[4th “Hirankai” 2022 (1 set of 3 pieces)]

A limited edition product of “Hirankai” with the theme of “rice”!

Hirankai is based on the desire of the 5th brewery master brewer to develop new hiran with curiosity and inquisitiveness, and to have more people discover the appeal of new hiran and new sake. This is the meeting I made.

The theme of the 4th Hirankai is "Rice".
There are over 100 types of rice, an important raw material for sake, including Yamada Nishiki, the king of sake rice. Among them, I think the most representative varieties are becoming well-known among sake lovers.
However, on the other hand, it is surprisingly unknown what kind of flavor differences there are due to differences in rice varieties. That makes sense, because unlike wine, the main flavor of sake is often determined by yeast. Also, even if the yeast is the same, if the rice is used differently depending on the technician, even if the same variety of rice is used, the sake will be different. I think this is because sake brewing in Japan, which is said to be the world's number one in the category of brewed sake, requires a large number of manufacturing processes and precise sake quality design.
Therefore, this time, by unifying all the processes and ingredients (rice polishing ratio, koji, yeast, etc.) except for the rice variety in Hiran's sake brewing, the difference in flavor depending on the rice variety will become clearer. We thought that this might be the case, and decided to brew sake using three different varieties.

1. Aizan (Sake rice from Hyogo Prefecture)
It is also said to be the rarest of all sake rice. While it is characterized by its rich sweetness and umami, it is also a difficult rice to handle because it dissolves very easily and gives off an off-taste.
2. Hattan Nishiki (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 difficult to dissolve, but if you use it properly, you can easily create a refreshing and elegant sake.
3. Shunyo (edible rice from Niigata Prefecture)
The glutelin content of this rice is about one-third that of common varieties, and it is a rice that has been bred for the pathophysiological diet of chronic renal failure patients who need to restrict protein intake. Because it has a low protein content, it tends to produce a light sake with less unpleasant flavors. In addition, recently, it is also a rice that is attracting attention because it is easy to feel the characteristic scent of white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc called 4MMP, which cannot be felt in the original sake.

We will be selling a limited edition of the above 3 types of drinking comparison set (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.