Masumi Junmai Ginjo karakuchi kiippon (300 ml)

In 1946, a single fermentation tank at Masumi's original kura in Suwa yielded a yeast strain so vigorous and clean that the Brewing Association distributed it nationwide — Kyokai Yeast No. 7, now deployed by over 60% of Japan's sake breweries, was born here. That founding strain still drives every bottle leaving this cellar. The Suwa Basin site, where the ancient Koshu Kaido road meets the Kirigamine Highlands approach, draws snowmelt water from the Yatsugatake (Eight Peaks) Range — soft, ultra-clean alpine water that preserves delicate ginjo aromatics while keeping the palate precise. Masumi brews this Junmai Ginjo via the yamahai yeast-starter method: natural lactic-acid bacteria are cultivated in the shubo over approximately two weeks before fermentation begins, building a structural backbone of lactic complexity and elevated natural acidity that sokujo-method peers cannot replicate. Rice — predominantly Miyama Nishiki, grown in Nagano — is milled in-house to ginjo grade (≤60% remaining). The karakuchi kiippon designation signals a deliberately dry profile, SMV pushed toward the dry end, with the yamahai's characteristic clean finish amplifying rather than softening that dryness. What sets this apart: Masumi applies the labour-intensive yamahai method at every tier, including this accessible 300 ml format — a discipline almost no high-volume brewery maintains. Drink now through two years; serve at 10–15°C to open the lactic lift.