Senkin Modern Muku is the brewery's flagship brand, brewed 100% with local Sakura city Yamada Nishiki rice. Part of their "modern" series (meaning that it was brewed with modern methods), the brewery touts this as their daily drinking sake: one that fits as comfortably as a clean white t-shirt. Muku, meaning pure or innocent, refers to a lack of excessive embellishment in the sake. It has a sharp, vibrantly fruity flavor with a well-balanced umami heft, and the brewery encourages drinkers to try enjoying their sake out of Bourdeaux wine glasses to maximize the sensory potential of the brew.
Stats
- Brewery: Senkin Shuzo
- Location: Sakura, Tochigi
- Category: Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Genshu
- Pasteurizing: Bin hi-ire, namazume
- Rice: organic Yamadanishiki (local to within 5km of the brewery)
- Polishing: 40% / 50% (koji/kakemai)
- Yeast: Tochigi (proprietary strain)
- ABV: 16%
- SMV: -2
- Acidity: 2.2
Background:
Nestled in the residential backroads of Sakura city, Tochigi Prefecture, Senkin Brewery is now run by 11th generation brothers Kazuki Usui (Brewer) and Masato Usui (Toji), who work together as brewer and toji (respectively. “Senkin” has a dual meaning of “crane” and “a legendary wizard that lives in the mountains and is capable of performing miracles”. Senkin's jizake are brighter and juicier than other sake; their focus is principally on deviating from the norm with elements of higher acidity and residual sugar levels (around -3.0).As their brewing motto is “Yokei na koto shinai” (do nothing unnecessary), all of their sake are brewed in small batches, are Muroka (unfiltered), Genshu (undiluted), and Nama (unpasteurized), as well as bottle aged in near-freezing temperatures. Applying the same concept as a Domaine or Estate, Senkin uses the same water for brewing as that which grows their rice, and they will only use contract-farmed Omachi, Yamada Nishiki, or Kameno O rice grown within 5 minutes of the brewery. They proudly implement both modern and traditional brewing methods across their various sake series.