Nanbu bijin brewery formerly known as kuji shuzo is located in northern japans ninohe city, an area long referred to as nanbu no kuni. Social house in las vegas is a sake drinkers destination. This is a sake made with rice polished to daiginjo levels but for the price of a junmai. Our sake, nanbu bijin produced by nanbu toji, one of the top tree group of chief sake makers in japan. The sake brewery nanbu bijin in ninohe, iwate, exporting to 38 countries and regions around the world, acquired the worlds first vegan sake certificate on january 25th, 2019. The word, nanbu means the region, and bijin means beautiful woman.
Supporting traditional methods of japanese sake brewing. Beyond checking water reports, marketing, construction, and production, bell also hopes to be the sake goto for arkansans, adding an educational element. Former midwesterner, journalist john gauntner is profiled. Apr 17, 2019 nanbu bijin won the sake champion at the international wine challenge 2017 for the high quality of its product. Top iwate brewery turns to ai for hightech assist with sake. For them, more than most, rice steaming is important and needs to be done right. It is also the name of the biggest toji master sake brewer group. This will be only our second official nanbu bijin sake tasting and you wont want to miss it.
Happy birthday tim you are sooo sake samurai kagami biraki of nanbu bijin and huge birthday cake with hakkaisan junmai ginjo picture. The americans drink a lot more sake than europeans do. Mar 07, 2018 sake is a japanese alcoholic drink made of fermented rice, and test brewing at dojima is due to start later this month. Stores and prices for nanbu bijin junmai ginjo sake prices, stores, tasting notes and market data. Nanbu stands for the region, and bijin meaning beautiful woman. The representative sake nanbu bijin special junmai. Sake brewery nanbu bijin in japan becomes worlds first vegan. Lucky to have ben bell visit from nanbu bijin via arkansas. Nanbu bijin brewery is located in ninohe city in japan. Nanbu stands for the region, and bijin meaning beautiful woman for the delicate, light, and clean nature of our sake. Japanese sake is an alcoholic drink made of fermented rice, koji and water. Nanbu bijin muto umeshu no sugar added ume plum sake was picked as one of the perfect sake for hina matsuri a. Jun 02, 2018 the company, whose origins date back to the early 1900s, won the top sake title in the junmai category for its nanbu bijin tokubetsu junmai at the international wine challenge 2017.
Available in the us at select restaurants and retail outlets in over 40 states. Although yamaguchitoji is 74, everyone else is in their 20s and 30s. Kosuke kuji studied the art of making sake and shochu at the prestigious tokyo university of agriculture, learning from professor takeo koizumi, who is a well regarded authority of fermented food. Jyunji matsumori, nanbu toji, he is in charge of nanbu bijin as head of master brewer. In las vegas, a good story helps sell expensive sakes. One of the most interesting and truly educational sake tastings ive been to this season was the amazing nanbu bijin event at the wonderful sake hana 265 e.
Like wine, sake is a varied category, running the gamut from light, inexpensive examples to rich, complex styles, with the variety of rice and th. Sake is an alcoholic beverage made most famously in japan. Kosuke kuji was born in 1972, the eldest son of hiroshi kuji, the 4th generation owner of nanbu bijin brewery. And if that werent enough, dojima will also offer an authentic japanese.
Nanbu bijin uses the original sake rice, gin ginga and gin otome, which was codeveloped with iwate municipal government and iwate sake makers association and iwate industrial research institute, japan. Almost all of them attempt to replicate large scale japanese brewing on a very. The nanbu bijin was a brewery little know to me thus far but no more. In a time when the average age of brewers is well over 60, nanbu bijin has a refreshingly young brewing staff. Nanbu bijin selects the best quality of sake rice, water, yeast, and. This will be our first official nanbu bijin sake tasting and you wont want to miss it. The sake brewery nanbu bijin in ninohe, iwate, exporting to 38 countries and regions around the world, acquired the worlds first vegan sake certificate on. Nanbu bijin description milled to 35%, this elegant, lush junmai daiginjo is bold and robust due to being namachozo genshu. To inherit tradition nanbubijin sake nanbubijin co. Sake spectator highlights the exciting aspects of enjoying japanese sake, especially when paired with japanese cuisine. Get immersed in this traditional sake brewery founded in 1902 in nihone city, iwate prefecture. Stores and prices for nanbu bijin junmai ginjo sake. Kosuke kuji, in ninohe, iwate prefecture, has been making sake for over five generations since the meiji. Kosuke kuji, vice president of the nanbu bijin sake brewing company, said there is still have a long way to go before the popularity of sake reaches a similar level to that enjoyed by rice wines in the usa.
Hence, we created the nanbu bijin brand name to personify our sake. On march 11th, 2011, kosuke kuji, the fifthgeneration president of nanbu bijin sake brewery, was aboard a bullet train heading toward sendai when it came to a sudden stop in the middle of a tunnel. Nanbu bijin brand premium sake by nanbu bijin brewery of iwate, japan. Nanbu bijin junmai ginjo sake prices, stores, tasting notes. A big reason why i love sake is my admiration of the craft and. We were established in 1902, but at first were only a sake retailer. December 2010 home brew sake sake brewing supplies. Entered tokyo university of agricultures department of brewing and fermentation. Nanbu bijin ancient pillars junmai daiginjo union square. Nanbu bijin junmai ginjo sake prices, stores, tasting. The event will feature sake from konishi brewing, gekkeikan sake, and nanbu bijin. The whisper of shubo, the mother nature of sake, guides brewery masters, who are tuned to feeling out the best course of making sake. Sakes hidden stories the personalities, philosophies, and. We have to put it in mind that we are just a freshmen in brewing sake every year, even we had lots of experience.
Discover how they went from the production in nihone to receiving the award in london. Together with the kurabito they produce about 360,000 liters of sake a year. Top iwate brewery turns to ai for hightech assist with sake the. The sake of nanbu bijin displays a soft texture and balance fruitiness. Nanbu bijin tokubetsu junmai 2017 won champion sake of 2017 at iwc international wine challenge. The competition had 9 categories, and the champion sake was selected among the 9 best sake from each category. Kosuke kuji was born in 1972 as the oldest son of mr. When he finally gets up and running, hes excited that hell have the technical support of nanbu bijin. Nanbu bijin all koji mtc sake japanese beverage distributor. The brewery was established in 1902, and the nanbu bijin brand name came to be in 1951.
In 2005 became the youngest person ever to receive the iwate prefecture young distinguished technician award. In 1915 we acquired the necessary licenses and began to brew. Nanbu bijin is a highly regarded and award winning sake brewery, most recently winning gold at the 2014 japan national sake competition and the tohoku area sake. Kosuke kuji, in line to become kuramoto, is extremely knowledgeable about sake brewing. Feb 02, 2011 social house in las vegas is a sake drinkers destination. Sake brewers from japan supporting sake brewers in north. In las vegas, a good story helps sell expensive sakes the. Kosuke kuji of nanbu bijin brewing their eponymous sake in iwate, philip harper of. Bijin, meaning roughly beautiful women is emblematic of the pursuit of clean, beautiful sake the brewers were constantly seeking to attain. Nanbu bijin acquired the worlds first vegan sake certificate on january 25th, 2019. Sakes hidden stories one of john gauntners books home. The brewery was established in 192, and the nanbu bijin brand name came to be in 1951. The japanese brand names can be tricky, but the tales are memorable. At the worlds biggest sake competition in tokyo last month, nanbubijins awasake was voted the best sparkling drink among 1,730 bottles, including 22 made by overseas brewers.
Nanbu bijin ancient pillars junmai daiginjo 720ml at. Nanbu is the ancient name of the region of iwate and aomori prefectures. Laboratory analyses have found commonalties amongst the waters from these regions, known through time to be the most suitable for sake brewing. Nanbu bijin is located in a small, northern town in japan that sees snowwhite winters, during which sake brewing season is at its peak. Nanbu bijin is a highly regarded and award winning sake brewery, most recently winning gold at the 2014 japan national sake competition and the tohoku area sake competition in both the ginjo and jumnai categories. Hiroshi kuji, the 4th generation owner of nanbu bijin brewery in ninohe, iwate prefecture. Today, the name nanbu bijin is a fixture on the menus of japanese restaurant menus and sake bars across the globe. The company, whose origins date back to the early 1900s, won the top sake title in the junmai category for its nanbu bijin tokubetsu junmai at the international wine challenge 2017. This gourmet japanese sake brewer makes clean and beautiful sake. In 20, nambu bijin acquired kocher certification, and in 2017, became champion at the international wine challenge among 1,245 entry brands of. Nanbu bijin uses the original sake rice, gin ginga and gin otome, which was codeveloped with iwate municipal government and iwate sake makers association. Handing over the techniques and pursuing an authentic quality. Dec 27, 2017 in 20, nambu bijin acquired kocher certification, and in 2017, became champion at the international wine challenge among 1,245 entry brands of japanese sake.
In 2006 was selected to be a member of the board of trustees of his local alma mater, fukuoka high school. Shop nanbu bijin ancient pillars junmai daiginjo 720ml and more red and white wine, including cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and many more at amazons wine store. Nanbu bijin brewery is located in northern japans ninohe city, an area long referred to as nanbu no kuni. Sakes hidden stories the personalities, philosophies. As is not uncommon, kosuke did not want to run the business as he was growing up. Brewery owner of a centuryold sake brewery, kosuke kuji of nanbu bijin, and two nonjapanese influencers, fluent in japanese. Tokubetsu junmai special junmaishu nanbu bijin brewery. Akita sake breweries and their stories, iasrc, 2016. Nanbu bijin won the sake champion at the international wine challenge 2017 for the high quality of its product.
There are many methods detailed online and in books showing you how to make sake at home. While there were tastings and a party or two, as well as a visit to a craft sake brewery in san francisco sequoia sake, as well as a massive rice milling site, the heart of the seminar was a series of lectures by three sake brewers that came over from japan. Kosuke kuji studied the art of making sake and shochu at the prestigious tokyo university of agriculture, learning from professor takeo koizumi, who is a well regarded authority on fermented foods. Their brewing master was selected as one of japans 100. Its not just brewing sake, its starting a business. Supporting traditional methods of japanese sake brewing with. Nanbu bijin tokubetsu junmai mtc sake japanese beverage. Kosuke kuji of the awardwinning brewery nanbu bijin in morioka, iwate prefecture, hopes to take a new approach to sake by using artificial. Nanbu bijin sake brewery sake international association. Recognized as the worlds leading nonjapanese sake expert, the prolific gaunter wrote five books on the subject. Take a sneak peek inside the new dojima sake brewery near ely.
Jul 24, 2017 at the worlds biggest sake competition in tokyo last month, nanbubijins awasake was voted the best sparkling drink among 1,730 bottles, including 22 made by overseas brewers. It is an area blessed with lush and beautiful natural reserves, fine water, two national parks, and a lake. May 19, 2019 japanese sake is an alcoholic drink made of fermented rice, koji and water. The iwate area used to be called nanbu south, and is a place rich with nature, abundant water and fertile soil. This book is a translation of bishu okoku akita akita, the king dom of transcendent sake. This means the sake was pasteurized only once rather than twice namachozo and that no water was added to dilute the alcohol after brewing genshu. This year, 1,245 brands from 390 breweries around the world entered the iwc sake competition. In 1902, nanbu bijin brewery was first established as only a sake retailer. Our concepts was to brew sake with water, blessed with lush and beautiful natural reserves in nanbu region. Features include interviews with leading figures in the sake brewing industry, such as renowned sake brew masters, sake sommeliers, connoisseurs, food critics and others who love sake. Aug 01, 2008 kosuke kuji, vice president of the nanbu bijin sake brewing company, said there is still have a long way to go before the popularity of sake reaches a similar level to that enjoyed by rice wines in the usa. To lure wine lovers, sake makers learn its all about rice. Our sake is brewed with mediumhard water that is purified naturally as it courses through the mountain rock on its way to the sea. Sake is a japanese alcoholic drink made of fermented rice, and test brewing at dojima is due to start later this month.
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