Established in 1892 during the Meiji Era in the town of Ono, Gifu Prefecture, Sugihara Shuzo, the producer of the Ibi brand, is currently one of the smallest breweries in Japan. 4th and 5th generation brewers, the father and son, work side by side to produce their eternally authentic handmade sake.
明治２５年、岐阜県大野町で創業した射美ブランドを手がける杉原酒造は現在、日本で最も小さな酒蔵の一つです。四代目と五代目の蔵人が親子で手を取り合い、いつまでも変わらぬ正真正銘の酒を造っています。
Ibi takes its name from the Ibi river which flows nearby and from which the brewing water is derived from an underground well. Sugihara Shuzo has made substantial efforts to grow locally cultivated sake rice where rice cultivation had previously proven to be very tricky.
揖美の名は、近くを流れる「揖斐川」と「美酒を射る（造る）」を掛けて命名されました。杉原酒造は、米作りが難しいとされていた地元産の酒米の栽培に力を注いできました。
Through collaborative efforts with Mr. Hiroki Takahashi of the Gifu Agricultural Research Center, Yamadanishiki and Wakamizu rice varieties were crossbred to create a Sake rice grain which could thrive in the difficult growing conditions of Gifu called Ibi no Homare.
Sugihara Shuzo makes a limited amount of sake showcasing the fine locally created rice grain and fine natural water source. The locality of the brewery suffers cold, mountainous winters which require that the sake is brewed through long slow fermentation, resulting in rich and elegant brews.
岐阜県農業総合研究センターの高橋弘樹氏との共同研究により、山田錦と若水を交配し、岐阜の厳しい栽培条件に耐性のある酒米射美の誉を誕生させました。
杉原酒造では、地元産の良質な酒米と良質な天然水を生かした限定酒を造っています。 蔵のある地域は冬が寒く山間部であるため、長い時間をかけてゆっくりと発酵させることによって豊かで上品な酒に仕上がっています。
