AIZU BREWERY

Founded in the Genroku era (1688-1704). The Aizu Brewery, which boasts a history of approximately 330 years, is located in Minamiaizu. In the southwestern part of Fukushima Prefecture the temperatures can drop as low as -20°C in winter. The brewery still uses a storehouse built in the Edo period (1603-1867), which is fully air-conditioned to maintain a constant temperature during brewing, creating an optimal environment for a healthy fermentation. The very soft well water on the premises used for brewing is low in minerals and has a mild taste. The ninth generation brewer, Keita Watanabe, was born in 1987 and takes full advantage of this water. After graduating from Tokyo University of Agriculture, he trained at a sake store in Tokyo before returning to the brewery in 2010. As the brewmaster, he rebuilt the brewery with his younger brother Hirotaka. He unified the existing multiple brands into "AIZU" and named his own brand "YAMANOI," which he started working on in 2012. The clean quality of the sake, which takes advantage of the quality of the water, has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad. It has been served in the first-class lounge on JAL international flights and enjoys popularity in Hong Kong and other overseas markets.