"The Engine of our Hometown" - Thinking Globally, Acting Locally -

　大吟醸の醪（もろみ）【酒造好適米「吟のさと」使用】
　熊本酵母を使用していますが、タンクに顔を近づけると果物様の吟醸香が鼻孔を強烈に刺激します。

　今朝はたいへん冷え込み臼杵でも小雪が舞いましたが、皆様の地方はいかがだったでしょうか？
　松野杜氏と村上課長は寒さに負けず、蒸米をスノコに広げ冷やしていました。

　久家本店では、日本酒、本格焼酎、梅酒に使用する原材料を100%大分県産で賄っています。
　勿論、日本酒造りにおいても、全て安心安全な大分県産米（特に臼杵市産）を使用しています。

　甑からもくもくと蒸気が上がり、酒造りも本格的になって来ました。
　今朝の蒸米は、大吟醸の添仕込み用「吟のさと」などです。

　清酒製造が始まっています。今年も美味しいい酒が出来ますように。
　写真は水麹を造る松野杜氏（右）と村上課長（左）。

In the rice fields of Ieno and Mochizuki in Usuki City, Mr. Minato (the president's former classmate) has been cultivating Wakamizu Rice (special Junmai rice, early harvest, Ieno, top photo) and Gin no Sato Rice (ginjo rice, late harvest, Mochizuki, bottom photo), which have been thriving.

 

With February only just around the corner, our sake production is at its height.
Although the weather forecast predicted March-like temperatures, the morning was still very cold, so with frozen fingertips, Mr. Matsuno and Mr. Murakami were concentrating on washing the rice.

I recently visited the rice fields in Usuki City to check in on this year’s crops.
My visit happened to be during the Scarecrow Festival, so I was able to enjoy the masterpieces on display ! I was also able to see the red spider lily (cluster amaryllis) starting to bloom on the shore.
Although the days are still warm, it seems that autumn is well on its way.

 

The ears of the Gin no Sato Rice crop (used in our ginjo sake, and cultivated in Mochizuki, Usuki City) have begun to droop and appear to be growing well. (Middle photos)

 

The Wakamizu Rice (used in our special junmai sake, cultivated in Ieno, Usuki City) matures early, so its ears have drooped even more than the Gin no Sato Rice.
According to Mr. Minato, who produces the rice, “the plan is to harvest it after silver-week, but of course, it depends largely on the course of the typhoon.” (Bottom photos)

 

I pray that the “Gin no Sato” and “Wakamizu” rice grown in Usuki will be harvested successfully and become delicious sake.

A storage and shipment management guidance meeting (initial sampling) was held at Oita Prefecture Sake Brewer’s Association. Experts from the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Appraiser's Office (Director Mr. Motomura, Technical Officer Mr. Ochiai, and Technical Officer Mr. Toyosawa) and Oita Prefectural Institute of Industrial Science and Technology sampled sake brought by breweries in the prefecture for the purpose of checking its maturity and quality. The sake was then evaluated and guidance is given.

 

At Kuge Honten, we regard this so-called “nomikiri” (initial sampling) as a very important opportunity. Regardless of how good the sake is, if the storage and shipping process is neglected, the quality of the sake will deteriorate. Once complete, I will inform the company of the feedback received as we strive to deliver the most delicious sake to our customers.

 

*Professors from the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Appraiser's Office and the Oita Prefectural Industrial Science and Technology Centre (left) and some of the sake exhibited by Kuge Honten (right).

I recently visited some of the many rice fields in Usuki City to see how it was growing.
Gin no Sato Rice - a registered variety of rice from Oita Prefecture that is cultivated in Mochizuki, Usuki City - is a variety that is fantastic for sake brewing. This year we will mainly be using it for our ginjo sake. (Top photo)
Wakamizu Rice is another variety that is perfect for sake brewing. It’s a common variety found in Ieno, Usuki City and we have been using it in our special junmai sake since 2007. (Bottom photo)
According to Mr. Minato, my old classmate who cultivates the rice, the growth is going well. It was great to catch up and we spoke about the rice, sake, and our children. We also mentioned how age was catching up with us and we’re not as physically strong as we used to be!
This brewing year at Kuge Honten, all of the agricultural products (rice, barley, potatoes, plums etc.) are locally sourced from Oita Prefecture.
The more we use local produce, the more attached I feel to our town and prefecture.

 

Message from the President