Born Sake: The Fukui Brewery Known for Ice-Temperature Aging

Across the Born range, one bottle may be clear and fruit-led, while another, such as Tokishirazu, shows a pale-gold color and a more mature aroma. What connects them is time. The brewery matures its sake at subzero temperatures before release. Katoukichibee Shouten makes Born (梵, pronounced “bon”) in Sabae, Fukui Prefecture. First, this guide covers the bottles and how to choose one. After that, it explains the cold aging, deep rice polishing and junmai brewing behind them. TOCWhat Is Born Sake? Born is a sake brand made by Katoukichibee Shouten in Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, which began brewing in 1860. The brewery produces only junmai sake and matures every release at subzero temperatures before sale. Its range runs from the approachable Junmai 55 to the flagship Chogin, made with rice polished to 20 percent. ❄Born at a Glance Japanese name梵, pronounced “bon”; written BORN in English BreweryKatoukichibee Shouten (加藤吉平商店) LocationYoshie-cho, Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region Brewing since1860; sake names unified under the Born label in 1963 Sake stylesJunmai only, from Junmai to Junmai Daiginjo Signature methodsSubzero maturation for at least one year, per the brew...