Awa Sake: a bubbly message to the world

Bubbly and refined, awa sake can justly be called the champagne of the sake world.

The resounding pop of a cork and cheerful fizz of bubbles dancing in a glass immediately make any celebration more special, especially when it comes from a bottle of awa sake, the equivalent in the sake world of what champagne is to sparkling wine.

Sparkling sake has become increasingly popular in Japan, unsurprising in a country that already imports huge amounts of bubbly wine from overseas. But the concept of awa sake is more recent. It is a variety of sparkling sake with natural carbonation. While the brewing process is mostly identical to that of the more common “still” sake, the magic that occurs during the secondary fermentation is what gives the drink its iconic bubbles. Only a select number of sake that have passed strict testing criteria are granted the title of awa sake.

Awa is one of those words in Japanese that loses much of its nuance in translation. While usually referred to as “sparkling,” the term has overtones of frothiness and delicate foam, like that on the crest of a wave.

The Japan Awasake Association was established in 2016, inspired by chairman Noriyoshi Nagai’s experience with the trade associations of the Champagne region of France. The association’s aim is to constantly improve product quality, raise brand awareness, and expand to new markets. Only the products that comply with the strict association standards and pass third-party quality control can receive the seal of approval.

Much like the champagne it is based on, for a sparkling sake to be considered an awa sake it must fulfill a number of quality standards. For instance, it must be made with only 100 percent domestically grown rice, koji and water, and all carbonation must be natural (not added, as is often the case with sparkling wines). Awa sake must be clear and have bubbles that rise in a single stream when uncorked, and must have an alcohol content of 10 percent or higher, and gas pressure of 3.5 or higher.

But just because there are guidelines in place does not mean that the resulting sake are identical. Each brewery’s special know-how and preferences results in a wide range of entirely different flavor profiles, ranging from the very dry, pétillant Eikun from Kyoto’s Saito Brewery (which would elevate any type of raw seafood dish) to the surprising aroma reminiscent of strawberry yogurt and marshmallows with a creamy bubble of Hoshi no Kagayaki from the Shichiken Brewery in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Currently 33 sake breweries are members of the Japan Awasake Association, ranging from the northern reaches of Japan’s main island of Honshu to those in the warm climate of the southernmost main island of Kyushu. The results of the association’s efforts to share knowledge between the breweries are clear, as many of their bubbly brews have come away with top awards at major international competitions, such as Kura Master, International Wine Challenge and the Fine Sake Awards.

Besides spearheading the efforts to share this bubbly brew with the world, Nagai is also the 6th generation owner of the Nagai Brewery in the idyllic village of Kawaba, Gunma Prefecture. Started by a former samurai who was drawn to the location near the source of the great Tone River, the brewery has risen throughout the years to become the largest brewery in Gunma Prefecture and, potentially, also one of the most avant garde.

After seeing the change in sake consumption trends and general low market price of sake, Nagai was inspired to look beyond the traditional framework and seek to create sake that would appeal not just to long-time local sake lovers, but also new markets abroad. With the worldwide market for sparkling wine ever increasing, starting out by focusing on sparkling sake was the logical next step. However, the wheels of progress did not run smoothly, as he spent 5 years and over 700 attempts trying to create the awa sake he envisioned. About to give up, he traveled to France to learn from the great champagne houses, and finally had a breakthrough.

The result of Nagai’s quest is Mizubasho Pure, a delicately sweet sake with a firm bubble that dances delicately on the tongue. The overtones of perfumed pear and levels of flavor are rounded out by the clean mineral cut at the end. Nagai’s awa sake have enchanted top food professionals like Fernando Adrià Acosta, former chef of El Bulli, who famously bought out an entire department store’s stock of one of his earliest vintages.

But Nagai’s passion for sharing the elegant bubbly sake goes beyond his own brews, and at a recent private tasting event, he nimbly demonstrated his corking and pouring skills as he rapidly introduced 11 varieties among the high-quality awa sake produced by the 33 breweries in the association.

Greg Beck, sommelier and owner of sake shop and tasting room Sake Secret in Long Beach, California, was onsite to offer his expert opinion on this new trend. Beck says that despite his wealth of knowledge regarding Japan’s most iconic brew, awa sake is a new discovery for him. “I was impressed by awa sake’s proximity to sparkling wine and champagne, making it an ideal alternative,” he notes. “It has a ‘specialness’ that makes it ideal for celebrations.”

Nagai offered helpful notes about the techniques and ingredients each brewery uses to create their awa sake, chatting with Beck as the he savored the pleasantly shocking diversity of brews. As the tasting progressed, Beck selected a few as his personal favorites, although he adds a caveat: “Don’t forget that, as a sake professional, I tend to love unusual choices that push boundaries!”

Among his selections was Awa Sparkling from the Nanbu Bijin Brewery in Iwate Prefecture, known for the owner’s love of experimentation. Beck noted that the deep umami and dairy-forward hints of cheese in the aroma make it stand out, and are very representative of the brewery’s ethos of pushing the boundaries of sake.

Sorah from the Tottori-based Chiyomusubi Brewery (and a firm favorite at the Kura Master competition) drinks very much like a wine, with hints of pinot grigio in the aroma, and a delicate flavor with a touch of sweetness and touches of woodiness and pear. Much in the same vein is Awa sake from the large Hakkaisan Brewery in snowy Niigata Prefecture, which boasts impressive bubbles and has a clean, slightly spicy flavor that is likely to please a crowd.

Kaika, from the historical Daiichi Brewery in Tochigi Prefecture (founded back in 1673) is more complex. Beck remarked on the light citrusy aroma that also blends herbal and floral influences, giving the feeling of a spring day.

Appropriately, the final sake at the tasting was Kikuizumi Hitosuji Sparkling from the Takizawa Brewing in Saitama Prefecture, a bold brew that would be an ideal dessert sake. Nagai pointed out that the strong layers of flavor reminiscent of chocolate and rum-raisin are the result of using the brewer using a blend of three kobo yeasts to jumpstart the fermentation process.

Those still unfamiliar with this type of sake may also enjoy the cider-like astringency of 8000 Dry Sparkling from the Hachinohe Brewery, which Nagai pointed out also took some inspiration from their experience of distilling shochu, another popular Japanese spirit. The light ginjo-forward notes of Garyubai from the Sanwa Brewery and creamy foam and surprising notes of cotton candy of Tenzan Sparkling Dosage Zéro from the Tenzan Brewery are also likely to appeal to awa sake beginners.

“Awa sake expands pairing options immensely, offering an alternative to champagne for indulgent pairings with ingredients like caviar, smoked meats and raw seafood, but also spicy cuisines as well” says Nagai. “We hope to create a Japanese-made sparkling sake that will become the world’s toasting drink of choice!”