One of the exhibitors at the Milano Sake Experience 2024 held on Sunday 22 September was Massimo Biloni, respresenting the Italian Rice Experiment Station (IRES), a private research centre in northern Italy.
As reported earlier this year, they worked with Yanmar, who make agricultural and other machinery, to develop a new rice variety suitable for sake brewing that could be grown in Europe. Massimo had both ears and polished grains of the new Eusake variety.
A few European sake brewers have tested Eusake (not sure which one as there are at least two) and found it suitable for brewing! The remaining issue in Europe is the lack of a polishing machine that can reliably go below around 80%, but I’m hearing more and more rumours of one coming to either France or Italy – if you hear anything please let me know!
New Italian sake brewer Hoshitaro is visible in the background in the photo on the right – he won Best International Sakagura and Best New Sakagura and his Hoshitaro Sake Junmai was awarded a platinum medal at the Milano Sake Challenge 2024, which precedes the Milano Sake Experience.
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