Just in time to toast for #worldsakeday (Oct 1st), our shipment of Ryusei #hiyaoroshi - Autumn draft "just arrived for us in Berlin!
#hiyaoroshi - the autumn draft is a #seasonal #sake that has been aged through summer and bottled without 2nd pasteurization, resulting in a fresh and lively quality -full of flavors.
Special seasonal sake made of 100% local premium Sake rice, "Hattan 35"- known for high-class Sake brewing.
The refreshing fragrance of white flowers and green bamboo with a hint of candied Muscat grapes.
Sharp and dry on the first contact, settling into a light and pleasantly tart finish.
Limited quantity, refrigeration required.
Enjoy the seasonal Sake at ZENKICHI Berlin. Reservations only.
#龍勢 #広島 #広島の酒 #軟水醸造法 #日本酒 #ryusei #sake #hiroshima
#hiroshimasake #sakestagram
#zenkichiberlin #omakaseinberlin
#berlinsake #junmaisake #junmaisake #sakelover
#authenticjapanese #japanesefoodberlin
Happy New Year to you and to all of Japan’s “new adults”! The second Monday in January is “Seijin no Hi (#成人の日),” a Japanese national holiday, which celebrates young women and men who, at 20 years old, have officially become adults. Cities throughout Japan will host parties at various venues, where mayors will give speeches imparting well wishes and encouragement to the young adults. Women will dress in furisode kimonos and men in hakamas. This picture is from a 2020 ceremony. (@鴨川シーワールド).
]]>Twenty years old is the legal drinking age in Japan! ZENKICHI as Japanese restaurant in Berlin is proud to have one of Europe’s largest, pure Junmai Premium Sake collections. Try the “Sake Tasting” to find your favorite Sake!
]]>Have you ever tried “Sparkling Sake”? Takizawa brewery has devoted nearly a decade to perfecting “Kikuizumi,” using the traditional zero-dosage Champagne method. It is limited to 3,000 bottles a year, but you can try it at ZENKICHI.
The majority of the rice used at Takizawa brewery is produced locally so the profits can be returned to the community. The brewery carefully controls koji production by hand-crafting small batches using the traditional Hako-koji box method. Arakawa subterranean water is used in the brewing process.
“Kikuizumi” sake pairs well with cream cheese, or other cheese dishes, and it should be served under 5°C.
]]>Founded in 1863, Takizawa brewery moved in 1900 to Fukaya-city, Saitama prefecture (埼玉, さいたま), about 95 km from Tokyo. Fukaya is best known for its sweet and silky Negi (leek), which in winter is as sweet as a ripened melon! Fukaya is also the hometown of Japan's no.1 social entrepreneur, Eiichi Shibusawa, who will be the face of the new 10,000 yen bill. In Fukaya, he built Japan's first brick company on the advice of two German architects. Many governmental buildings, including Tokyo Station are built from Fukaya’s bricks. The Takizawa brewery also uses these bricks, including for its chimney.
The majority of the rice used at Takizawa brewery is produced locally so the profits can be returned to the community. The brewery carefully controls koji production by hand-crafting small batches using the traditional Hako-koji box method. Arakawa subterranean water is used in the brewing process.
“Kikuizumi” sake pairs well with cream cheese, or other cheese dishes, and it should be served under 5°C.
When did you enter/find sake industry? How did you get started?
I was born the eldest son of the old brewery and spent my childhood and youth being pestered by my parents and grandparents to prepare myself to inherit the family business. When I was a child, I simply didn't understand or appreciate the act of adults around me "being drunk." It also wasn’t particularly encouraging to see the brewing men starting work so early in the morning, so honestly speaking I wasn’t keen to work in the brewery. But then, when I was a university student, I discovered a manga book called "Natsuko's Sake." It was an eye-opening experience to be exposed to passionate characters serious about their Sake brewing, and it immediately brought my heart closer to our brewery.
What is the most difficult part of sake brewing?
The challenge is the unique process of parallel fermentation. Simultaneous control of the saccharification and alcohol fermentation requires both skill and experience. Sake brewing is a traditional act, but it's always evolving and has a scientific aspect too. It took me 8 years of research and experimentation to invent our bottle of fermented sparkling sake, "Hitosuji." I even received a patent for this method, and I’m happy that my research leaves a small mark on sake history.
What was your childhood dream? What would you have done if you weren't on the path of sake?
I would have loved to be a TV producer or a journalist.
What kind of liquor do you drink besides sake?
I drink wine from time to time. In my youth I studied for a year at 酒類総合研究所 (National Research Institute of Brewing) and made friends with someone from a winery family who taught me the charms of wine.
What is your favorite food for dinner?
I love having salty food to accompany my sake. My favorites are squid shiokara and spicy rice crackers.
Is there anything you've been into recently?
I like to sing karaoke and often mimic the gestures of Ryuichi Kawamura :-)
Do you have a favorite quote or proverb?
「伝統は革新の連続」ですね. Tradition is a continuation of innovation.
Yonezawa Brewery, opened in 1907, is located in Nakagawa village in Nagano prefecture, surrounded by the Southern Alps of Japan ( #赤石山脈). This rural village, with around 1,600 households, is officially listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of Japan. Zenkichi carries Yonezawa brewery’s wonderful bottle of Nakagaramura no Tamako (Tadpole girl of Nakagawa Village) Hiyaoroshi, an Autumn draft especially brewed to be paired with a variety of dishes, from sashimi to grilled meat. The brewery suggests to enjoy the bottle in all temperature ranges as long as it is not over-chilled.
We got up close and personal with Mr. Kazunari Matsushita of Yonezawa Brewery to learn more. Here is our Q&A:
]]>Zenkichi carries Yonezawa brewery’s wonderful bottle of Nakagaramura no Tamako (Tadpole girl of Nakagawa Village) Hiyaoroshi, an Autumn draft especially brewed to be paired with a variety of dishes, from sashimi to grilled meat. The brewery suggests to enjoy the bottle in all temperature ranges as long as it is not over-chilled.
We got up close and personal with Mr. Kazunari Matsushita of Yonezawa Brewery to learn more. Here is our Q&A:
Which food often accompanies your Sake when you drink at home? Which alcohol do you drink besides Sake?
Japanese pickles and Cheese! I mostly drink Sake but do taste vodka from time to time.
Do you have a favorite quote or a proverb?
努力は裏切らない Your effort will not betray you.
How long have you been with the brewery? What brought you here?
I grew up in this Nakagawa village, and I went to work with a local company in the next town over. I came back to the village 6 years ago when the brewery was facing difficulty in continuing their operation. Now the only thing I can think about every day is how to make our sake taste better.
How do you choose your Sake rice? Where is your water from?
We want to preserve our village's traditional rural landscape for the next generation, especially the characteristic Tanada (terraced rice fields). We join the farmers in planting and harvesting so we as a village can continue cultivating the sake rice locally. We are blessed with a beautifully soft, subterranean water of the Japanese Southern Alps.
What do you enjoy or agonize over in the Sake brewing process?
We feel immense pleasure when our passion (care and attention) reaches the heart of kobo (sake culture), and it reciprocates by shaping our hearts into a flavor.
photo: 小林兼久さん(location: 伊那市)
]]>Zenkichi’s mission is to introduce Japanese culture and craftsmanship through gastronomy. We offer an 8-course Omakase menu (chef’s tasting menu) with premium Junmai Sake pairings so that you can explore the culture through seasonal ingredients.
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