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Fukuju creates the world’s first carbon-free sake

28 July 2022 By Alice Liang

Situated in the Nada region of Kobe, Japan, the Fukuju brewery will release a sustainable sake with zero carbon emission this autumn.

The pursuit of sustainability has finally found the Japanese sake industry. Nada sake brewery Fukuju has innovated “Fukuju Junmaishu Eco Zero” – the world’s first sake with zero carbon dioxide emission in the process of making the sake. The inaugural “green” sake will release on 20 October.

According to Fukuju, it is the first brewery in the world to adopt a carbon-neutral sake brewing method, in which the purity and natural taste of the rice is preserved.

In developing a carbon-free sake making process, the brewery used 100% renewable energy and carbon-neutral city gas in the production.

Moreover, going against the trend of achieving an extremely low rice polishing rate (RPR), Fukuju deliberately raises the ration from 70% to 80% to reduce the energy spent in the polishing process.

Rice with a RPR of 80% is then slowly fermented at a low temperature to bring out the rich flavours and achieve a refreshing aftertaste.

The brewery has also shortened the duration for brewing by seven days through the use of dried yeast. This can also help reduce the energy used in the production process.

In terms of packaging, Fukuju decided to go label free by applying printings directly onto bottles with the use of ink without lead by electrostatic coating.

Speaking about the move to sustainable sake making, Fukuju said it aims to lead the sake industry in raising both its environmental and economic value.

Fukuju has been actively engaged in the enhancement of sustainable measures at the brewery and its efforts have received international recognition, for example, through attaining the Eco-Pro Award, Minister of Finance Award in 2019.

Meanwhile, Fukuju is also known by consumers for its quality, which comes greatly from the use of koji. The brewery produces its Koji by hand and uses only the best sake rice cultivated by farmers in the northern region of Mount Rokko, the home of Japan’s finest Yamada Nishiki rice.

The sake is brewed with Miyamizu water, which experts say is one of the best water sources in Japan.

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