Jikuya Shuzo (軸屋酒造)

Date of visit: 29 Jul 2015 - Day3 of Kagoshima trip

 

Jikuya Shuzo Distillery, founded on 1910, is housed in a small building at the foot of Mt Shibi(summit 1066m) in the north part of Kagoshima prefecture, about 90min driving from Kagoshima City. It is a small pretty village in the mountains with sweet potate and rice fields everywhere.

 

Mr. Jikuya (left in centre picture) and his staff welcomed me and guided the distillery. 

 

The first impression for shochugura (distillery) was pretty and cosy as you can see in the picture (right above). However, I knew later that the inside of kura was suprisingly well designed, compact and efficient .  

As it was an off-production season, the distillery was very quiet and no machines were working, but they explained the details of production process and equipment. I asked the guy what was the most difficult process and his answer was koji production. It was not really difficult, but very sensitive and tough for him because a temperature control is very crutial. It requires to keep it consistently about 35 degree Celsius throughout the 48 hour of koji production.

 

During the off-production season,  cleaning is an important work. People working for distillery clean all equipments and distillery from corner to corner perfectly every day before a new production season starts on September. Thus, the inside of distillery was very clean and tidy as seen in the pictures. 

 

 

Left Top: Koji Muro for rice koji production, Left bottom: Potteries for the first fermentation

Centre: Pot still

Right top: Kai for mixing moromi (fermented mash), Right bottom: Stainless pot 

There is a nice and cosy tasting roomr in the kura (distillery) and you will enjoy tasting their signature shochus at the end of the tour.

 

"Shibi no Tsuyu" is their regural brand. This shochu is made by koganesengan potatoes produced in Kagoshima Prefecture, balances sweetness and mellownes very well. My favorite is to try it oyuwari (mix with hot water) for a good at the sweet and dry notes. (I tasted it after I went back to the city.)

 

It was shame that I could not taste the shochu there because I drove a car. The problem is it's really difficult to travel a countryside without a car... 

 

Kampai!!