Today is a full day, to a point where I anticipate having 4 entries. The first is the tour of Asamai Brewery (Ama No To) awaits.
今日はブログを4パートにも分けるほど忙しい一日。最初は「天の戸」で有名な浅舞酒造の見学。
As much as I try to ignore, it's hard to shake off the jet lag. I even caught a sunrise this morning.
いくら無視をしようとしても、時差ぼけは残ってる。朝五時に起き、久しぶりに日明けも見れた。
This meant that I was awake for breakfast, an unusual occurance. Since hotel came with the breakfast, so I opted for Japanese-style. In the center is "natto," the fermented soy bean famous for its stickiness an stinkiness.
っと言う事は、珍しく朝ご飯の時間に十分間に合った。ホテルは朝飯込みなので、和風を注文。定食のど真ん中には個人の強敵、あの納豆。
Natto has been my personal nemesis, one of three food I do not eat. In fact, I don't think I have successfully consumed it. In a fit of insanity, I felt the challenge to eat the darned thing. As you can see, I actually finished half. A small accomplishment, nonetheless.
納豆とはいくら食べようとしても飲み込んだことは無い。今朝は一瞬気が狂ったのか勇気が湧いたのか、納豆チャレンジにとりかかった。結局、半分は食った。これは俺の人生の小さな勝利。
Ama No To uses water, rice, and yeast grown exclusively in Akita, true to the spirit of "jizaké."
天の戸のお酒は現地の水、米、麹を生かしながら造っていられる「地酒」である。
Right by the entrance is this stone structure that grace the label for Ama No To.
入り口の隣には天の戸のラベルに使われているシンボルが。
The first thing Kakizaki-san showed me was the natural well used to brew Ama No To. The water is very soft, and I was able to drink it straight from the well. (This photo courtesy of Asamai Brewery)
先ず見せてもらったのが天の戸に使われている自然に湧く井戸水。優しい軟水であり、そのまま飲める美味しい水。( 写真：浅舞酒造作)
Next, Kakizaki-san showed me the types of saké rice used by the brewery. They are all locally grown, and from left to right: Miyamanishiki, Misatonishiki, Akita Komachi, Kamé No O, and Gin No Sei.
その次拝見したのが秋田産の酒米の束。この五種類は美山錦、美郷錦、秋田酒こまち、亀の尾、吟の精。
Kamé No O is especially distinct, with it's "beard."
亀の尾の特徴はこの｢髭｣。
Koji Room, where natto is banned.
納豆禁止の麹室
Fermentation Tanks
醗酵用のタンク。
For Daiginjo-grade sakés, Thermal Tank is used for precise temperature control.
大吟醸レベルの酒の貯蔵には温度調整に快適なサーマルタンクが使われている。
The strucutre around fermentation tank is notable for its enormous beams, which are necessary in order to compensate for the heavy snowfall.
蔵には立派な梁(はり)が建物を支えている。これは大雪の対策に必要。
Asamai uses Funé instead of an accordion-like Yabuta to press their saké.
浅舞は「やぶた」より舟を使って酒を搾る。
Bottling machine, which was recently reinstalled.
ボトリング用の機械。これは最近買い換えたそうだ。
The sakés are bottle aged to minimize chance of oxidization.
酒はビンで貯蔵し、酸化を防ぐ。
Ama No To portfolio. Kakizaki-san let me taste 3 sakés that were not available the night before: clean and fruity "Daiginjo 45" made from Gin No Sei, soft and deep "Daiginjo Akita Saké Komachi," and nutty and chocolaty koshu version of "Hakuun Yuu Yuu" Junmai Daiginjo that has been aged for 3 years at seasonal ambient temperature.
天の戸の商品ラインアップ。今日は昨夜飲んでない3品を試飲させて頂いた：吟の精で造られているスッキリ・フルーティーな「大吟醸45」、秋田酒こまちで造られているソフトでこくがある「大吟醸 秋田酒こまち」、ナッツとチョコレートの風味がある三年平温で熟成した｢白雲悠々」純米大吟醸の古酒版。
Kakizaki-san and Moriya-san, thank you very much for your generosity the last two days. I am very grateful that each time I'll taste Ama No To, I will get to relive these valuable memories!
柿崎様と森谷様、二日間かけて色々とお世話になりました。これからNYで毎回天の戸を飲む時に貴重な思い出が浮かんで来るのが何よりもの楽しみです!
今日はブログを4パートにも分けるほど忙しい一日。最初は「天の戸」で有名な浅舞酒造の見学。
As much as I try to ignore, it's hard to shake off the jet lag. I even caught a sunrise this morning.いくら無視をしようとしても、時差ぼけは残ってる。朝五時に起き、久しぶりに日明けも見れた。
This meant that I was awake for breakfast, an unusual occurance. Since hotel came with the breakfast, so I opted for Japanese-style. In the center is "natto," the fermented soy bean famous for its stickiness an stinkiness.っと言う事は、珍しく朝ご飯の時間に十分間に合った。ホテルは朝飯込みなので、和風を注文。定食のど真ん中には個人の強敵、あの納豆。
Natto has been my personal nemesis, one of three food I do not eat. In fact, I don't think I have successfully consumed it. In a fit of insanity, I felt the challenge to eat the darned thing. As you can see, I actually finished half. A small accomplishment, nonetheless.納豆とはいくら食べようとしても飲み込んだことは無い。今朝は一瞬気が狂ったのか勇気が湧いたのか、納豆チャレンジにとりかかった。結局、半分は食った。これは俺の人生の小さな勝利。
Ama No To uses water, rice, and yeast grown exclusively in Akita, true to the spirit of "jizaké."天の戸のお酒は現地の水、米、麹を生かしながら造っていられる「地酒」である。
Right by the entrance is this stone structure that grace the label for Ama No To.入り口の隣には天の戸のラベルに使われているシンボルが。
The first thing Kakizaki-san showed me was the natural well used to brew Ama No To. The water is very soft, and I was able to drink it straight from the well. (This photo courtesy of Asamai Brewery)先ず見せてもらったのが天の戸に使われている自然に湧く井戸水。優しい軟水であり、そのまま飲める美味しい水。( 写真：浅舞酒造作)
Next, Kakizaki-san showed me the types of saké rice used by the brewery. They are all locally grown, and from left to right: Miyamanishiki, Misatonishiki, Akita Komachi, Kamé No O, and Gin No Sei.その次拝見したのが秋田産の酒米の束。この五種類は美山錦、美郷錦、秋田酒こまち、亀の尾、吟の精。
Kamé No O is especially distinct, with it's "beard."亀の尾の特徴はこの｢髭｣。
Koji Room, where natto is banned.納豆禁止の麹室
Fermentation Tanks醗酵用のタンク。
For Daiginjo-grade sakés, Thermal Tank is used for precise temperature control.大吟醸レベルの酒の貯蔵には温度調整に快適なサーマルタンクが使われている。
The strucutre around fermentation tank is notable for its enormous beams, which are necessary in order to compensate for the heavy snowfall.蔵には立派な梁(はり)が建物を支えている。これは大雪の対策に必要。
Asamai uses Funé instead of an accordion-like Yabuta to press their saké.浅舞は「やぶた」より舟を使って酒を搾る。
Bottling machine, which was recently reinstalled.ボトリング用の機械。これは最近買い換えたそうだ。
The sakés are bottle aged to minimize chance of oxidization.酒はビンで貯蔵し、酸化を防ぐ。
Ama No To portfolio. Kakizaki-san let me taste 3 sakés that were not available the night before: clean and fruity "Daiginjo 45" made from Gin No Sei, soft and deep "Daiginjo Akita Saké Komachi," and nutty and chocolaty koshu version of "Hakuun Yuu Yuu" Junmai Daiginjo that has been aged for 3 years at seasonal ambient temperature.天の戸の商品ラインアップ。今日は昨夜飲んでない3品を試飲させて頂いた：吟の精で造られているスッキリ・フルーティーな「大吟醸45」、秋田酒こまちで造られているソフトでこくがある「大吟醸 秋田酒こまち」、ナッツとチョコレートの風味がある三年平温で熟成した｢白雲悠々」純米大吟醸の古酒版。
Kakizaki-san and Moriya-san, thank you very much for your generosity the last two days. I am very grateful that each time I'll taste Ama No To, I will get to relive these valuable memories!柿崎様と森谷様、二日間かけて色々とお世話になりました。これからNYで毎回天の戸を飲む時に貴重な思い出が浮かんで来るのが何よりもの楽しみです!
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