I recently participated in a sake brewing experience at Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery. This event was organized by Sakanaya Makoto-ya, a liquor store in Sakado City, Saitama Prefecture, and about ten of their regular customers joined.
I got to experience the bag pressing and bottling processes, two key steps in sake production. This particular experience was from June 2023, a little while ago. I’m excited to share my report with you all. I’ll also be posting about my second sake brewing experience soon, so stay tuned for that!
About Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery
First, let me briefly introduce Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery.
History: Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery is a revived sake brewery. The original brewery, which produced sake under the “Kagamiyama” brand since 1875, closed its doors in 2000. However, in 2007, local enthusiasts brought it back to life. The brewery inherited the name of the last brewery and started anew as Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery. The current head brewer is Mr. Akihiro Igarashi, the second son of Igarashi Brewery in Hanno City.
Characteristics: Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery cherishes traditional methods while also incorporating new technologies and ideas into their sake production. Their sake, especially the ones using “Sake Musashi,” a sake rice variety from Saitama Prefecture, has received high acclaim, including a Gold Award at the National New Sake Appraisal.
Commitment: They focus on small-batch production and quality, producing and selling the traditional local sake “Kagamiyama.”
Gathering at Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery
We gathered at Igarashi Brewery in Nakacho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture at 8:30 on a Sunday morning. We received explanations from the head brewer, Mr. Igarashi, about the tasks for the day and important points to keep in mind.
Mr. Igarashi is an energetic and enthusiastic person with a strong presence. He’s the type of person you’d admire as a leader or an older brother. We also met the brewery staff who would be working with us that day.
Helping with Bag Pressing
The sake brewing experience began! First, we filled bags with the fermented mash (moromi).
These bags are ingeniously designed to prevent spillage just by folding the cloth. It’s a bit tricky, and it’s amazing how the liquid doesn’t leak out without any zippers or other fasteners.
Next, we carefully arranged the bags in the pressing machine, stacking them neatly. This requires speed and precision, as the folded cloth bags can easily lose their shape. Everyone did a great job!
After all, the sake we were working on would eventually become a product for customers to enjoy.
Bottling and Capping the Sake
The next step was bottling the sake. We accurately measured the pressed sake, “Kagamiyama,” and filled the bottles. Then, we used a capping machine to securely seal the bottles with caps.
The rhythmic clicking of the machine was a satisfying sound.
Applying the Finishing Labels
Finally, we applied the labels to complete the “Kagamiyama Junmai Daiginjo Aiyama.” This particular sake features a special yellow label, which is not commonly seen on other Kagamiyama sake.
Since the bottles were wet, we wiped them dry before applying the labels. We paid close attention to ensure the labels were straight and securely attached, so they wouldn’t peel off before reaching the customers.
The Completed “Kagamiyama Junmai Daiginjo Aiyama”
It was truly gratifying to see the finished product, knowing that we played a small part in the sake brewing process.
As a sake enthusiast, I’ve tasted many different types of sake and visited several breweries. However, this was my first time participating in the actual brewing process. It was a precious experience that satisfied my curiosity and provided me with a deeper understanding of sake making. It was a wonderful time spent with fellow sake lovers.
I’m filled with gratitude!
Thank you
Thank you to Koedo Kagamiyama Brewery and Sakanaya Makoto-ya for organizing and making this experience possible!
I’m excited to hear that they’re planning more sake brewing experiences in the future, focusing on different stages of the process. I’m definitely looking forward to it!
コメント