What kind of sake brand is 天蛙 Amagaeru？
Close to the secret of Aramasa’s illusory masterpiece “天蛙 Amagaeru"
If you see a sake called “Amagaeru" at an izakaya or a liquor store … It should definitely be ordered!
What kind of sake is “Amagaeru" this time, and why is it so rare? We will approach the secret!
Contents
What is 新政酒造 Aramasa Sake Brewery
What is “Amagaeru"?
Why “absolutely buy" when you see Amagaeru
Summary
What is 新政酒造Aramasa Sake Brewery
About the history and origin of founding
Aramasa Sake Brewery, which manufactures “Aramasa," was founded in Akita in 嘉詠 5year （1852）, more than 160 years ago.
At that time, at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Meiji Restoration soon occurred, and the first 初代 佐藤 卯兵衛 Uhee Sato (founder), who was fascinated by the word “新政厚徳Shinsei Kotoku（Those who practice politics in a new era must first be virtuous as individuals.）" that 西郷 隆盛Takamori Saigo advocated at that time, named “新政Aramasa" his own sake. It seems that it was decided.
It is the secret of yeast that was discovered at the time of the 五代目 佐藤 卯兵衛 5th generation Uhee Sato that made such a new government widely known throughout the country. At that time, it was thought that rice had the secret to making delicious sake, but it was revealed that the yeast in the brewery also affects the taste of sake.
Subsequent Aramasa Sake Brewery
After the Greater East Asia War, a large-scale fire struck, and management was forced to close to the point of closing down. However, despite overcoming many hardships with the 6th Ubei and the 7th Ubei, “Aramasa" continues to brew at the place of its founding.
As a recent event, we have shifted from brewing in 2008-09 (2008 brewing year) to employee brewing with an average age of early thirties.
From 2009 to 2010 brewing (2009 sake brewing year), we paid the utmost respect for the achievements of nature and ancestors in Akita Prefecture, and limited the yeast used to “No. 6 yeast".
The following day, from 2010 to 2011 brewing (2010 sake brewing year), the raw rice was limited to rice produced in Akita prefecture for the purpose of thorough traceability and contribution to the community.
From 2012 to 2013 (Heisei 24 sake brewing year), the transition to the pure rice brewing system for all products was completed.
In 2013-14 (2013 brewing year), by limiting the brewing method to “raw liquor-based liquor method" (raw liquor and mountain abandoned liquor) and “sake fermentation using cultured lactic acid bacteria", it is called lactic acid for brewing. We broke up from the “quick brewing method" made by adding ready-made acidulants.
From 2014 to 2015 (2014 sake brewing year), we stopped using “cultured lactic acid bacteria" for sake fermentation and limited the manufacturing method to only “raw liquor-based sake method" made with naturally derived lactic acid bacteria (in addition, “cultured lactic acid bacteria" Is a living microorganism, similar to “Kyokai Yeast". It is not an acidulant like lactic acid for brewing. However, we do not use it by culturing a single strain of microorganisms during brewing. I thought that the quality of sake would be improved if the sake mother was made by the naturally mixed lactic acid bacteria). In addition, the manufacturing method has been unified from “山廃 Yamahai" to “生酛 Kimoto". As a result of seeking a brewing method that more closely matches our brewery, it became “生酛純米蔵 Kimoto Junmai Kura" from 2015 to 2016 (Heisei 27 sake brewing year).
What is “Amagaeru"?
One of the best masterpieces of 新政Aramasa “PRIVATE LAB"
“Private Lab" is the line created by 新政酒造Aramasa Sake Brewery, a revolutionary child of sake, to clear the taste that the current sake should aim for and the problems that should be solved. It conveys the fundamental spirit of the new “Aramasa" that started in 2008.
Aramasa Sake Brewery, which considered the issues for sake to be “four", showed the answer to the problem with sake itself.
We have developed brands that are likened to the “four gods" of the 白虎Byakko, 青龍Seiryu, 朱雀Suzaku, 玄武Genbu, which are the symbols of Feng Shui. The four gods had the point of view that they were mammals, amphibians, birds, and reptiles, respectively.
Among them, Amagaeru is a brand that is manufactured by reading the amphibian 青龍Seiryu. It is known as one of the four most valuable sakes!
It is made by the most difficult manufacturing method!
“Amagaeru" is an active sake with an alcohol concentration of 10% or less, and is made with Thinly turbid, which is a secondary fermentation in a bottle.
“Secondary fermentation in a bottle" is a manufacturing method for brewing Champagne manufacturing method（Secondary fermentation in the bottle）. By using this manufacturing method, alcoholic fermentation by surviving yeast progresses rapidly, and carbon dioxide gas is generated.
Some low-alcohol sparkling sakes on the market are manufactured with additives that do not need to be labeled to ensure high acidity and reduce fermentation. However, “Amagaeru" is a liquor made as an antithesis of such an industrial manufacturing method, and is brewed by sticking to the natural method.
However, this manufacturing method requires the most difficult technique and thorough temperature control. Therefore, it is known as a rare liquor because it is rarely distributed to the general public.
What does “Amagaeru" taste like?
It is characterized by its fresh sweetness and soft acidity with a pear feel, and has a rice aroma and a mellow flavor.
In addition, the alcohol content is 8 degrees, which is low among sake, so even beginners of sake and those who are weak in sake can drink it.
You can also feel the carbonic acid, so it is also a point that you can feel refreshed. Recommended sake for summer.
Why “absolutely buy" when you see Amagaeru
Amagaeru is made using the most difficult technique.
In fact, there are other secrets that are hard to find on the market besides the manufacturing method!
“Celestial frog" phenomenon
“Amagaeru" is also a sake that is famous for being extremely difficult to open. Because of the strong gas pressure, a balloon / outburst accident, which is called the “celestial frog" phenomenon, may occur.
This difficult experience of opening the cap is very popular, and many sake fan’s blogs and articles mention that it was difficult and fun to open (laughs).
Since it is difficult to handle this heavenly frog, it is so difficult to manage that Aramasa himself declares that it is not recommended for beginners.
The precautionary statement on the bottle says, “It is recommended to open the bottle in the bathroom." Some people say that it took more than 30 minutes to open the bottle, so it can be said that it is a difficult drink to drink (laughs).
Difficult to manage even in sake breweries
Amagaeru is difficult to manage even in sake breweries, and in Aramasa Sake Brewery, it is always managed at -5 ℃.
It seems that the liquor store that provides Amagaeru is also requested to strictly adhere to “storage below -5 ℃".
The management method is so difficult that even if you buy it, there aren’t many liquor stores that can handle it, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll meet! Therefore, if you find a store where you can order Amagaeru, you should definitely order it!
Summary
Anyway, “Amagaeru" is too rare to meet.
It was a sake that was difficult to handle not only in the brewery but also for the people at the liquor store who purchased it because it was made using a carefully selected manufacturing method.
If you find it at a liquor store or shop, please buy it! And, when opening the cap, pay close attention to the “celestial frog" phenomenon.