Azerou, a French brewery
On this July 14th, the French National Holiday, we have once again chosen to honor this young French brewery, Azerou Saké. We've already talked to you about their project here, but we've been given the opportunity once again with the release of two products, unpasteurized sakes whose freshness and quality will surprise you.
THE AZEROU BREWERY
Founded by Maeva Delaruelle and Johan Ramsayer, the Azerou sake brewery started up in August 2022 in Cabestany, not far from Perpignan. It's a very young unit that can rely on the solid scientific foundations of its creators. The world of microorganisms holds no secrets for Maeva, a biotechnology engineer, and Yohan, a PhD in microbiology. They have spent several years accumulating academic knowledge on sake, while multiplying experimental brews.
We're delighted to join them once again in expanding their collection. Two unpasteurized sakes, just bottled !
AZEROU STYLE
The first interesting thing to note is the selection of ingredients: they are 100% French, with Brio rice from the Camargue and spring water from the Pyrenees. Although the rice is only 90% polished, they have opted for long, low-temperature fermentations, methods that are more suited to the production of Ginjo and Daiginjo-style sakes. Gradually, their identity takes shape, combining roundness and cereal notes, even woody, with pretty fruity and floral accents.
Namazake or pasteurized sake : Sake pasteurization involves heating the sake to around 65°C to eliminate micro-organisms, before cooling it rapidly to preserve its taste characteristics. This operation can be carried out in a variety of ways : in the vat, in the bottle, before or after a resting period... see here for more details. This process is not compulsory in sake production, which is why there are varieties known as "nama", unpasteurized sakes that are distinguished by their more pronounced freshness and liveliness, but are also more delicate to store. They should be consumed soon after opening.
AZEROU NAMA
The first, Sokujo Nama, follows a contemporary production method that consists of protecting the yeast population, and thus favoring start-up, by adding a fraction of acid at the start of fermentation. The second, Kimoto Nama, follows an older method of crushing the rice into a paste at the start of fermentation.
In terms of tasting, we appreciated the sweet, smoky notes of Sokujo Nama. The Kimoto Nama, on the other hand, offers wilder aromas of ripe fruit and undergrowth. Sokujo Nama is a great match for herb-grilled lamb, while Kimoto Nama goes well with blue-veined cheeses! Both are best served chilled.
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