Making sake more accessible
"SAKESH" is a sparkling sake made with a generous amount of sake. It is an event-exclusive product developed in collaboration between Doberg and the long-established sake brewery Manazuru. It has an alcohol content of 8%, about half the alcohol content of regular sake. It has a mild throat-burning sensation and a mild flavor. It is easy to drink, not only for sake lovers, but also for those who don't usually drink much or don't like sake.
The reason for making sake
The main reason I decided to work with sake is because I want to preserve this important part of Japanese culture. Japanese people are seriously turning away from sake, and did you know that 40% of sake breweries have gone out of business over the past 20 years? Personally, I like craft beer and highballs, but I love sake just as much. By proposing new flavors and ways to enjoy sake, I hope to get people interested in it, even if just a little.
Long-established sake brewery "Manazuru"
They have teamed up with Manazuru, a sake brewery based in Fukui Prefecture. Located in Ono City, Fukui Prefecture, Manazuru is a long-established sake brewery that has been in business since the mid-Edo period. Surrounded by mountains over 1000 meters high on all sides, the brewery is blessed with abundant water and greenery, and while maintaining traditional methods, they are constantly challenging themselves to create sake with new flavors.
Learned from my uncle
In fact, Manazuru is owned by a relative of the author (brand director). From a young age, I often ate sweet sake and roasted sake lees as snacks. I remember exploring the quiet, dimly lit sake brewery as if it were a test of courage. Even as an adult, I continued to drink sake, but I didn't know much about the manufacturing process. When I became involved in sake brewing, I visited the brewery again. My uncle taught me in detail about the manufacturing process and how to use the tools. The eeriness I felt about sake breweries as a child has disappeared, and my impression has been changed to that of a sacred place filled with a long history and feelings.
A design that doesn't look like sake
The packaging is intentionally designed to look different from sake, so that people who don't usually drink sake can try it. The graphics were designed by Alexander Lee Chang, a professional skateboarder who also works for an apparel brand. The image of the Doberg (Dwarf) was expanded upon to create a playful graphic.
"DRY" and "RICH"
There are two flavors: "RICH" is a luxurious combination of two Junmai Daiginjo sakes, offering a citrus-like acidity and elegant sweetness, while "DRY" is made with Junmai Ginjo sake brewed specifically for mixing with soda, offering a robust acidity and a crisp finish.
