Challenging creates great ”sake” ”Takagi Shuzo”

2013.5.12019.4.23

A sake known by everyone ”Juyondai”

By now every “sake” lover must have heard about the ”Juyondai”. The term “tanrei karakuchi (clear and dry)” is now almost a cliché, but the slogan for Juyondai is “Hojun Umakuchi” (rich and tasty). Like the slogan says, the ”sake” has a nice aroma and firm taste, and the sweetness of the rice. However, the sweetness goes away after the “sake” passes the throat. Like many “clear and dry” “sake” after you drink it, only the refreshing taste of the “sake” remains in the mouth. So you get the seemingly opposite qualities of the full body flavor and the lightness that makes you feel like you could keep drinking forever.
That is the charm of Juyondai that was created from the 400 year history of the “sake”.

Sealing the aroma in with “hiire”

”It is our job to make sure that consumers get to drink satisfying “sake”.” commented Akitsuna Takagi, the 15th generation president of the company that makes “Juyondai” (literally 14th generation ). Takagi told us it’s not his job to win contests, but the important thing is for the consumers to be able to drink good ”sake”. For that, he is constantly taking on new challenges. For example, the “hiire” process. “What we are doing with “hiire” is we raise the temperature rapidly, then cool it down rapidly to seal in the aroma. Currently the “binkan” (bottle heating) process is considered to be the best process, but we thought maybe it’s better to avoid having the “sake” come into contact with air, and heat it in the tank and then bottling it. So we are going to change that this year.” He told us enthusiastically.

Man and machine

By the word challenge, it may make you imagine the likes of using new machinery or research, whatever is the latest. Of course, Takagi, a graduate of the Tokyo University of Agriculture, Department of Fermentation Science, is interested in utilizing the latest innovations and in introducing the latest machinery to pursue quality.
However, he also places importance in things only “man” can teach and learn on site. The analog processes. A good example is making rice malt. With ”daiginjo”, that takes more than 50 hours, with the lid of the tank being changed about every 3 hours. So you can hardly sleep during the process. The best you can do is to catch a nap in the room to where everything is kept.
Even then, you don’t compromise. ”No matter how painstaking it may be, it will bring joy when the sake turns out great.” Takagi was happy to add. Juyondai, the result of the combination of passion for innovation and human work that cannot be abbreviated, is the ultimate “sake”.