Sake Brands
in Kumamoto

Kumamoto Prefecture features Aso underground water containing moderate minerals, perfect for brewing. Rain falling on the Aso Caldera rim soaks underground, taking in minerals while flowing slowly to Kumamoto City; all tap water uses underground water from Aso. Kumamoto's representative sake rice varieties are 'Shinriki,' the root of many sake rices, and 'Yamada Nishiki.' Shinriki is called a phantom rice; it dissolves easily in mash and gives no off-flavors, earning high praise. Original prefectural rice 'Hana Nishiki' has also been developed. 'Kumamoto Yeast' features high aroma, strong fermentation, and ease of handling. Distrubuted nationwide as 'Kyokai No. 9 Yeast,' it is used by many breweries. As shown by the golden rule 'YK35' (Yamada Nishiki, Kumamoto Yeast, 35% polishing), Kumamoto Yeast is essential for sake brewing.