Well, not really, but I hope that got your attention.
If you don’t already know about Philip Harper, the toji at Kinoshita Shuzo, then you better find out as soon as possible. One way to do just that is to read John Glionna’s excellent profile of Philip in the 3 February LA Times. Of course Glionna recounts the odyssey that brought a foreigner to be a master brewer, but he also describes the kura in Kumihama and Philip’s dedication to his art wonderfully.
My favorite quote:
At one point, Harper reaches into a steaming barrel to roll a wad of rice between his fingers, checking for texture, before sampling his product. He smiles.
So exactly what taste is he looking for?
“The right one,” he says, hurrying off to complete another task.
That is what it takes. Brewing is an all-consuming craft that requires care, attention, and talent–the talent to know that “right one” as it brews. Below is a picture of Et-chan braving the March cold on the Japan Sea last year. The smile on her face should tell you just how happy she was to visit the kura with Philip and taste some of his excellent sake.
I’m really glad to see Philip and Tamagawa get this kind of press in the US. People will notice this. One old friend in Bellevue already sent us the link–and he isn’t a nihonshu nerd like us. I wish Kinoshita Shuzo the best of luck promoting their sake and changing the image of nihonshu. Read the article to get Philip’s thoughts on this, and help raise the buzz on Digg or JapanSoc too if you can
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Nice post! I’m sure PH will be flattered.
[...] does he do it?” was the first thing I said when I had my first sip of Philip Harper’s Time [...]
Hey Melinda,
I must have sent you email asking about tetsukezu genshu.
We ordered Gohyakumangoku tetsukezu genshu back in Dec and it was so good! Unfortunately, I can attache picture to this comment.
[...] Tamagawa by Philip Harper was what brought me to Inaseya. So, I ordered Daiginjo Shizuku Muroka Nama Genshu. As soon as the fresh exquisite brew from this year was poured into a cup and the rather soft yet full aroma filled the air, I sighed and thought “this” was why I love this season! From the middle of the winter on, you find these fresh just-pressed brews everywhere. Then, I thought how often do you find shizuku that is muroka nama genshu at a restaurant? Shizuku to me is almost a synonym for contest class special sake that takes unimaginable time and effort to craft. Muroka nama genshu is unfiltered, undiluted, unpasteurized with almost as close to what you get fresh right after murky moromi is pressed with lots of flavors and aroma. So, this is the combination you do not see out there. “This is the latest batch Harper-san sent us.” the guy working behind the counter said. [...]