Founded in 1922, Hakkaisan Brewery is situated at the foot of sacred Mt. Hakkaisan, meaning ‘eight peaked mountain’, in Niigata, Japan. The region is famous for its deep winter snowfalls which sometimes reach over 10 feet (3 meters). Hakkaisan’s brewing water starts as pure snow and after being lightly filtered by the mountain soil, springs forth at the base of Hakkaisan Mountain. This soft, pure water from Hakkaisan’s dedicated stream is used in all aspects of production, and is central to the unique quality and taste of Hakkaisan sake.
Hakkaisan’s guiding principle is to produce sake of the highest quality that pairs well with food. The brewery uses only hand-made koji rice crafted in-house, and also brews sake in small batches with a focus on slow fermentation at low temperatures. The result is a well-balanced clean and dry sake style called tanrei karakuchi, featuring a smooth texture, an elegant umami flavor, and a crisp finish. Hakkaisan’s sake is perfect to serve chilled or warm, and pairs well with both Japanese food and the cuisines of the world.