Jorge Navarrete SakeWorks

14/04/2023

I was recently invited to help kick off a new series on (hopefully) clarifying often confusing or arcane sake terminology. My topic was a personal favorite, namazake (unpasteurized sake) which we brew at Matsui Shuzo.

Thanks as always to Justin and the Sake On Air team for the invitation. Kanpai!

This week we kick off a brand-new mini-series looking at sake and/or Shochu-specific terminology in a new way.

Up until now, we’ve occasionally hosted in-depth discussions on hyper-specific topics, services, or experiences, where we would round up our hosts or a team of specialists in an attempt to unravel exciting and essential topics related to our favorite drink categories. Based on what our listeners have told us (and what the numbers say), more often than not these have been our most popular and most requested show format. It turns out you want to dig into this stuff! So this new (mini?) series, “On Your Own Terms” is the answer to that.

Here our hosts invite a special guest who is proactively working or engaged in the world of sake or shochu, asking them to introduce a specific piece of vocabulary that they feel is particularly significant or close to their heart – on their own terms.

To start off the series we welcome back Jorge Navarette, brewer, sales manager, and all-in-one sake powerhouse at Matsui Shuzo – makers of Kagura – located in the heart of Kyoto. Jorge’s terminology of choice this week: nama. Being a brewery that doubled down on nama as a core component of their main product line, he and the team at Matsui Shuzo are in a great position to not only define, but offer perspective on what it means to both brew, sell, and enjoy namazake, so make sure to tune in here: https://sakeonair.com/2023/04/13/nama-on-your-own-terms-with-jorge-navarette/

11/03/2023

Give me your tired, hungry, uh, sake bottles yearning to be free?

Whatever works. Welcome Kagura sake, fresh from Kyoto, NYC’s newest immigrant!

24/01/2023

Thank you so much Simone and Maki for including me in your wonderful TWTT podcast series. For those interested, we discuss recent updates at the brewery and a bit of my background. Hope you enjoy it!

🎙 New TWTT Podcast episode has dropped.

In this episode we catch up with Jorge Navarrete from Matsui Shuzo in Kyoto.

Jorge was a guest in the Zoom room on the Taste with the Toji Project for session #24 back in November 2020. He also featured as part of a panel of guests for the 1 year anniversary session of the Taste with the Toji Project in April 2021, alongside Andrew Russell (our Podcast guest for episode #2), Cody Brailsford (our Podcast guest for episode #5), and the much adored 'Godmother of Sake', Rumiko Moriki.

Originally from New York, we hear how Jorge came to be brewing sake in the heart of Kyoto and what has been happening since we last caught up with him in the Zoom room, including some major developments at Matsui Shuzo.

One of those developments was the complete overhaul and renovation of their tasting room/shop area, which was completed only recently - just in time to see people flocking back to Kyoto from all over the world, with many adding Matsui Shuzo to their list of places to visit.

We also hear about some exciting new products on the horizon for Matsui Shuzo.

We hope you enjoy this TWTT episode as much as we enjoyed chatting to Jorge.

A huge thank you to our subscribers at Patreon, where you will find bonus audio and more. Subscriber content for this episode will be available soon.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GAO5pgtETK7MzvmmuD8Dm?si=dfa2ab19813f4e35

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/twtt-taste-with-the-toji/id1652261003?i=1000596187494

Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tastewiththetoji

16/07/2022

At long last, the hard work is done and the brand new tap room is officially up and running. This great post from Sake On Air wonderfully describes all the changes. Please visit us on your next Kyoto trip!

15/05/2022

A (too) rare gathering of the ultimate “Sake Brewer Bros of Japan” at sake mecca, Sake Bar Yoramu, in Kyoto no less! A very special thanks to Andy Russell for making it all happen and a wonderful reminder of why we all do this in the first place. Kanpai!

23/07/2021

Matsui Sake Brewery now offers an English language version of its website. Check it out!

松井酒造は、享保11年創業、京の銘酒『神蔵KAGURA』『富士千歳』・『京千歳』・『金瓢』醸造元です。皆様のお越しを心よりお待ち申し上げます。

14/07/2021

Something new to enjoy at our shop at Matsui Sake Brewery in Kyoto!

Mamedaru (まめだる)

Mamedaru are those traditional sake barrels for ceremonial purposes (in miniature form) often sold as gifts. Here we have our latest batch, freshly washed and ready for bottling! Available at our shop next time you are thinking about the perfect, unusual gift.

11/05/2021

Our brewery President and Brewmaster created a YouTube video to give you a small taste of who we are and what we do at Matsui Sake Brewery in Kyoto. Hope you enjoy it and please subscribe. Much more to come!

https://youtu.be/jcd8uB_xHok

京都にある松井酒造の紹介動画です。「神蔵」、「富士千歳」、「京千歳」「金瓢」という日本酒を製造しています。HP　https://matsuishuzo.comSNSもやってます！フォロー&👍よろしくお願いいたします！Twitter　　....

31/10/2020

For those of you who may have missed this, I was recently honored to be included in a podcast Interview on foreign brewers in Japan with a couple of good friends in this fascinating business. Hope it helps explain a little better what it’s like to work in this intimate world.

Please see link below in the original post if you wish to listen. Hope you enjoy it!

EP 49 - Kurabito Life
Now ON AIR! 🎤🍶📻
https://www.sakeonair.com/2020/10/30/kurabito-life/

This week we invited three gentlemen from very different backgrounds with different motivations to join us on the show; their common thread being that they have all found themselves making sake as kurabito here in Japan, each at very different breweries of very different scale, style and philosophy.

We’re joined this week by Andy Russell at Imada Shuzo in rural Hiroshima, makers of Fukucho, Jorge Navarrete of Matsui Shuzo in the heart of Kyoto, makers of Kagura, and J.J. over at Imanishi Seibei Shoten in Nara, makers of Harushika.

Together with Sebastien, Chris and Justin, the group explores the nature of this truly invaluable, yet incredibly demanding, and equally rewarding career path. Grab a glass, sit back, and travel with these inspiring gentlemen to their respective locales for a taste of life in the kura.

Oh, and if you haven’t heard, Sake Future Summit 2020 is happening on November 21-22! Imagine more than a year’s worth of Sake On Air on steroids, with visuals, packed into a single weekend. A lot of the sessions have been announced, but we still have lots of exciting announcements to come. Stay tuned!

Details: https://www.sakeonair.com/summit/

Have a Happy Halloween everyone!
Spooky Kampai's all around! 🌕👻🍶👻🌕

27/08/2020

Matsui Shuzou
Kyoto

One of the perks of working in a modern Sake brewery is that the large building we occupy in downtown Kyoto has a roof deck garden with this stunning view of the famed Daimonji and Mount Hiei. The only thing missing is an iced cold bottle of our Kagura Sake to match. Next time!

11/06/2020

Many thanks for the shout out and, yes, we are open!

The Brewery Cafe

As you enter Matsui Shuzo in Kyoto Prefecture, there is a stylish café-like space where you can enjoy drinks and snacks to the right.
Tasting sets are available for visitors to try a wide variety of sake.
Light meals related to sake can be enjoyed as well.
The menu changes monthly.

10/04/2020

I often write about keeping perspective. No matter what is happening, sometimes you just need to focus on the little things and the reasons we do what we do. Making this particular sake certainly fits the bill. Ever since the famed Omachi rice arrived at the brewery from Okayama prefecture last November, I’ve been eager to taste the result. We only brew this sake once a year and it’s the only rice we use not grown in Kyoto. Omachi has an illustrious history and often produces a more robust, complex and richer sake. It did not disappoint. Polished to 50%, this Kagura Junmai Daiginjo retained all the fruit forward, elegant qualities of our signature brand but with an unmistakable, deeper and more daring flavor profile. It would make an ideal candidate for aging. We literally pressed and bottled it today and, yes, days like today are the exact reason I became a sake brewer in the first place. For my friends in Kyoto, don’t miss it!

07/03/2020

INSIDE THE BREWERY
Koji Muro

During brewery tours, a typical thought by visitors is “how do we actually create alcohol from rice”? Good question. The answer is Koji. An ancient mold in a powder form also known as aspergillus oryzae that we sprinkle on freshly steamed rice. At a (very) high temperature, a chemical reaction occurs and this magical powder converts the starch in rice into both a fermentable sugar and amino acids. We then add yeast in the fermentation tank and presto! Alcohol is created. Here’s the catch....the process takes about 48 hours in a specially sterilized room that’s at an even higher temperature. Brewers need to return to that room which can reach up to 45C (115F) over and over again to make sure the Koji is doing its proper duty. Yeah, it’s hot. Really hot...

24/02/2020

Brewery Visit
Imada Shuzou
Akitsu, Hiroshima

Located in a tiny hamlet on the Seto sea in southern Hiroshima prefecture, Imada Shuzou has been brewing Sake since the first year of the Meiji era (1868). This area was once home to nearly 20 breweries but only 3 remain. It’s signature brand, Fukucho, is available around the world and is known for its crisp, clean, slightly dry taste. The brewery has also been an innovator in its use of different rice polishing techniques including flat polishing which produce a fascinating variety of flavors using the same rice and ratio. I particularly want to thank Miho Imada and Andy Russell for their gracious hospitality and Shuso Imada for the great picture. To make the visit even more special, Ishikawa-san, the legendary Toji from nearby Taketsuru Shuzou, even made a surprise appearance!

23/02/2020

JR Sanyo Shinkansen
Hiroshima -> Kyoto

I can’t hide it. There is something very cool about buying and drinking a Sake you helped make and probably bottled on a bullet train in Japan. Available now!

13/01/2020

Matsuo Taisha (松尾大社)
Arashiyama, Kyoto

I visited this shrine dedicated to the deity of Sake for the first time exactly a year ago. In the meantime, I’ve become a Sake brewer myself so it only seemed appropriate to pay my respects at the start of this new year. Founded in 701, it became a place of worship when a Kyoto noble saw a turtle bathing in a spring on the grounds. The water is thus thought to be blessed and it is believed that Sake made with it won’t spoil. With the appropriate offerings made today on behalf of our brewery, let’s look forward to a great brewing year in 2020!

12/12/2019

It’s all in the packaging right?? When I started at the brewery, I was told to expect to do “everything”. Apparently, this even included burning our logo onto wooden boxes for our special edition Junmai Daiginjo Sake. It’s harder to do than it looks as you must account for so many variables. This one (for once) turned out just right. When combined with the beautiful paper bag to carry it home, it just may be the perfect holiday gift.

05/12/2019

Soba Roujina
Kyoto

What a pleasant surprise to walk into my regular soba noodle spot tonight and see our brand new Uniqlo T-shirt series on vivid display with their staff! They also now carry our Kagura sake and this Junmai is an ideal pairing with their fresh “arabiki” soba. Check it out on your next Kyoto visit.