What kind of sake brand is Suishin?酔心

05/09/202205/15/2023

Soft water into Sake!! Thorough explanation of the charm of the famous sake “Suishin" produced by Hiroshima

Suddenly, do you know the sake called “Suishin"?

Suishin is a carefully made sake brewed with the ultimate soft water that springs from the foot of Mt. Takanosu in central Hiroshima Prefecture. It is also known as the sake that Taikan Yokoyama, a master of Japanese painting, loved throughout his life.

This time, let’s take a closer look at the traditional Hiroshima sake, “Suishin," which is “honeydew"!

Contents

History of 酔心山根本店 Suishinyamanehonten

Commitment to Suishin

History of 酔心山根本店 Suishinnyamanehonten

◆ Hiroshima, Kibi sake

Sake in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture has long been famous as a brewery for sake, and has been loved by people such as being described as “Kibi’s Sake" in the Manyoshu. It is introduced as a famous sake along with Kaga’s Kikushu and Hakata’s Neri Sake.

Mihara was also a pioneer of sake. In the Edo period, many sakes were muddy sake, but in Mihara, it seems that sake that is close to modern sake was already brewed.

◆ History of 酔心山根本店 Suishinyamanehonten

In the first year of Manen Gan Nen (1860), the Suishinyamanehonten started its establishment.

In the middle of the Meiji era, they unified more than 20 brands, and after the birth of “Suishin", the breakthrough of the Suishinyamanehonten started. At that time, Hiroshima’s sake was considered to be rural sake, but in 1912, it won first place at the 2nd National Liquor Show hosted by the Ministry of Finance. It is loved by more people as a traditional Hiroshima sake that is “honeydew".

Then, in the Taisho era, in 1914, the Association No. 3 yeast was recognized in the excellent yeast separation of national breweries by the National Tax Agency Brewing Laboratory. Furthermore, in 1919 (1919), 10 (1921), and 13 (1924), he won the Honor Award at the National Liquor Show three times in a row. With the passage of time, the Suishin has evolved and continues to make delicious sake!

◆ Yokoyama Taikan “The heart is my staple food"

The master of Japanese painting, “Yokoyama Taikan," which everyone may have heard once, is famous as a big fan of Suishin. He liked the mellow yet dry Suishin.

Yokoyama Taikan’s meal was just a light drink in a bowl in the morning, and other than that, he was taking calories with his heart! It’s quite an extreme way of eating (laughs). Such Yokoyama Taikan eventually met the third president, Kaoru Yamane, through his wife, and hit it off. Sandaime J Soul Brothers, who became friends with Taikan Yokoyama, said, “Sake brewing and painting are the same art."

Also, in 1945, when distribution was paralyzed due to the bombing of Tokyo, Taikan Yokoyama asked by writing a letter by hand, saying, “I want you to send your Suishin to Tokyo."

In his later years, Taikan Yokoyama collapsed due to an illness that made him unable to take medicine and water, but he was able to drink his Suishin and then gradually recovered to the point where he could take medicine and water! For him, the Suishin was a cure that was more effective than a medicine! (Smile)

Commitment to Suishin

◆ Water

The sake of the Suishinyamanehonten is brewed with ultra-soft water.

The water used is “Megumi Beech", an ultra-soft water with a hardness of 14 that springs from the foot of Mt. Takanosu in central Hiroshima Prefecture.
There is a primeval beech forest on Mt. Takanosu, which makes the spring water the ultimate soft water with almost no minerals.
When brewing sake with soft water, yeast slowly ferments and has a fragrant aroma. A clean mouth, elegant and soft sweetness and umami, and a light and fragrant liquor.

After the development of a brewing method called “soft water brewing method" by Akitsu brewer Miura Senzaburo in the 20s of the Meiji era, Hiroshima’s sake was characterized by being brewed with “soft water".
However, due to environmental destruction, the water used by kuramotos in Hiroshima Prefecture gradually changes to hard water from the end of the Showa period to the beginning of the Heisei period.

Therefore, in 2000, the 5th and 6th kuramotos dug a new groundwater vein to make a really delicious “soft water-prepared" sake, “Beech Megumi".
they found the ideal soft water from a groundwater vein whose water quality changes only by 1 meter. Digging up groundwater veins for delicious sake … It’s a great passion.

◆ Rice

The raw rice is made with particular attention to a raw rice, such as the finest “Yamada Nishiki" and carefully selected sake brewed rice “Hachitan" and “Senbon Nishiki" from Hiroshima Prefecture.

We carry out advanced rice polishing, saying that the arbitrage such as the rice polishing rate is 65% or less, and the maximum is 30%.

Above all, this commitment is well reflected in the 鳳凰酔心 Houou（phoenix）Suishin “Ultimate Suishin" Daiginjo, which is made by polishing “Yamada Nishiki" to 30% and preparing it with “ultra-soft water".