Tokubetsu Junmaishu Kulasic Amadeus
A junmai brewery that brews with Mozart.
Ohara Shuzou is a brewery renowned for a sake born from two unlikely elements: the terroir of Kitakata and the sound of classical music. Their path has been one of conviction. In 1989, they made the decision to produce only premium, specially designated sake. Then, in 2009, they went further, committing to crafting and selling only junmai—pure rice sake. Today, they proudly offer over fifty varieties across eight different brands, centered on their classic 'Kulasic series.'
This is a place of uncompromising dedication. They hold fast to their traditional, small-batch (10-koku) brewing methods, they do not blend, and they make absolutely no compromises at any stage of the process. For the 10th-generation president, Kosuke Ohara, this sometimes means waking in the middle of the night just to adjust a tank's temperature. "Blending," he explains, "allows for complacency in your work." He believes that the more effort you put in, the more that effort is directly reflected in the final product.
And then there is their other great obsession. This is the very first brewery in Japan to brew its sake to the sound of classical music. The idea began around 1987, when President Ohara was at the Brewing Institute in Tokyo, researching the effects of ultrasound on sake. This sparked an experiment: he played over fifty different types of music to the fermenting mash, from rock to classical. The results were astounding. The yeast in the group listening to classical—and specifically, to Mozart—multiplied faster than the others. The flavor changed, too. The sake became more mellow and aromatic, with less bitterness and acidity.
Ever since that discovery, they have continued their unique tradition, brewing a 'music sake' that is serenaded by Mozart from start to finish.
Ohara Shuzou Co., Ltd