Japanese Sake : All Japan News,Inc

In this issue, I’d like to pass on to our readers a trick that enhances one’s abilities to pair sake with food.
First, please select three brands of sake with very different properties. The differences in properties are hard to tell without drinking the sake, but first, let’s select the sake according to the information listed on each label.
For example, please select a Junmai Daiginjo, Tokubestu Junmai, and Junmai Kimoto, all produced in different regions like Akita, Niigata, and Hyogo prefectures, etc. Sake produced in the U.S. are reasonably priced, for including a few of these brands in the mix may also be fun.
Once we have the sake, please grab some wine glasses (white wine glasses are better). Please be sure to use the same shaped glass for each of the three sake brands. It’s best to store the glasses in the refrigerator for approximately 3 hours and to maintain their temperature at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
And now, for the cuisine. Those who have time can prepare the food yourself, of course. However, I recommend takeout for those who want to compare the sake with many dishes from various types of cuisine. There’s no need to stick with Japanese cuisine, for it’s fun to also pair sake with Chinese and Italian (please avoid excessively spicy or strong garlic-flavored dishes) cuisines.
Please be careful to compare the balance between the sake and the food upon consumption, the changes detected in the umami flavors, and any changes in the aroma particular to that food, and aftertaste. If these factors in the pairing are satisfying, then it’s safe to say the pairing was a “success.”


日本酒と食のペアリング

今回は、ちょっとした心がけで日本酒と料理のペアリング能力が上がるコツを教えたい。
まずは、なるべく性質の違う日本酒3銘柄を用意していただきたい。性質の違いは、本当は飲んでみないとなかなか分かりにくいが、とりあえずはラベルで判断できる情報で選んでみる。
たとえば、純米大吟醸、特別純米、純米生酛で全く違う産地のものを見つけてみる。秋田、新潟、兵庫など。米国産の日本酒も手軽な価格なのでこれらも入れると面白い。
日本酒が揃ったら今度は、ワイングラス（白ワイングラスがベター）を用意する。
3銘柄の酒は必ず同じ形状のグラスを使うこと。その際、3時間くらい冷蔵庫に保存し、55度Fくらいになるようにしておく。
さて料理だが、時間のある人は料理を自分で作ってもいいし、違う種類のものを複数食べ比較したい場合はテイクアウトを勧める。何も日本食に限らず、たとえば、中華、イタリアンなど（あまりスパイシーなものやニンニクの強いものは避ける）で試すのも面白い。
注意する点は、日本酒を飲んだ時の料理との調和、旨みの変化、その食特有の臭さの変化、後味だ。これらが心地よければペアリングは、「良い」こととなる。

 
清酒與食物的襯托

這次，希望能傳授「如何只花少許心思就能提高清酒與料理的襯托能力」的竅門。
首先，準備三款具有不同特性的清酒品牌，其特性差異越多越好。雖然若非實際試飲，很難理解其特性差異；但首先請嘗試透過可在標籤上確定到的信息來選擇。
例如，嘗試尋找產地全異的純米大吟釀、特殊純米酒和純米生酛酒。秋田、新潟、兵庫等。美國製造的清酒價格相對便宜，因此添加它們亦有趣味。
收集好清酒後，準備酒杯（以白葡萄酒杯為佳）。
請務必對該三款品牌的清酒使用相同形狀的玻璃杯。此時，將其存放在冰箱內3個小時左右，使其溫度到達55°F左右。
接下來是料理部分。如果有時間可以自行製作；如果想嘗試多種食物並進行比較，建議外賣。不僅日本料理，亦可嘗試中式、意式料理等（但請避免調味料太重或蒜味太濃的食物），亦別有一番趣味。
需多加注意的是喝清酒時與料理的調和、味道的變化、食物特有氣味的變化以及其餘味。如果這些都令你感覺舒適，此一配對便能稱為「好」。

 
니혼슈(일본술)와 음식의 페어링

오늘은 니혼슈와 음식의 페어링 실력이 좋아지는 방법에 대해 소개하고자 합니다.
먼저 되도록 성질이 서로 다른 니혼슈 3종을 준비합니다. 사실, 성질의 차이는 마셔봐야 알 수 있지만 우선 라벨에서 확인할 수 있는 정보를 바탕으로 선택해 봅니다.
예를 들어, 준마이 다이긴죠(純米大吟醸), 도쿠베츠 준마이(特別純米), 준마이 기모토(純米生酛) 등 원산지가 전혀 다른 것들로 찾아봅니다. 아키타, 니가타, 효고 등이 있을 수 있습니다. 미국산 니혼슈도 가격이 저렴하기 때문에 비교해보면 재미있습니다.
니혼슈가 준비되면 와인잔 (화이트 와인잔을 추천)을 준비합니다.
3종의 술은 반드시 동일한 형상의 와인잔을 사용할 것. 이때 3 시간 정도 냉장고에 보관하여 약 55°F로 차게 해둡니다.
요리는 시간에 여유가 있는 경우, 직접 만드는 것도 좋으나 여러 종류의 음식을 먹어보고 비교하기 위해서는 테이크아웃을 권합니다. 일식뿐만 아니라 중식, 이탈리안 등 (너무 맵거나 마늘 맛이 강한 음식은 피하도록 한다)으로 시도해보는 것도 재미있습니다.
이때 주의해야 할 점은 니혼슈를 마셨을 때 음식과의 조화, 맛의 변화, 음식 특유의 냄새 변화, 뒷맛 등입니다. 이러한 점이 음식과 함께 했을 때 좋았다면 페어링하기 ‘좋다’고 표현할 수 있습니다.

President Nagai of sake brewery “Mizbasho” in Gunma prefecture developed a production method inspired by champagne that produces new sparkling Japanese sake by secondary fermentation inside the bottle, producing clear sake that is then pasteurized. Nagai acquired a patent for this production method combined with traditional Japanese sake production techniques in 2008.
Selling sparkling sake under the product name Mizbasho “PURE,” President Nagai was working hard on his clear, sparkling Japanese sake similar to champagne commonly toasted with - produced by secondary fermentation inside the bottle and pasteurized for worldwide transportation - as his next step to enter the global market.
However, blazing the trail alone to develop this new sake genre poses many challenges. Rather than facing these challenges alone, Nagai dreamed of recruiting members and forming a large team to develop his sparkling sake together, to introduce this new sparkling sake for the world to toast with.
Therefore, I was called upon as a long-time friend of the same age, also pursuing the same goal to expand overseas. Since I shared the same ambition, we collaborated together and produced the new Japanese sparkling sake “Awa Sake,” and founded the “Japan Awa Sake Association” in November 2016 to distribute this product.
Currently, our association consists of twenty-one sake breweries, each working on various projects to introduce and distribute our new sparkling Japanese sake both domestically and abroad.
Our next issue will describe the characteristics, etc., of “Awa Sake” in greater detail.

「日本酒の新スパークリング【awa酒】とは　その2」

群馬県「水芭蕉」蔵元の永井社長は、瓶内二次発酵で透明そして火入れが出来る日本酒の新スパークリングの製造方法をシャンパーニュに学び、日本酒の伝統技術と融合させて、2008年に製造方法特許を取得していました。
水芭蕉「PURE」というスパークリングを発売していましたが、永井社長も私と同じく世界に挑戦をしていく上で、乾杯の日本酒をシャンパンのような瓶内二次発酵で透明、そして火入れすることで世界中に持って行けるものにしなければいけないと考えて自ら必死に頑張ってきました。
しかし、たった一人でそのジャンルを開拓するのは大変で、このような新スパークリングを自分一人でやるよりも、仲間を募って、多くの仲間でこのスパークリングをつくり、世界の乾杯酒を目指したい、という強い想いを持っていました。
そこで、同じ年で昔から親交もあり、海外への挑戦を同じくやっている私に声がかかり、私も同じ思いを持っていたことから、日本酒の新スパークリング「awa酒」を造り、普及する団体「一般社団法人awa酒協会」を2016年11月に設立しました。
現在では21の蔵元が加盟し、様々な事業を通して日本国内、そして海外で日本酒の新スパークリングの普及に努めています。
それでは、この「awa酒」とはいったいどんなお酒なのか、次回説明いたします。