59eMm1r9TcdtohiM1D/s640/blogger-image-211054402.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>This popular shrine is said to have as many as 32,000 sub-shrines throughout Japan.</div><div><br></div><div>Afterwards I visit the Gekkeikan museum and drink from the fabled Fushimi water. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74nLlJZAlY_2g4nStdGMvaJL1D7WMAc0aEyImRs5XsdPOleel72LZQ_NSznKvIUmik1TlSDzIwU12_z9xaTeKdsEWg322_WX4i6937MdskWp-7VQVqOvo3pLH50kg44dfgsdFznmtEpag/s640/blogger-image-536421779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74nLlJZAlY_2g4nStdGMvaJL1D7WMAc0aEyImRs5XsdPOleel72LZQ_NSznKvIUmik1TlSDzIwU12_z9xaTeKdsEWg322_WX4i6937MdskWp-7VQVqOvo3pLH50kg44dfgsdFznmtEpag/s640/blogger-image-536421779.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Another glorious day in Kyoto, Japan!!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJ5CYuh6-s7eWR3gFB3NcqSRsqG8aXD8AsZgs5R2thcdMiqzMq52b9vkC0czo-yxNOCJtsgR8PMlozCJqVgAVePzV2WkS6o6x14EZGpFqpL0TFPXayJY3o_UHL7Dxg4iO5x3Mjoifv-T3/s640/blogger-image--1347128800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJ5CYuh6-s7eWR3gFB3NcqSRsqG8aXD8AsZgs5R2thcdMiqzMq52b9vkC0czo-yxNOCJtsgR8PMlozCJqVgAVePzV2WkS6o6x14EZGpFqpL0TFPXayJY3o_UHL7Dxg4iO5x3Mjoifv-T3/s640/blogger-image--1347128800.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78X1Ob77OSfEKKiSpnGqP8BqkWod_S4AQz4Y7p7ER8SsNOlqL7GdywcTXJAFHDG7rjk_guHSun_DRTzMiqdx0kJdOFCb_tcfOEgUMXna-i8JmgDZ1bwYKJ42jkQ4dYgBddyBFTvbZu1R_/s640/blogger-image--927755635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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Yesterday was one for the books! A summary:</div>
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Plot twist: tea! Toji-san found a heretofore unknown, hidden hidden tea house less than 400 meters where he has been working for 33 year years!! Surprise, ne!! I was seated in a secret room that was actually inside an upcycled, wooden soy sauce vat.</div>
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Sated, we visited Asahi Giku, whose 100+ year-old kura burned to the ground a few years ago. But they bounced back! Because 8x down, 9x up. I was shocked at how delicious their sake was. If you can lay your hands on their Junmai Kimoto, do. I give it my highest recommendation. Asahi Giku is one of 10-15 kuras that only brew Junmai sakes, too.</div>
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Then Toji-san drove us to Mori No Kura. Murata-san is one of my favorites. A new sake is found!! Aged sake that uses nitrogen in the tank to slow the aging process? Whoa. We were sent away with a 1.8L sake that can't be bought.</div>
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Last stop: Wakanami Shuzo. Yuka-chan is one of 30 female tojis of the 2,000 alive in Japan and one of my favorite people, Toji or otherwise. Yuka-chan assumed leadership of her kura with her brother when her father was ill five years ago. Her sakes soar!</div>
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We say in sake-brewing "Every year is like the first grade." If you love learning, as I do, this is a good thing. I sampled sake brewed by heretofore unknown methods and I've got so much to learn.</div>
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My life is so grand. Every day, a holiday. Every meal, a feast. Camaraderie, culture, hospitality...It was one of the best days of my life. But so was the day before, and the day before that.</div>
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The Japanese friends that I am making are such honorable people—sometimes even heroic. I'm a plain person. Yet such icons were made for plain people, who don't know how far they can go.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-19601412835147922852014-03-07T20:32:00.000-08:002014-03-08T00:09:27.852-08:00Audrey Hepburn Sake Debuts Next Week!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Our so-called "Audrey Hepburn" sake (our flagship, Tani Junmai Ginjo) is being presented at an annual Kyushu-wide sake sampling symposium next weekend--for brewing professionals only.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">On this occasion dozens of Toji's, Government Technical Experts and Academics critique (often with brutal honesty) the best of what breweries have accomplished so far this season. Breweries will be present from Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Kumamoto and Fukuoka. At a minimum, the headcount stands right now at 28 tojis alone! A feat given how busy these master-brewers are right now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thoroughly enjoy being an apprentice to a master on a day such as this one. I recall last year's event with great fondness. Truly, the only gaijin in the room. ("Gaijin" means non-Japanese, foreigner, or even connotes being an alien). But as I'm fond of telling, "I only look gaijin. I'm really Japanese!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This occasion is essential for consumers, though the public is not allowed, as it helps brewers make choices on pasteurization, aging, adding water, adding distilled alcohol, whether to add fining agents (and what type!) etc. etc. from that day forward. Suggestions can really help jizake brewers improve their sakes before releasing them to the public. In Kyushu, there is a great deal of camaraderie, friendship and mutual respect among the brewers. I am thrilled to belong to this group! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's nerve-racking, but surely not for Ms. Hepburn. She's as graceful as ever. May our sake shine like a star next week!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-20421110422178070252014-03-07T01:30:00.001-08:002014-03-07T02:04:05.610-08:00Sake Recommendation: Mutemuka Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shikoku Island is home to one of the great pilgrimages of the world. Each year, thousands of Buddhists walk 900 miles around the entire island, stopping at each of the designated 88 temples dotted along the path.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On average it takes 40-60 days to complete the circuit, and devotees believe that walking the entire route brings you one step closer to enlightenment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along their route, pilgrims looking for sustenance can hope to find sake served with some of their meals, sometimes offered as a form of oblation to weary travelers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A local sake a pilgrim might sample is Mutemuka Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu from Mutemuka Shuzo in Kochi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first sampled <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mutemuka Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu</span> sake in Kyoto two years ago. Now my friends Linda and Deborah from Floating World are importing it into the USA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's truly a formidable sake—one of my favorites. Rich, creamy, zesty, delicious. Most Americans, even some of my sake otaku friends, have rarely tried such a sake. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have a chance to sample this sake, please do. I give it my highest recommendation. On my path to sake enlightenment, I consider finding it a boon and a blessing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS: Mutemuka Shuzo is a pioneer in the organic sake movement in Japan. They are also famous for making kuri-jochu—a shochu from chestnuts.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-12871683982920838472014-03-02T06:26:00.001-08:002014-03-02T06:40:28.021-08:00Now, say my name.<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"Now, say my name" is a powerful question from an iconic character: </span><a href="http://youtu.be/dy_DASt7hDs" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://youtu.be/dy_DASt7hDs</a></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLTY5irUAfPFXAswX7h93FA2XWRmtFHzFgtE3kYRhtHwypq0EiUiDPliIQrS4L4jCnrOcACCAuw3gXMKoTqYrRegWX2K8dLKQ_YVlXrloQVWT3t9XEGah4dzvyLhQCt3T9FvUCSS5XPXs/s640/blogger-image--150143172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLTY5irUAfPFXAswX7h93FA2XWRmtFHzFgtE3kYRhtHwypq0EiUiDPliIQrS4L4jCnrOcACCAuw3gXMKoTqYrRegWX2K8dLKQ_YVlXrloQVWT3t9XEGah4dzvyLhQCt3T9FvUCSS5XPXs/s640/blogger-image--150143172.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I think my names were clues from Providence; markers to help guide my way on my path through life.</span></div><div><br></div><div>My first name, Gordon, can be translated into Japanese to mean "Strong man, drinks".</div><div><br></div><div>My last name, Heady, has descriptions that give context to my personality and my individuality.</div><div><br></div><div>...and people wonder why I am a sake brewer! With a name like "Gordon Heady", it's either brew or brawl!! I'm a lover, not a fighter. So the choice was easy. 😄☺️😍</div><div><br></div><div><div class="header" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><h2 class="me" data-syllable="head·y" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">head·y</h2><span style="vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; height: 0px; bottom: 1ex;"></span> <span class="pronset"><span audio="http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/dictionary/audio/luna/H01/H0141100.mp3" default="http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/H01/H0141100"><audio id="mobAudio" preload="none" style="width: 1px;"></audio><a class="audspk" id="audioControl" style="text-decoration: underline; background-image: url(http://static.sfdict.com/en/i/dictionary/newserp/Sprite_New.png); background-attachment: scroll; cursor: pointer; height: 15px; width: 17px; position: relative; display: inline-block; background-position: -290px -242px; background-repeat: repeat repeat;"></a></span> <span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron" style="display: inline;"><span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">hed</span>-ee</span><span class="prondelim">]</span> </span></span></span></div><div class="body" style="margin: 0em 0px 0em 0em; padding: 0px;"><div class="pbk" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="pg" style="font-weight: bold; display: inline; font-style: italic; padding-right: 3px;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">adjective,</span> </span></span><span class="secondary-bf" data-syllable="head·i·er, " style="display: inline; font-weight: bold;"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">head·i·er,</span> </span><span class="secondary-bf" data-syllable="head·i·est." style="display: inline; font-weight: bold;">head·i·est.</span></span><div class="luna-Ent" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; background-image: none;"><span class="dnindex" style="font-weight: bold; display: block; float: left; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1.</span></span><div class="dndata" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 37px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">intoxicating:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">heady</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">wine.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; background-image: none;"><span class="dnindex" style="font-weight: bold; display: block; float: left; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2.</span></span><div class="dndata" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 37px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">affecting</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">mind</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">senses</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">greatly:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">heady</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">perfume.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; background-image: none;"><span class="dnindex" style="font-weight: bold; display: block; float: left; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3.</span></span><div class="dndata" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 37px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">exciting;</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">exhilarating:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">heady</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">news</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">victory.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; background-image: none;"><span class="dnindex" style="font-weight: bold; display: block; float: left; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4.</span></span><div class="dndata" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 37px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">rashly</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">impetuous:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">heady</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">conduct.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; background-image: none;"><span class="dnindex" style="font-weight: bold; display: block; float: left; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5.</span></span><div class="dndata" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 37px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">violent;</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">destructive:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">heady</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">winds.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="moredef" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="luna-Ent" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; background-image: none;"><span class="dnindex" style="font-weight: bold; display: block; float: left; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">6.</span></span><div class="dndata" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 37px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">clever;</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">shrewd:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">heady</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">scheme</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">to</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">win</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" class="hwc" name="hotword">election.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgGFjkU8WwwqwGW34TuLL8VsKcjWh0-zQOVerm-jppSjSI1N28TlVB-xJQlZ8VHoFkdPoyc51kBTWECLARNwAnx1asDsJGqPZE_TPxdqoy5ypnZRYRvhYHYKGPZC-rvuyS_mmEZ6chyd6/s640/blogger-image--1448546410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgGFjkU8WwwqwGW34TuLL8VsKcjWh0-zQOVerm-jppSjSI1N28TlVB-xJQlZ8VHoFkdPoyc51kBTWECLARNwAnx1asDsJGqPZE_TPxdqoy5ypnZRYRvhYHYKGPZC-rvuyS_mmEZ6chyd6/s640/blogger-image--1448546410.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWgBImP4728xDHVi1YoK66Oh6qPj7fGDAFV91_4DViEykj9usX4XetxoNjFahkevtNSMSiFD5OpYfxxt0Rmz6yQnIdnzSX20CEXKc-ZM2p7YEfpiui5SvouSieUva2WNGoUmQUQtD_lcR/s640/blogger-image-1947992473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5sQEozxoHQA_zuSP26JyaGuehFlFj-77RiOSfZh5RByd_D78_ikHWlOOavqggpgi9TVTBujokspIywBkxuDnooiVholE1_AswnwSk-3YeDCcznEgGQUsLHmQp_ivypLD3QbO-2pFVaxZ/s640/blogger-image-867995177.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0若竹屋酒造場 706 Tanushimarumachi Tanushimaru, Kurume33.343757 130.688273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-37342005809191558392014-02-28T01:29:00.001-08:002014-02-28T06:51:34.947-08:00Kyushu (and other regions) gets punked by their own government.<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px;">
How unfortunate such ignorance comes from JNTO in presenting sake to the world. Such claptrap. </div>
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Some of the best sakes in the world are found in my adopted home of Kyushu, yet the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) doesn't consider Kyushu (and other regions such as Shikoku, Chukugo, Hokkaido, etc) worthy of mention in their list of the best sake brewing regions:</div>
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http://www.japantravelinfo.com/gourmet/sakeguide.php</div>
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This awkward attempt at "promotion" is offensive, ignorant and dismissive to the rich culture, historical significance, and beautiful sake of Kyushu. They should amend this oversight and offer an apology.</div>
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By ignoring the entire region of Kyushu, (eight prefectures, 13 million residents, 100+ sake breweries) JNTO models rudeness and stupidity. This is akin to the government of France presenting French wine and ignoring Provence and Alsace or Scotland presenting scotch whiskey to the world and ignoring Islay and Speyside.</div>
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In closing, may I suggest a few sakes from Kyushu that are significant and worthy of your consideration?</div>
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Please try Amabuki sakes from Saga. Their yeast is derived from flowers such as Begonia, Sunflower, Marigold. Or you could enjoy sake from Koro— maybe their Junmai Ginjo from Kumamoto. Koro is the birthplace of the most famous the most successful Ginjo grade yeast ever Kore Kobo #9. Nishinoseki in Oita is another sake brewery worthy of mention. Please also try the koshu my own brewery brews called "Ai." It's a brown rice koshu and, chances are, most of you have never enjoyed a decent koshu before. And the list of worthy sake brewing regions that are slighted goes on and on and on.</div>
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The government struggles mightily to figure out how to effectively promote sake as a delicious choice instead of wine or beer abroad as well as properly encourage sake-related tourism to Japan. What a shame. Italian wine exports are 20x great than Japanese sake exports to the USA. Clumsy, ineffective promotion is one reason why the sake category suffers. </div>
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Our koshu, pictured below, aged five years.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-49187389933143409102014-02-17T19:48:00.001-08:002014-02-19T00:48:07.896-08:00Move over Aspergillus Oryzae. Make room for Rhizopus!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">CORRECTION:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>Yukae corrected my false understanding that the rice for the Rhizopus Oryzae Koji was unsteamed bricks of rice. As it relates to sake brewing as she has innovated, the "rice bricks" are not used. Steamed rice is used instead.</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i><br></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>The main reason that the Japanese have traditionally been using only Aspergillus versus Rhizopus for Koji is that Rhizopus could not be grown on steamed rice...That is; until Yukae discovered how to do this at the University of Kitakyushu.</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i><br></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>Over the course of the next few weeks, I hope to learn more about this unique method. As of now, the details or procedures for fellow brewers to learn so that they might consider Rhizopus for their own production considerations will have to wait.</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i><br></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>I am sorry for my error in understanding my Toji and Yukae Sato, which will serve as fuel for me to improve my language abilities. Gordon 02/19/14.</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i><br></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>###</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;"><br></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">t is time to honor a feat of ingenuity that, regardless of age or gender, is admirable and remarkable. I consider this a breaking story for those of you sake otakus out there! Let’s give Yukae her due.</span></div><u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ms. Yukae Sato, age 22, has invented a new, unique method for creating koji that merits respect and praise --a method unique in the annals of sake.<u></u><u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Koji made from Koji-fungus on steamed rice is the fulcrum of sake. <b>Yukae-chan has invented (patent pending) a process using new ingredients which supplements the traditional Aspergillus Oryzae with Rhizopus Oryzae</b>… with provocative results. Take my word for it. Her sake is delicious. Not only is this remarkable discovery for its own sake (there’s that word again!); it offers new choices for sake brewers seeking to carve a niche in a competitive marketplace.<u></u><u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By way of background, Koji produces a variety of hydrolytic enzymes. Diastatic enzyme (glucoamylase) especially influences the quality of fermentation. Koji produces glucose by the action of the saccharification enzyme from the starch of rice. It is vital to produce koji with high glucoamylase activity for the improved quality. Yukae mixed koji of Aspergillus and Rhizopus to increase the glucoamylase productivity and create new brewing characteristics.<u></u><u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In a lab and in a brewery, comparing with a control batch, <b>the mixed culture koji was 1.8 times in the succinic acid and 1.3 times in the lactic acid.</b> It is thought that the abundant acid in the sake of the mixed culture koji is due to its origination from of Rhizopus.<u></u><u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The increase of acids is provocative, but if it doesn’t yield a delicious taste, then does it matter? <b>Again, rest assured, Yukae’s sake is delicious. Notes of bursting grapefruit, a billowing creaminess, and a complexity that baffles…sweet, then sour, then a dry finish.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><br></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hibikini no Mori is a junmaishu, a blend of 701 & 901 yeasts; with 80% having a seimaibuai of 70%. This remaining 20% was made with Rhizopus Oryzae in the traditional brewing method. Can I get a “Mind Blown?!”<u></u><u></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><u></u> <u></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In an era where nearly 75% of women under the age of 30 recently said that they enjoyed sake only very rarely, let Yukae’s triumph be celebrated with a toast of her sake. May our trade use her innovation to bring the glory of nihonshu to new customers, if not new heights.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAc4yhlI0izmARDMlwrtQ_oisaRfr_GMcmWI3KiD8hwwEf2KpKTO2oQJPEIJtlIKKWdiEpDhK-wkkbA3_WaLc5nqgzsXENLaCOewUND65DuLgyt7sVERRZlS8ea9RWVY9JKw_iCNQQ-Jt/s640/blogger-image-1503193786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAc4yhlI0izmARDMlwrtQ_oisaRfr_GMcmWI3KiD8hwwEf2KpKTO2oQJPEIJtlIKKWdiEpDhK-wkkbA3_WaLc5nqgzsXENLaCOewUND65DuLgyt7sVERRZlS8ea9RWVY9JKw_iCNQQ-Jt/s640/blogger-image-1503193786.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAzvjc6G_3INy4XjKveZgboJ9Du_hdZ-Qt9iGJhm5t5vyAnZ5ety7XJk-ri4-zP_UJj5k71Tp_XGaFQ7llm2bpbeu8mn4lP1BpssLJkJoDAFkTzPJ5nPRk1m3oBf15uym2tMcGvU3JZkb/s640/blogger-image--1501670834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAzvjc6G_3INy4XjKveZgboJ9Du_hdZ-Qt9iGJhm5t5vyAnZ5ety7XJk-ri4-zP_UJj5k71Tp_XGaFQ7llm2bpbeu8mn4lP1BpssLJkJoDAFkTzPJ5nPRk1m3oBf15uym2tMcGvU3JZkb/s640/blogger-image--1501670834.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGgx2AQGXRaK0pvF-mwXVWnfafVcGaVWMOnnbTO_fQCemheopVPk2Du8DF_vMiR68kqV_s7Ifo6ViGyVpHcbTnD6BTSAS3buY1WuwcYzWHMebyAS6Xu50Qu6sJ4KtkNII9qe8UwtpdOJY/s640/blogger-image--323867565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGgx2AQGXRaK0pvF-mwXVWnfafVcGaVWMOnnbTO_fQCemheopVPk2Du8DF_vMiR68kqV_s7Ifo6ViGyVpHcbTnD6BTSAS3buY1WuwcYzWHMebyAS6Xu50Qu6sJ4KtkNII9qe8UwtpdOJY/s640/blogger-image--323867565.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com1Tanushimarumachi Toyoki Tanushimarumachi Toyoki33.343665 130.688267tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-90043948287347891812013-02-28T13:29:00.001-08:002013-02-28T22:42:58.994-08:00Tobin: 18 Liter Bottles of Joy<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are three common ways to press sake, the shizuku press method being the most expensive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sake is scooped up and poured into cotton bags that resemble a pillow case.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bags are hung with sake slowly dripping out of the bag, with the lees or kasu (rice solids) being left behind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've tasted shizuku press sakes on many occasions. It's clear that this is sake at its most elegant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I helped by washing and rinsing the tobin; and the bags that would receive the sake; and held the bags as the toji poured the sake. This was interesting, especially since it was the 38% polish junmai daiginjo I was honored to brew, and then nicknamed, Grace Kelly. She's a beauty, and her picture on the side of the tank made everyone laugh. Not at Grace Kelly, but at the foolish kurabito who wanted to give the sake a nickname.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A surprise occurred in storing the tobin: an eerie, unknown to me, filamentous white substance had accumulated at the bottom of each tobin. This is called "ori" and it's a mixture of yeast, rice residue and stray esters (sake has 400 esters, wine has 200, which give sake an advantage on flavor and nuance.) I took many pictures to capture the appearance, see the at the end of this post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We harvested the clear sake of each tobin, leaving the dregs behind to be poured into one large turbo-charged with flavor tobin. This sake is not bad! On the contrary, it's very much rich and savory in flavor. It is not elegant, like Grace Kelly, but rough around the edges, lets call her...Jane Russell. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-4725522758140779292013-02-25T08:32:00.002-08:002013-02-25T08:42:59.890-08:00Of Yeast Patents and Yamahai.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oba-san (pictured right) and Suzuki-sensei (middle) visited our shuzo today were both kind enough to spend 30 minutes discussing sake with me this Monday afternoon.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xVHlp-yU9EZYMgn0AqxOJyCXHU6cjmcTr-zc29l3loSZ_etJiVX5PQLvMMMEWIVYOTp8sLQXgOP9GeKVsGnkMXOaUNXcwnA-yr4mRJS8d6jSTTgdtmFJxaGFLcvkJvfwf_rV35IupErM/s1600/Oba-san,+Suzuki-sensei.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xVHlp-yU9EZYMgn0AqxOJyCXHU6cjmcTr-zc29l3loSZ_etJiVX5PQLvMMMEWIVYOTp8sLQXgOP9GeKVsGnkMXOaUNXcwnA-yr4mRJS8d6jSTTgdtmFJxaGFLcvkJvfwf_rV35IupErM/s320/Oba-san,+Suzuki-sensei.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a very interesting afternoon, as I was in the presence of some brilliant sake professionals and was afforded the chance to share views on sake in America as well as learn something about two fascinating topics, sake yeast as well as a unique yamahai brewing method.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Yeast</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oba-san; with the participation of Suzuki-san and my toji; Yoko-san; have developed a new proprietoty sake yeast called "<b>Dream yeast #3</b>". Our brewery, Wakatakeya Shuzo, was the very first brewery to brew sake with this yeast. I have tasted sake from the yeast, and it makes a very nice junmai ginjo sake. Our flahship junmai ginjo, called Tani (meaning "valley") uses this yeast. On this occasion, Oba-san was able to bring with him the official certificate of patent which bears the name of Oba-san, Suzuki-sensei, and Yoko-san. A picture of the patent, presented to Yoko-san today:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nWezbCwfzIUBG-rK0IcPTDPOuOXJhS9HKPuS-THhkhyphenhyphengQ03GMYG6uIAG7kJRagOv4lQukiGzxCseOJji6vWcznFko689cJdPyY0Hp0kOXpT7cCqjYLqo6Y0KKMmGOBCxism5Yv7s4YTZ/s1600/patent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nWezbCwfzIUBG-rK0IcPTDPOuOXJhS9HKPuS-THhkhyphenhyphengQ03GMYG6uIAG7kJRagOv4lQukiGzxCseOJji6vWcznFko689cJdPyY0Hp0kOXpT7cCqjYLqo6Y0KKMmGOBCxism5Yv7s4YTZ/s320/patent.JPG" width="272" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeast is one of four key ingredients in sake, along with rice, water and koji. The word yeast stems from the Greek word "Zestos" (boil) as well as the Sanskrit term yasyati (it seethes). Fukuoka prefecture, through the work of these three sake professionals, continues to demonstrate that there is still room for modern innovation with this ancient beverage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Yamahai Innovation</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was also able to discuss the nuances of sake brewed in Chiba by Kidoizumi Shuzo, as they use truly unique brewing methods such as deploying high concentration of lactobacillus (instead of lactic acid) and thus brew sake via what is know as the "<b>hot yamahi method</b>". Suzuki-sensei, who used to profess at the prestigious Tokyo Agricultural College, understands this method very well as the toji at Kidoizumi is a former pupil (as is my toji, by the way).</span><br />
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Hakugyokko “White Jewel” from Kidoizumi happens to have been my favorite sake of 2012--and I sampled hundreds, as my friends and bartenders in three countries can attest!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
For my friends in Oregon and Washington, you can order “White Jewel” sake through Southern Wine & Spirits. Please inquire with me if you are interested in learning more about this sake and I will direct you. I am fond of the importer's very informative landing page and slideshow:<br />
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<a href="http://www.floatingworldsake.com/sake/kidoizumi_shuzo.html">http://www.floatingworldsake.com/sake/kidoizumi_shuzo.html</a><br />
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<b>Long day</b><br />
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I started my shift at 7 AM and I will end it at 6 AM. Sleep is fickle and comes late, not when I ask it, too! Later tonight I will turn the koji rice over with Yoko-san.<br />
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You will find me in Japan doing this every brewing season for the rest of my life. Now I need to figure out where I will go and what I will do when I am not brewing sake in the middle of winter. That's the $64,000 question on my mind lately.<br />
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Good night and kanpai!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-30210818542603618222013-01-24T06:53:00.001-08:002013-01-24T06:53:31.166-08:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I discovered a new rice variety today. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelt6r57xWai25wfo2QY_TiDAxse0ElmOKm8C8aHCjE0kQvMvm6M9DgvPtvBDEo6QfKDsu31Hm6PzGp8PHTON5K-JjnZZHiNIZxVjTTd6HRwiBKbrg2pKS_qjDG4OG7nOGN0V0X2vkacTU/s1600/Rice1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelt6r57xWai25wfo2QY_TiDAxse0ElmOKm8C8aHCjE0kQvMvm6M9DgvPtvBDEo6QfKDsu31Hm6PzGp8PHTON5K-JjnZZHiNIZxVjTTd6HRwiBKbrg2pKS_qjDG4OG7nOGN0V0X2vkacTU/s320/Rice1.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHf43lMUSe-kPe2hhjyXEElRWn_lSFFHXwPTlAxH_a-ERf5h3zChiskTajYlDbctgUxYx2GloIvhSyZDqAor5UpGU1SnIqM5cB37yLDxdEjsEA8NYB9ao6mrdhUYM8tQwONC9Y3pKdtcMe/s1600/Rice2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHf43lMUSe-kPe2hhjyXEElRWn_lSFFHXwPTlAxH_a-ERf5h3zChiskTajYlDbctgUxYx2GloIvhSyZDqAor5UpGU1SnIqM5cB37yLDxdEjsEA8NYB9ao6mrdhUYM8tQwONC9Y3pKdtcMe/s320/Rice2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFE81GNqEHgdmA32nOMbVHgFLm-ddjxPCwU2GhH34H2g4gqYLkrs4u6u2L-zZ-qvkLGCO756VHZMWfXKBOiziKc4Cw0b17wwiu8EWU3e-67IXfGr1dAWbAkeJjypZ7n-ZSaG9bWvUmL80/s1600/Rice3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFE81GNqEHgdmA32nOMbVHgFLm-ddjxPCwU2GhH34H2g4gqYLkrs4u6u2L-zZ-qvkLGCO756VHZMWfXKBOiziKc4Cw0b17wwiu8EWU3e-67IXfGr1dAWbAkeJjypZ7n-ZSaG9bWvUmL80/s320/Rice3.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is Yumeikkon rice, sakamai rice hybridized about ten years and grown here in Fukuoka. We wash, then soak this rice for about 30 minutes versus just eight for Yamadanishiki. This is due to the hardness of Yumeikkon versus relative softness of Yamadanishiki.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The parents for this sake-brewing rice are Reihou and Yamadanishiki.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The term sakamai refers to the 80-100 varieties of sake brewing rice versus standard table rice. I have much to learn, but I can tell you this much: sake brewing rice is not yet grown commercially in the USA and this is one disadvantage to all US brewed sakes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why is Japanese sakje rice, AKA, sakamai, better for those who love premium sake?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On table rice, anything that is not starch exists (typically) on the outside of the grain. This includes, but is not limited to, proteins, lipids, minerals, fats, albumins and ash.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When premium sake is achieved, the toji (master brewer) polishes the rice before brewing such that with sakamai, impurities that are not sakamai are largely removed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I look forward to sharing more of what I learn about rice and sake as I spend my time living and working as a Japanese sake brewery in Fukuoka, Japan!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-18940233886159338112013-01-20T01:14:00.005-08:002013-01-20T01:14:51.274-08:00My New Life Working & Living At Japanese Sake Brewery<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sake brewery can be a chilly place to work. If the weather is 40 degrees Fahrenheit outside, it's just as cold inside the kura (the warm koji room, as warm as Hawaii, notwithstanding). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bEpnqewjW1bKUSNOnOSIl46LDbVfUwmPOqI9UuVyy4UQ1dxQAy3K0I4n4B5q-e3xJo6GDNqLsmrxBMwM5MW-_M-6MboRFRb9j3i5uoUJhLTxZ8uBJpqvNDiS1a-kWVn1BWGz_aibQdNx/s1600/FUK+weather.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bEpnqewjW1bKUSNOnOSIl46LDbVfUwmPOqI9UuVyy4UQ1dxQAy3K0I4n4B5q-e3xJo6GDNqLsmrxBMwM5MW-_M-6MboRFRb9j3i5uoUJhLTxZ8uBJpqvNDiS1a-kWVn1BWGz_aibQdNx/s320/FUK+weather.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet working in this
cold weather is a boon for sake lovers, so I curse it not. Sake yeast
propagation soars in the winter, but in warm weather yeast suffers from jet lag
and can't operate at normal capacity (art imitates life!) The yeast, much like
this <i>gaijin kurabito</i>, needs to hustle in order to make delicious sake. When
it's warm outside, sake yeast is not as active and sake is less flavorful as a
result. Now, in the dead of winter, hundreds of sake breweries come to life
with activity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cleaning, as if I joined the US Navy</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Friends and family ask me what it is like to be living my dream, for my great passion – my ikigai – is the sake industry. I don't wish to write like an <i>otaku</i>, or a sake geek, right now....and discuss the nuances of brewing sake. But I will tell you this: Kurabito (<i>kura </i>= sake brewery, <i>bito </i>= worker) life rotates around keeping the <i>kura </i>clean, as unintentional yeast propagation can spoil sake and corrupt entire batches. One is not yet a proper <i>kurabito </i>if you have yet taken a wet rag and wiped down walls, ceilings, and a phalanx of 2700-liters tanks *twice* (wet with water, then again with an astringent mix of persimmon juice and water. Take that, wild yeast.) Cleaning is the most regular activity in a <i>kura.</i>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>A Portion of the Kyushu Sake Trade</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This picture includes sake and shochu breweries in Fukuoka (in green), Saga (in red) and Nagasaki (in blue).</span></span></div>
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brewery on this map that matters more to me than the others combined right now: Wakatakeya Shuzo. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 12.75pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">The man who owns Wakatakeya, <b>Mr. Hironobu Hiyashida</b> (pictured with me above), looks after his employees like they are member of his family. To think the brewery has been in operation in his family since 1699. I have been made to feel welcome and more than at home immediately. It is an authentic concern for his employees. Together, we have a mutual celebration and appreciation for the sake trade. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">As a consequence of Hironobu-shacho's leadership, my cohorts.themselves treat each other with kindness, care, and concern. Even the new guy who does not speak much Japanese. There is a sign in the kura that sums up the spirit best. The kanji read as “Harmony, Brewing, Good, Sake” </span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 17px;">I like the sound of that! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; line-height: 17px;"><b>End of the Shift, But Not the Day</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Just before finishing this blog post, I got upstairs to the roof for the first time...I am on top of the brewery in this picture, and in some ways, on top of my small, modest sake world. The day is done and it is now surprisingly warm outside. I bask in the sun for a minute before I clock out. I’ve got nothing to do tonight but smile…and enjoy a Wakatakeya sake with my co-workers.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-51595721520425697692013-01-18T04:30:00.000-08:002013-01-20T01:11:39.226-08:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shizuku shibori namachozo sake... BY 16!! Brewed, then uncannily laid down...not six, not seven...but eight years. Opened this week!! Booty from the Toji's "Secret Stash" and not available for sale. OMG.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm blessed to try such sake. After 20 years of enjoying sake, I've not tasted one like this before. I'm humbled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another day of the office?!?! Ha! Onward, upward!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS: this sake is light and fruity, and *not* tasting like koshu whatsoever. I'm stupefied. It broke all the rules.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-71850048486934685952012-10-15T07:40:00.000-07:002012-10-15T07:40:00.510-07:00Tochigi Gohyakumangoku Rice Harvest<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't write about what this day meant to me without acknowledging Melinda Joe for the gracious invitation to participate in the rice harvest, organized by </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shimazaki Shuzo</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. One day there will be a stronger bridge between the sake breweries in Japan and their admirers around the world. The careful, professional documentation and journalism from writers such as Melinda, who writes for the Japan Times, is vital to the rest of the world in terms getting a glimpse into the unique culture of sake. You can most easily find her work by following her on Twitter -- @MelindaJoe. Melinda's account of this day can be found here: </span><a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fg20121012mj.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fg20121012mj.html</span></a><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Short video of working in the soil can be found on YouTube: </span><a href="http://youtu.be/Sy-VGIRZDBk" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1c62b9; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://youtu.be/Sy-VGIRZDBk</span></a><br /><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was told to bring boots, but to my dismay, the Sports Authority sporting goods store in Aomori had absolutely no size 11 boots/shoes/Crocs/flipflops -- zilch! So I did not come prepared, which was okay, but I had to do the work in my stocking feet!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gohyakumangoku!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I can tell you about the rice is less significant than what I can tell you about the community that came together to harvest the rice, and the hospitality of the family who will brew sake from this rice. But I am a geek, and it's important to note that the rice is Gohyakumangoku variety. The most recent statistics I could find indicate that it is the second most popular rice, behind only Yamadanishiki, and accounted for 29.5% of the sake rice harvested in 2005. This famous rice is originally from Niigata, but is grown in Tochigi prefecture and elsewhere (Tochigi is adjacent to Niigata) and was officially designated in 1957. Resilient to cold, this sake rice (aka "sakamai") is often grown in areas not historically suitable for rice production. Because of the kernel's small size, this rice is usually milled to only to 50%, but because of its fruity aroma, this sakamai is highly prized for making ginjo and daiginjo sakes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day started at Shimazaki Shuzo itself where were were given instructions and also lead through some stretching exercises. It's worth noting there were dozens of volunteers present -- close to 100 -- and this includes entire families with small children working with sickles and tromping through the muddy rice fields doing the work alongside mom and dad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hospitality</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the work was done -- everyone was dog tired. We were grateful to get the harvest done the day before a typhoon was to arrive and even more grateful to be entertained back at the kura. There were new friendships forged over sake, a most delicious meal, and even live music at the very end of the evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was there for most of the day, and very much appreciated Melinda's company as well as her friend Masumi. But when I got home, I had no trouble falling asleep!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-89659762452212056072012-10-10T09:59:00.000-07:002012-10-10T10:01:33.865-07:00From Momokawa Brewing of Japan: The 2012 Nanbu Toji Guild Champion<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Momokawa Brewing of Japan: The 2012 Nanbu Toji Guild Champion. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of the 330 contestants at this year's competition, this sake won "Best in Show". Thanks to the hustling of Kyota Murai, he was able to find three bottles of this delicious sake that is not commercially available (except locally for special customers in Aomori, though not widely.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I shared one bottle of the Champion with a few friends. They were not disappointed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sake has a seimaibuai of 35%. I went to the Tsunami Grill with my friend Hannah to share the sake with my friends who work there, only to have my friend Todd Eng, the Bar Master at Corkage next door, to have gone AWOL. But Jojo, Elaine, Charley and Dan each enjoyed an ounce or two in his absence! Later on at Nombe, I shared the rest of the Champion with Gil and his management team.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Photography credit goes to Amanda Mathson)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would describe the sake as delicate, yet mighty. It was compact, and I was surprised at the viscous, almost oily nature of the sake. Hannah kept trying to identify the nature of the oil, and settled on mackerel. Indeed, mackerel is a staple in Aomori, with squid being the only fish that brings more industry to where this particular sake is brewed. Jizakes like this are brewed with tradition of the local cuisine in mind, to compliment the cuisine, so Hannah's insight was keen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Notes of anise, banana, and tropical fruit came to mind. But the mouth-feel was what I returned to, and the delicate yet firm nature of the sake. Sake this good is elusive, and descriptions often limit the appreciation of the sake. It was a masterpiece and it's just enough to enjoy the sake with friends who appreciate greatness when they taste it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS: for background on the nature of Toji Guilds, please see this summary: </span><a href="http://www.japazoo.com/toji/">http://www.japazoo.com/toji/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-22829305664145980702012-10-09T15:45:00.003-07:002012-10-09T15:45:55.897-07:00Momokawa Brewing of Japan<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I write now from my favorite American city, San Francisco. I
have several weeks before brewing season begins in Kyushu with gusto, and so
now I have time to reflect on my recent travel experiences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One very prominent day for me recently was the occasion of
visiting my dear friend Kyota Murai, the scion of the family behind Momokawa
Brewing of Japan in Aomori prefecture. It was the Murai family which gave
SakeOne in Oregon the assistance we needed to begin brewing operations 15 years
ago. Visiting Momokawa in Aomori was one of the most special experiences. It
was by drinking their premium sakes 15 years ago that lit the fuse for my devotion for nihonshu. A passion for their sakes was renewed thanks
to the time and attention Kyota and the team at Momokawa Brewing in Aomori.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Murai family behind Momokawa has been brewing sake for since
the Edo period. A fire ravaged the city of Oirase in the late 1800’s, destroying
every building and the recorded history of Momokawa that predates the year of
the current structure (1889). By capacity Momokawa is one of the 50 largest sakes breweries of the 1166 (approximate number) still in operation. Their business has achieved the <b>ISO 9001:2008</b> certification, one of the first breweries in Japan to accomplish this feat in 2002.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The toji (brewmaster) at Momokawa is the most honorable Mr. Yoshio Koizumi. Koizumi-san has been brewing sake with great distinction for many years and has earned a lifetime achievement award identifying him as one of five great brewers, winemakers, and distillers in all of Japan. Momokawa has won a gold medal at the Nanbu Toji Sake Competition for a record 64 years... <b>consecutively</b>. This is a record of unmatched achievement amongst the 330 sake breweries represented in this most prestigious sake brewers guild.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here I am meeting Mr. Cheong Hwanseo, President of Momokawa Brewing of Japan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here I am in front of the world's largest sugidama or cedar ball, measuring 2.2 meters in diameter and weighing 1,100 lbs. The sugidama adorns the entrance of the sake brewery and signifies the role Japanese cedar plays in the production and drinking of sake. At the end of each year the withered sugidama is replaced with a fresh, green one as an offering of thanks to the gods for the previous year's yield.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a tour of the operations I was given the chance to taste through a selection of 12 of their delicious sakes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meeting Mr. Cheong Hwanseo with Kyota.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was such an amazing day, not just one of the best days in Japan, but one of the best days of my life. I am forever grateful for my friendship with Kyota Murai, his family, and the team at Momokawa Brewing of Japan for making my morning visiting the kura so very special.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-73613815701272980972012-09-30T04:52:00.000-07:002012-09-30T05:17:31.029-07:00Eleven Fun Facts About Sake<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In honor of Nihonshu No Hi, the Day of Sake...I present Eleven Fun Facts About Sake</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why did I choose eleven facts to highlight about sake?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eleven. Magic number. Just ask Sir Nigel Tufnel </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVKWCpNFhY"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVKWCpNFhY</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Sake, or saké (<i>saw-kay</i>) is the oldest known spirit in the world. Saké was first produced in China in 4800 BC. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. To your health! Unlike wine, premium sake contains no sulfites, additives or preservatives and is gluten-free and tannin-free as well. Furthermore sake has about 50% less acid than most wines, making it easier to tolerate for some. Premium saké contains virtually no congeners – the impurities and byproducts of fermentation in alcoholic beverages thought to cause hangovers. Health-conscious consumers are only now discovering these unique features and benefits to saké as a category. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Premium sake is almost always served chilled in the west, as saké is sometimes heated to mask impurities. You wouldn’t put a glass of champagne in the microwave, would you? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Saké has about 400 flavor components (aromatic esters) compared to only about 200 for wine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. There are 20 amino acids in sake, a greater variety than is found in any other type of alcoholic beverage. By comparison wine has 14. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. In strict Japanese tradition, a person must never pour his or her own saké. To do so, especially in a formal setting, is implying that your host is incapable of taking care of you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Saké consumption has fallen almost every year from 1976 to present, while at the same time premium saké has the fast growing category in the USA. This is due to recent Japanese generations having more consumer choices than their parents as well as a fascination with categories and brands from beyond Japan. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Sake, as it is commonly known, is also sometimes referred to as nihonshu (“Japanese saké”), or even seishu (“clear or clean sake”). A saké bar in Japan may not actually sell any nihonshu. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. You can’t really cellar or age the vast majority of premium sakes. After 1.5 years the best nihonshu in the world will begin to taste like the worst. Fresher is typically better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Saké has as much as five-seven times the amino acids than that of wine, including at least three times as much glutamic acid, which is the indicator for what is known as umami , which means "pleasant savory taste" and is considered to be one of the five basic tastes together with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Saké is also lower than wine in tart components such as tartaric and malic acids...</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This means that sake pairs extremely well with food, regardless of the cuisine. If you enjoy a Burgundy with something other than French food, then you might give sake a try with something beyond just Japanese food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. One in every five glasses of “wine” or beverages in that same alcohol level served in the world is actually saké! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kanpai! to these many interesting qualities, not the least of which is premium saké is delicious!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-63042837116842299002012-09-24T21:12:00.001-07:002012-09-24T21:12:14.480-07:00Kyoto: Magic City of Serendipity & Nihonshu<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I very much liked my arrival in Kyoto yesterday. I can now cross a few more items off of my Japan "bucket list", but I was unprepared for the serendipity that came my way last evening.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have arrived in Kyoto last night and fell in love with the city. <b>Kyoto is much more like San Francisco or or Barcelona</b>, whereas Tokyo is faster and more commercial like New York or Madrid. In fact, a good hybridization of the two is London, but that's a post for another day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am most pleased with the lodging, though I imagine it is not for everyone. I stayed in a capsule hotel last night! Though my capsule is more like a container and less like a coffin. It is <b>reminiscent of the European style of hotels</b> that I have always loved, such as the Ace Hotel in PDX/SEA/NYC: <a href="http://first-cabin.jp/en/">http://first-cabin.jp/en/</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Not that I am spending much time in my hotels anyway!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The serendipity was almost too much to process, as I know so very few people in Japan, but I made new friends last night, the first of which is Chris Pellegrini. Neither Chris nor I had been to Kyoto before, though Chris has been here for years. <i>After two hours at the sake bar, we get around to asking each other our names and we both recognize the other person from following each other on Twitter!! Go figure! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris and I both chose to go to one of my very favorite bars in the Universe and a bar I can't recommend highly enough: <strong style="background-color: #f6f6f6; line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">Sake Bar Asakura 日本酒 BAR あさくら</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">Yoshihito-san is very intelligent and passionate about nihonshu, and can demonstrate this gift easily for beginning and advanced students of sake. I left his bar last night not only learning something about sake, but appreciating his service to his customers. I can't recommend him highly enough and it is my strong encouragement that more westerners have a chance to meet him and listen to what he has to share.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">He gave me a new appreciation for koshu! I tried a 16 and a 20 year old koshu that tasted so close to a fine sherry that was remarkable. Key point made to me: europeans, men and women, who hale from a wine region in Europe find passion and common ground between the sexes on koshu than any other type of nihonshu -- according to the Asakura's experience in his bar.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">I enjoyed a 40% polish daiginjo that was so unlike most any daiginjo I have had, due to the dry/earthy/mineral taste -- a delicious taste! Asakura hunts down unusual sakes and uses them to challenge perceptions about what sake is, or should be.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">I also greatly enjoyed three bottle of sake brewed from Watari Bune rice -- none of them from Ibaraki! Lo and behold, watari bune rice was identified growing in other prefectures, too. It's funny how the full story behind watari bune rice isn't told, but then again, what should we expect from salespeople who care first and last about sales goals and who don't have a commitment to selling and marketing with integrity? Trusting some sake sales people is like trusting the car dealer to be honest with you about your car. Does this work for anyone anymore? Unfortunately, some people just blindly follow the so-called experts due to a lack of information or at least checks and balances.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">The night ended with more yamahais, kimotos, muroka namazake genshus than are photographed here. It was a grand tour of sake, with these bottles really shining through. The only sad thing, to me, is that virtually none of the sakes i have enjoyed in Japan are available in the US. In Oregon, consumers see 300 when Japan sees 10,000. In New York, consumers fare better -- I have heard that 2,000 sakes are registered in the state of New York. Someday this will change, but only through effective and honest exportation, distribution, marketing and sale of sake outside of Japan. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">I can't wait to learn more from Asakura-san, starting with dinner and a party tonight. Please visit his bar when you come to Japan. Nihonshu is his "ikigai", his great passion, and I would do well to follow his example in the earnest promotion of nihonshu -- in English and Japanese no less. What a sake stud (pictured in white below).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.116666793823242px;">Kanpai!</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-64177838949319629512012-09-20T19:52:00.002-07:002012-09-20T19:52:29.710-07:00Kagoshima Prefecture Shochu Bonanza<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">200 shochus presented at one event. The bounty of the Kagoshima prefecture. 300
Japanese. One stunned gaijin!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was an extraordinary event. I learned a great deal, developed
greater appreciation of shochu, and lived to tell the tale. For the record, I only tasted about 20 shochu. I appreciate that no one was spitting their shochu out, so I tasted mine and did not expectorate as you would at a more official sake or wine tasting. As they say, "When in Fukuoka..."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kagoshima seems like fascinating place. The shinkansen
(bullet train) was furthered to Kagoshima last year and that has cut the travel
time to Kagoshima down considerably. Thus the reason for this event: to tempt
the good people of Fukuoka with their considerable shochu bounty for the benefit of
travel, tourism, trade...and consumption. </span></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kagoshima_Prefecture" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kagoshima_Prefecture</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shochu and sake are from the same family and they should be
better friends. After all, they share the same mother (Japan) but shochu is not
limited to rice as <i>nishonhsu</i>. Last night, I had shochu distilled from <b>rice, wheat, sweet potato,
sugar cane (“black sugar” shochu or molasses) and buckwheat. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>If you’ve been to the Church of Sake, but didn’t get any
religion, I beseech thee: before you leave the church, the minister has some
shochu he would like you to try.</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The virtue of shochu; versus practically any other spirit;
lies beyond taste alone--which is always going to inspire debate from drinking
enthusiasts, especially those that worship at the altar of nihonshu. For me,
great merit is found in how versatile it is in presentation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you prefer your shochu chilled, room temperature, on the
rocks, with water, with tea, with juice? From what grain or tuber? Most of this
variety in distilling and presentation is anathema to a sake zealot such as me,
but they are acceptable methods to enjoy shochu.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found a favorite shochu last night. I was surprised to
learn it is distilled from brown sugar. Then again, I love brown sugar. <a href="http://www.satoake.jp/prosess2.html">http://www.satoake.jp/prosess2.html</a> ...The tall bottle on the left was the one that hooked me. Hard to describe, it is
fiercer than sake and gentler than whiskey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thanks to my mates Chris and Tony for teaching me a thing or
two about shochu and serving as interpreters. </b>For the record, I woke up this
morning strong as an ox and remember everything that happened to me. Especially
the daiginjo I used to wash down dinner at one of the better izakayas I have ever
been to. But that's another story.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-71012162727093522332012-09-19T19:29:00.000-07:002012-09-19T19:43:46.611-07:00Ginjo vs Junmai: Don't Fall Prey To Polish Bigotry!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I drink sake, I typically prefer a ginjo-shu versus a junmai-shu, but not always. Last night, on an izakaya crawl in Fukuoka, I was reminded of an important lesson: don't be a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seimai Buai Bigot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Background</b>: Seimai Buai is the % of rice that is left over during the milling process, before the brewing of the rice actually begins. You may not comprehend anything on a bottle of sake, but if you see a number between 50-60% it's Ginjo-grade (usually more deliciously, but not by rule) and 60%-85% is Junmai grade. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With sake rice, or sakamai, the more the rice is polished the more lipids, minerals, proteins, fats, albumins are removed as they exist on the outside of the rice grain. On the inside of the rice we have a heart of starch, and that starch is the friend of the sake brewer for the starchy center, or shinpaku, helps create delicious sake! If the rice is milled less, more of these impurities are left behind. The sake then is less expensive to produce as there is more yield.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigglNf51J_VpHrp5duGgKkfygccpqUXZBptpdLUem3U0-3ynhrkQJDjibKug6KjidWg352SJtwqKqb28OtjCRpkbVo47lz9ktsf2HPaXSwUQfKH-3jtOorvJGyWhdVWtN3qTQO6U27p5e/s1600/DSCN0121-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigglNf51J_VpHrp5duGgKkfygccpqUXZBptpdLUem3U0-3ynhrkQJDjibKug6KjidWg352SJtwqKqb28OtjCRpkbVo47lz9ktsf2HPaXSwUQfKH-3jtOorvJGyWhdVWtN3qTQO6U27p5e/s320/DSCN0121-001.JPG" width="227" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bottle pictures here illustrate my point. The green/yellow label is a junmai with a 75% polish, the white label is a ginjo with a 55% polish. If this is all I know about the sakes, 9 times out of 10 (if not more) I am in the mood for a ginjo. But to my pleasant surprise, and the surprise of my guests, the junmai was much more delicious. It wasn't even close. Both sakes were bottled in that last 4 months, <b>but the 75% junmai was...fantastic! A clear and easy choice, and a more affordable choice, too.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the USA it is rare to find a junmai with a polish that is on the label as being >70%. I can think of only two or three off the top of my head. However, sake professionals should market or stock examples of good sake with a > 70% on the label -- it's an important educational tool! Don't pre-judge a sake based on the Seimai Buai alone! Rather, <b>judge that sake up and down like a scornful Southern Baptist preacher if it doesn't taste good, regardless of Seimai Buai</b>. In other words, don't judge a book by it's cover.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com01丁目-8 Tenjin, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture 810-8620, Japan33.5903547 130.401715533.5374462 130.32275149999998 33.6432632 130.4806795tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-30952599953544101542012-09-17T23:59:00.001-07:002012-09-18T05:50:43.291-07:00Shimbashi Station: Izakaya Mecca<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These sakes are a gift to mankind from a higher power. Okay, I actually stole the sakes...Don't tell Zeus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sixteen</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> sakes and everyone blessed one was not only new to me, every sake was amazing. I can't easily wrap my head around this, but suffice it to say this was one of the best nights enjoying sake in the last 20 years and not one easily matched...though I will endeavor to try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is a greater gift are my friends Ted and Etsuko, who met for dinner in what is a hotbed for izakaya-style dining in Tokyo near Shimbashi Station. If you are at all curious about sake, you should really consider a tour of a sake brewery in Japan. Etsuko operates a business offering sake tours and her ability to speak perfect English and Japanese + her great intelligence and passion for sake make her the ideal tour guide! <b>I give them both my highest recommendation</b>: </span><a href="http://www.saketours.com/">http://www.saketours.com/</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our server this evening was a great host. The food was outstanding and he gave us a lot of attention. We were fortunate to be here this night, for there was a national holiday keeping folks at home. Let that be a lesson to enjoy what might normally be busy izakayas that are open on holiday! Oh, and the server gave me a bottle of water that a sake brewery markets and it was very satisfying:</span><a href="http://www.fukumitsuya.com/">http://www.fukumitsuya.com/</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...Our server -- the grandchildren I will never have will sing songs around the campfire about his kindness -- gave me such a gift...A huge fold out map -- published ten years ago, so not entirely up to date -- <b>of every sake brewery in Japan!!!</b>...I can't tell you how awesome this map is, but I will show you on another time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For you sake geeks, we tried namazakes (no pasteurization -- very rare); hiyaoroshi sakes (pasteurized once, seasonal autumnal sake); and many sakes brewed by the next generation of brewers. Thanks to Etsuko and Ted who knew a great deal about all of these mysterious sakes -- sakes that I have never tried before, as they are not exported. <i>No fair keeping the good stuff to yourselves, Japan!!!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A favorite, both in taste and concept, was the sake brewed with a blue tint (achieved by *not* adding anything to the sake such as coloring, rather, through cold-brewing and with rice flour) called "Blue Hawaii". The owner of the brewery is from the music industry and actually invited a highschool class to come to brewery and actually brew one sake (not seen here)...how macho is that? sake stud!?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Here's to Ted and Etsuko! It was one of the best nights I ever spent drinking and socializing. Good gravy we had so much fun! Kanpai!!!</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557013057819320983noreply@blogger.com1Tokyo35.639441068973937 139.65820312532.292139568973937 134.604492125 38.986742568973938 144.711914125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6866693446524473483.post-35199977721108020422012-09-17T22:15:00.001-07:002012-09-17T22:53:38.504-07:00Why you should give the sake from Japan a go!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Maybe you were handed a plastic cup at a college party, half foam and half beer. From there, you either dropped anchor in the land of sky blue waters and never went to shore, or you moved on. Maybe the Blackberry Manischewitz your mom mixed with 7 Up was "it", until you found a Burgundy. Then you never looked back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most start drinking cheap when they start drinking and most climb the quality scale and stay true to category (once a wino, always a wino), but not to brand (Thunderbird then, Silver Oak now.) Younger generations don't want to consume what their dad had when he joined the bowling league, though father and son share a love of beer. (PBR is an emergency beverage for one generation. A microbrew or an import is what the son wants to drink.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a problem for sake, because so few of us are Japanese or lived there, is that most think of sake as hot sake. But premium sake is often best enjoyed chilled and the hot sake you had at Benihana's is like comparing wine flips with Krug, Old Crow with Laphroaig. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are great sakes coming to the USA, far better than what the greatest samurai, shogun, or emperor *ever* had in their hey-day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You may not know what you're missing when you pass up premium sake. It's very likely you happily moved up the quality category in beer/wine/spirits when you started to drink and if you moved around and experimented, you didn't find a quality sake to sample. Since you're satisfied, you're not compelled to move on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If all you had was Mad Dog 20/20, Thunderbird, and Boones Ferry you might refuse a class of fine wine because that's all you knew. So it is with sake. It deserves a second chance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me tempt you with education, recommendations, and an on-going conversation about sake, or as I often refer to sake, nihon-shu (beverage of Japan). You may stay true to beer/wine/spirit; but you should be educated and informed. May my enthusiasm be contagious! If it is not, then try premium sake anyway. Sake will speak for itself.</span><br />
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