A unique and deep flavor. The charm of Ryusei's rich and creamy "kimoto sake lees"♪

What is sake lees?

Do you know what sake lees are?

Wikipedia states:

It says:

Moromi is the fermented product of rice, rice koji, and water, which are the raw materials for sake. Sake is made by squeezing this mash.

Moromi

Sake lees and sake. They were originally one mash, so the more delicious the sake, the more delicious the sake lees! If you're a fan of Ryusei, I highly recommend you try Ryusei sake lees.

Our brewery offers "Junmai sake lees" and "Junmai Daiginjo sake lees."
Both are made from sake lees made using the traditional kimoto method of sake brewing, which has been passed down since the Edo period.

 

In general, it is said that Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo sake are more fruity and have a cleaner aftertaste than Junmai sake.

In the same way, we have received feedback from customers that "Junmai Daiginjo Sake Kasu" has a more fragrant and cleaner taste than "Junmai Sake Kasu."

*The rice polishing ratio of Junmai sake lees is 60%, which is the same as Junmai Ginjo sake.

There are many types of sake lees, including loose lees, kneaded lees, and sheet lees , but our brewery only sells sheet lees.

The most common loose meal

Nutritious by-products?

Although sake lees are a by-product, they are rich in nutrients.

• protein
• dietary fiber
• B vitamins
• mineral

It contains many nutrients that are good for the body.

Not only is it delicious, but it is also said to have beauty benefits such as whitening and reducing blemishes. *Individual results may vary.

It is no exaggeration to say that most of the nutrients in the moromi are contained in the sake lees (just kidding).

Fujii Sake Brewery manufactures and sells "Sakka," a sake lees cosmetic soap containing concentrated sake lees extract.

Please check this out too if you like ♪

Unique to Fujii Sake Brewery: The appeal of Kimoto sake lees

At Fujii Sake Brewery, we use a method called "kimoto brewing" to create our yeast starter , which reflects the unique characteristics of the brewery and the region. Currently, approximately 90% of our total production is made using kimoto brewing.

I won't go into detail about the kimoto brewing process here, but...
Simply put, it is "a traditional, additive-free alcoholic beverage that does not contain yeast or lactic acid."

Kimoto brewing uses a bucket called a "hangirioke" and a wooden tool called a "kaibou."

To attract the yeast and lactic acid bacteria that are present in the brewery, rice, rice koji, and water are mixed in a half-sized vat and then crushed with a paddle. This process is called "moto-suri (yama-oroshi)."

 

Half-cut bucket and paddle

Because a lot of force is used during the mashing process, wood chips can occasionally get mixed into the yeast starter that will later become sake lees.

It does not have any adverse effects on the human body, but if you are concerned, please refrain from purchasing.

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The sake lees used in kimoto brewing are soft, creamy, and rich.
Kimoto-brewed sake often has a more complex flavor than non-kimoto-brewed sake, with a blend of sweetness, umami, sourness, and bitterness.

This is what gives the sake lees their rich flavor.

It's soft and easy to handle, so it's great for cooking!
When we served kimoto sake lees soup at a local Takehara religious ceremony, it was well received, with many saying it was even more delicious than usual!

How to store sake lees

Sake lees contain about 8% alcohol, so they will not spoil.
However, because it contains live yeast, it will continue to ferment if left at room temperature.
If you're not going to use it right away, refrigerate it.

The expiration date for Fujii Sake Brewery's sake lees is three months after they are removed from the press.
However, this does not mean that it is still edible even after three months.

Freshly peeled sake lees

If you think your sake lees have gone stale, such as when they start to smell strong, we recommend using them in pickles.
Fujii Sake Brewery also sells sake lees that have been left to rest until summer as "summer lees"!

Recommended way to eat it!

The recommended way to eat Fujii Sake Brewery's sake lees is to "toast it in the toaster and eat it as is!"
Of course, it can be enjoyed as a snack, or as a light snack when you're feeling a bit hungry.

Eating it as is is the best way to fully enjoy the flavor of kimoto sake lees.

Another recommended dish is sake lees pickled in cream cheese.

For a simple way to incorporate sake lees into your regular miso soup, simply add some sake lees to make sake lees soup. It tastes even better if you add fish such as salmon.

I plan to try out various recipes in the future, and hope to share them here as well.

Incorporate sake lees into your daily life and enjoy sake to the fullest!
Eating sake lees may improve your health and allow you to enjoy sake for longer...

Purchase here☟

Editor's Note

About the image of rose lees used along the way.

In my mind, sake lees refers to the lees squeezed using the Yabuta method.
So I did an image search for "rose lees" but nothing came up. No matter how you look at the photo, it's clearly rose lees!

When I searched for "sake lees," I found bara kasu. Oh, so bara kasu is also sake lees.

I sometimes tend to assume that what is considered "common sense" within the industry is accepted outside the industry as well.

I came from a different industry and at first there was a lot I didn't understand, but I was completely absorbed in the sake brewing industry and started using industry terminology...

This was an incident that made me realize something. I will try to use easy-to-understand wording so that anyone can understand!