Wednesday Lessons #24: Seimaibuai

WEDNESDAY LESSONS #24: SEIMAIBUAI 12/13/23

SAKE 1

DASSAI 23 Junmai Daiginjo Bottle (720ml): $90 ($100)

Yamaguchi, Japan Rice: Yamadanishiki Polishing: 23% Yeast: #9 (proprietary version) SMV: N/A, acidity 1.6 Starter: sokujo, ABV 15%

Asahi Shuzo, makers of Dassai, are currently the #1 sake brewery in the world in terms of global annual sales. They make only one grade of product, junmai daiginjo, and they only use one type of rice, Yamaguchi- grown Yamadanishiki. From bankruptcy to riches, Dassai built an empire on the bet that fragrant, slightly sweet junmai daiginjo was the path to success. Within the JDG category, Dassai innovates and competes, producing as low as 23% RPR for a song.

SAKE 2 - BONUS

TOKO “Ultraluxe” Junmai Daiginjo Fukushibori Bottle (720ml): $115 ($125)

Yamagata, Japan Rice: Yamadanishiki (Hyogo, Toku A) Polishing: 35% Yeast: Proprietary SMV: 0, acidity 0.8 Starter: sokujo, ABV: 16%

Kojima Sohonten are an unusual bunch. Established in 1597, Kojima is the 13th oldest sake brewery in Japan but despite this longevity lands in the news frequently for its president’s constant innovations and movements. In 2020 they committed to all Junmai, in 2021 committed to 100% renewable energy, in 2019 began experiments with kame (clay pot) brewing, and in 2022 implemented tests with automatic weeding robots in organic plots.

SAKE 3

DAISHICHI “Minowamon” Junmai Daiginjo (~2-3y) Bottle (720ml): $90 ($100)

Fukushima, Japan Rice: Yamadanishiki Polishing: 50% (super flat) Yeast: Propietary SMV: +2, acidity 1.3 Starter: kimoto, ABV: 15%

Another old stalwart with a history of innovation, one of Daishichi’s greatest claims to fame is its exclusive focus on kimoto brewing and testing/ refinement of the super flat rice polishing method, now utilized universally and resulting in rice compositions roughly equivalent to 10% lower RPR in the standard polishing method.

SAKE 4

KID “Junmai” Junmai Bottle (720ml): $27 ($32)

Wakayama, Japan Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Ippanmai Polishing: 50%, 60% Yeast: #701 SMV: +4, acidity 1.5 Starter: sokujo, ABV: 15%

For the entry-level KID Junmai, for which no RPR is legally prescribed, Heiwa Shuzo elects to polish the rice to 50% (kojimai) and 60% (kakemai) qualifying it technically as a junmai. This is to enforce their fresh, crisp house style.

SAKE 5

KAZE NO MORI “Black 807” Junmai MNG Bottle (720ml): $31 ($36)

Nara, Japan Rice: Tsuyuhakaze Polishing: 80% Yeast: #701 SMV: +0, acidity 2.0 Starter: sokujo, ABV: 17%

Kaze no Mori-- a favorite at Sunflower-- is a fantastic example (there are many, many others in Japan) of a low- polish brew produced in a high polish style. For a more direct comparison, taste side by side with the 65% white label (657)

SAKE 6

SEMPUKU “Shinriki” Junmai Genshu Kimoto Bottle (720ml): $28 ($39)

Hiroshima, Japan Rice: Shinriki Polishing: 85% Yeast: #701 SMV: +5, acidity 2.3 Starter: kimoto, ABV 18%

Wildly different from Kaze no Mori, Sempuku has brewed a style that is true to the late Meiji period to recreate the style of sake they produced for the Hiroshima Navy.

SAKE 7

MORIKI “Tae no Hana” Junmai MNG Kimoto Bottle (720ml): $36 ($41)

Mie, Japan Rice: Yamadanishiki (org, domaine) Polishing: 90% Yeast: ambient SMV: +8, acidity 1.7 Starter: kimoto, ABV 17-18%

Moriki Shuzo gained recognition intially for the story of Rumiko Moriki, whose struggles so resonated with the manga “Natsuko no Sake” that she became the real-life figure behind the story, pulling the family business out of bankruptcy and into its new life as a junmai-only brewery. She was the first woman toji in Japan, but never played it safe: converting to junmai, then organic rice cultivation, then challenging herself to brew 90% RPR sake. Her daughter, Rie, is toji today and continues brewing this now-famous sake.

Sunflower Sake is a retail shop, tasting room, and educational center in Portland, Oregon, focusing on craft sake from around the world. Sunflower ships year-round and offers affordable, biweekly Wednesday sake classes. Thank you so much for joining us tonight!

107 SE Washington St. #121, Portland, OR 97214 web: www.sunflowersake.com IG: @sunflowersake email: nina@sunflowersake.com

Printed on the sheet as #24; sequenced here by date.