[Shirataki Sake Brewery] Tanrei Uonuma Junmai 1.8L [Junmai] [J374]

The beginnings of Shirataki Sake Brewery date back approximately 150 years. The time is 2nd year of Ansei. It was the year after Perry came to Japan and the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity was signed. The first generation, Tosuke Minatoya, is said to have operated an inn in Yuzawa where he made sake using the abundant spring water in the valley. At that time, the 7-ri stretch from Yuzawa-juku to Joshu-Yujuku was an important transportation route connecting Echigo and Kanto across Mikuni Pass. It is said that he became prosperous by selling alcoholic beverages to travelers and horsemen traveling along the Mikuni Kaido.

With the beginning of the Meiji period, the roads became more active and sales of sake also gained momentum. However, when the Shinetsu Line opened in the 1920s of the Meiji era, the number of people disappeared. Apparently, sake production had to be reduced as well. At this time, the third generation Tozaburo believed that ``quality comes first when making sake,'' so he hired a chief brewer from Teradomari Nozumi and introduced the Izumi style of sake making. Since Izumi-ryu's famous sakes used the character for white, Shirataki became a premium sake in addition to the previous sake name Minatogawa.

Currently, the 7th generation Shintaro Takahashi is the head of the family, and Shingo Yamaguchi, a favorite disciple of former chief brewer Tsuyoshi Takatsuna, who inherited the skills of the late Takaaki Kawai, who was selected as a modern master craftsman, serves as the chief brewer. Shirataki has cherished water since its founding. We put our hearts into making sake and work hard to make high-quality sake, including Jozenjosui.

Warehouse

The main ingredients of sake are rice and water. At Shirataki Sake Brewery, we always take care to secure high-quality water and rice so that our customers can drink with peace of mind.

The water used for brewing is groundwater pumped up from the grounds of the brewery. The water, which is pumped up from several dozen meters underground, is regularly tested to ensure that it does not contain harmful substances or iron, the enemy of sake. This water is further filtered and used for brewing.

Regarding the rice, we mainly use rice suitable for sake brewing, such as Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku, which can express Shirataki's characteristic ease of drinking.The rice is polished to an average of 58% (42% of each grain of rice is shaved). )doing. Raw material rice is outsourced to reliable rice millers who can meet our strict requirements.

In addition to high-quality raw materials, what is needed is equipment. We have a variety of equipment from preparation to storage, but in order to make the most of these capabilities, we cannot afford to neglect equipment management.

Another important intangible raw material is the craftsmanship of brewers. No matter how good the rice, water, and equipment you have, you won't be able to make delicious sake if your sake brewing techniques are poor. Keeping in mind our president's words, "Think of the present as the worst!", we strive to enhance the abilities of each individual and improve quality every day. The ability and know-how of the brewers supports Shirataki's sake.

Bottled

At the bottling factory, all staff members work diligently to ensure that there are no defects and that the quality of the sake carefully brewed in the brewery is not compromised, so that customers can drink deliciously and with peace of mind.

The containers we use are purchased new from the manufacturer, cleaned thoroughly, and checked with an inspection machine to ensure that there are no cracks. Bottle filling is carried out in a dust-free clean room on an integrated line that requires no human intervention, from filling to tightening the cap. All bottles of alcohol are visually inspected by operators to thoroughly prevent contamination.

In terms of quality, all sake except raw sake is pasteurized, rapidly cooled to prevent flavor deterioration, and stored in an air-conditioned warehouse.

At the bottling factory, even the shipping cardboard is considered a product, and we prevent stains and scratches on labels, packages, and even the cardboard. The final product is checked from various angles through periodic sampling inspections. Since it is produced in an integrated manner on a high-speed line, if we find a slight scratch on a product's label or package, we open the cardboard boxes and check the thousands of bottles that have already been moved to the warehouse. In the past, I have checked with all employees several times.

Six of the 13 staff members are women. It can be said that the woman's patience and consideration maintain the quality.

Research department

In addition to analyzing brewed liquor and bottled products, it is also used as a place for product development.

The role of quality control is to use measuring machines and reagents to check whether the product meets specifications before and after bottling. If the quality is not maintained at any level before bottling, the bottling process will be abandoned.

In addition, after bottling, the products are stored in-house for six months along with an analysis sheet, which is used to respond to customer inquiries.

shipping

After bottling, we carefully store the products and deliver them to wholesalers, retailers, and customers who purchase them through mail order.

High temperatures are the enemy of alcohol. The shipping department always pays attention to the temperature of the warehouse and strives to control quality.

In addition, the products stored in our warehouse are shipped not only to 47 prefectures but also to countries around the world with the help of shipping companies.

The inside of the warehouse is cold in the winter, so it becomes a natural refrigerator, and in the summer, it is air-conditioned to maintain the optimal storage temperature.

``Raw Zenjosui'' and ``Unfiltered Freshly Squeezed'', which are sold once a year, are delivered via cool delivery to 2,000 retail locations nationwide. It's a lot of work from advance preparation to shipping, and when the shipment is completed successfully, all the staff smile with a sense of fulfillment.

Shirataki's personality

It is no exaggeration to say that the quality and individuality of a sake brewery is largely determined by the water grown there and the environment in which it is located.

Although it may be a bit on the short side, Shirataki, which is brewed in Echigo-Yuzawa, an area with heavy snowfall, is a very delicious sake with a soft and easy-to-drink quality that harmonizes with an elegant sweetness and elegant aroma.

As a chief brewer, I listen to and taste sake from a variety of breweries, but I believe that Shirataki's taste is unique and unique, and is a great asset that we must continue to treasure.

I want to cherish my fans

The happiest thing about being a sake brewer is when customers smile at me at tasting events and compliment me and say, ``It's delicious.''

The compliments we receive from our customers are our driving force. Of course, we take complaints such as ``the taste has changed'' or ``this year's new sake is not delicious'' seriously and provide feedback to improve quality.

We always value the customers who drink Shirataki sake and the messages we receive from them.

The sake I want to make from now on

We develop sake that thoroughly pursues the flavor of Japanese sake while maintaining the easy-drinking characteristics that Shirataki Sake Brewery is known for. A drink that will leave those who drink it impressed and say, ``I've never had a drink this delicious!'' Our goal is to create sake at a reasonable price that will leave you satisfied with just one drink and make you want to have a second one.

Our research department conducts various tests, and we will continue to offer products that have never been seen on the market, or products that will surprise our customers.

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