Amabuki Brewery 天吹

A master of flower yeast

Abelia, queen of the night, rhododendron, marigold…. These are only a few of the many different types of flowers used at Amabuki Brewery, a master and pioneer of isolating yeast from these flowers to craft unique, refined, and aromatic sakes.

Located amidst the picturesque landscapes near Mount Sefui in Saga Prefecture, Amabuki Brewery stands as a testament to the timeless artistry and innovation of sake-making. It was current owner Sotaro Kinoshita and his brother Daisuke, who during their time as students studying at the Tokyo University of Agriculture, discovered flower yeasts and their potential to be used to craft sake. Normally yeasts used to craft sake are cultivated and distributed by the Brewing Society of Japan, originally isolated from a sake mash. After tasting an impressive sample of ginjo sake using flower yeast brewed at the university, the Kinoshita brothers were convinced that this was the direction they would take when they returned to the brewery in early 2000. As it was still a very new concept among the sake industry, incorporating flower yeast to brew was very much a new challenge for the Kinoshita brothers and the sake industry. They brewed countless samples, changing the type of sake rice used, adjusting milling ratios and after 3 years of tests and trials, they were finally able to manage the unique characteristics of each type of flower yeast when used to craft sake and have a batch ready to be produced, bottled and sold to retailers, restaurants and consumers. 

Amabuki Brewery is probably the only brewery with their entire production using different flower yeasts and now are considered masters. For example, the flower yeast from the Rhododendron produces sakes with more banana and tropical aromatics, whereas the Abelia flower yeast can produce sakes with more apple, and melon aromas with fresh acidity. Currently over 10 different flower yeasts are used to craft the sakes of Amabuki, these also incorporate sake rice grown locally on the Saga Plains and the soft water which runs to a river near the brewery originating from Mount Sefuri. 

Amabuki Brewery stands as a beacon of tradition and innovation - a testament to the enduring spirit of sake-making in Japan.