COUNTRY :
Japan
REGION :
Chiba
PRODUCTION :
Terada Masaru
Established in 1670, Terada Honke made a decision about 30 years ago to part ways with the industrial brewing methods of postwar Japan and take sake back to its roots. 24th-generation kuramoto Terada Masaru is following in his predecessor’s footsteps, leading a brewery where the whole incredibly labor-intensive process is done by hand. The rice used is all organic, and most of it is polished far less than the average in the industry. Fermentation relies on brewery propagated kōji (a rarity) and either kimoto or bodaimoto fermentation methods, which when combined with the little-polished rice, results in tastes that are bold, full-bodied, and expressive with a signature high presence of lactic acid.
“Kaikoshu”
Region: Chiba
Rice Variety: Miyamanishiki, Koshi-hikari
Type: junmai muroka namagenshu
Polishing Rate: 70%
ABV: 20%
Ingredients: rice, water, kōji
Brewing: kimoto slow ferment, aged 15 years, unpasteurized, undiluted, unfiltered
Serving Temperature: room temperature to lightly warmed
“Musubi”
Region: Chiba
Rice Variety: Koshi-hikari
Type: hatsuga-genmai (unpolished, sprouted brown rice) muroka namagenshu
Polishing Rate: 100%
ABV: 11%
Ingredients: rice, water, kōji
Brewing: short ferment of sprouted rice, unpasteurized, undiluted, unfiltered
Serving Temperature: chilled
“Daigo no Shizuku”
Region: Chiba
Rice Variety: Koshi-hikari, Yukigesho
Type: junmai muroka namagenshu
Polishing Rate: 90%
ABV: 13%
Ingredients: rice, water, kōji
Brewing: bodaimoto, unpasteurized, undiluted, unfiltered
Serving Temperature: chilled
“Shizen no Manma”
Region: Chiba
Rice Variety: Miyamanishiki, Dewasansan
Type: junmai muroka namagenshu
Polishing Rate: 70%
ABV: 19%
Ingredients: rice, water, kōji
Brewing: kimoto slow ferment, unpasteurized, undiluted, unfiltered
Serving Temperature: lightly chilled to lightly warmed
“Katori 80”
Region: Chiba
Rice Variety: Yukigesho
Type: junmai muroka namagenshu
Polishing Rate: 80%
ABV: 19%
Ingredients: rice, water, kōji
Brewing: kimoto slow ferment, unpasteurized, undiluted, unfiltered
Serving Temperature: lightly chilled to lightly warmed
“Katori 90”
Region: Chiba
Rice Variety: Koshi-hikari, Yukigesho
Type: junmai muroka namagenshu
Polishing Rate: 90%
ABV: 20%
Ingredients: rice, water, kōji
Brewing: kimoto slow ferment, unpasteurized, undiluted, unfiltered
Serving Temperature: lightly chilled to lightly warmed