Cave brewery goes to Hong Kong: aged sake presented in a three-hour livestream

A three-hour livestream from a cave brewery to Hong Kong

Shimazaki Shuzo is a sake brewery in Nasukarasuyama (Nasukarasuyama City), Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo. It operates a “cave brewery”, storing and maturing its sake in a cave. According to the local newspaper Shimotsuke Shimbun, on the evening of 22 July the company held a “live commerce” session to boost sales of its aged sake in Hong Kong. Live commerce is a way of selling in which products are presented in a live internet broadcast and viewers can buy them straight away; it is already well established in the Chinese-speaking world. The broadcast lasted about three hours, with the brewery’s representatives and a Hong Kong presenter standing side by side in front of the camera to introduce the products.

Aged sake is a drink that needs explaining

Most sake is shipped about a year after pressing and is enjoyed for its youthful aroma. Koshu, by contrast, refers to sake that has been laid down for several years. As it matures, its colour shifts from pale gold to amber, and its aroma becomes complex, recalling nuts, caramel and dried fruit. It is sometimes compared to sherry or aged wine, but it differs greatly from the usual image of sake, so it is hard to imagine its taste from the label alone. A livestream, in which the presenters can talk about colour, aroma and food pairings on the spot and answer viewers’ questions, is well suited to selling this kind of “drink that needs explaining”. Having a local presenter speak in the local language also lowers the barrier for overseas consumers. What makes this initiative noteworthy is that a small regional brewery is trying to connect directly with overseas consumers through the screen, rather than relying only on agents and trade fairs.

How to enjoy aged sake in Europe

In sake specialist shops and online shops in Europe, look for labels such as “koshu”, “jukusei-shu” and “aged sake”. The bottle may also show the brewing year or the number of years of maturation. When drinking it, do not chill it too much: serve it at room temperature or gently warmed to body temperature, and pour it into a small wine glass in which the aroma can open up easily. It is also worth experimenting with pairings of ingredients familiar in Europe, such as long-matured hard cheese, dried fruit, nuts and dark chocolate. Choosing a glass as an after-dinner drink in place of sherry or port is another enjoyable way to drink it.