Daishichi Shuzo

President: currently on 10th generation, Ohta Hideharu

There are a few breweries in Japan that specialize in Kimoto sake, which you can think of as a traditional wild fermentation starter that yields creamy, tart results. Indeed, kimoto strikes fear into the hearts of many toji for all that can go wrong. So when you find a brewery that specializes, usually you're looking at a team that is highly technical, highly skilled, and proud of their brewery's microbial terroir.

Daishichi embodies this completely. They are the foremost authority on kimoto sake in Japan, producing this style exclusively, and over the last 40 years have innovated countless new technologies and styles. Their commitment to the brewery's microbiome is such that a complete facility rebuild took place around the original fermentation room to ensure that wild yeast and bacteria populations would not be disturbed.