How to Make Sake from the Waters of Chichibu

“The most important element for a sake brewery is the water that it uses. Without this, sake cannot be made,” says the 13th President Koichi Hasegawa. "The underflow water filtered by the limestones of Mt. Bukou is a mineral-rich, hard water that results in a slightly dry, refreshing sake.” There is an inner well on the premise, and anyone who brings a container can take the water home.

The reasons for maintaining the traditional sake brewing technique

The sake brewing period is from October, when new rice crop becomes available, until the beginning of April. Sake made during the winter is referred to as “kanzukuri (cold brewing),” which is a finely textured, aromatic sake that results from inhibition of growth of bacteria and microorganisms due to the cold temperature. "The temperature difference of the Chichibu Basin, which drops to -10°C in winter, and approaches 40°C in summer, also promotes the maturation of sake.”

Afterwards, it is matured in the refrigerator. Staffs climb the scaffolds surrounding the tank, and mix them throughout the day and night. Although some breweries have computerized all management processes, we at Bukou Shuzo have consistently maintained the traditional method. A Japanese sake made in such manner via time and effort can exhibit a flavor profile that can range from something light and refreshing, to flavorful and mellow. “Sake can taste much better depending on the situation and the food you pair it with. We definitely encourage everyone to foster a keen sense of being able to choose a sake that matches the occasion.”

While having inherited a tradition, Mr. Hasegawa is diligently making daily innovation in exploring new products that are aligned with the changing times. He eventually developed new products including liquors made from plum and rice, as well as sweet sake, salt-marinated rice malt, etc. that are made from white, polished rice malt. “There are a lot of things I want to do by fusing Chichibu's blessings with our brewing techniques,” Mr. Hasegawa said with a smile.

Ichiro Akuto, the founder of “Venture Whiskey,” established the distillery in 2008 with the desire to release 400 barrels of original sake, which he inherited when his family’s long-established sake brewery business fell apart, and the management rights were transferred. What was born out of the said original sake was “Ichiro’s Malt.” It is now a whiskey brand that has received the world's highest reputation.

Handmade with time and effort seeking the perfect drop

“The raw ingredient for making whiskey is barley malt. Most of them are imported from the UK, but about 10% of them are from Chichibu.” The crushed barley is mixed with warm water in three stages while it is put in a scarification tank, and the wort is then extracted. After being combined with yeast in a fermenter, it’s fermented for about 4 days. “We use a fermenter that’s made of water oak. In recent years, many breweries started using stainless fermenters that are relatively easy to take care of, but we stick to wooden ones because we believe the lactic acid bacteria inside the wood will help create a flavor profile that’s unique to Chichibu.”

After adding water to the unblended malt whiskey, and stuffing them in barrels, they are sent to the cellar. Chichibu's climate with an annual temperature difference of more than 30°C is said to be optimal for aging a whiskey. In the cellar, there are about 9,000 barrels of unblended malt whiskey from various countries made in the 1970s, those that their President inherited from his family, as well as “Ichiro’s Malt,” etc.

Chichibu's local sake has been nurtured and blessed by its abundant nature from the Edo period to the present day. Behind the development of such new traditions lay the commitment of craftsmen who continuously innovate and perfect their art while maintaining the inherited technology, and their regional love for Chichibu.