Nøgne Ø: Yamahai Muroka Junmai Sake From Norway

Almost seven years ago, back in December 2009, I wrote an article, Sake in Norway, about Nøgne Ø, a well-known craft beer brewery in Norway which wanted to also become a Sake brewer. They were poised to be the first Sake brewery in Europe and I was excited to see what developed.

Since then, Nøgne Ø accomplished their objective, becoming the first Sake brewery in Europe, and now produces four different Sakes, from a Yamahai Junmai to a Sparkling Sake. Even better, their Sake is now available in Massachusetts, through the Shelton Brothers Inc., which is primarily an importer of beer. Redstone Liquors in Stoneham is currently carrying the Nøgne Ø Yamahai Junmai ($19.99/350ml), and they hope to carry the rest of the Nøgne Ø Sake portfolio in the near future. I bought several bottles, eager to sample this Norwegian Sake.

The name "Nøgne Ø" translates as "naked island" which is "a poetic term used by Henrik Ibsen to describe any of the countless stark, barren outcroppings that are visible in the rough sea off Norway's southern coast." The brewery also has a subtitle, Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri, or “The Uncompromising Brewery.” They make more than 30 different types of ales, and, in addition, have made numerous guest brews & collaborations with other breweries from all over the world.

Nøgne Ø desires to create "bold, rich, flavourful Sakes" and because of such, all their Sakes are made using the Yamahai process. This is an older method of production in which commercial lactic acid is not added to the fermentation, allowing lactic acid from the air to naturally develop within the mix. It takes longer for this type of Sake to ferment, and it is riskier, with a chance of stray bacteria ruining the fermentation. Sake made by this process often tends to be more complex, earthy and gamey. I am a huge fan of Kimoto/Yamahai Sake, so I was especially interested in checking out Nøgne Ø Sake.

Their Sakes are also made from Ginpu, a type of Sake rice that has been imported from Hokkaido, Japan. This rice type was officially registered in 2002, having been developed by the Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station. It is rare for any Sake brewery outside of Japan to use a sakamai, a Sake rice, from Japan in their brewery. Even the U.S. Sake breweries which are using Yamadanishiki, also a sakamai, are using rice which was grown in the U.S. Nøgne Ø currently makes a Junmai, Junmai Ginjo, Yamahai Motoshibori, and Sparkling Sake.

The Nøgne Ø Yamahai Muroka Junmai is made from 100% Ginpu rice, which has been polished down to 68%. They use a foamless yeast, #701, in the fermentation process. The Sake has a 16% ABV, an acidity of 2.4 (which is very high for Sake!), and a Sake Meter Value of +3 (which is almost neutral between sweet & dry). As it is a Muroka, that means the Sake was not filtered and it was only pasteurized once (which means it technically could be a Namazake).

The writing and linework on the dark-colored label, as you can see at the top of this post, is very light so the label doesn't stand out on a store shelf. It isn't eye-catching so the average consumer isn't likely to pick up the bottle to check it out. I think a bolder label, which could be symbolic of the bolder flavors found in their Sake, would be more attractive to consumers.

However, the most important question is: how does it taste? First, the color has a slight greenish-yellow tinge, likely due to the fact that is is unfiltered. On the nose, there are appealing and mild stone fruit notes. Taking a taste, you immediately notice its rich mouthfeel, a full bodied Sake with good acidity and flavors of pear and melon, with a lengthy and satisfying finish. Unlike some other Yamahai, it doesn't possess a gamey/earthy element, though it does have that high acidity. That gamey/earthy aspect is very common with Yamahai, but isn't found in all such Sakes and this isn't the first time I have tasted one of those exceptions.

This is also a Sake with strong umami and would pair well with numerous foods. Because of its clean and fruity flavors, it would go well with seafood, from sushi to oysters, but with its high acidity and umami, it could also stand up to heartier dishes, from burgers to pizza. It would be killer with mushroom dishes. I initially enjoyed some of this Junmai with Shepherd's Pie, fine comfort food which worked with the Sake, and I've also paired it with Cheeseburgers, and that was a fine combo as well.

I'm impressed with the taste of the Nøgne Ø Junmai and am even more eager to taste the rest of their Sakes.

Norwegian Skrei: Sustainable & Tasty Cod

Cod is tied very closely to the history of New England, as well as the histories of other countries, such as Portugal and England. Once, cod filled the waters off the New England coast, but that is no longer the case. Out of fears of dwindling stocks of cod, recent years have seen drastic cuts to cod quotas, meaning only a small amount of cod is now permitted to be caught. For example, starting May 1, the quota of cod that can be harvested from the Gulf of Maine will be slashed by 75%.

It seems clear that cod stocks in this region need to rebound and that means that the availability of local cod at restaurants and markets will be limited. As such, you need to consider other options, and you have a number of different choices. For those who still want to enjoy cod, let me offer an excellent option, though with the caveat that it only be available for a couple more months.

Consider Norwegian Skrei, a sustainable and tasty Northeast Arctic cod that lives in the Barents Sea. Skrei, which has been important to Norway for well over a thousand years, derives from a Norse word "skrida" which means "to wander or walk." Sea, When skrei reach maturity, at about five years old, they migrate in the winter, for spawning, to the Norwegian coast. From January to April, fishermen are able to catch these mature skrei, which are sometimes called Valentine's Fish because the fish are seeking a mate, and they are available around Valentine's Day.

The skrei fishing industry is considered one of the best-managed cod stocks in the world, and they have been regulating their industry for almost two hundred years, since 1816. Currently, Norway and Russia share responsibility for maintaining the sustainability of the skrei, and they have been very successful in their efforts. All skrei are also certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.

For 2015, the cod quota in the Gulf of Maine will only be 386 metric tons while Norway's skrei quota will be 401,240 metric tons. That is a huge difference, and indicates skrei will be more readily available than local cod. It is also fascinating to consider that only about 10% of the skrei that migrate to the coast are permitted to be harvested, helping to maintain sustainability, as well as showing the great size of the skrei stocks. In 2014, Norway's exports of skrei have risen significantly since the prior year, 13% by volume and 25% by value.

Skrei possess some differences from Atlantic cod, including having a longer, more pointed shape and a lighter skin color. As they swim lengthy distances to spawn, their flesh tends to possess a firmer texture, and as they eat little during this travel, their flesh may also possess a cleaner taste. In addition, the skrei healthy for you, being rich in protein, Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids. It might be more expensive than local cod, but you're getting a quality, tasty and sustainable fish.

How do Norwegians eat skrei? One of their traditional dishes is called mølje, which is made with cod, potatoes, cod liver and cod roe. Fishermen used to cook cod roe and potatoes in a pan filled with water, and then later add the liver and cod for a short simmer. Once it was all done, they would mix it up into a "mess" or mølje. Like Atlantic cod, skrei is very versatile and can be prepared in numerous ways, from fried to broiled.

I recently received a media invite from the Norwegian Seafood Council, in conjunction with Legal Sea Foods, to experience a dinner featuring skrei. The three-course dinner was held at Legal's Harborside location and the skrei impressed me. If you like cod, or fish in general, you'll love the skrei.    

For my first course, I had Shrimp Cocktail, five huge shrimp with cocktail sauce, set beneath a half globe of ice. It was a cool presentation, and the restaurant creates this effect by putting some water into a balloon, applying some liquid nitrogen and then freezing it. When they are ready to make this dish, they use a blow torch to burn off the balloon from the icy ball. The shrimp were meaty with a spicy sauce that enhanced their flavor.

The centerpiece of the dinner was Pan Roasted Skrei, with bacon lardons, leeks, golden russet apples, and smoked mussel chowder. The skrei has a firm texture, with flaky white flesh, and a clean taste. Simply a delicious piece of fish that will appeal to any seafood lover. The rest of the dish well complemented the skrei, from the smoky chowder to the slightly tart apples. The entire dish was well composed and balanced, and I would certainly order skrei again at a restaurant or the market. It reminded me of Atlantic cod in most ways, except it possessed a firmer texture.

The meal ended with Brûléed Chocolate Banana Tart, with coconut gelato, chocolate sauce, and toasted coconut anglaise. A sweet and pleasant ending to the dinner.

Though I often ask my readers to eat local seafood, as we eat far too much imported seafood, that doesn't mean I am completely against imported fish. Skrei is a very sustainable choice, and if you love cod, then it is a good alternative as there is so little sustainable cod available in our local waters. Give skrei a chance.

Have you eaten skrei? If so, what did you think of it?

Saké in Norway

Saké production is finally coming to Europe. Though Saké is produced in place such as the United States, Australia and Canada, it had been previously unknown in Europe. But a Norwegian brewery is poised to be the first such Saké brewery.

Nøgne Ø has been producing beer since 2002 and now they want to expand their product line to include Saké. The President, Kjetil Jikiun, is also an airline pilot who started off as a homebrewer. He was very successful and eventually became a professional brewer. The name Nøgne Ø means "naked island," which derives from a poetic term used by Henrik Ibsen to describe the stark, barren outcroppings visible off Norway's southern coast. The brewery also has a subtitle, Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri, or “The Uncompromising Brewery.” Kjetil remains a part-time pilot, devoting the rest of this time to the brewery. (FYI: The brewery website, http://www.nogne-o.com, does not appear to be working.)

The brewery makes over 20 different styles of ales and export over 70% of their production. One of the beers they produce, Red Horizon, is similar to Saké in some ways. They fermented it with Saké yeast as well as fermenting it at low temperatures like Saké. This gives the beer the smell and fruitiness of Saké. Though I generally dislike beer, this is one that sounds very appealing to me and which I need to seek out.

Kjetil learned about Saké brewing in Japan and is now ready for the next step, brewing their own this winter. They will even be using rice imported from Japan, the Hokkaido-grown Ginpu. The Saké should be available for sale next summer, primarily in Norway though some will be exported to Japan. Originally, Kjetil had considered growing rice in Norway but realized that was not realistic given the climate of Norway.

This is exciting news, though it is unlikely we will be able to find this Saké anytime soon. But if there is enough demand, who knows what might happen. I am just pleased to see Saké becoming more widespread across the world.