Kanbai Shuzo

寒梅酒造 (宮寒梅)

Prefecture

Miyagi

Kanbai Shuzo, the producers of Miyakanbai sake, are the only cultivation brewers in Miyagi prefecture. Cultivation brewers are those extra dedicated individuals who manage all processes of the creation of their sake starting with rice cultivation. Both rice farming and brewing are carried out in the endless countryside landscape of the Osaki Plain.Kanbai Shuzo cultivates four types of sake rice on their land, the Aikoku, Hiyori, Miyamanishiki and Yamadanishiki. 20% of their total sake production is made with their home cultivated sake rice and the remaining 80% is made exclusively with Miyagi grown rice from local farmers.

「宮寒梅」の生産者、寒梅酒造は宮城県大崎平原の美しい田園に位置する宮城県で唯一の栽培醸造家です。栽培醸造家とは畑を持ち、米作りから酒の醸造まで一貫して行う栽培家兼醸造家のこと。寒梅酒造では「愛国」「ひより」「美山錦」「山田錦」の四種類の酒米を栽培しています。総生産量のうちの八割を地元農家の宮城県産米、残りの二割を自家栽培の酒米で醸造しています。

Although the brewery was initially founded in 1918, creating sake originally known by the brand name Homare no Takagawa, production was suspended during WWII. After a long hiatus, it reopened in 1957 and established the brand name Miyakanbai. The name is derived from the winter plum which buds in the spring, just when sake which has been fermenting during the winter is released for enjoyment.

The brewery was completely destroyed during the Great Eastern Earthquake of 2011, however, it was immediately rebuilt by the end of that same year.

1918年の創業当初は「誉の高川」という銘柄で醸造していましたが、第二次世界大戦が始まると醸造中断となり、生産が再開後の1957年に「宮寒梅」というブランドを確立させました。冬の間に発酵させて仕上げた酒を、花が咲く春先に愛でる　―　「宮寒梅」は春になると芽吹く寒梅から由来しています。

Kanbai Shuzo continues to create sake with soft and approaching profiles which showcase the delicate and mildly sweet flavours of carefully cultivated local rice.

地元にて丁寧に育てられた酒米を使用する寒梅酒造。繊細で甘みを含む酒米が、柔らかで親しみやすい酒造りを可能にしています。