Using 90% polish junmai sake as its base, hops is infused (process unknown) resulting in a sake with green herbaceous notes + bright, fruity lychee, muscat grape, and bitter pomelo-grapefruit citrus. It has a sophistication I've felt was missing in other hopped sake (though they all have their virtues)-- and I say this having tasted the sake from its earliest versions in Japan, even at the brewery in Winter 2023.
Comparing to other hopped brews, Heiwa Fusion is fizzy with a bitter beer-like character, while Brooklyn Kura Occidental is a bit sweeter, more luxe, ginjo-forward with a lashing of sweet citrus and florality. Hanakaze, however, is high-toned, with a deep junmai profile well suited to warming & nosing.
Hanakaze is an interesting one for me because I visited this far-off brewery immediately after Japan reopened to travel, compelled by their delicious line of interesting doburoku and craft sake... some made with figs, coffee, grapes, others with hops of course. Long before I learned about haccoba, this trip to Nondo and Ine to Agave opened the door to a new wave of brewers doing fascinating things. Ine to Agave was an interesting visit that left me with more questions, confusion, even disappointment than answers. One day i'll put the experience into words...but at the end of the day, it's really full circle (and even validating) to find Hanazake being offered to me now, 3 and a half years later, by a leading national importer.
-
Hanakaze is a pioneering craft Sake from Ine to Agave, a brewery established in 2021 in Oga City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. This innovative beverage uniquely blends traditional sake brewing techniques with the use of hops, resulting in a product that bridges the gap between sake and craft beer. The incorporation of hops imparts aromatic notes reminiscent of lychee, muscat grapes, and citrus, offering a bright and floral bouquet. On the palate, Hanakaze presents a harmonious balance between sweet richness and a subtle green bitterness, characteristic of hops, culminating in a slightly hoppy finish. This innovative approach has garnered attention within the sake community, with Hanakaze receiving accolades for its groundbreaking fusion of flavors. Notably, it secured a bronze medal at the Sake Award 2024, reflecting its positive reception among both traditional sake enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Ine to Agave brews its Craft Sake using almost exclusively organically grown rice without fertilizers or pesticides. Because most proteins in rice originate from fertilizer, naturally grown rice has lower protein content, reducing the need for extensive polishing (traditionally done to remove protein-rich outer layers). While daiginjo sake polishes away over 50% of each grain, Ine to Agave uses a 90% polishing ratio (the same as table rice), polishing off only the outer 10%. As a startup facing environmental and agricultural crises, they want to prove that sake can be delicious without heavy polishing and that rice has value without being highly refined. This commitment to "not polishing rice" has led to unique techniques, including washing rice with 50°C (122°F) warm water to remove surface oils and using 10 to 20 times the normal amount of koji while shortening koji-making time, enabling consistent quality even for new employees. The name "Hana Kaze" carries layered meanings. "Hana" (flower) comes from the Japanese name for hops. In Akita, an ancient doburoku (unfiltered, rustic sake) recipe made with Japanese wild hops as a stablizer has long been called "Hanamoto" (flower starter mash). "Kaze" (wind) represents the strong winds of Oga, which are the core concept of the Craft Sake series.
