Episode 67 Show Notes

Episode 67. Diving deep into another sake brand profile, this week Timothy and John look at Domaine Senkin, also known as Senkin Shuzo. This is a 200 year old boutique brewery located in Tochigi Prefecture, and was brought back from the brink of closing its doors forever with an idea to make more wine-like sakes with a pronounced acidity and sweetness – think German riesling. Two brothers, the 11th generation brewery President Kazuki Usui and his younger brother, and the brewery’s toji, Masato Usui, decided to take the business in a new direction. Inspired by the wine industry’s concept of Domaine, the brewery has a reverence for the most traditional, low intervention brewing methods and source only hand-grown, heirloom rice varieties that all grow within 5 minutes of the brewery. The water source used to grow the rice is also used to brew the sake. The Usui brothers combine the avant-garde with the traditional – and end up with a cutting-edge style of sake that is forging a new path in the sake world.


Skip to: 00:19 Show Opening
Welcome to the show from John and Timothy


Skip to: 02:04 Brewery Profile: Domaine Senkin (Senkin Shuzo)
About Domaine Senkin

Domaine Senkin
Photo © Senkin Shuzo

About Senkin Brewery from Mutual Trading Co:
Nestled in the residential backroads of Sakura city, Tochigi Prefecture, Senkin Brewery is now run by 11th generation brothers Kazuki Usui (Brewer) and Masato Usui (Toji), who work together as brewer and toji (respectively. Senkin’s jizake are brighter and juicier than other sake; their focus is principally on deviating from the norm with elements of higher acidity and residual sugar levels (around -3.0).As their brewing motto is “Yokei na koto shinai” (do nothing unnecessary), all of their sake are brewed in small batches, are Muroka (unfiltered), Genshu (undiluted), and Nama (unpasteurized), as well as bottle aged in near-freezing temperatures. Applying the same concept as a Domaine or Estate, Senkin uses the same water for brewing as that which grows their rice, and they will only use contract-farmed Omachi, Yamada Nishiki, or Kame no O rice grown within 5 minutes of the brewery. They proudly implement both modern and traditional brewing methods across their various sake series.

Usui Brothers in front of Senkin Shuzo.
photo © Senkin Shuzo

Find Senkin Shuzo on Social Media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senkinofficial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkinkazukichi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/仙禽senkin-2054354961500352/
Website: http://www.senkin.co.jp/
UrbanSake: https://www.urbansake.com/sake-guide/senkin-shuzo-domaine-senkin/


Skip to: 16:41 Sake Introduction and Tasting : Senkin Classic “Immortal Wing” Kamenoo Junmai Daiginjo

Senkin Classic “Immortal Wing” Kamenoo Junmai Daiginjo


Brewery: Senkin Shuzo (Domaine Senkin)
Classification: Junmai Daiginjo
Prefecture: Tochigi
Seimaibuai: 50%
SMV: -2.0
Acidity: 2.2
Alcohol: 15.0%
Rice Type: Kamenoo
Brand: Senkin Classic
Importer: Mutual Trading (USA)
Sake Name English: Immortal Wing

View on UrbanSake.com: Senkin Classic “Immortal Wing” Kamenoo Junmai Daiginjo

Purchase on TippsySake.com: Senkin Classic “Immortal Wing” Kamenoo Junmai Daiginjo
NOTE: Use Discount Code “REVOLUTION” for 10% off your first order with Tippsy Sake.


Skip to: 33:28 Show Closing

This is it! Join us next time for another episode of Sake Revolution!


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Episode 67 Transcript