Ohara Shuzo

Kitakata, Fukushima

President, 10th gen.

Founded in 1717

A kura (酒蔵) with more than 300 years of history in Kitakata, a town of breweries.

It is gaining attention for "Kurasui (Classic)," the first sake in Japan to be fermented while the moromi (もろみ) listens to classical music.

Interviewee: President Kosuke Ohara (hereafter Ohara)

Interviewer: bien Ayako Yoshida (hereafter bien)

bien: Since when have you been brewing while playing classical music?

Ohara: Since 1986. We've been playing Mozart for about 30 years.

bien: Why did you decide to play music to the moromi?

Ohara: About 30 years ago, at the National Tax Agency's Brewing Research Institute, each team had to come up with research data,

and I was searching through various literature.

Then I found a study from Germany about playing music to cows while milking them.

So I thought, why not try playing music during sake fermentation and study it.

bien: Do you like classical music?

Ohara: No, I originally like jazz.

In the experiment, we chose three categories — classical music, jazz, and enka — and played each to a different moromi.

For classical, three kinds: Mozart, Beethoven, and J.S. Bach. For jazz, Miles Davis,

and for enka, we played Saburo Kitajima.

bien: Why Mozart?

Ohara: Mozart produced the fastest yeast growth.

Though exactly why Mozart works still needs to be explained.

Moreover, later research showed that Mozart and the Rolling Stones

both yielded the same fast yeast growth.

But with the Rolling Stones there are copyright issues,

so unfortunately we can't use them.

bien: Is there a difference in taste compared to sake made without music?

Ohara: The sake brewed with music

develops a softer body with a ginjo fragrance.

bien: There are four kinds in the Kurasui series, right?

Ohara: Yes. Following the junmai daiginjo (純米大吟醸) "Maestro,"

we have "Symphony," "Orchestra," and "Concerto."

bien: Do you play different pieces for each?

Ohara: For "Symphony," we play Nos. 40 and 41; for "Orchestra," the Divertimento;

and for "Concerto," Piano Concertos Nos. 21 and 27.

bien: How interesting! What kind of people buy it?

Ohara: We have many fans among Mozart Society members and music people across the country.

bien: What is your commitment to sake making, Mr. Ohara?

Ohara: Rather than sake that fakes its good flavor,

I want to keep brewing sake that is sincere and honest.

Even if such sake ages and becomes koshu (古酒, aged sake),

I believe it will gain depth and grow more and more delicious.