Welcome to Issue #77 of SIN.
As we roll into December, unpack the Christmas decorations and prepare to head into the "silly season" we hope our readers are well and stocking up with plenty of quality sake to get through this hectic time of year. And of course let's not forget all the World Cup soccer we have to get through first. Busy times indeed, but at least we have sake to get us through.
And now for the news...
New Brewery On The Way
Nagano- Mark your calendars for October 2023, when Japan's newest sake brewery, Ilaka Shuzō will begin production.
Katsumi Tanaka, former managing director of Daishinshu Shuzō and partner Keisuke Sato have taken over the license of Sansei Shuzō, a Nagano-based brewery that ceased production in 2021. Now, rebranded as Ilaka Shuzō, plans are underway to rebuild and revamp the facilities for the 350-year-old brewery and have sake available from next year with plans already in place to export internationally.
Watch this space.
Source - PR Times
JG: I have known Katsumi Tanaka for years from his former company and this was a bit of a surprise to me. When more about the new ownership, the brewery and its sake become public, we’ll let you know.
甍酒蔵 , 甍酒造 , 大信州酒造
Fujii Shuzō Looking To Break the Mold
Hiroshima- In April this year as a response to the idea that modern sake had become somewhat uniform in style, Norihiro Fujii, the next in line kuramoto of Fujii Shuzō (maker of Ryūsei) put together Ryūsei Lab, a team project with the mission of breaking the shackles of tradition and finding new potential for sake.
As his first challenge, Fujii began experimenting with yeasts. Feeling that the widely used association yeasts lacked character Fujii began efforts to cultivate yeast found within the brewery's building structures.
The group then turned their attention to Hiroshima Yeast No.6, which had been frozen and stored at the Food Industrial Technology Center of Hiroshima Prefecture. The yeast was sourced in 1926 from Kikubotan Shuzō, a brewery that ceased operations in 2005, leaving the yeast out of circulation for sake production ever since.
Ryūsei Lab brewed six different sake using varying milling ratios and pasteurized and unpasteurized versions. Due to issues with temperature control, Ryūsei Lab admitted the results weren't great. However they still released the sake at a very reasonable JPY1200 per bottle with the caveat to customers that it was merely an experiment.
Undeterred, the lab embarked on its next project to brew sake using the yeast discovered in the building structures of Fujii Shuzō. Since it is prohibited to produce original yeast from association yeasts, the yeast samples cultured from the building were first submitted for analysis to confirm no association yeast genes were present in the samples. Out of a possible 40 samples they narrowed their selection down to two that showed the most promise in terms of aroma and character.
Sake made with the brewery yeast will be released in May 2023
As well as the Ryūsei Lab, Fujii created the Hiroshima Fermentation Research Group with Miwa Shuzō (Jinseki) and Kyokuhō Shuzō in January 2022. The group's first project saw the members using the same rice and brewing methods to demonstrate the effect different water and brewing techniques can have on sake.
Source - Nikkei
JG: Fujii Shuzo is a very small brewery, but has much behind their story. They were winners of one of the first national sake competition, back when there was one winner, in the early 1900s. They have been hit really hard by damaging rains multiple times in the past years. And now, they are being really open about the challenges of their new project. Very distinctive sake as well. And to top it off, Ishii-san is a very pleasant person. I look forward to the brewery yeast sake next May.
藤井酒造（龍勢）, 三輪酒造（神雷）Jinrai , 旭鳳酒造（旭鳳）
M&A Helps Turn Brewery Around
Kanagawa- In October 2021, Kanei Shuzōten (maker of Shirasasa Tsuzumi and Mozart) was acquired by Kujira Capital Corporation through merger and acquisition.
One year on and Kanei Shuzōten has enjoyed a robust recovery due to the digital transformation brought about by Kujira Capital. Annual sales have increased 1.2 times over the previous year, and deficits have been cut in half. The brewery is finally on track to record a profit.
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