It’s the middle of the final week of August.
Stepping outside feels like walking through a desert shimmering in the heat. The sweltering
weather still continues, so please take care not to overexert yourself and stay well.
By the way, have you been watching NHK’s morning dorama, “Anpan”?
It's a story modeled after the creator of “Anpanman”, Takashi Yanase, and his wife, Nobu,
depicting their life from the wartime and the postwar period until his success as
a manga artist and lyricist.
The main character of “Anpanman”, which was later adapted into an animated series, is a hero
with a face made of a sweet red bean bun, “anpan”. In the drama, simple anpan
that fills an empty stomach is portrayed as a symbol of hope and of life itself.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of WWⅡ-a moment to reflect on the wish for a world without war.
Since it’s a while from the testing note last time,
I’mso happy to I chose to pair anpan with Kuromatsu Senjo Doburoku.
The brewery known for the Kuro Matsusenjo brand was founded in the late Edo period.
It is located in Ina City, in the Inadani Basin, nestled between the Southern
and Central Alps of Nagano Prefecture. They draw groundwater from the abundant
underground streams of the Southern Alps to brew its sake, using locally grown Nagano
rice and their refined koji-making techniques. Their douroku (unfiltered sake)
and amazake（sweet fermented rice drink) are attracting attention, while they also focus on producing small-lot junmain and Junmai daiginjo sake.
The doburoku label features an adorable illustration of the Japanese rock ptarmigan, the prefecture's bird.
Kuromatsu Senjo, Doburoku
Other fermented sake
Ingredients: Rice (domestic), Rice Koji (made from domestic rice)
Rice Used: Nagano Prefecture rice (Koji rice, Kake rice)
Polishing Ratio: 70%
Alcohol Content: 6%
📒Tasting Notes📒
Appearance: Cloudy, milky white
Aroma: Sweet notes reminiscent of milk, sake manju (sake flavored buns), milk candy,
and condensed milk
Taste: A milky, mellow sweetness balanced with a gentle tartness like Calpis drink（sold as Calpico）. T
The finish carries a steamed-rice nuance derived from the rawingredients. The creamy texture from fine rice particles is present, but unlike the chunkier, moromi-style doburoku, this one is smooth and easy to drink,
characterized by its low 6% alcohol content.
The pairing of the doburoku and anpan：
The lightly salted, toasty crust of the anpan and the refined sweetness of the red bean paste pair beautifully with the milky smoothness unique to the doburoku of fermented alcoholic drink. The slight acidity adds a
refreshing accent, leaving a clean finish. The pairing offers a new feeling,
like a dairy drink and Japanese confectionery together, creating a delightful experience.
Doburoku is an alcoholic drink that can be said to represent the roots of Japanese sake.
Next time you hold an anpan in yourhands, try it with a glass of doburoku, and discover the joy of pairing for
yourself.
🚶🚶♀️🚶♀️🚶🥂🥂🚶🚶♀️🚶♀️🚶🍶✨🎐🪭✨✨