The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Sohomare
No.61 · Brewery Profile
Sohomare惣誉 · Sohomare Shuzo 惣誉酒造
The Kono family has run Sohomare in rural Tochigi since 1872, staying loyal to kimoto — the slow, labor-intensive natural starter method most breweries abandoned a century ago. Nearly everything is brewed from Special-A Yamada Nishiki grown in Yoshikawa, Hyogo, and drawn up through soft water from a well beneath the kura. The sake that results is soft-textured, with the clean, well-knit acidity kimoto is prized for.
Who makes Sohomare?
Sohomare Shuzo, run by the Kono family in rural Tochigi since 1872. The brewery has stayed loyal to kimoto, the slow, labor-intensive natural yeast-starter method most breweries abandoned a century ago, brewing nearly everything from Special-A Yamada Nishiki grown in Yoshikawa, Hyogo, with soft water drawn from a well beneath the kura.
What does Sohomare taste like?
Tagged Rich & Umami and Acidity-driven, all three bottles are junshu (rich) and kimoto-brewed. The Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo is the refined top cuvée with soft, clean acidity, milled to 45%, the Kimoto Junmai Ginjo is the balanced, food-friendly signature kimoto, and the Kimoto Tokubetsu Junmai is the everyday expression with a dry finish.
Which bottle should you try first?
The Kimoto Junmai Ginjo is described as the house’s signature kimoto, balanced and food-friendly — the most representative starting point across the three.
How does Sohomare compare to other Tochigi breweries?
Sohomare’s Rich & Umami, Acidity-driven profile contrasts with prefecture-mate Houou Biden, tagged purely Aromatic & Fruity, and Sawahime, tagged Elegant & Refined and Dry & Crisp, though it shares its acidity focus with Senkin, tagged Acidity-driven and Aromatic & Fruity.
Frequently asked questions
What brewing method has the Kono family kept at Sohomare?
Kimoto — the slow, labor-intensive natural yeast-starter method most breweries abandoned a century ago.
What rice and water does Sohomare mostly use?
Special-A Yamada Nishiki grown in Yoshikawa, Hyogo, brewed with soft water from a well beneath the kura.
How many bottles does Sohomare make?
Three on this page: a Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo, a Kimoto Junmai Ginjo, and a Kimoto Tokubetsu Junmai.
The bottles
Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo生酛仕込 純米大吟醸
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Refined top cuvée with soft, clean acidity.”
Kimoto Junmai Ginjo生酛仕込 純米吟醸
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Balanced and food-friendly, the house’s signature kimoto.”
Kimoto Tokubetsu Junmai生酛仕込 特別純米
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Everyday kimoto with soft texture and a dry 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 (薨酒 Kunshu · 爽酒 Soshu · 醇酒 Junshu · 熟酒 Jukushu). SMV and acidity appear only where the brewery publishes them.
Sources: sohomare.co.jp · urbansake.com