Hiyaoroshi

Hiyaoroshi

A TASTE OF AUTUMN

It’s Autumn!  For most people around the world this means the seasons are changing, the temperature has begun to cool off and the leaves are starting to change color.  Unfortunately in Hawaii there are only two seasons … dry and rainy.

So to help everyone get into the spirit of “Autumn in Hawaii”, The Sake Shop is turning to sake (big surprise) as we host our first Autumn Seasonal Sake Tasting this Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm.

We will be sampling three Autumn Hiyaoroshi from our friends at Japan Prestige Sake Association.  (See below for explanation of Hiyaoroshi.)

Sawanoi “Genrokugura Hiyaoroshi”
Rich and smooth type.  Tranquil aromas of brown sugar, caramel and dry grain.  Mild and matured complex flavors with viscous texture.  Tokyo prefecture.

Wakatake Onikoroshi “Akino Ki-Ippon”
Light and smooth, rich type.  Very smooth, alluring dry sake with refreshing fruity aroma of muscat.  Nicely balanced, expansive savory flavors.  Shizuoka Prefecture.

Urakasumi “Hiyaoroshi”
Light and smooth type.  Savory aroma of rice harmonized with fruity aromas.  Nicely balanced mild flavors with soft texture.  Miyagi Prefecture.

Because these are seasonal sake there is only a limited supply available so be sure to stop by the shop for a taste this Saturday.  Once we run out they are gone!

What is Hiyaoroshi?  As a standard practice, most sake are pastuerized twice, once after pressing and then once more before bottling.  Hiyaoroshi refers to sake that has been pastuerized only once after pressing. 

Originally Hiyaoroshi only referred to this type of once pastuerized sake that was released in the Fall or Autumn.  However, over time Hiyaoroshi has now come to mean any sake that is only once pastuerzied (after pressing) regardless of the season.  Sake that is single pastuerized this way is also referred to as “Nama Zume”.

While not as brash or zingy as totally unpastuerized sake (Namazake), Hiyaoroshi still captures some of that fresh lively flavor. 
 
In the old days sake was usually brewed in the winter, pressed in the spring, covered up and left to stablize during the summer, then bottled and released during the fall. 

Technology these days allow brewers to make sake pretty much whenever they want to, and they are no longer bound to follow this seasonal cycle to brew sake.

However, there is just something about sampling freshly bottled Hiyaoroshi during the month of October that makes you feel that Fall is officially upon us.  Please stop by the shop this Saturday for a taste of Autumn.

Kanpai,
Malcolm & Nadine Leong
The Sake Shop

Complimentary Sake Tasting
Autumn Hiyaoroshi Sake
The Sake Shop
Saturday, October 23, 2010
10:00 am to 7:30 pm