Distinguished Fukushima-based sake brewery Daishichi sake has appointed Inter Rice Asia as Singapore distributor for its lauded kimoto sakes.
Leading Fukushima Prefecture-based Daishichi has officially appointed Inter Rice Asia as its Singapore distributor to represent its range of sakes.
Daishichi, which was founded in 1752, like many other progressive sake breweries combine traditional sake making methods with the use of modern technology to produce its quality brews. The brewery, based in the castle town of Nihonmatsu, is best known for being one of the bare handful of breweries in Japan still using the old-school kimoto method to produce sake.
The kimoto method is a traditional sake making technique used since the Edo period. It involves making a starter batch where a combination of rice, water, and koji is added to small tubs, and then mashed into a paste by brewers using special poles. This laborious manual process helps to release and activate enzymes in the starter which creates an ideal environment for the yeast to thrive, and ultimately leads to a more complex, yet refined, sake.
But Daishichi is also a keen adopter of modern technology to ensure quality and consistency of its sakes. For example, the brewery pioneered the use of the “Super Flat Polish” method to prepare their rice for brewing. This method sees the rice grain polished consistently throughout as opposed to the conventional method where the top and bottom are polished excessively while leaving the middle largely under polished. The result is a more effective and efficacious way of retaining as much of the shinpaku – the opaque starch centre of sake rice – with as little polishing as possible. In fact, a Daishichi sake with a 50% ‘Super Flat Polish’ ratio is equivalent to a sake with a 35% conventional rice polish ratio.
Daishichi was also the first brewery in Japan to adopt the anoxic bottling system. This bottling method eliminates the introduction of oxygen during the filling process, minimising the risk of oxidation and thus ensuring the sake remains fresher for longer.
Today Daishichi remains a family-owned brewery, and is currently run by the tenth generation of the Ota family.
Inter Rice Asia will be carrying seven Daishichi sake expressions as a start, including a couple of their award-winning kimoto sakes. They are:
- Daishichi Junmai Kimoto
- Daishichi Junmai Kimoto Classic
- Daishichi Junmai Ginjo Masakura
- Daishichi Junmai Daiginjo Minowamon
- Daishichi Junmai Daiginjo Shoka
- Daishichi Junmai Daiginjo Horeki
- Daishichi Junma Daiginjo Myoka Rangyoku
“As a company focused on sake education, Daishichi is a great fit and addition to our portfolio. We hope to share with the Singapore market what makes Daishichi sake special,” said Adrian Goh, Director of Inter Rice Asia. Inter Rice Asia represents a large portfolio of sake brands including Sakari, Dewazakura, Keigetsu, and Manotsuru.
Inter Rice Asia will be hosting a special virtual tasting session on 30th June 2021 featuring Daishichi sake to celebrate the official launch of the brand in Singapore. You can find out more on the Inter Rice Asia website theartofsake.com.
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