Master brewer Naohiko Noguchi is a living legend in the sake world. A native of the town of Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, he hails from a family of brewers, and began learning the trade when he was only 16.
He rose to fame during his tenure as head brewer at Ishikawa¡¯s Kikuhime Brewing Company, where he became known for making elegant yet robust brews that helped propel a boom in ²µ¾±²ÔÂᨠ(premium grade) sake in the 1980s. The popularity of his trademark style also led to the revival of the time-consuming ¡°yamahai¡± method ¡ª a traditional brewing technique that typically results in earthy, umami-rich flavors ¡ª which had practically disappeared following World War II.
After retiring from Kikuhime at 65, Noguchi went on to make sake at two more breweries for more than a decade before becoming the ³Ù¨Âá¾± (master brewer) of the company that bears his name, . Established in 2017, the brewery is a stunning piece of modern architecture set in the mountains of Komatsu, on the western coast of Ishikawa. There, he leads a team of young brewers in their 20s and 30s to foster the next generation of sake makers.
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