Previously, I introduced a project where students from Asahikawa Agricultural High School collaborated with a Takasago sake brewery to turn the rice they grew into sake. Today, I’d like to introduce a drink made with sake lees（By-product）, which are produced during the manufacturing process.
When I was a child, amazake was a warm sweet drink made at home in the winter. At that time, sake lees were only available on the market in winter, so it naturally became a winter drink. And in Hokkaido, where I live, sweet and warm drinks taste better than anything else. However, in recent years, beverage manufacturers and sake breweries have started to sell bottled and canned products, making it possible to drink it regardless of the season. So you can drink it chilled in the summer, and I remember being impressed by how delicious it was.
Now, let’s get back to the amazake from Asahikawa Agricultural High School’s sake project.
When I hold it in my hands, I think of the beauty of the can design. It depicts the image of winter in Hokkaido, white snow and a clear sky, the school building and ears of rice, and the students and brewers involved in the project. If I had the original artwork, I would like to make it into a poster and have it.
First, try tasting it chilled from the refrigerator (Suzubie 59°F). The gentle, refreshing sweetness is irresistible. It’s not too sweet at all. It’s the perfect drink for a body tired from the heat of summer. It’s like “rice milk.” It may taste similar to rice pudding. It would also go well with a drop of vanilla extract.
Next, try drinking it warm (Nurukan 104°F). Curiously, the sweetness doesn’t change. It remains refreshing. You can taste a slight sourness. I would like to sip it while reading a book on a winter’s night. You might also want to add a little Grand Marnier. You’ll surely have good dreams that night.
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