酔鯨

SUIGEI

Brewery

Things we have refined. Things we will pass down to a new era.
Here we introduce our passion and commitment to sake brewing and our history

Filtering
TAGS

  • The Ultimate Table Sake

    酔鯨
    Suigei

    Brewing Sake as the Supporting Role
    for the Main Character, Food

    Framed by the Pacific Ocean and the Shikoku Mountains, Kochi Prefecture is a treasure trove of local culinary ingredients. As can be seen in “Sawachi Ryori”, a banquet-style serving of local dishes from the sea, the mountains, and rivers—mingling over delicious food and sake has always been an integral part of the people of Tosa (Kochi’s traditional name). “Suigei” was born from such a sake and banquet-loving culture set in mild climate. The chief charm of Suigei is its clean aftertaste that complements any dish and will have you wanting to drink it until the end of the feast. “Suigei” has been crowned “the best table sake”.

    TAGS

  • The Beautiful Features of Sake

    How to Enjoy Sake

    One of the features of sake is that it has a variety of types and a wide spectrum of taste profiles. Also, it can be enjoyed with food and is served at different temperatures with various drinking styles. Once hooked, you can never leave the world of sake.

    TAGS

  • Sake Brewing Tale #1

    “Rice” and “Water”
    are the Very Basics of Sake Brewing.
    The Point is How Much Water
    the Rice Absorbs
    Rice Milling Machine

    The Story of Rice

    Here in Tosa-gura, we source sake rice in the form of brown rice. Even for the same variety, the state of the rice will be different if harvested in separate regions. Also, the optimum rice milling conditions will vary depending on the state of the brown rice; therefore, it is important to check the rice with our naked eyes and mill it in-house. It is greatly to our advantage that we can mill rice here in the brewery, then immediately afterward, store it in rooms at optimal temperature and humidity until the time we actually use it. With this, we can brew sake using good rice in the best condition.

    Narrator

    Makoto Myosjin

    Tosa-gura brewmaster
    Makoto Myosjin

    TAGS

  • Important Factors in Production to Ensure Quality

    Sake is Alive.

    We Must Read its Emotions, Not Brew by the Book

    Sake is a living thing, and it shows us a different face each time we regard it. Therefore, it’s important for me to observe the condition of sake on-site, judge it based on my own experiences and make detailed adjustments that cannot be determined by numbers. This helps maintain high quality. Imagine the journey the sake takes, all the way from the point of production to delivery into the customers’ hands—filtering, bottling, storage, or whether or not the label is correctly placed or the product is in good condition—everything is subject to uncompromising checks. Also, we release all of the pasteurized sake at the best time. We keep track of the amount in stock and strive to deliver it to customers in the best possible condition.

    Play the Video

    Narrator

    Ryuji Ito

    Nagahama-gura
    Product Section Manager
    Ryuji Ito

    TAGS

  • Enjoy SAKE LifeBringing Suigei to the Tables of the World

    Expansion into Foreign Markets

    Promote “Enjoy SAKE Life”
    to the World and Become One
    of the Japan’s Leading Sake Brands

    Suigei’s “Era of Navigation”,
    Promoting the Best Table Sake

    Sake has traditionally been enjoyed as a national liquor of Japan. However, the current sake consumption in Japan is only 6% of the total liquor consumed. It’s now set to be overtaken by wine. Outside Japan, most restaurants specializing Japanese cuisine, like sushi and tempura, regularly serve wine; however, there are not many non-Japanese restaurants that carry sake. This unfair situation reflects that we have not promoted well enough to the world the beauty of “tasty sake” and its ability to complement food to world! As a person who has been living within the liquor industry, I must take a stand to solve this problem. Whether it’s automobiles or fashion, Japanese brands are well regarded in the global market. This tells us that there is no border for truly quality goods. I wish to introduce genuinely tasty sake to the customers of the world and show them the enjoyment of dining with sake and a lifestyle with it too. Suigei’s voyage to offer the best table sake to the world has just begun.

    TAGS

  • Sake Brewing Tale #2

    “Rice” and “Water”
    are the Very Basics of Sake Brewing.
    The Point is How Much Water
    the Rice Absorbs
    鏡川
    Kagamigawa

    The Story of Water

    80% of sake is water, thus water is the life of sake brewing. As in Nagahama-gura, here in Tosa-gura we use water sourced from the headwaters of the Kagami River located in Tosayama, Kochi City, selected as one of the hundred best water sources of the Heisei Period as judged by the Ministry of the Environment. In Kochi, rain quickly flows into ocean from its steep mountain slopes, keeping its water soft and low in mineral content. I believe that the soft water and high temperatures help Suigei sake deliver a refreshing sourness and create sakes that perfectly accompany delicious food.

    Narrator

    Makoto Myosjin

    Tosa-gura brewmaster
    Makoto Myosjin

    TAGS

  • The Origin and Character of Suigei’s Sake Brewing

    ROOTS

    Against All Odds — The Sprit of Tosa Brewers

    Suigei’s sake is characterized by its rich and dry taste that holds a supreme balance of a gentle aroma and clean aftertaste. Traditionally, Nada in Hyogo and Fushimi in Kyoto are the most notable sake brewing regions in Western Japan. The root of Suigei’s sake brewing is in Hiroshima’s Akitsu Toji (Akitsu-style sake brewmasters), who in turn learned sake brewing in the Nada and Fushimi regions. The sake in Nada, brewed with its mineral-rich hard water, developed into a sweeter sake when adapted to the soft water in Hiroshima. From there it came south to Kochi’s warm, rainy and humid climate which is not always ideal for sake brewing. However, our passionate brewmasters defied the odds and created a rich and dry sake that can be crafted only in the southern region of Tosa.

    Narrator

    Daisuke Eguchi

    Product Development Manager
    Daisuke Eguchi

    TAGS

  • The Best SAKE Season

    SEASON

    When is the Best Season for Sake?

    Hot sake in winter, “shinshu” (the first sake brews of the year) in spring, “natsuzake” (refreshing type of sake best enjoyed in hot weather) in summer, and “akiagari” (the year’s sake aged during summer) in autumn—Each season has its own unique way of enjoying sake. Every season is the best for sake.

    TAGS

  • HIGH-END COLLECTION — Reason for Being

    For Suigei employees,
    they work in the spirit
    of Ryoma Sakamoto

    “SUIGEI HIGH-END COLLECTION”
    — The Pinnacle of Our Brewing Passions

    “SUIGEI HIGH-END COLLECTION” is a premium sake crafted by carefully selecting ingredients in small batches and nurturing the brew with care. Each sake in this line-up stands out due to individual characteristics that come from carefully chosen rice varieties, polishing rates, and kobo yeasts. Just like Tosa’s extraordinary historical individuals who contributed to the Meiji Restoration, each sake shines out uniquely. We christen these sakes by borrowing one kanji character from the names of these pivotal figures. The sakes also embody the mission to constantly evolve for the better, each time they are brewed. For Suigei employees, they work in the spirit of Ryoma Sakamoto, their most famous historical local hero, a man who at the end of the Edo period relentlessly followed the path he believed best for the future of Japan.

    Narrator

    Makoto Myosjin

    Tosa-gura brewmaster
    Makoto Myosjin

    TAGS

  • Sake Brewing Tale #3

    “Rice” and “Water”
    are the Very Basics of Sake Brewing.
    The Point is How Much Water
    the Rice Absorbs
    2 / 1,000,000,000,000

    And the Brewers’ “Spirit”

    Sake brewing starts with washing rice and immersing it in water. Controlling the amount of water to be absorbed in the rice affects the succeeding fermentation steps, and simultaneously forms the framework that ultimately balances taste and aroma. Another important process is the step from pressing to storing sake. Sake’s taste and aroma are easily affected by its constituents. For example, only a few of the existing trillion aroma components may make a difference. From pressing to storing to bottling, the smells from tanks, hoses, and pressing machines risk being transferred to the sake. Therefore, we pay particular attention to all equipment that comes into direct contact with sake, and we need to be careful when cleaning. If we neglect this process, the painstakingly brewed sake can be easily spoiled.

    Narrator

    Makoto Myosjin

    Tosa-gura brewmaster
    Makoto Myosjin

    TAGS

  • Sake Represents Japan

    國酒
    National Liquor

    Sake, as one of the national liquors of Japan, has a long history of constant technological innovation and development by sake brewers and has been a constant companion in people’s good times and bad. Our business is based on that history. We aim to improve and pass down sake culture to the next generations while respecting history and understanding the responsibility to the future. In doing so, we believe it is important to pass on the brewing techniques and increase sake’s popularity as well as hold activities for promoting the tasty and fun aspects of sake.

    TAGS

  • Things We Care about Most during Sake Brewing

    “Tasting Sake”
    —The Brewers’ Mission
    to Maintain a Sensitive Palate

    One of the most important things for brewing sake is maintaining the physical condition of the brewers. Actually, it is not an exaggeration to say that it’s the most important foundation. When we are too tired, we crave sugar. Even eating strong and spicy food the day before can leave our palate dull and senseless. If we catch a cold, our sense of taste and smell are compromised. To maintain the best sense of taste, brewers need to be in good health, first and foremost. So, I am always careful about my own physical condition.

    Narrator

    Ryuji Ito

    Nagahama-gura
    Product Section Manager
    Ryuji Ito

    TAGS

  • Sake in the Overseas Market

    Sake is Enjoyed Outside Japan
    The Number One Market
    is the United States.

    Sake Garnered Attention as Washoku (Japanese Cuisine) Became Popular

    In 2013, “Washoku” (Japanese cuisine) was designated as a UNESCO’s World Intangible Cultural Heritage. After this, Japanese food culture spread worldwide, and subsequently, the export of sake has been increasing. In recent years, we have witnessed that transportation techniques have improved and more and more sake breweries look to the overseas market. Customers outside Japan can now drink high quality sake without any loss in quality during transportation.

    TAGS

  • Aiming to be the Premier Table Sake in the World

    5Tastes

    Maximizing the Complexity
    of the Five Tastes of Fermentation

    When it comes to a clean aftertaste and easy food pairing, distilled liquors with unobtrusive flavors and carbonated sparkling sakes are quite good. However, Suigei does not aim to make a table sake that sits meekly beside the dishes it complements. Sake can exhibit a complex flavor combining the five tastes (sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and umami), all of which are naturally obtained through the fermentation process. We strive to produce the “premier table sake” by finding and adjusting the supreme balance of the five tastes that enhances the umami of any culinary ingredient. This is Suigei’s biggest commitment.

    語り手

    Daisuke Eguchi

    Product Development Manager
    Daisuke Eguchi

    TAGS

  • Suigei’s Commitment

    食中酒
    Shoku-Chu-Shu

    Why Table Sake?

    Surrounded by oceans, mountains, and rivers, Kochi Prefecture has an abundance of fresh harvests and tasty foods, and accordingly people in Kochi have enjoyed sake and food together. To further explore the beauty of this local food culture that enjoys table sake, we constantly refine our brewing techniques and produce “moderate aroma”, “sharp finish”, and “rich in umami”. We aim to produce table sake that can accompany our customers’ everyday dining as well as special occasions and ultimately create happy moments.

    TAGS

  • Sake Brewing in Challenging Conditions

    Climate Unsuitable
    for Sake Brewing

    Kochi, located in the Southern part of Japan, boasts a pleasant and warm climate; however, this is not really desirable for sake brewing. Under these tough conditions for brewing sake, our predecessors have refined their techniques to craft local sake. With the highest annual rainfall and ratio of forested areas in Japan, Kochi has an abundance of water to be used for sake brewing. Suigei’s brewing water is spring water sourced from the Tosayama districts, the upper reaches of the Kagami River that flows through Kochi City. The fresh water, gush out of the deep forests far away from human life, enhances the taste of sake, helps produce its crispness, and prevents from the deterioration of quality.

    動画を再生する

    TAGS

  • Sake in Kochi

    Characteristics of Sake Vary
    from Place to Place

    Sake in Kochi is dry, which means it contains less sugar. This characteristic suits Kochi’s sake drinking culture—people drink a lot of sake with food. Also, local cuisine in Kochi is known to have robust flavors, as best represented by “katsuo no tataki” (seared bonito served with condiments and soy-based sauce), so the taste profile of Kochi’s local sake and food complement each other.

    TAGS