Two lagers brewed with Akitakomachi brown rice launch in Japan
Suzuki Matagoro Shoten, a rice wholesaler in Akita Prefecture, has launched two craft beers, Genmai Lager and Genmai Kuro Lager, made with its own home-grown Akitakomachi brown rice.
When people think of Japanese rice, they tend to think of it as the raw material for sake, but the use of rice is also expanding in the world of beer. Suzuki Matagoro Shoten, a rice wholesaler in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture (a rice-growing region on the Sea of Japan side of northern Honshu), has launched two craft beers made from brown rice of Akitakomachi that it grows itself: Genmai Lager and Genmai Kuro Lager. They are sold in supermarkets and online, in Japan and abroad.
From a rice wholesaler’s own paddies to beer
Suzuki Matagoro Shoten is, at its core, a company that wholesales rice. The rice used for these beers is brown rice of Akitakomachi, a table-rice variety widely eaten in Japan. Brown rice is rice from which only the husk has been removed, leaving the bran and germ in place, and it has a nuttier, more grain-like flavour than white rice. The company grows this rice itself, making use of lactic acid bacteria.
Brewing was entrusted to Ugo Bakushu, which makes craft beer in Ugo, also in Akita Prefecture. The starting point for these beers is a company that grows and sells rice teaming up with a small local brewery to turn its own rice into something to drink.
A crisp Genmai Lager and a rich dark lager
The two beers have clearly different characters. Genmai Lager lets the savoury depth of the rice come through while finishing crisp and clean on the palate. Genmai Kuro Lager is the type to enjoy for its toasty aroma and richness.
The brewer recommends not over-chilling them. If the temperature is too low, the aroma closes up, so letting the beer warm up a little is said to bring out the toastiness of the brown rice more clearly. This suggests a way of drinking that differs somewhat from Japanese lager, which is generally served ice-cold.
If you come across it in Europe, start by looking for the word “Genmai” (brown rice) on the label, or for the name Ugo Bakushu. Another option is to ask Japanese grocery shops, or online shops that stock Japanese craft beer, whether they carry it. When drinking it, take it out of the fridge and leave it for a short while, so that it is served at a slightly higher temperature than an ordinary lager. The pale Genmai Lager should pair easily with light dishes such as sushi, yakitori and fried white fish, while the dark lager should suit roast meat, mushroom dishes and dark chocolate. To see what kind of toastiness rice adds to a malt beer, it is easiest to compare the two side by side.
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This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
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