UTSUNOMIYA -- Sake lovers will once again be able to taste the samples of an Utsunomiya brewery, which has introduced a unique system in line with measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Inoue Seikichi Co., located in the Shirasawa district of Utsunomiya and producer of the Sawahime brand, resumed taste-testing in late June using automatic dispensers that serve samples from bottles of locally brewed sake.
Inoue Seikichi had halted the distribution of samples at its direct sales shop on the premises of its brewery in April, when the spread of the coronavirus was reaching a peak.
That put Hiroshi Inoue, 46, owner and brewer of Inoue Seikichi, in a bind.
"The taste and aroma of Japanese sake varies greatly depending on the type," Inoue said. "If you can't sample the product, you can't find one that you like."
Previously, the products were lined up in a refrigerator and available for sampling. To eliminate shared handling of the bottles, Inoue set up four serving machines that dispense samples into a cup at the press of a button. There are 16 different types of sake available for taste-testing, including ginjo-shu and genshu.
A hand sanitizer operated by a foot pedal has been set up next to the dispensers.
"While there has been a drop in customers since the outbreak of the coronavirus, we want them to feel closer to sake when they visit our shop," Inoue said.
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