INTERVIEW

A Voice from Toji(Master Brewer), Kikuchi Sake Brewery

History & Tradition

Established in the year of Meiji 11 (1878), the brewery is 137 years old as of this year (2017).

Special Characteristics of Japanese Sake

The reason that Japanese sake has such a deep, rich flavor is that there are five flavors. Those flavors are acidity, sweetness, pungency, bitterness, and astringency; a special characteristic of Japanese sake is that it builds on these five flavors to form a complicated and delicate flavor balance.
Japanese sake is especially well suited for an alcoholic beverage to enjoy during meals. Because sake is made from rice, it’s not the simple equation of 1+1=2; rather, it is so suited to being enjoyed with meals that it can be said that 1+1=5. The flavors of food dishes triples and quadruples thanks to sake, and sake also tastes better thanks to the food; that’s how well sake and food pair together.

About Omachi Rice

Sake that is made from Omachi has a wide flavor profile; because it incorporates much “umami” flavor and is delicious, there are many people who are fans of this kind of sake who are known as “Omachists” ¹. This illustrates how popular sake made with Omachi rice is.

¹ Omachist: a casual name for people who are devoted to sake made from Omachi rice.

Special Characteristics of Sake from this Brewery

The number one feature of our company is that Junmai Daiginjo and higher level sakes account for half of our manufacturing stock. Our Daiginjo and Junmai Daiginjo sakes are popular; they have a nice mouthfeel, are smooth, and have a wide flavor profile.

Methods / Characteristics / Specialties in Manufacturing

A characteristic of our brewery is that music is played the entire time that the sake is being prepared to be brewed and during brewing to stimulate the yeast in a positive way. All living things require stimulation, and it’s a characteristic of living things that they do not function well without stimulation. In fact, by playing music, yeast is activated and grows very quickly. In addition, the mortality rate of the yeast decreases. Through playing music, a sake with a refreshing aftertaste and crisp finish can be produced. While we have played a variety of music, Mozart is the best, and so we’ve been playing Mozart for over 10 years. Thanks to Mozart, we are able to produce a fine sake.