A New Challenge in Tsugaru, One of Japan's Major Apple-Growing Regions
Aromatic and full-bodied apple brandy
Aomori Prefecture, located in the northernmost part of Honshu, accounts for approximately 60% of the nation's apple production and is renowned as the largest apple-producing region in Japan. LOVEVADOS BRANDY, an apple brandy developed by Mohodori Distillery, is a gem of Aomori, made with 100% Aomori-produced Fuji and Ourin apples, yeast from the World Heritage Shirakami Mountain Range, and natural water from the foot of Mount Iwaki. To bring out the sweet aroma unique to Aomori apples, it is made as a white brandy that is not aged in oak barrels.
In addition to apple brandy, the distillery also produces juice, which can be enjoyed by those who are not fond of alcohol. Brandy distilleries are rare not only in Aomori Prefecture but throughout Japan. For this reason, it attracts a great deal of attention not only from the locals but also from others both inside and outside of the country.
Based in Goshogawara City, the hometown of "Tachineputa" (立佞武多)
A distillery with a store and beverage counter
Mohodori Distillery is in Goshogawara City, located in the south-central part of the Tsugaru Peninsula in Aomori, the northernmost part of Honshu. Aomori is famous for the "Aomori Nebuta" festival, which is recognized as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, in which people chant: “Rassera, Rassera.” However, Goshogawara City's traditional folk festival, "Tachineputa," in which floats as tall as 21 meters are pulled through the streets, is also very popular. In front of Goshogawara Station, there is a "Tachineputa Museum" where some floats are displayed at all times. Mohodori Distillery is located right in front of the museum. Amidst the mundane townscape that still retains some of its old scenery, its simple coloring and sophisticated appearance are a sight to behold.
Pursuing the distinctive flavor of Tsugaru apples
Brewed with Shirakami yeast and water from Mt. Iwaki's underground stream.
Mohodori Distillery opened three years ago, in October 2021. It is run by Sun Apple Jyohzoh, which has an apple orchard in Tsugaru.
When the company president, Shinichi Kimura, visited Europe more than 30 years ago, he was culture-shocked to see brandy-making being a common practice among households. Seeing them make brandy using apples, he returned to Japan with a strong feeling that he might be able to support the apple industry through a distillery. It took more than 20 years for this idea to take shape. The employees worked together to purchase kettles, prepare equipment, develop products, and do whatever else they could.
He went as far as Germany to purchase a distillation kettle manufactured by Arnold Holstein. It is a continuous distillation system with two kettles capable of distilling 1,200 liters each, drawing out the aroma of the apples while increasing the alcohol concentration and quality.
Apple brandy production at Mohodori Distillery starts with the harvesting and crushing of apples. After fermentation with Shirakami yeast, a yeast indigenous to the World Heritage site, distillation begins. During the distillation process, the distillate is divided into three stages: "heads," "hearts," and "tails." The "hearts" stage, in which the bitterness and ethanol are minimized, is the product for drinking. The stage of distillation is determined by taste.
It is then aged in barrels or tanks, and several types are blended to determine the flavor. Ms. Mami Yamaguchi, director of the distillery, says, "It has been three years since the distillery opened, and we are still in the trial-and-error stage. We are constantly researching the balance between the taste our customers want and the taste we want to produce."
Apple pomace left over from the brandy-making process is reused as fertilizer for the company’s apple orchards, fully utilizing this resource without producing waste, thus achieving an eco-friendly cycle. This is an initiative unique to the company because it owns its orchards.
The distillery also offers tours of the factory to the general public. Looking through the glass windows of the store attached to the distillery, you will be impressed by the powerful distillation kettles. In addition to selling products, the store also offers tastings and original cocktails at the beverage counter. Coffee and local sweets are also available.
Raising awareness of Apple brandy domestically and internationally
Encouraging young people to enter the apple industry and foster its growth
As for the future, Ms. Yamaguchi says, "We would like to increase our exports even more." Consumption of brandy is not high in Japan, and it has not penetrated the market as a daily drink enjoyed by the general public.
"We would like to increase our exports to Europe, where brandy is mainstream, and to gain recognition in Japan by first gaining recognition in brandy's home market," she added, passionately stating, "We would like to support apple farmers by making brandy."
"It takes a lot of time and effort to produce apples that both look and taste good. For example, selecting flowers that will grow well and discarding the rest, and once the fruit is ripe, putting a bag over each one to ensure good color... Because apple trees are short and their branches hang down, it is difficult to mechanize the work using large machinery. Recently, more and more people are giving up their apple orchards due to the aging population. In addition, due to recent abnormal weather conditions, apples are now growing even further north than Aomori, in Hokkaido. There is a strong sense of crisis that if this situation continues, Aomori's apple industry might disappear. However, apples used for brandy do not require as much time and effort as those used for fresh eating, because their shape or color is not important. Although this lowers the unit price of apples bought for processing, buyers who buy large quantities, for instance, to produce apple brandy, would stabilize the business. In this way, we hope to create a foundation that will make it easier for young people to enter this industry and support its future," she said.
Because they are apple farmers, they feel a sense of crisis forming before and stronger than anyone else. Mohodori Distillery’s new apple brandy initiative will open up the seemingly closed future of the apple industry.
