In Topics, we will deliver not only the taste of sake but also the story and thoughts behind it through interviews with the sake producers handled by the sake select shop Mirai Nihonshuten .

Continuing from last time , we interviewed Mr. Kazuma of Kazuma Sake Brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture.
In this final installment, we will talk about the future of Kazuma Sake Brewery.

brews and liqueurs

-Have you been drinking sake for a long time?

 

Not at all lol. I wasn't good at sake, so I started at 24. I started drinking seriously

 

-You didn't drink much when you were in Tokyo.

 

I didn't have a good memory. It's the guy who was drunk at a drinking party and became wow. I thought it wouldn't work.

 

-So you liked beer more at that time?

 

Beer or cassis orange lol. very feminine.

 

-I see.

 

There is no difference depending on the shop, and it is definitely a delicious one. I drank plum wine, but I didn't drink sake.

 

- Brewed sake has that aspect. Liqueurs contain fruit as an ingredient, but brewed sake turns sugar into alcohol, so some people may not like it.

 

Yes, I was not good at it.

 

-This time we are talking about the N-project, but you also put a lot of effort into liqueurs, right?

 

It's only yuzu sake and plum wine, and it doesn't have that much power. Umeshu occupies the top sales, so it's not like I'm ignoring it.

 

-There are several types of umeshu and yuzushu with the same design.

 

Do you have plum wine

 

-Only 1 package of yuzu sake.

 

Only. I have one more bottle.

 

-It's a stylish package, isn't it?

 

thank you. This has existed since ancient times. It was written by a local calligrapher.

 

-That's right. The Japanese word for “yuzu” has a modern taste, and the taste is different from the so-called “Japanese” typeface that has been around for a long time.

 

I agree.

Soothing sake brewing, heart-warming company creation, heart-rich Noto creation.

*The image is a screenshot.

-There are only a few questions left. First of all, could you tell us about the future direction of the brewery?

Well, as for the direction of the brewery, the management philosophy is everything. "Relaxing sake brewing, heart-warming company creation, heart-rich Noto creation."

-I see. Was this decided again after Mr. Kazuma took over?

Once again, I'm putting it out in a big way as a management philosophy. Well, I did the words of my predecessor that were listed somewhere. While thinking about various things, I studied how to create a management philosophy and asked other companies to look at it.

-I see. thank you. Also, I would like to know if there are any targets that you would like to focus on in the future, such as gender or age group.

I don't particularly want this kind of person to drink it. I don't even think about all customers. As for the direction, I have a feeling that it depends on the woman. I don't know why.

-I see. On the flip side, you shouldn't be aiming for it in particular.

I'm not aiming for it in particular. However, we are conscious of women with the image of the label renewed from this year. I got a lot of female perspectives.

-Are there many women in the company?

Well, there are about 5 women. The percentage may be high.

-thank you.

Thank you very much.

Future Prospects Seen from Six Categories

-Last but not least, Six Star Sake Brands has six categories. There are "vintage", "terroir", "sparkling", "designer's", "organic", and "gift".

Well, what should we start with lol.

-I think “Terroir” is a perfect fit for the N-project. Also, there is a part that you can feel the "designer's" element to some extent. So, what do you think about the three main elements of "vintage", "organic" and "sparkling"?

Regarding "vintage", I would like to enhance it as a product. However, thankfully, it sells out before it's time to sleep, so I'm doing it on a fresh rotation now. There is only one product called 5-year-old sake, but it is in the state where the customer is waiting for the completion.

- Kusu means that it has been left to mature in a refrigeration facility, right?

that's right. I put it in a small bottle and store it in the refrigerator at 0 degrees. The quantity will be quite limited. As soon as it's gone, I'm waiting for the next old sake. Of course, I think it's an essential element when it comes to showing the value of sake.

-There are possibilities in the future.

of course.

-With regards to organic and health-conscious products, which one is right for you?

In the first place, most of our products are made with rice that does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
The same is true for two types of ordinary sake, and so is Junmai sake. Most of the new sake from this season is made only with that rice.
I'd like to get organic certification, but I'm currently using abandoned farmland, so I can't quite meet that strict requirement. It includes conditions such as places where pesticides were used before, and within a radius of several meters there are rice fields where pesticides are not used. The hurdle is quite high when it comes to farmers.
Anyway, there is an organic orientation. Rather than wanting to be accepted by the market, we are working to preserve the ecosystem of Noto by not using pesticides.

-It's nice. Next is sparkling.

Sparkling is also one of the fields I want to work on.
I'm not doing it now because improving the quality of existing products is a higher priority. I have a filling machine. There is something like slightly carbonated umeshu and yuzu liqueur, but as for refined sake, I'm just starting to make prototypes. I feel like doing it gradually.

-I see. thank you very much.

thank you very much.

Kazuma, thank you very much for your kind words.