Shooting Star (720 ml)

In 1882, third-generation brewer Tokukichi Saito renamed the family operation — founded in 1843 at the foot of Mt. Kirinzan — after the mountain itself, anchoring the brewery's identity to a single place. That commitment to place became literal: after nearly 30 years of collaboration with 55 local Aga-machi farmers, Kirinzan achieved 100% locally sourced rice, supported today by an in-house agricultural division established in 2011. Shooting Star draws on Gohyakumangoku rice, Niigata's signature variety, polished to 55% (seimaibuai), grown within 10 km of the brewery in a valley where 94% of the surrounding land is dense beech and cedar forest. The brewery's water — drawn from the Tokonami River basin and naturally filtered through those forest soils — is characteristically soft and low-mineral, the physical foundation of Niigata's Tanrei Karakuchi (light and dry) style. Fermentation proceeds via sokujo moto starter using proprietary G901 yeast, a Niigata-associated strain that drives extended cold fermentation without generating the high-ester aromatic profile typical of ginjo-focused breweries. The result is a Junmai Ginjo that deliberately refuses aromatic showmanship: delicate umami backbone, a clean mid-palate, and a finish that cuts sharply rather than lingers sweetly. Tank-aged in stainless steel and pasteurized before bottling at 15–16% ABV, it is not genshu. The special feature here is philosophical: Kirinzan treats this accessible tier with the same craft rigour as its Junmai Daiginjo, making terroir-driven restraint the point rather than a compromise.