[The 4th "Hirankai" 2022 (1 set of 3)]

A limited edition product from "Hirakukai" with a "rice" theme!

The Hirankai Society was established by the fifth-generation head brewer, who, driven by his curiosity and spirit of inquiry, hopes to develop an unprecedented Hirankai and allow more people to discover the appeal of new Hirankai and new sake.

The theme of the 4th Hiran-kai is "Rice."
Rice is an important ingredient in sake, and there are over 100 varieties, including the king of sake rice, Yamada Nishiki. Among them, the most representative varieties are probably well known among sake lovers.
However, surprisingly, few people know how different varieties of rice can affect the flavor of sake. This is because, unlike wine, the flavor of sake is often determined primarily by yeast. Also, even if the yeast is the same, if the craftsman uses the rice differently, the sake will be different, even if the same variety of rice is used. I think this is because Japanese sake brewing is the most in the world in the brewed alcohol category, with a large number of manufacturing processes and requiring precise design of the sake's quality.
Therefore, this time, we decided to brew sake using three different varieties of rice, as we felt that by standardizing all processes and ingredients (polishing ratio, koji, yeast, etc.) except for the rice variety, the differences in flavor due to the rice varieties would become more apparent.

1. Aizan (Sake rice from Hyogo Prefecture)
It is said to be the rarest of all sake rice varieties. While it is characterized by its rich sweetness and umami, it is also very easy to dissolve, which can lead to off-flavors, making it difficult to handle and putting the skills of sake brewers to the test.
2. Hattannishiki (Sake rice from Hiroshima Prefecture)
This is a typical sake rice from Hiroshima Prefecture, the second hometown of the fifth-generation brewer. It is hard and does not dissolve easily, but if used properly, it can easily produce a clean, refined sake.
3. Shunyo (edible rice from Niigata Prefecture)
This rice has a glutelin content of about one-third that of general varieties, and was developed for the pathological diet of chronic renal failure patients who need to limit their protein intake. The low protein content tends to produce a light, clean sake with few unpleasant flavors. Recently, this rice has also been attracting attention because it has a 4MMP aroma that is characteristic of white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, which is not often found in traditional sake.

We will be selling a limited edition tasting set of the above three types (720ml each).
We hope to be able to convey to as many people as possible the depth and fun of sake in the Hiran category.