The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Amabuki
No.101 · Brewery Profile
Amabuki天吹 · Amabuki Shuzo 天吹酒造
With roughly 300 years of history in Miyaki, Saga, Amabuki Shuzo became Japan’s leading pioneer of ‘flower yeast’ — strains of yeast isolated from strawberry, sunflower, marigold and other blossoms, developed with Tokyo University of Agriculture. Every one of its special-designation sakes ferments with a flower yeast, giving the range a distinctly perfumed, fruit-driven character rarely found elsewhere, brewed alongside more traditional yamahai and kimoto junmai from the same kura.
Who makes Amabuki?
Amabuki Shuzo has roughly 300 years of history in Miyaki, Saga, and became Japan’s leading pioneer of “flower yeast” — strains of yeast isolated from strawberry, sunflower, marigold, and other blossoms, developed with Tokyo University of Agriculture.
What does Amabuki taste like?
Tagged solely Aromatic & Fruity, every special-designation bottle here ferments with a flower yeast. The Junmai Ginjo Ichigo uses strawberry yeast for the most aromatic rating of the three (5/5); the Yamahai Junmai uses marigold yeast for floral banana and brown-sugar notes; the Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo brings fruity apple and pineapple notes through the traditional kimoto method.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Junmai Ginjo Ichigo (Strawberry Yeast), the most aromatic of the three bottles (5/5) and the clearest showcase of the brewery’s signature flower-yeast technique.
How does Amabuki compare to other Saga breweries?
Saga’s only other brewery in this index, Nabeshima, carries the same Aromatic & Fruity tag, making the two Saga’s shared fragrant, fruit-forward pairing — Amabuki’s distinct route there is its signature flower yeasts, fermented from strawberry, sunflower, and marigold blossoms.
Frequently asked questions
What is Amabuki’s signature brewing innovation?
“Flower yeast” — strains of yeast isolated from strawberry, sunflower, marigold, and other blossoms, developed with Tokyo University of Agriculture.
What rice does Amabuki use across its lineup?
Omachi, used in all three bottles on this page.
Does Amabuki only brew with flower yeast?
No — alongside its flower-yeast sakes it also brews more traditional yamahai and kimoto junmai from the same kura.
The bottles
Junmai Ginjo Ichigo (Strawberry Yeast)純米吟醸 いちご酵母
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Strawberry-flower-yeast junmai ginjo with fruity, aromatic character.”
Yamahai Junmai山廃純米
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Yamahai-style junmai with marigold yeast, floral banana and brown-sugar notes.”
Kimoto Junmai Daiginjoきもと純米大吟醸
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Traditional kimoto-method daiginjo with fruity apple/pineapple notes.”
Reading the bars: an editorial flavor reading (0–5) of each bottle — Dry→Rich, Light→Full, Subtle→Aromatic, Low→High acidity — not laboratory values. The colored badge is the SSI four-type classification (薫酒 Kunshu · 爽酒 Soshu · 醇酒 Junshu · 熟酒 Jukushu). SMV and acidity appear only where the brewery publishes them.
Sources: amabuki.co.jp · ja.wikipedia.org