Morita Shoube Co., Ltd.

Sake brewing made by Morita Shoube

Chief Brewer Morita Heijibe(Aomori Prefecture Governor Certified Aomori Meister)

A Family Tradition of Handmade Sake: Quality over Quantity

One of our sake brands at Komaizumi is called Magokoro, which means "Pureness of heart." We gave it this name to mirror our desire to work hard and produce a sincere and superior sake. Komaizumi is made with traditional Nanbu brewing methods as well as state of the art techniques. Our long-standing motto is to stick to the basics, so although we always keep the science of sake brewing in mind, we temper this with the experience of our brewers. In producing Komaizumi sake, we quickly established a steadfast system for our brewers with the mantra that the taste of the sake is only as good as the technical skill of the brewer, which, in turn, is only as good as the longstanding technical skills of the brewery. We will continue to produce delicious and savory Komaizumi sake in the future.

WaterWater from the Takasegawa Underground River of East Hakkoda

The three key ingredients to sake brewing are water, rice, and the brewer. Japanese sake is 80% water, so this natural resource has a huge effect on the quality of the sake. The water we use for brewing is pure underground water from the Takase River, a stream which flows from the Hakkoda Mountains. It is extremely clear and cold, has just the right amount of minerals, and is soft water with a mild taste. We use this water after sterilizing it in safe and environmentally friendly ozone.

RiceRice Nurtured by the Sunlight and Water of Aomori Prefecture All of the rice we use is grown in Aomori Prefecture.

We carefully select our ingredients from such rice varieties as Masshigura, Mutsuhomare, Reimei, and other local brands produced in the Nanbu region, as well as Hanaomoi, Hanafubuki, and other brands developed in Aomori Prefecture and favored by sake brewers. We polish this rice to a ratio of 40 to 60% with an average rice polishing ratio of about 55%. This gives our rice a highly polished white color.

BrewersBrewing with the Power of Youth Stick to the Basics

Today's sake brewers are committed to their craft and continue to use traditional brewing techniques which have been passed down for generations. They also keep the brewer's motto, "Stick to the basics," close to their hearts and always do an honest day's work. Brewers also rely on communication to foster teamwork and this is definitely one of the main reasons why delicious high-quality sake gets made. Like the pure water used in brewing, the brewery is always overflowing with a good working atmosphere and the vibrant energy of young people.

酒造りの行程

酒つくりは、「一麹、二もと、三つくり」と云われ、世界でも類を見ない発酵形式をとります。酵母菌・麹かび・乳酸菌など三大微生物を巧みに操り、開放状態で濃厚・段仕込され、低温で糖化と発酵が併行して行われます。これらの技術は、微生物が目に見えない時代から経験的に確立されてきました。現在も経験に基づく技法は、科学的根拠に裏付けされながら受け継がれています。駒泉は、厳選された原料米と清らな仕込水を用いて、伝統的手法を守り続けたいと思っています。

精米・洗米

玄米を研磨して、米の芯を使います。食用米は約１割糠にしますが、酒米は３割以上磨きます。精白米をきれいに洗い、水を打ち、浸漬・吸水させます。吟醸では、竹ザルで１枚づつ行ないます。

蒸米・放冷

酒造用のせいろ（こしき）で蒸気を抜きながら米を張り、蒸し上げます。

麹

蒸米に麹菌を種付けて、30℃内外の室（むろ）で２～３日培養します。麹箱（蓋）の扱いは熟練を要します。

醗酵

酒母と麹・蒸米・水を数回に分けて加え、主醗酵を行ないます。

しぼり・新酒

もろみを酒袋に入れて、新酒と酒かすに分離し、清澄な酒にろ別します。