To understand the growing popularity of the controversial doburoku – which has landed Japanese homebrewers in jail – you need only to have a taste of it.

A few months ago, I found myself rubbing shoulders with the country’s top sake sommeliers in the intimate and comfortable setting of Sake Social – where a curated range of premium sake products and guided tasting sessions were prepared for the sake-curious. The evening whispered by with quiet conversations, tasty izakaya dishes, passionate discussions and light clinking of glasses. And it was here that I encountered my first taste of the doburoku.

 

This is the original sake. Doburoku isn't even considered 'sake' by Japanese law. But for the passionate enthusiasts and sake historians, this is as sake as it can get – call this the primordial sake, if you will. As Elliot Faber (one of the many prominent regional sake presenters) poured this cloudy, chunky stuff into my wine glass, it almost felt like I was sticking my glass straight into a sake brewer's tank.

Doburoku, you see, is the original rice wine from Japan that is as old as the country’s history of rice cultivation. Over a millennia before it evolved into the sophisticated sake we know today, historians remarked on the Japanese people's love for their 'rice wine', as mentioned in the Chinese Records of the Three Kingdoms.

This murky brew also shares its history with its Korean cousin, makgeolli. However, the two evolved in parallel, separately crafting their unique identities. The Japanese doburoku entrenched itself in the spiritual fabric of Japanese Shinto folk religion. Till today, Shinto priests would offer doburoku, made from freshly harvested rice, to the deities during special festivals, praying for a good harvest the next year.

But, as fate would have it, doburoku's deep ties to Japan's history and culture didn't save it from the government's ban during the Meiji era (1868–1912). Why the ban, you ask? Well, booze was the golden goose of the government, accounting for over 30% of the nation's tax revenue. Homebrewing doburoku meant no taxes from commercial sake purchases, and so, it was outlawed. This drink became somewhat of a rarity.

Laws against homebrewing remain quite draconian in Japan till the modern age, punishable by fines and jailtime. And despite the law, the spirit of doburoku remained undeterred, thanks to many passionate homebrewers. A self-styled Doburoku activist, Toshihiko Maeda, made the headlines in 1981 when he published a book “Let’s Make Doburoku” that encouraged people to ignore the law and brew their own doburoku. He was convicted of illegal homebrewing under the Liquor Tax Act, but his argument that the law infringed his “right to the pursuit of happiness” during his high-profile court case only fanned the flames of his cause.

Fast forward to the 2020s, and doburoku has slowly but surely been claiming its place in the hearts of drinkers. There are still only about 20 sake breweries licensed to brew doburoku (there are about 1,500 sake breweries in Japan). But just a sip of doburoku and you’ll understand its charm: Almost like having a dessert, its unique porridge-like texture, milky mouthfeel, and bright rice sweetness have been winning over sake enthusiasts. A fizzy natural carbonation from the fermentation process also adds a delightful kick that's hard to resist.

In the heart of Tokyo, a trendy, up-and-coming craft sake maker, Konohanano Brewery, led by the ambitious 30-something brewer Shuhei Okazumi, is pioneering a new era of doburoku. Inspired by the youthful exuberance of American craft beer, Konohanano's offerings push the boundaries of traditional doburoku. From a doburoku that curiously tastes like a New England IPA to a rosé and a lemony variant, these brews are painting a new picture of Japanese spirits.

Today, we're diving into a side-by-side review of two iconic Konohanano offerings which we had the chance to taste at Sake Social. First, we have the 'LAB05' All Koji Doburoku from their experimental LAB series, which explores the nuances of different rice and sake yeast varieties. Then, we have the 'Hazy Sake' Doburoku, a love letter to the tropical flavours and hoppiness of hazy IPAs, crafted with a blend of sake and ale yeast and finished with a dash of Sabro beer hops. So, let's strap in, grab our glasses, and dive headfirst into these cloudy, bubbly wonders.

Konohanano 'LAB05' All Koji Doburoku, 14-15% ABV – Review

The LAB05 is made from Sasa Nishiki rice, a rice prized for sushi-making. This rice is less glutinous than other species, and grains remain firmer ensuring that it does not become sticky when sushi vinegar is mixed. The grains have been polished to about 80%, while sake yeast no. 901 - the foamless variant of Kumamoto Kobo(酵母) yeast was used.

Appearance: Milky white with large lumps. I'm gonna be honest - seeing this poured from a bottle wasn't the most appetising sight! Haha.

Nose: But this is incredibly rich, milky and meaty all at once. Immediately noticeable is the scent of honey stirred into milk, accompanied by strong hints of cedar and vanilla. A strong lactic note punctuates the bouquet, reminiscent of a robust Italian salami, specifically the rustic mouldy variety. Rounding off the aromas are subtle undertones of spices, with notes of anise and peppercorn present.

Palate: The texture and taste is very reminiscent of cold rice pudding, accompanied by a gristy, meaty feel that is quite rustic and farmy. There is a mild makgeolli milkiness, paired with the soft flavour of sweet poached pear. A noticeable fizzy tanginess (this is quite carbonated) and alcoholic note build gradually, balanced by an abundance of cereal and biscuity tones. There’s an ever-present mild funky presence of Italian salami, accented by mild spices once again – now cloves and pepper.

Finish: The finish is long and bright, and clings to the tongue like honey and sweet rice porridge. Undertones of vanilla and jasmine florals add a very pleasing complexity.

My Thoughts:

👀 like Aladdin’s carpet, this really opened my eyes to the multitudes of flavour potentials offered by rice and yeast.

Wow. Drinking the 'Lab05' All Koji Doburoku is akin to indulging in a boozy rice pudding or a sweet rice porridge, but one that is very complex, exotic and unusual in taste.

What is memorable is the dominant lactic note that constantly nudges the drinker, invoking distinct memories of Italian salami. And like Aladdin’s carpet, this really opened my eyes to the multitudes of flavour potentials offered by rice and yeast.

I’m mindful that this is an experimental brew. If there’s one thing that can be worked on, I’d say it’s the rather intense dryness that nips the tongue at the end. This could appeal to an even wider pool of audience if they’d just turn the knobs slightly to increase the sweetness and counterbalance its dry nature.

Konohanano ‘Hazy Sake’ Doburoku, 13-14% ABV – Review

This is Konohanano’s love letter to beer lovers, and one of the most iconic bottlings from the brewery.

Crafted in the image of rich and tropical hazy IPAs of the American East Coast, as I mentioned earlier, it’s brewed with ale yeast and Sabro beer hops often used by beer brewers to bring out juicy, tropical fruit flavours.

Appearance: Similar to the above, quite milky but with a mild pinkish hue.

Nose: Wow – get a whiff of this! It’s like walking into a pear cider mill, with vibrant, sweet pear cider greeting the nose and light notes of poached pears. A trace of milky soursop note gives a smoothness but slight tanginess. As the bottle thaws a little, it starts to feel more and more like a craft IPA, with a tropical kick of pineapple and a whisp of gentle, barely-there grassiness that brings to mind mosaic hops.

Palate: The texture is rice pudding once again. But the flavours continue to really impress: The first sip reveals tangy soursop juice, quickly followed by a juicy tropical sweetness -  with bright pineapples and mangosteens adding a juicy depth.

A dense, fizzy, and milky undertone akin to makgeolli can be detected, followed by a sweet, potent alcoholic note accompanied by carbonic fizziness. Gentle touches of florals and maltiness mingle with a light milky flavour.

Finish: Long, tropical and hoppy. The finish leaves behind a fading dryness reminiscent of pineapples, grapefruit, and a slightly bitter-sweet orange pith characteristic of an IPA.

My Thoughts

🤩 What an absolute blast, this it impresses on all fronts!

This IPA inspired doburoku is a dense, decadent, and all-round delightful beverage. It's really like taking a big bite out of a soursop and hazy tropical IPA.

Everything about it is just so delectable – from the nose that's all flowers and sweet stuff to the palate that's a fantastic mix of milky, malty, and tropical – all the right notes that'll make any craft beer lover swoon. I can see why this is a super clever positioning that has attracted a lot of positive buzz for Konohanano Brewery.

Some comparison with the LAB05: While the LAB05 is much more complex and intriguing in profile, the Hazy Sake scores higher in accessibility and pure enjoyment. It’s significantly sweeter, balancing out the dry notes, while the rich tropical fruitiness constantly beckons you to return for another sip.

I purchased a bottle of this stuff and needless to say, it was gone in no time.

Conclusion

Stumbling upon Sake Social has been an absolute delight, as I had been taken on a journey to experiencing some of the most intriguing genres of sake we aren’t often exposed to – the most memorable one being the world of doburoku. From tasting sake reminiscent of hazy IPAs to the ones evoking memories of pear cider, it's been an absolute joy ride!

Days and weeks after finishing Konohanano’s bottlings, I find myself tempted to purchase another set of doboroku. The only catch of purchasing unpasturised sake products is that unlike hard liquor, the entire bottle has to be finished within several weeks.

But if you, like me, have a curiosity for the unconventional, I strongly recommend getting a bottle. Trust me, your palate will thank you for this.

| If you’re based in Singapore, you can purchase Konohanano’s Hazy Doboroku and more here.

@CharsiuCharlie