Japan Tourism / Established Sake Brewery in Ibaraki Pref. Produces Whiskeys from Locally Grown Ingredients
In 1823, the village headman of Konosu in the county of Naka in Hitachi (the old name for Ibaraki Prefecture) began brewing sake. About 170 years later, a 1994 revision to the Liquor Tax Law opened the door to beer production on a small scale.
In 1823, the village headman of Konosu in Ibaraki Prefecture began brewing sake, which eventually led to the establishment of Kiuchi Sake Brewery Co. in 1996. This brewery, a direct descendant of the original sake brewery, has been at the forefront of a craft beer boom that began in the 1990s in Japan. Kiuchi Sake Brewery collaborated with local farmers to revive a barley variety that had not been cultivated since around 1960.
They started using this barley to brew beer and craft beer brands such as Nipponia, using all-domestic ingredients, gained popularity both in Japan and overseas. Kyoshiro Imaizumi of Yasato Distillery, founded by Kiuchi Sake Brewery in 2020, is dedicated to making whisky using barley and rice grown in Ibaraki Prefecture. This distillery, located in a farming area near Mt.
Tsukuba, produces grain whiskies made from locally sourced rice and wheat. The whisky-making process involves using separate lauter and mash tuns, which allows for increased yeast volume and the production of an aromatic wort. The distillery houses barrels of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, maturing in accordance with the local climate.
Yasato Distillery's first whisky, Hinomaru, was launched four years ago, and they have since produced limited editions each year, such as Signature 1823, Kome, and Sakura Ra. The whisky's taste takes time to develop, and Imaizumi hopes that Yasato Distillery's whiskies will convey the unique characteristics of the region.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
