Kasumi Tsuru Kasumitsuru Raw Motokara Kuchi 1.8L

"Tajima's pride"

• 1. Quality first
• 1. Community first
• 1. Sincerity comes first

Kimoto/Yamahaizo — Natural lactic acid bacteria fermentation

Kasumi Tsuru uses the ``Ikimoto-zukuri'' sake manufacturing method, which has been passed down since ancient times in the former Kasumi town of Hyogo Prefecture, to create a unique flavor. Please enjoy the sincerity and traditional taste of Kasumi Tsuru, which is carefully prepared by the brewers together.

Special sake brewing

why? Can sake (alcohol) be made from rice?

The most important thing for sake brewing is the starch in the center of the rice, and the proteins and fat in the outer layer that deteriorate the flavor and color of the sake, so they are removed by polishing. How much rice is polished depends on the type of sake. Fermentation is when yeast eats sugar (glucose) and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide gas, but rice, the raw material for sake, does not contain sugar. This is where Koji fungi comes into play.

The role of rice koji

Koji bacteria convert the starch in rice into sugar. Yeast eats the sugar and ferments it into alcohol, which is the central part of the fermentation process for sake.

Shubo

What is a good sake mother?

1. Purely cultured large number of high-quality yeast
2. Contains a large amount of lactic acid

Pure, high quality yeast is important because it leads to high quality sake.

Kimoto-based sake starter

There are two types of kimoto-based sake mash: kimoto and yamahaimoto. This sake mash is a traditional sake manufacturing method that uses naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria and microorganisms to cultivate yeast.

Difference between Ikimoto and Yamahaimoto

• Kimoto-zukuri involves a process called Yamaoroshi, in which the rice and rice koji used for making the original ingredients are crushed with a paddle to promote dissolution and saccharification of the rice.
• Yamahaimoto is a type of moto that does not require yamaroshi work (a type created by abolishing yamaroshi work; it is simply called yamahaimoto) and is made by simplifying the work by using water koji and arakai.

Sokujo-type sake starter

Sokujo-type sake mash is a sake mash made using a rational manufacturing method that adds an appropriate amount of lactic acid during preparation to make it lactic acid acidic, suppressing the growth of fungi other than yeast, and culturing only sake yeast in a pure manner. The taste is refined, and the sake that is quickly finished in a short period of time produces a gorgeous and aromatic sake.

rice/water

raw rice

The raw rice used for sake brewing includes paddy rice glutinous rice (general rice) and brown rice for brewing (rice suitable for sake brewing).

Rice suitable for sake brewing

Rice suitable for sake brewing includes Yamada Nishiki, Gohyakumangoku, Omachi, and Hyogo Kitanishiki, and its characteristics are that it is shinpaku, has a large thousand-grain weight, and is low in protein.

Preparation water

Kasumitsuru is 50 meters underground from the clear Yadagawa River, which originates from Hyogo Prefecture's highest peak (1510m) and flows into the Sea of ​​Japan, and the Kotanigawa River, which is a tributary of the Yadagawa River. We use pumped underground water as water for brewing. The clear underground water that is pumped up maintains a temperature of around 15 degrees Celsius throughout the year, making it cool even in the middle of summer. This water is soft and has excellent brewing properties.

Koji, moromi, storage

Koji

One of the most important jobs in sake production. It is no exaggeration to say that the quality of sake is determined by the quality of the koji. At Kasumitsuru, we use two koji making rooms to create the perfect koji for the type of sake we are making.

Parallel multiple fermentation

The most complex form of fermentation in alcoholic beverage production around the world. Saccharification of rice starch using koji and alcohol fermentation using yeast occur simultaneously in the same tank, making it possible to produce alcohol with a high concentration of 20%.

Moromi management

The most important point in controlling the moromi is temperature, which controls the intensity of saccharification and fermentation in the moromi.

How to prepare moromi

The moromi is prepared in three stages, in which one bottle of moromi is divided into three stages over four days. On the first day, the ``Hatsuzoe'' is prepared, and on the second day, the preparation is called ``Odori'' and the preparation is suspended. On the third day, ``Nakazoe'' is prepared, and on the fourth day, ``Rusoe'' is prepared, completing the preparation of one bottle.

Day 1 “Hatsuzoe”

Transfer the yeast mash to the preparation tank, add water, koji, and steamed rice, and mix well. This is called Hatsuzoe. Hatsuzoe is said to be the second shubo, and it is necessary to ensure that the yeast in the shubo grows.

Day 2 “Dance”

The day after preparing the first soy sauce, we take a break from preparation to allow the yeast to multiply. This is called dancing. The growth of yeast during the dance has a major impact on the subsequent fermentation of the moromi, so it is a very important day.

Day 3 “Nakazoe”

The day after the dance, add water, koji, and steamed rice to the first ingredients and mix together. This is called Nakazoe.

Day 4 “Rusoe”

The day after making nakazoe, add water, koji, and steamed rice to the ingredients for nakazoe and mix. This is called Rusoe.

Storage/Aging

Sake made from raw ingredients or mountain waste can be aged to bring out its flavor even more. At Kasumitsuru, all raw materials and Yamahai products, except for raw sake, are aged for six months to a year or more.