King of the Sake Hill, Gekkeikan
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By Doug Singer
Sake, Japan's traditional brewed beverage, is enjoying new-found popularity. It has a rich tradition that is often very colorful and is mentioned several times in the Kojiki, Japan's first written history, compiled in 712.
Today, paired with a contemporary interest in natural, multi-cultural cuisines, sake is gaining both familiarity and favor. It continues its slow but inexorable push into American cocktails and bottles. With more than one hundred different brands now available worldwide, at the top of the heap isGekkeikan, the number one manufacturer. In 1637, Gekkeikan's founder, Jiemon Okura established his sake brewery in the town of Fushimi, a location well-known for its high quality of water. Access to the ideal ingredients combined with a convenient location enabled Okura and his successors' business to thrive in the years that followed. In 1905, the brand name Gekkeikan (meaning "crown of laurel") was adopted as the company's formal pledge to excellence. Through this commitment, the company became a true leader in the industry and pioneered a number of research and development efforts. The successful results of these endeavors have enabled Gekkeikan to become the nation's most popular brand since 1953. With production facilities in Japan, as well as their U.S. sake brewery, located just outside of Sacramento, CA, I decided it was time to take a dive in and explore what they had to offer.
What is available to the U.S. market differs from that which is offered in Japan and there are a range of qualities and styles. The most recent “trendy” offering you might find in a metropolitan type hotspot, isGekkeikan Zipang Sparkling Sake beverage. Zipang is delivered in a sleek, silver, single-serve bottle (250ml) and is not flavored, it’s simply sake infused with a light carbonation. If you like sake, you’ll really enjoy Zipang. Served chilled, it’s a crisp and lightly sweet beverage with a mellow, easy to drink flavor. A refined and refreshing alternative to the obvious choices.
Gekkeikan Draft Sake, one of their most popular, is microfiltered, rather than heat pasteurized and has a smooth and refreshing flavor. With a semi-dry character and just a hint of banana, it is a great every day sake and is commonly available in 375 ml bottles which are perfect for a single serving between friends.
Haiku, a unique form of poetry, epitomizes the Japanese aesthetic for elegant simplicity. Gekkeikan Haiku was created to express in flavor the same sense of subtle refinement. Gekkeikan Haiku ($15.99 / 750 ml) uses a slow fermentation method at low temperatures which gives this sake a slightly dry quality and a light aroma of orchard apples. Alternatively,Gekkeikan Black and Gold Sake ($14.99 / 750 ml) has a smooth and mellow flavor and can be enjoyed warmed, room temperature, or chilled. Packaged in a beautiful black bottle with gold writing and foil, it is a nice gesture as a ‘bring along’ for a dinner party.
The new Gekkeikan Nigori Sake (300 ml) is milky and sweet, with a light coconut aroma. A roughly filtered product, using quality premium rice and Kyoto, Fushimi’s underground water, this is a welcome newcomer and very approachable. On the higher end, the Gekkeikan Horin Ultra PremiumJunmai Daiginjo ($31.99 / 720 ml) is slowly fermented and has a refreshing fruit like aroma and mild hints of anise. This is a spectacular sake and was awarded a Grand Gold Medal in the Spirits & Liqueurs Division of the 2006 Monde Selection international food and beverage
competition.
From 300 ml bottles, to barrels and cubic containers, Gekkeikan has an extensive offering and more importantly, hundreds of years of sake-making experience. Their wide variety of products will intrigue the sake beginner as well as satisfy the seasoned expert.
www.gekkeikan-sake.com
Sake, Japan's traditional brewed beverage, is enjoying new-found popularity. It has a rich tradition that is often very colorful and is mentioned several times in the Kojiki, Japan's first written history, compiled in 712.
Today, paired with a contemporary interest in natural, multi-cultural cuisines, sake is gaining both familiarity and favor. It continues its slow but inexorable push into American cocktails and bottles. With more than one hundred different brands now available worldwide, at the top of the heap isGekkeikan, the number one manufacturer. In 1637, Gekkeikan's founder, Jiemon Okura established his sake brewery in the town of Fushimi, a location well-known for its high quality of water. Access to the ideal ingredients combined with a convenient location enabled Okura and his successors' business to thrive in the years that followed. In 1905, the brand name Gekkeikan (meaning "crown of laurel") was adopted as the company's formal pledge to excellence. Through this commitment, the company became a true leader in the industry and pioneered a number of research and development efforts. The successful results of these endeavors have enabled Gekkeikan to become the nation's most popular brand since 1953. With production facilities in Japan, as well as their U.S. sake brewery, located just outside of Sacramento, CA, I decided it was time to take a dive in and explore what they had to offer.
What is available to the U.S. market differs from that which is offered in Japan and there are a range of qualities and styles. The most recent “trendy” offering you might find in a metropolitan type hotspot, isGekkeikan Zipang Sparkling Sake beverage. Zipang is delivered in a sleek, silver, single-serve bottle (250ml) and is not flavored, it’s simply sake infused with a light carbonation. If you like sake, you’ll really enjoy Zipang. Served chilled, it’s a crisp and lightly sweet beverage with a mellow, easy to drink flavor. A refined and refreshing alternative to the obvious choices.
Gekkeikan Draft Sake, one of their most popular, is microfiltered, rather than heat pasteurized and has a smooth and refreshing flavor. With a semi-dry character and just a hint of banana, it is a great every day sake and is commonly available in 375 ml bottles which are perfect for a single serving between friends.
Haiku, a unique form of poetry, epitomizes the Japanese aesthetic for elegant simplicity. Gekkeikan Haiku was created to express in flavor the same sense of subtle refinement. Gekkeikan Haiku ($15.99 / 750 ml) uses a slow fermentation method at low temperatures which gives this sake a slightly dry quality and a light aroma of orchard apples. Alternatively,Gekkeikan Black and Gold Sake ($14.99 / 750 ml) has a smooth and mellow flavor and can be enjoyed warmed, room temperature, or chilled. Packaged in a beautiful black bottle with gold writing and foil, it is a nice gesture as a ‘bring along’ for a dinner party.
The new Gekkeikan Nigori Sake (300 ml) is milky and sweet, with a light coconut aroma. A roughly filtered product, using quality premium rice and Kyoto, Fushimi’s underground water, this is a welcome newcomer and very approachable. On the higher end, the Gekkeikan Horin Ultra PremiumJunmai Daiginjo ($31.99 / 720 ml) is slowly fermented and has a refreshing fruit like aroma and mild hints of anise. This is a spectacular sake and was awarded a Grand Gold Medal in the Spirits & Liqueurs Division of the 2006 Monde Selection international food and beverage
competition.
From 300 ml bottles, to barrels and cubic containers, Gekkeikan has an extensive offering and more importantly, hundreds of years of sake-making experience. Their wide variety of products will intrigue the sake beginner as well as satisfy the seasoned expert.
www.gekkeikan-sake.com
