Kyokai No. 6 yeast created by ”sake” brewery ”ARAMASA Co., Ltd.”

2014.4.142019.4.23

”Yeast” – a Necessity for ”Sake” making

I wonder how many brewers we have visited? We have mentioned this before, but once again, let me note that yeast is essential for sake making. Yeast is a must, as it helps glucose change to alcohol. The most common yeast called Kyokai yeast is distributed by the Japan Brewery Kyokai. There are currently 15 types of Kyokai yeast, and each is numbered as ”Kyokai number_____”. Meanwhile, yeast research and development are conducted around the country, and even in Akita, a new type called ”Akita Ryuka” yeast is the talk of the town. Yeast research is conducted to fit different needs, for example adding fragrance or for stains.

Brewery that Gave Birth to Kyokai No. 6

ARAMASA Brewery is famous for the development of the ”Kyokai No.6” yeast. ” During the Meiji period, there were times when it was hard to achieve consistency in the products we produced, so we have always wanted to develop a good yeast that would work consistently.” says president, Yusuke Sato.
Before then, each ”kura” used their own in-house yeast, so the outcome was not stable. The yeast that was developed for practical use in Meiji 39 (1906) was Kyokai No. 1. The Kyokai No. 6 that was developed at ARAMASA was put to practical use in Showa 10 (1935).
One of the features of No. 6 is that it is resilient to cold temperatures. Numbers 1 to 5 were from eastern Japan, whereas No. 6 was born in Akita. Because of this resiliency, it has supported many breweries in the northeastern area. It is said that it is best for ”junmaishu”. The flavor has a mild fragrance. It does not stand out, quiet yet distinct.

Don’t Rely on Information, Rely on Taste

Kyokai No.6 yeast is still being used today while Numbers 1 to 5 are not. Kyokai No. 6 is a yeast that makes good ”junmai sake”. Because of this, ARAMASA Brewery switched all their sake to ”junmai sake” in 2013. Sato says, his next challenge is to try the ancient ”Kimoto” method.
”These days, Japanese ”sake” has become diverse. As a maker myself, I don’t want people to drink according to specifications.” ”Of course information disclosure is important, but I do not want people’s tastes to be driven by information.” He hopes people will enjoy ”sake” for the ”taste” itself. He is truly serious about ”sake”, because he truly wants to be able to compete based on ”taste”. Let’s actually have a taste for ourselves.