The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Kuroushi
No.120 · Brewery Profile
Kuroushi黒牛 · Nate Shuzoten 名手酒造店
Nate Shuzoten has brewed since 1866 in Kuroe, a lacquerware town in Kainan, Wakayama, on local spring water known as Kuroe no Kiyomizu. The brand’s name, Kuroushi (‘black cow’), comes from a Man’yoshu-era place name for a nearby cove said to hold black cow-shaped rocks — a literary pedigree for a house style built on clean, rounded, rice-forward umami.
Who makes Kuroushi?
Nate Shuzoten, founded in 1866 in Kuroe, a lacquerware town in Kainan, Wakayama, brewing on local spring water known as Kuroe no Kiyomizu. The brand name Kuroushi (“black cow”) comes from a Man’yoshu-era place name for a nearby cove said to hold black cow-shaped rocks.
What does Kuroushi taste like?
Tagged Elegant & Refined and Rich & Umami, built on a clean, rounded, rice-forward umami style. The flagship Junmai Daiginjo showcases that character directly; the premium Junmai Daiginjo Kanzan uses dual milling ratios for its koji and kake rice, turning slightly fuller (full 3/5).
Which bottle should you try first?
The Junmai Daiginjo is explicitly called the flagship, showcasing Kuroushi’s clean, rice-forward style — the natural starting point.
How does Kuroushi compare to other Wakayama breweries?
KID is the only other Wakayama brewery in this index, tagged Elegant & Refined and Aromatic & Fruity. Kuroushi shares that Elegant & Refined side but leans toward Rich & Umami instead of KID’s fruitier profile.
Frequently asked questions
What does the brand name Kuroushi mean?
“Black cow,” drawn from a Man’yoshu-era place name for a nearby cove said to hold black cow-shaped rocks.
What water does Nate Shuzoten brew with?
Local spring water known as Kuroe no Kiyomizu, in the lacquerware town of Kuroe.
What distinguishes the Junmai Daiginjo Kanzan?
It uses dual milling ratios for its koji rice and kake rice, as a premium-tier bottling.
The bottles
Junmai Daiginjo純米大吟醸
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Flagship daiginjo showcasing a clean, rice-forward style.”
Junmai Daiginjo Kanzan純米大吟醸 環山
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Premium tier bottling with dual milling ratios for koji and kake rice.”
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: kuroushi.co.jp · urbansake.com