Eriko Terada
Seven with Signor Sake - Eriko Terada (Asahi Shuzo, Shimane)
I’m asking seven questions to my favourite sake makers to hear their story and get their take on the centuries-old craft.
According to legend, the Japanese god Susanoo defeated an 8-headed monster by getting it drunk with 8 buckets of sake and then cutting off all of its heads. This epic battle occurred in Shimane, the so-called birthplace of sake and home of one of the oldest shrines in Japan, Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine. It’s in this mythical location that Eriko’s family have been brewing sake at Asahi Shuzo brewery, makers of the Juuji Asahi label, since 1872.
Despite Shimane’s rich history and culture, Eriko left the town after graduating university to pursue a career in Japanese tea culture at a well-known company in Kyoto. However, like many before her, family duty eventually called her back to the brewery. Although it wasn’t what she had planned for her future, she’s now grateful to the gods and her family for the opportunity. She’s unafraid to take risks—just like Susanoo—and now reaps rewards in the form of a close-knit community, high-end clientele and unique, delicious sake.
1. Tell us about your time before joining the brewery.
From a young age, I was never the type to know exactly what I wanted to be in the future. I went to Ritsumeikan University to study Sociology, specialising in Welfare, but I mostly played tennis instead of studying. I found it difficult to make a living in the welfare work I was studying, but I didn't want to leave Kyoto, so I looked for a job that didn't require me to wear a suit or heels. I was also looking for a job that would allow me to work with traditional Japanese sweets and tea. After graduating, I worked for three years at Ippodo in Kyoto, a tea company with a 300-year-old history. Even now, when I visit Kyoto, I go there to say hello.
2. Was there any pressure to take over the 300-year-old family business?
In the beginning, I didn't know how hard it was to make sake, so there was no pressure. When my father asked me to come back to the brewery, I didn't think I would be able to take on as many different tasks as I do now, so I felt no pressure at all.
I loved the job I had before I came back because I had a relationship with society and the workplace as an individual, regardless of my family background. I had always wanted to stay at that job, but my grandfather died, my grandmother became ill, my brother and sister had left the area to go to school, and my father had no family around him to rely on. Furthermore, the sake brewers were getting older and there were no young brewers to replace them. My father must have been worried about what would happen to the brewery. I think he brought me back because he wanted to be close to his family, even if I was of no use to him. I loved my job, but I couldn't leave my family in need, so I returned to my hometown. I feel more pressure now that I have so many responsibilities.
“Other breweries in Shimane buy their rice and yeast from similar sources, and their water quality may also be similar, so I wondered why our brewery’s sake had a unique taste. The difference in taste is particularly apparent in aged sake.”
3. What are you most proud of implementing since joining the brewery?
I'm now the deputy toji (master brewer) and I decide what sake to make. I'm mainly in charge of making koji, which means that I'm also involved in everything from washing the rice to monitoring the progress of the fermentation.
I suggested the idea of brewing Kimoto (traditional sake yeast starter) style several years ago, and we were able to make our first batch in 2008. At that time, the head brewer opposed the idea and told me that he would not be responsible if it failed, but I overcame his objections and produced it because I wanted to express a nostalgic taste.
As managing director, I may not yet be playing a full role in the company, but I’m the signpost when it comes to working and socialising with people around the brewery. I also reflect the opinions of those around me in the way we make sake. I’m confident that no one else can take my place when it comes to this job.
Other breweries in Shimane buy their rice and yeast from similar sources, and their water quality may also be similar, so I wondered why our brewery’s sake had a unique taste. The difference in taste is particularly apparent in aged sake. This led me to think that perhaps it had something to do with the microorganisms living in the brewery. I thought that if we could make sake using only the things that live in the brewery, then we could say that the sake is unique to our brewery, and I wanted to take on this challenge. This was something I came up with because I didn't have any knowledge of production. I probably wouldn't have thought of it if I had studied at Tokyo University of Agriculture (where many brewers learn the basics of brewing). I had more curiosity about the challenge than fear of failure. At that time, we were brewing a lot of table sake in large tanks, so we just made a small amount of Kimoto sake on the side. Now we make 30% of our sake with a Kimoto yeast starter.
4. Shinkame, the maker based in Saitama, has been considerably influential in the industry especially amongst Junmai enthusiasts. Are you connected with them too?
Shinkame sake brewery is not only trying to improve itself but also the industry as a whole. They have helped us so much that we said that we would like to return the favour one day, but they told us to pass it on to the next person in need. At a recent event at the Righa Royal hotel, I had the pleasure of meeting the wife of the late managing director of Shinkame. She helped us so much as well.
“Shinkame sake brewery is not only trying to improve itself but also the industry as a whole.”
5. What do you feel are some of the barriers to promoting sake appreciation?
There are many different types of sake, which is interesting, but there are also many people who say that certain types are good or bad, which is sad. It would be nice if we could all accept what other people like, but I think there are people who say some types of sake are bad just to prove that the type of sake they like is good. It's wrong.
Fresh, fruity sake is easy to drink and easy to serve. If it's chilled in the fridge and served in a clean glass, it tastes the same whether it's poured by a part-time worker or the owner. On the other hand, it's a bit of a hassle to tell people how good hot or aged sake is, because you have to match it with food or heat it up. But we still want people to understand that the joy of sake is richer because of these pleasures. I just wish it was a bit easier to get this message through.
Our sake is considered unique and sometimes weird (laughs), so we don’t push it too much in our promotion. I’m not good at promoting our sake with numbers or pretty words. But by using the interesting design on our label as a prop, I can promote our sake with joy through conversation. We are not trying to be funny, but we are trying to spread the word in a tasty and fun way.
6. With a history of spoiled batches, cultured yeasts sourced from the brewing association have provided a much needed helping hand to brewers. More recently there’s a trend of brewers using ambient yeast. What’s your approach with yeast?
We use association yeasts number 7 and 9, and 701, which is the foamless variety of 7. Shimane K1, cultivated in Shimane prefecture, is used for our Ginjo. K1 is an old yeast and it’s not very floral. We use it because we have been using it for a long time and we don't want to disappoint our longtime customers by suddenly changing the taste of our sake.
It’s said that the ambient yeast in the brewery is influenced by the association yeast, but I think that the ambient yeast in the brewery is stronger because it produces different kinds of foam. We are actually having it analysed at the moment.
The building was built in 1926 with mud walls, lots of beams, and the outside is plastered. The whole building is breathing, and you can feel the yeast and koji fungus growing naturally in the space. People also breathe. We want to keep this way of doing things, where living things meet in a living space and make sake together.
We use wooden vats for the koji growing tools and for the sake grinding tools. We are not able to use wooden tanks yet. And we’re not sure whether we’ll ferment 100% with the brewery's ambient yeast because I think there will be some influence from the association yeast.
“The whole building is breathing, and you can feel the yeast and koji fungus growing naturally in the space.”
7. Your sake is on the menu at Narisawa, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Tokyo. How important are restaurants in promoting sake?
I went to the restaurant with 5 other restaurant owners I know. Narisawa's way of matching sake and food was different from the places I usually go to. We are the ones who create the sake, but we don't know much about how to present it. The way it was staged was different from our own approach, which was lovely. It made me realise how important it is for us to learn from these restaurants and other places, and to take rice seriously as a maker for the people who are waiting with expectation.
SIGNOR SAKE FAVOURITE
Junmai Ginjo 2015 Yamada Nishiki 55% Unpasteurised, undiluted.
Although this clocks in at 18% alcohol, you won’t feel it as it has been aged at the brewery for 3 years before its release creating a a well-rounded and smooth mouthfeel. Made with 100% Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 55% and Shimane yeast K1 which doesn’t produce floral aromas. The sake metre value (SMV) or nihonshudo reads +7 so this is a fairly dry sake. (The average SMV range is from 0 -＋5. Sake sweeter than the zero mark (that is to say in the minus range) is considered ama-kuchi ; that which reads more than +5 may be said to be dry (kara-kuchi.))
Rice type: Yamada Nishiki
Polished to: 55%
Yeast: Shimane K1
Alcohol: 18%
Category: Junmai Ginjo
Subcategory: unpasteurised, undiluted, no charcoal fining
Style: Deep & Rich
For more information, visit the brewery’s website
http://jujiasahi.co.jp/
