What kind of sake brand is Masumi? 真澄

05/04/202202/05/2023

A long-established store that continues tradition and innovation! The charm of Nagano’s representative sake brand “Masumi"

Everyone, Do you like sake ?

Introducing this time is “Masumi", a representative brand of Nagano prefecture. It is a historic sake brewery that is also known as the origin of “No. 7 yeast" that is active in 60% of sake breweries nationwide.

Contents

Sake that lasts for “350 years" in Suwa, Shinshu

The birthplace of “No. 7 yeast" that is active in 60% of sake breweries nationwide

“Masumi" Anxious taste

Sake that lasts for “350 years" in Suwa, Shinshu

Masumi was founded in 1662 and is made by Miyasaka Jozo, which has a history of 350 years since its founding in 2012. It is run in Shinshu Suwa, a plateau basin where Kirigamine is beautifully spread out, which is rich in nature and cool.

Since it is a talented sake brewery that has achieved good results every year at national competitions, many people may have heard of it.

Traditional and innovative sake brewing

“Masumi" is a well-known brand that is widely distributed, but it is not mass-produced and is brewed with an emphasis on “advanced manual work" by skilled manufacturing staff at the two sake breweries. It is a simple and “delicious" sake made by a combination of an employee brewer who has acquired scientific knowledge about brewing and fermentation and a professional / farmer brewer who raises creatures.

Miyasaka Jozo is a brewery with a long history, but it is characterized by constantly incorporating a new system. It seems that they are always trying new things, such as reviewing the design of products with young designers. On the website, they publish a recipe for incorporating Masumi into our daily dining table every month under the name of “Life with Masumi", and they are trying to get more people to drink Masumi’s sake.

Despite being a long-established sake brewery with a long history, the attitude of serving traditional sake in line with the present age is wonderful.
The reason why we can continue to brew sake on the front line for 350 years is because of such efforts.

The birthplace of “No. 7 yeast" that is active in 60% of sake breweries nationwide

As introduced at the beginning, Masumi is said to be the origin of No. 7 yeast. So what exactly is the origin of No. 7 yeast?

About No. 7 yeast

Sake is brewed by yeast converting sugar into alcohol. Yeast, along with water and rice, plays an important role in sake brewing.

This yeast was discovered by the National Tax Agency’s Brewing Research Institute in 1946, when Masumi dominated the top ranks of the National Sake Appraisal, from moromi fermenting at Masumi Suwazo, and was named “brewing society yeast No. 7". After spreading nationwide as the so-called “No. 7 yeast" and “Masumi yeast," it has become a standard sake yeast that is now used in about 60% of all breweries.

“Masumi" Anxious taste

The origin of the brand Masumi seems to come from the treasure “Masumi no Kagami" of Suwa Taisha Shrine. From the words, it is reminiscent of a clear taste without cloudiness.