Sake Record 1: "Musuhi"

I'm Masumaru.
I'm absolutely in love with sake.

This record is about "Musuhi," a sprouted brown rice sake from Terada Honke in Chiba Prefecture.
It is written as "Musuhi" but read as "Musubi."

This is my favorite sake. While tastes may vary, I believe this unique flavor can only be produced by this "Musuhi"...🌟

I also like Terada Honke's amazake.
The amazake is also very rich, and it makes me think about how lively the fermentation process must have been.
I have also purchased their sake lees, Daigo no Shizuku, and Daigo no Awa. Those are recommended as well.

You can't just open Musuhi by saying, "Time to open it! Pop!"
Since fermentation continues inside the bottle, carbon dioxide gas has built up. And quite a lot of it, too.

When you turn the screw cap, it sounds like "Hiss!" and threatens to spray out, so you quickly tighten it again.
Then you open it again, "Hiss!", and tighten it. You repeat this "Hiss!" process many times.
It actually takes quite a while to open. If you get impatient here, it will spray out without mercy.

Actually, this is the second bottle of "Musuhi" I've bought, and the third one I've opened.
(It's a mysterious count, but I enjoyed opening one with friends at a shop I frequent.)
However, it spills over a little every time😉
That bit of extra effort is what makes it good.

Once you've opened it carefully and patiently, it's time to...

Appearance

(It's hard to see with the light, but) unlike the clear sake you often see, it has a color like a certain lactic acid drink.
Furthermore, it looks cloudy and visibly rich🌝
It's hard to tell in this photo, but there is also white "ori" (sediment) inside the bottle.
I gently shake it before pouring.

Flavor

The aroma has a strong sense of grain and lactic acid.
This is also a scent that makes you think it's a completely different kind of drink if you're expecting standard sake (I love it).
It has more of a brown rice feel than... cooked rice, I suppose. It has a stronger grain impression than cooked rice. It seems to be described as being like nukazuke (pickled in rice bran) as well.
There's also the scent of fermented dairy products, like cheese.
When I first drank it, I was shocked that it wascompletely different from classic sake!and I became hooked.

Thinking about pairings

A good combination of sake and food is called a pairing.
I don't know what the "optimal" pairing is even if I think about it,
so I just think of it as "that's lovely"😉

When drinking sake, I naturally want to pair it with sushi or sashimi,

but because this "Musuhi" has such a strong lactic acid character,

• Crackers topped with cream cheese

• Gouda cheese (it has a rich flavor profile)

• Miso dengaku style dishes

• Rillettes

I thought that might be wonderful!?
Well, I don't have the four items above at home, though...

• Tofu pickled in salt koji

• Cream cheese pickled in boiled-down soy sauce

are things I occasionally make myself as snacks.
I found that if you wrap tofu in paper towels and leave it for a few days, it drains the water and the flavor becomes rich, making for a good combination.

"Musuhi" seems to suit my tastes, and I don't feel tired of drinking it.
It stands out clearly among the dishes, yet I don't feel like it draws attention to itself in a bad way.

I almost never repeat purchases of sake, but since it's my favorite, I've rambled on about it at length😉

If you all happen to come across "Musuhi" and "Terada Honke" at a shop, please do try them.