Koshi no Tsuru: cross over crane

Polished off another fine Niigata rice brew last weekend, but didn't get around to categorizing it yet, so here it goes.   The one thing I want to note about this sake is that it was made using one of the oldest methods in brewing called  Kanzukuri, which is a way brewers use cold winter temps to enhance yeast during the sake brewing process.   In addition, kanzukuri is inherently a winter brew and was and is still brewed during winter.     However, technology has enabled brewers to brew year-round, and therefore rendering this archaic method obsolete.     Of course, I love the old method best and I love the complexity and smoothness you get from kanzukuri style sake.    As I have mentioned before, when you are in Japan you need to look for this local jizake that you can only purchase here in Japan.    Winter brewed sake made with very old and traditional methods are becoming rare and hard to get because of the growing lack of skilled brewers....i.e. younger kurabito who are less willing to use older methods rely on technology rather than an experience to brew their sake.   The labor intensity that goes into making just this bottle alone required the efforts of highly skilled  kurabito [ sake brewery workers] who employed the highest traditional methods.







Looking at the label, you can see three sets of kanji characters.   The kanji on your right from top to bottom reads [ Kanzukuri-shinshu]  winter brew new sake;  sake that's brewed during winter and has not undergone maturation.    The kanji in the center is the name of the brewer [ koshi no tsuru] cross-over crane / rough translation.   The last kanji on your left is [ honjozo] a premium sake.   People with gluten-sensitivity should be able to drink it.   The kanji from the top coming down is [Muroka - Nama Genshu] so it's unfiltered, unpasteurized, and undiluted.   How that translates into taste is that you get gamier bolder flavors that are fruity and clean.



The breakdown of the sake and where to buy it is located here on my new technical vlog site




Enjoy.