Natural disaster spawns new shochu

Today we're taking you to the far south of Japan, to the island of Kyūshū, to Kumamoto and Hitoyoshi to be exact. A region dominated by one of the world's largest active volcanoes, Mount Aso, and renowned for its natural wealth, hot springs and culinary traditions, in which shochu holds pride of place !

le Mont Aso, un volcan encore actif très connu au Japon
It was in 1898, in the heart of this prefecture, that the Yamatoichi Shuzo distillery was founded, a small unit with traditional methods that makes it a point of honor to carry out each stage of production by hand.

A natural disaster and a lost distillery
All was well in this peaceful environment until July 4, 2020, a dark day for Kumamoto.  Just as the summer season was well underway, torrential rains poured down on the region, causing major flooding of the Kuma River and unprecedented damage and loss of life throughout the valley.

Les dégâts causés par les inondations dans la préfecture de Kumamoto le 4 juillet 2020
Yamatoichi Shuzo, was not spared. The distillery was drowned under three meters of brown water, and much of its equipment was destroyed, including the century-old stone kojimuro* (* the koijmuro is the room in which Koji, rice and Aspergillus oryzae fungus are prepared).

flooded brewery

Added to this visible damage was an unprecedented disaster for Yamatoichi Shuzo: the loss of his microbiome, installed at the heart of the distillery since the Meiji era. At the time, everyone thought that no more shochu would ever leave the distillery.

What is the microbiome ?
Breweries and distilleries, especially those with a long tradition, are environments where micro-organisms such as yeast, koji kin (Aspergillus oryzae) and lactic acid bacteria of all kinds can develop, settle and thrive. The walls and ceilings of these areas become comfortable natural habitats thanks to the high temperature and humidity. A significant advantage for the producer is the spontaneous fermentations that influence the taste, aroma and texture of his products. A style in direct contact with the environment, a unique trademark.

Horror vacui, or the origin of Kumagawa Yeast
If we were to adhere to the Aristotelian idea that nature abhors a vacuum, this story makes perfect sense. In its flood, the River Kuma has brought with it a whole population of original micro-organisms, new candidates for fermentations !

étape de la production du shochu : brassage du moromi
Yamatoichi Shuzo seized the opportunity to imagine a whole series of new shochus, aided by the aptly named “Kumagawa Yeast”. A springboard to get back on her feet !

Kumagawa Genmai Shochu
Today, we're pleased to illustrate this point by presenting Yamatoichi Shuzo's latest creation, a shochu that stands out for its bold production choices, including the use of natural yeasts and genmai rice, or brown rice !

bouteille de Kumagawa shochu
Tasting notes
The nose is elegant, fresh, marked by cereal notes and hints of just-steamed rice and rice powder. It then evolves towards flowers, becoming richer and more complex. The palate evokes sensations of roundness, it's almost creamy, tender, always accompanied by these slightly woody, cereal notes. Texture is the outstanding element here, smooth and soft on the palate, then becoming mineral and saline in a long, fragrant finish. This supple texture, inherited from the use of genmai rice, gives Kumagawa Genmai Shochu a pleasant, accessible character. A shochu unique in its method, somewhat elitist, but truly perfect for discovering a category not always easy to tame.

Our tips for enjoying this shochu
Start by tasting it neat, without ice, in a wine glass. You'll discover its astonishing typicity. But the best way to enjoy it to the full is to add one part hot water to one part shochu (“oyuwari” style). The lightly toasted flavors of the genmai rice, the roundness and creaminess will reveal themselves in a moment of comforting fullness !

A few words about production : the process begins with steaming brown rice. This is then sprinkled with yellow koji kin to produce a koji of brown rice, which is then placed in a fermentation vat. At the same time, another batch of brown rice is steamed and added to this vat with water (Donburi method).

étape de la production du shochu : la préparation du riz
All these ingredients are then carefully mixed together, and left unmixed and uncontrolled for 40 days. It is during this period that the natural yeast gradually settles in, ensuring alcoholic fermentation. The contents of the vat (moromi) are then distilled in a steel kettle topped with a tin coil.