Isumi, a seaside city in Chiba Prefecture about an hour southeast of Tokyo, is home to Kidoizumi Brewery, which has been making sake since 1879.
The present owner¡¯s grandfather was a pioneer in additive-free sake brewing in the immediate postwar years, when adding preservatives was the norm. Hayato Shoji, who now runs Kidoizumi with the help of four brewers, has inherited his grandfather¡¯s dedication to making healthy, flavorful sake.
¡°Our sake is brewed by a method from my grandfather¡¯s day that uses naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria. We make our fermentation starter by combining steamed rice, rice propagated with °ì¨Âá¾± mold and yeast with hot water, keeping the mix at around 55 degrees Celsius, the best temperature for converting starch to sugar. The heat and bacteria-produced lactic acid kill off unwanted bacteria, so there¡¯s no need for additives,¡± Shoji says.
Justin Potts, an American who worked as a brewer at Kidoizumi and now assists with public relations there, explains: ¡°We make our own all-natural lactic acid bacteria culture, and use it only at the start of the brewing season. After that, the bacteria living in the brewhouse take over. Naturally fermented sake has a unique tartness and depth of flavor that match nicely with Western-style dishes too. Non-Japanese drinkers and even Japanese who don¡¯t ordinarily enjoy sake find naturally fermented sake easy on the palate. My wife and I are big fans, and that¡¯s why we moved here.¡±
With organic sake in vogue these days, Kidoizumi has attracted the attention of those who are partial to natural libations.
¡°We¡¯ve stayed true to the kind of sake we feel is important,¡± says owner Shoji, ¡°and we¡¯re happy that the world is beginning to think it¡¯s important, too. My job is to continue the work of producing great-tasting, worry-free sake by our traditional methods.¡±
Kidoizumi Sake Brewery: Ohara 7635-1, Isumi, Chiba Prefecture 298-0004; 0470-62-0013; kidoizumi.jp
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