One of the oldest breweries in Akita, the “kingdom of fine sake”
The Okuda Sake Brewery’s history stretches back over 340 years, dating back to the Enpo era (1673-1681). It is one of the oldest breweries in Akita Prefecture, renowned as the kingdom of fine sake. Chiyo Midori, a beloved local sake in the Kyouwa area of Daisen-shi, is its main brand.
The first generation brewer, upon looking at the green mountains that surround the town in the early summer, was inspired to write a haiku:
The harmony of the young leaves
The mountains in all directions
A thousand generations of green (Chiyo Midori)
It is from the last line of the poem that their main sake brand takes its name.
The smallest brewery in Akita Prefecture
Within the brewery, four members of staff and Toji-President Okuda run a thoroughly hand-made operation, with 100% box koji production and 100% of products pasteurized in bottle.
“We’d like our sake to make you laugh and put a smile on your face”, says Mr. Okuda. At the same time, he wants to make high-quality sake without cutting any corners. At the end of the day, the Okuda Sake Brewery hope that their sake will bring people closer together.
Sake like white wine – born from MS3, a propriety yeast found within the brewery
The propriety yeast MS3 (a naturally occurring yeast living in the brewery rafters for generations) takes its name from the initials of Toji-President Okuda’s family members (M, S, S, S).
This special yeast, so crucial to the Okuda Sake Brewery’s production could not have been raised without the support of these family members – Okuda expresses his love for his family through the name he chose for the yeast.
Family comes first at the Okuda Sake Brewery, and to express this, the initial of each family member has been hidden in in each of the leaf of the clover label of Tsugi-no-Midori.
The yeast grants taut acidity and aromatic notes of apple and banana, giving the sake the aroma and flavour profile of a dry white wine.
Chiyomidori + Mottox, Wine Importer = the birth of a new sake, “Tsugi-no-Midori”
Tsugi-no-Midori is a collaboration between the Okuda Sake Brewery and Mottox, wine importer.
While incorporating an element of the brewery’s main brand name, the delivers new sake that are both innovative and made with love, not just to Akita Prefecture, not just to Japan, but around the world.
