What is Fruit Doburoku? The Appeal and Production of a New Type of Brewed Alcohol Featuring Fruit

In recent years, a new breeze has been blowing through the world of sake and doburoku. A prime example of this is "fruit doburoku."

This alcoholic beverage, made by adding fruit juices like strawberry or peach to traditional doburoku brewed with rice and rice koji, captivates many with its gorgeous flavor that overturns the conventional image of sake.

In this article, we will provide an overview of fruit doburoku, from its basics to its unique brewing characteristics, and the reasons why it's not commonly seen in the market, all from the perspective of our brewery, which holds a license for other brewed liquors.

 

What is Fruit Doburoku?

Fruit doburoku, as its name suggests, is an alcoholic beverage made by adding fruit juice to doburoku.

Regular doburoku is a cloudy alcoholic beverage made from rice, rice koji, and water, fermented by yeast, and finished without filtering the mash.

In contrast, fruit doburoku incorporates the aroma and sweet-sour taste of fruit by adding fruit juice during fermentation or at the preparation stage.

The flavor, which combines the umami of rice with the freshness of fruit, tends to be popular even among those who dislike sake or rarely drink alcohol.

Furthermore, once fruit juice is added, it is classified under the Liquor Tax Act not as "sake" but as "other brewed liquors."

This is an alcoholic beverage that can only be produced by breweries like ours that hold a "license to manufacture other brewed liquors."

 

Fruits Commonly Used in Fruit Doburoku

While the fruit juices used in fruit doburoku vary depending on the brewery, here are some representative examples.

Strawberry

It results in a vivid pink color, offering an outstandingly glamorous appearance.

The sweet and sour taste of strawberries harmonizes with the umami of rice, making it a dessert-like drink.

It is also popular as a seasonal celebratory drink for events like Valentine's Day and Hina Matsuri.

Peach

Characterized by its soft sweetness and rich aroma.

It pairs well with the gentle taste of rice, resulting in an elegant and feminine impression. Its smooth texture is a highlight.

At our brewery, we start brewing a bag-pressed sake using peaches from Kanechika, a specialty of Kishiwada, around June each year and begin selling it in early July.

Citrus fruits like Mikan (mandarin orange)

The refreshing acidity of citrus enhances its versatility as a food-pairing sake.

Its clean finish makes it suitable not only for Japanese cuisine but also for Western and Chinese dishes.

Grape

The fusion of wine-like flavor and sake's umami creates a complex and profound taste.

It's interesting how it can take on characteristics similar to both white and red wine depending on the grape variety used.

In addition, fruit doburoku utilizing local specialties such as apples, pears, yuzu, and blueberries are also being produced in various regions.

 

How Fruit Doburoku is Made and Its Difficulties

While fruit doburoku may seem simple, it actually requires delicate brewing techniques.

As a brewery that manufactures it, I will frankly share the points we find particularly challenging.

 

Flavor Changes Due to Pasteurization

A major challenge in the manufacturing process is "pasteurization."

Pasteurization is the process of heating sake to about 60-65 degrees Celsius to stop the activity of enzymes and microorganisms, thereby stabilizing its quality.

It is carried out for many types of sake to extend their shelf life.

However, if fruit doburoku is pasteurized, the fresh flavor of the fruit juice is significantly diminished.

This is because many aroma components of fruit are sensitive to heat and disappear when heated.

If you want to preserve the original charm of the fruit juice, pasteurization is often not a viable option.

Challenges When Not Pasteurizing

If pasteurization is not performed to preserve the flavor, then, like "nama-doburoku," it must be refrigerated and consumed within a short period.

Even more troublesome is the sugar content in fruit juice.

Adding fruit juice increases nutrients for yeast, causing fermentation to progress more easily than with regular nama-doburoku.

This means that fermentation continues in the bottle even during storage, increasing the risk of gas buildup and greater-than-expected changes in flavor.

In other words, fruit doburoku is an alcoholic beverage that is "difficult to deliver to customers in a delicious state."

 

Reasons Why Fruit Doburoku is Rarely Found in the Market

Despite its appealing flavor, fruit doburoku is rarely seen in general liquor stores due to the "difficulty of storage" and "sales hurdles" I've discussed so far.

Since it must be refrigerated and consumed within a short period, it is not suitable for distribution through general liquor stores where products are sold on ambient shelves for long periods.

From the brewery's perspective, manufacturing with the risk of unsold inventory is also a deterrent.

Especially for breweries like ours, which primarily sell online, we must also pay attention to temperature control during transportation until the product reaches the customer, making us even more cautious about handling it.

Since each bottle must be delivered by refrigerated shipping, the cost and effort involved are higher than for regular alcoholic beverages.

About Our Brewery's Fruit Doburoku Production

To be frank, our brewery currently has no plans to regularly produce fruit doburoku.

The reason, as mentioned earlier, is that as a brewery primarily selling online, it is difficult for us to consistently deliver refrigerated fruit doburoku with a short shelf life.

The risk of brewing something that remains unsold is not insignificant for a small brewery.

However, if a system of "pre-order sales" could guarantee a certain number of reservations before production, we would be willing to positively consider manufacturing it.

If we knew that the brewed quantity would definitely reach our customers, we could confidently produce fruit doburoku in its best condition, utilizing the freshness of the fruit.

If you are thinking, "I'd like to try fruit doburoku someday," or "Please notify me when pre-orders begin," please check our product page or email newsletter.

If we receive enough interest, the day may come when we can deliver fruit doburoku made with seasonal fruits.

 

Summary

Fruit doburoku is an alcoholic beverage full of potential, allowing you to enjoy the charm of both rice and fruit at once.

The flavors woven by seasonal fruits such as strawberries, peaches, mandarins, and grapes offer a new way to enjoy sake.

However, due to manufacturing difficulties like flavor changes from pasteurization and the rapid progression of fermentation, it remains a rare find in the market.

That's why the joy of encountering it is all the more special.

At our brewery, we continue to brew sake with dedication, focusing on our classic doburoku and sake.

We will announce any pre-order sales for fruit doburoku on our product page, so please first take a look at our proud product lineup.