Now you can make awesome sake like a pro, too.

Few alcoholic beverages out there offer the crystal clear and subtle taste profile of sake, otherwise known as Japanese rice wine. Its characteristics may vary greatly depending on where it is made in Japan, but that is also precisely the reason why the world of sake can be very intriguing.

And for those who have always fancied making their own delicious Japanese rice wine but never had the chance to do so, a brewing kit called the MiCURA “Kotohajime” Ver1.1 (US$180) may just be the perfect solution.

▼ Despite its name sounding like computer software,
this kit is able to churn out 4.4 liters (1.16 gallons) of sake in 33 days.

Traditional sake brewing is often performed in highly controlled environments where every step is tightly regulated to ensure reproducibility. As ordinary people do not have access to such expensive equipment, Kotohajime simplifies the process by omitting rice steaming and yeast. It also utilizes dry koji mold spores and special “alpha rice” to skip tricky steps that would otherwise take lots of skill and time to perform.

That is not to say that customers will end up with bad-tasting sake, as these shortcut techniques are actually being used by experts in the field.

Perhaps the most enjoyable thing about home brewing is being able to witness the entire process firsthand, and the transparent brewing vessel allows us to observe exactly how the rice wine ferments and slowly matures over weeks.

▼ Watching little bubbles forming in the product from day one
is something few people will ever get to see.

Worried that the brewing instructions will be all in Japanese? Fear not, as customers can choose to have manuals written in English, not to mention that all kits are also available worldwide thanks to very affordable international shipping plans.

▼ The sake brewing gift sets come nicely wrapped…

▼ …and also includes one of four message cards which customers can choose from.

▼ The company MiCURA is managed by Izawa Yuka,
who does everything from kit designs to product shipping.

Interested individuals can find more information about the kit and purchase them online here.

Although other fantastic do-it-yourself Japanese rice wine brewing kits are available out there, MiCURA’s Kotohajime Ver1.1 streamlines the process and makes it easy to get started in the wonderful world of brewing. After a few batches and a few swigs, you will be a master sake brewer in no time.

Source: MiCURA via PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: MiCURA, PR Times