What's the difference between craft sake and craft brewed liquor? A sake brewery in Kishiwada explains

First, common simple questions

Recently, in the world of sake, the terms "craft sake" and "craft brewed sake" have become increasingly common.

Like craft beer, these beverages are gaining attention as alcoholic drinks that allow you to enjoy fruits and unique aromas.

"What's the difference between craft sake and craft brewed sake, anyway?"

We receive this question very often from our customers.

We are a brewery in Kishiwada, Osaka, with a brewing license for "other brewed beverages."

We produce unique alcoholic beverages that incorporate not only rice and koji but also fruits and germinated brown rice into the brewing process.

In this article, we will explain the differences between the two as clearly as possible from our perspective.

1. "Craft Sake" is actually a registered trademark

First, it's important to note that the term "Craft Sake" is a registered trademark of Mottox Co., Ltd.

Mottox, known as a wine importer, gave this name to a series of sake and brewed beverages developed jointly with breweries nationwide. Currently, breweries affiliated with the "Craft Sake Brewery Association" also use the name "Craft Sake" with permission from the company.

In other words, not everyone can freely claim to be "Craft Sake"; it is a name that can only be used by the trademark-owning company or by organizations and breweries that have been granted permission.

Since our brewery is not affiliated with this association, even if our sake falls into the same category, we use the term "craft brewed sake" instead of "Craft Sake" when communicating with customers.

2. Characteristics of breweries that boast Craft Sake

Many breweries affiliated with the Craft Sake Brewery Association primarily produce "doburoku."

Doburoku is a type of sake that is produced without undergoing the pressing process to separate the moromi (fermenting mash), thus retaining solid matter (sake lees) derived from rice and koji.

Its appeal lies in its thick texture and the direct taste of rice umami.

"Fruit doburoku" or "Botanical SAKE," which combine fruits, herbs, hops, spices, and other auxiliary ingredients, are representative styles referred to as Craft Sake.

Under the Liquor Tax Act, these are classified as "other brewed beverages" or "miscellaneous alcoholic beverages," not "sake." This is because they use auxiliary ingredients that fall outside the definition of sake or employ brewing methods that do not involve pressing the moromi.

3. What is our brewery's "craft brewed sake"?

On the other hand, our brewery produces "craft brewed sake." Although the name differs, its classification under the Liquor Tax Act is the same as craft sake: "other brewed beverages."

Our craft brewed sake has the following characteristics:

① Unique auxiliary ingredients incorporating fruits and germinated brown rice

To bring out complex aromas, umami, and acidity that cannot be expressed with regular rice and koji alone, we incorporate seasonal fruits and germinated brown rice into our brewing process.

Germinated brown rice, in particular, is highly nutritious and imparts a unique roasted aroma and richness to the sake.

This creates a depth that white rice lacks, resulting in a flavor that pairs well with wine and various dishes.

② Primarily filtered carefully using the "fukurozuri" (bag hanging) method

This is the most significant difference between our brewery and many breweries that market craft sake.

Our brewery primarily filters moromi using the "fukurozuri" method.

Fukurozuri is the most careful and luxurious pressing method, where moromi is placed in sake bags and hung, allowing drops to fall solely by natural gravity.

Since no pressure is applied, impurities are less likely to emerge, resulting in a delicate and clear flavor.

While this meticulous process means smaller production batches, the transparency of the aroma and the beauty of the aftertaste are exceptional.

③ Of course, we also produce "fruit doburoku"

In response to requests for unfiltered cloudy sake, our brewery also produces doburoku using fruits.

Similar to craft sake breweries, it's a new style of sake where fresh fruitiness and rice umami overlap.

You can enjoy a juicy and rich flavor that is different from the clear sake made with the fukurozuri method.

4. What's the difference, after all? To summarize in one sentence:

To summarize all of the above, the answer is very simple.

"Craft Sake" and our brewery's "craft brewed sake" are essentially the same category of alcoholic beverages, differing only in name.

Both are free and creative sake-type beverages made with rice, koji, and auxiliary ingredients under an "other brewed beverages" license.

In essence, there is almost no difference in license or freedom of production methods.

The only differences are these two points:

In other words, it's easiest to understand if you consider the essential differences to be only these two points: "whether or not to use the trademark" and "whether the main product is clear sake or cloudy sake."

5. New Japanese sake from Kishiwada

Both craft sake and our brewery's craft brewed sake are aiming for the same goal.

"To go beyond the traditional boundaries of sake and allow more people to enjoy alcohol more freely."

These new genres of sake, born from this desire, offer fruit aromas that can be enjoyed like wine, grain notes derived from brown rice, and the rich texture of cloudy sake. From our small brewery in Kishiwada, we deliver an unprecedented world of sake.

This is a drink we especially want those who say, "Sake is too heavy and I don't like it," or "I like wine and fruit liquor, but I want to try Japanese alcohol," to experience.

Our craft brewed sake and fruit doburoku can be found here

Our brewery's carefully selected product lineup, including highly transparent craft brewed sake meticulously filtered by bag hanging and juicy, fruity fruit doburoku, can be viewed on our product page.

For gifts, for personal enjoyment, or as an accompaniment for pairing.

Please try Kishiwada's craft brewed sake at least once.