| Brand | Shirataki |
| Region | Niigata, Japan |
| Spirits Type | Sake |
| Spirits Style | Junmai |
| ABV | 8-9% / Rice Polishing: 60% |
Product details
Jozen Kiwi Yurai Kobo Junmai is a bold and imaginative sake from Shirataki Sake Brewery’s experimental by Jozen series, a new line born from the iconic Jozen Mizuno Gotoshi brand. Brewed with a unique yeast strain extracted from kiwi fruit by Shirataki’s in-house researchers, this junmai sake offers a refreshing, fruity aroma and a playful balance of sweet and tangy flavors reminiscent of fresh kiwi. With its low alcohol content and juicy profile, it's delightfully easy to drink—perfect for sake newcomers or those seeking a fun, dessert-style twist on tradition.
Rice: Japanese Rice | Polishing Ratio: 60%
Jozen Kiwi Yurai Kobo Junmai delights with a gentle sweetness on the finish, balanced by a bright and charming acidity that leaves the palate feeling fresh and clean. Its fruity aroma evokes the essence of kiwi, both in flavor and on its eye-catching label featuring a kiwi fruit and New Zealand’s iconic kiwi bird. With its low alcohol content and refreshing profile, it’s an ideal choice for those new to sake or looking for a light, easygoing sip.
Jozen Kiwi Yurai Kobo Junmai pairs beautifully with light and refreshing dishes such as Italian salads with prosciutto, white fish carpaccio, or asparagus dressed in shio-koji. Its sweet-tart balance also complements savory bites like grilled gyoza and sweet treats like éclairs or rare cheesecake. For a fun twist, try floating kiwi or pineapple slices in your glass for a sangria-style vibe, or simply add a mint leaf to enhance its visual and aromatic freshness. This versatile sake invites playful pairings and creative enjoyment.
Crafting Shirataki sake begins with carefully milling rice grains, a process known as seimai, which removes the outer husk to reveal the pure white core. Once polished, the rice is stored under controlled humidity to ensure optimal quality. Skilled kura-bito (brewery artisans) then meticulously wash and drain each batch before soaking it in cool water for a precise duration—ranging from 5 to 60 minutes, depending on the rice variety. The rice is then steamed using a koshiki (traditional rice steamer), where high temperatures enhance its texture and prepare it for fermentation. Under the expert supervision of the toji (master brewer), the rice is carefully combined with water and inoculated with kome-koji mold, which is crucial in converting starch into fermentable sugars.
This intricate process unfolds in a specially designated space known as the seigiku-shitsu, where temperature and humidity are carefully controlled to develop Shirataki’s signature taste and style. The prepared rice is then transferred into fermentation tanks for the shubo stage, where live yeast is introduced to initiate fermentation. Over approximately 30 days, the moromi (main mash) undergoes the danjikomi process, gradually incorporating pure Yuzawa water to refine its character. Once fermentation reaches its peak, the sake is pressed through cotton bags to filter out impurities, yielding a smooth and well-balanced flavor. After maturation, the sake is carefully bottled, with pure water added to adjust the alcohol content, ensuring a refined and consistent final product ready to be enjoyed.
