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Nama season is here! Every spring, sake breweries release fresh-brewed bottles of unpasteurized sake in super-limited amounts. We are super lucky to get access to these, and have gotten as much as we can for you! Spring Nama often disappears quickly, so grab them while you can.

About Kisoji Junmai Ginjo Spring Nama

Dry and elegant. More austere, and reserved than other Spring Namas that I'm used to. It presents a mineral, woody, defined structure with prominence. The strawberry-banana notes of common spring namas are just a whisper, in comparison. The characteristic 'nama-ka' aromas of unpasteurized sake take a secondary, supportive role to the structure. This sake presents itself as dry, despite the hints of fruity nama-ness trying to bust out of the serious structure. A nice paradox!

Kisoji is brewed at nearly 1000 meters above sea level, situated as one of the highest breweries in Japan. This is mountain sake. As typical of sake brewed in mountainous areas, this sake is made for cold-weather, hearty foods. The dry and robust mouthfeel of this sake makes it perfect for pairing with roasted meats, stews, curry rice, and thick-sauced dishes.

The brewery is run by husband and wife team Naoko and Shinichi Yugawa. Naoko runs the brewery as president (and does the koji making), while Shinichi serves as brewmaster. 

More on Unpasteurized Sake

Unpasteurized sake is a special thing. It's often lively, bold and punchy, texturous, and packing heaps of heady aromatics. The vast majority of sake gets pasteurized twice to keep it stable and unspoiled so that it can rest easy on store shelves, or in our cupboards at home awaiting drinking. This is the industry norm. An amount far less than that sees one single pasteurization. A lot of the smaller breweries that Fulamingo carries follow the single, in-bottle pasteurization protocol. An even far lesser amount sees no pasteurization at all. These rare birds of sake are called NAMA, or NAMAZAKE. Nama basically means "raw" or unpasteurized.

If Nama is so special, then why don't more breweries make sake this way? For one, leaving sake unpasteurized risks spoilage. Namas need to be kept cool in order to guarantee that unintended microbiological processes don't set in. (Refrigeration is the best way to keep Namas safe from this. A cool cellar is second best, and room temperature or hotter for a prolonged time is asking for bad funk.) The second reason Nama isn't more widely produced and available is that the bold aromatics and lively textures can be downright overpowering for lots of sake fans. This is especially true when we consider the elegant, understated nature of delicately balanced sake. In Japan, for many, Nama is considered a novelty, albeit a novelty to be celebrated and enjoyed, but novel nonetheless. It's kind of like Beaujolais Nouveau for wine fans. Fresh wine is fun, but every winemaker who wants to show you what they can really do will have you wait until the wine ages an appropriate amount before it gets bottled. That being said, sake is absolutely not wine, and the Nouveau analogy although apt doesn't quite account for the broad deliciousness that Nama sake can provide for us, even year-round.