What kind of sake brand is Kenbishi?剣菱

06/09/202205/30/2023

Sake with the same taste for 500 years! Thorough explanation of the charm of Hyogo’s famous sake “Kenbishi"

As the liquor industry changes one after another, “Kenbishi" is the sake that has survived while maintaining its overwhelming popularity, despite the fact that it chose not to change.

Born in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, it retains its original taste even after years of production, and often appears in the key scenes of Japanese history.

This time, I would like to explore the secret of the charm of “Kenbishi".

Contents

What is “Kenbishi"?

History of Kenbishi

Kenbishi Sake Brewery’s commitment to “unchanging taste"

Introducing the “Kenbishi" series

What is “Kenbishi"?

“Kenbishi" is a sake that represents Hyogo prefecture. It has a long tradition as sake, and it is not an exaggeration to say that if you go to a supermarket or a liquor store, it is spread all over the country. Even if you don’t know the name “Kenbishi", many people may have recognize that logo of Kenbishi.

Kenbishi continues to stick to keeping the traditional taste unchanged. Like clothes and makeup, sake has a trend depending on the times. However, Kenbishi continues to maintain the unchanging taste, and continues to make sake with a strong claim of “rice taste" as a whole. There is no doubt that you will feel “Is this traditional sake!"

So why is Kenbishi so particular about the same taste? Let’s unravel the secret from the history of Kenbishi.

History of Kenbishi

Kenbishi Sake Brewery (formerly Inaderaya) is said to have been established more than 500 years ago before Eisho 2 (1505). Due to the length of history, such a legend remains. “Once upon a time, when Katsu Kaishu said," I want you to forgive Ryoma Sakamoto’s dappan, “Tosa Yamauchi Toyoshige said," I’ll forgive you if you drink this. “. Kaishu did his best to drink up, so he was able to get forgiveness from Yamauchi. ”

An indispensable part of talking about Kenbishi Sake Brewery is the Edo period document “Sodekagami." It is written here that Inaderaya was founded in Eisho 2 and that it has a history of 345 years as of 1849 when the literature was published. The Kenbishi logo, which is still in use today, was also mentioned in this document.

However, there is no two letters “Kenbishi" in this document, and the name of sake that has been loved with the Kenbishi logo for more than 300 years is still unknown. One thing is certain: the sake brewed by Kenbishi Sake Brewery has been loved by many people for so long.

Furthermore, Kenbishi Sake Brewery, which has survived for more than 500 years, has had several crises in this long history. For example, the “Sake Brewing Control Ordinance" that came into effect during the Edo period. Due to the great famine, sake brewing was banned. In addition, the sake brewery was flooded by the Great Hanshin Flood, and the Nada brewery was burned down by the air raid of the war. rice field.

Kenbishi Sake Brewery has suffered various hardships such as famine, the Meiji Restoration, wars and earthquakes in its long history.
Even so, I never lost the “Kenbishi-ness". There is such an episode that you can see the thoroughness of sticking to “Kenbishi-ness".

During World War II, the government, which was in short supply of rice, instructed to reduce the amount of rice in sake and make “Sanmasu", which adjusts the taste with acidulants and sugars. However, the president of Kenbishi Sake Brewery at that time, “Seiichi Shirakashi," refused to manufacture it, claiming that “this is not sake." Although it is manufactured at the behest of the government, the sake is handed over to other companies. It conveys the manufacturer’s spirit and determination that “I only want to make really good products."

The reason for sticking to Kenbishi’s uniqueness so far was in the “family lesson".

● Reasons why Kenbishi adopts “the same manufacturing method"

Kenbishi Sake Brewery, which has inherited the baton of five families for 500 years, has “three family lessons", and one of them is “stop the clock."

Whenever we try to keep up with trends, we are always following the latest trends. Then, I will never match the hands of the clock.

The idea is that if you have a watch that has the same taste and stops, the time will surely go around, the time will come exactly, and you will definitely come back. It seems that Kenbishi himself, who has survived by staying on a clock that has stopped for a long time, proves this idea.

Kenbishi Sake Brewery’s commitment to “unchanging taste"

Kenbishi Sake Brewery thoroughly brews sake by calculating back from the goal in order not to change the taste. What should not be misunderstood is not “the sake that sticks to the old-fashioned handmade sake", but the conclusion that “the old-fashioned handmade sake is necessary to keep the taste of Kenbishi".

For example, we change the rice polishing rate little by little in order to make Kenbishi of the same taste from rice that changes every year, so we continue to polish our own rice, which is now less, or make it a jiuqu that brings out the full flavor of rice. For this reason, we are still making koji by hand, and we use wooden sushi for steamed rice. It has been done.

Kenbishi Sake Brewery continues to make tremendous efforts and evolution in order to “be a stopped clock."

Introducing the “Kenbishi" series

Kenbishi made with great care.

From here, we will introduce the representative Kenbishi series!, Some of them are rare and can only be bought for a limited time, so be sure to check them out!

剣菱 Kenbishi

This is sake! The spiciness is just like that. That’s right, this is a dish that you can’t help but feel that it was rice.

Kenbishi has achieved a soft taste that is easy to drink and has a harmony of spiciness and umami. By making it hot, the taste of rice will be further enhanced and it will have an outstanding sharpness. It’s delicious even when it’s cold, and it’s delicious even when it’s sake.

You will be able to enjoy a variety of flavors.

黒松 剣菱  Kuromatsu Kenbishi

The moment you put it in your mouth, you can taste the “rice".

The texture is soft and has a rich scent. Sweet … spicy … sour … a solid “umami" that cannot be described in those words. The rich taste of rice is coming.

By tasting it carefully, you will feel the lurking acidity, spiciness and it becomes a mellow richness, and the taste that goes away without rot. The elegant finish is comfortable.

極上黒松 剣菱  Gokujo Kuromatsu Kenbishi

Mizuho Kuromatsu Kenbishi is made by blending only sake that has been aged for more than 2 years using Yamada Nishiki.
The scent is elegant, but it is characterized by the rich taste unique to Kenbishi.

Although it has a gorgeous finish, it is not persistent. This extravagant exchange becomes fun with each cup of the first … second cup … and does not make the drinker bored.

瑞穂黒松 剣菱 Mizuho Kuromatsu Kenbishi

Mizusho Kuromatsu Kenbishi is a carefully selected blend of Yamada Nishiki produced in Hyogo prefecture, which has been slowly and slowly aged for over 5 years.

The aroma when you put it in your mouth is very rich, and the sweetness of rice is intertwined. The mouthfeel is mellow, and the umami that remains after drinking is like a wave.

Why don’t you try the luxurious taste that has been aged for more than 5 years? Once a year, it’s a winter-only product, so don’t miss it!