The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Garyubai
No.142 · Brewery Profile
Garyubai臥龍梅 · Sanwa Shuzo 三和酒造
Sanwa Shuzo traces its water rights back to 1686 at its Shimizu site, but its Garyubai label — named for a celebrated plum garden at a temple in nearby Okitsu — only launched in 2002, succeeding earlier house brands. Unusually for a Shizuoka brewery, it brews under a Nanbu-school toji tradition imported from Iwate rather than using the prefecture’s own celebrated local yeast, favoring slow, low-temperature fermentation with limited rice-rinsing for a smooth, fruit-toned result that has traveled well on the export and competition circuit.
Who makes Garyubai?
Sanwa Shuzo’s water rights at its Shimizu, Shizuoka site trace back to 1686, though its Garyubai label — named for a celebrated plum garden at a temple in nearby Okitsu — only launched in 2002, succeeding earlier house brands. Unusually for a Shizuoka brewery, it brews under a Nanbu-school toji tradition imported from Iwate rather than the prefecture’s own celebrated local yeast.
What does Garyubai taste like?
Tagged Aromatic & Fruity and Elegant & Refined, favoring slow, low-temperature fermentation for a smooth, fruit-toned result. The Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki rates 4/5 aromatic with SMV ±0; the Garyubai Junmai Daiginjo Fukurozuri Yamada Nishiki 35, bag-hung and drip-pressed, is even more delicate at 5/5 aromatic with SMV +1.2.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki, the more accessible fruit-toned expression, before moving to the bag-hung, drip-pressed Junmai Daiginjo Fukurozuri for a more delicate, aromatic finish.
How does Garyubai compare to other Shizuoka breweries?
Shizuoka also lists Isojiman and Kaiun, both tagged Elegant & Refined and Aromatic & Fruity, and Wakatake, tagged Dry & Crisp and Elegant & Refined. Garyubai shares its exact Aromatic & Fruity and Elegant & Refined pairing with Isojiman and Kaiun, aligning it with Shizuoka’s more fragrant style rather than Wakatake’s crisper one.
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Garyubai reference?
A celebrated plum garden at a temple in nearby Okitsu.
What toji tradition does Sanwa Shuzo brew under?
A Nanbu-school toji tradition imported from Iwate, unusual for a Shizuoka brewery.
When did the Garyubai label launch?
In 2002, succeeding the brewery’s earlier house brands.
The bottles
Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki臥龍梅 純米吟醸 山田錦
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Fruit-toned and smooth, brewed under a Nanbu-school toji tradition.”
Garyubai Junmai Daiginjo Fukurozuri Yamada Nishiki 35臥龍梅 純米大吟醸 袋吊り 山田錦35
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Bag-hung, drip-pressed for a delicate, aromatic finish.”
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: garyubai.com · shizuokagourmet.com