For those who want to enjoy sake but are daunted by the alcohol content. 

If you love the taste of sake, but find that you can’t drink much alcohol, you’re in luck! A long-standing, 300-year-old sake brewery has created a brand new line of sake that’s low alcohol, just for you.

Okuhida Brewery, which was founded in 1720 in the city of Hida Takayama in what is now Gifu Prefecture (which is known for its UNESCO World Heritage Site), has been perfecting its craft and handing down its recipes using the crystal clear waters of underwater portions of the Hida and Maze Rivers for more than 300 years. And now, in response to the changing times and demands of its customers, the brewery has challenged itself with a new endeavor: producing low-alcohol sake.

▼ Okuhida Brewery

Why? Because the brewery believes everyone should be able to enjoy sake. The desire was born from the mother and daughter who manage the brewery, who both cannot tolerate high alcohol content. They wanted anyone, regardless of their tolerance level, to have a drink that they can enjoy together with their friends and family. In the same way that you would pick a chair based on how comfortable it is, they wanted to create a sake brand that customers could choose based on comfort.

The challenge was in managing the delicate balance of the alcohol’s sweetness and acidity. They think they have succeeded with their new brand Chair, just released on December 20, which they feel confident are one-of-a-kind liquors with a smooth profile. It contains two varieties called High Chair (represented by a bar stool) and Low Chair (represented by a lounge-style chair).

High Chair is a refreshing alcohol with 13-percent alcohol content, which is on the lower end of most sake brands (which generally range from 13 to 18 percent). Okuhida Brewery believes it is perfect to use in cooking to draw out the best flavors of your ingredients. It’s made with 100-percent locally-grown Hidahomare rice and underground water from the Hida River.

Low Chair, like High Chair, is made with the same rice and water, but is a sweeter sake that contains just eight percent alcohol. Since it goes down easy, it’s perfect to pair with cheese and nuts. Both types come in a 300-milliliter (10.1-fluid ounce) bottle for 900 yen (US$6.27).

You can find these brand new low-alcohol sakes at Okuhida Brewery shops in Gifu or online at the Okuhida Brewery Online Shop. If you know someone in your life who would like to enjoy sake but just doesn’t have the tolerance for alcohol, then this would be the perfect gift! Or if you fancy hosting a New Year’s or Christmas party this year, it’s a great option to keep on hand, together with some of Mr. Sato’s Senbero selections.

Source, images: Atpress
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