Doburoku
Doburoku is unfiltered sake, a cloudy alcoholic beverage made by blending steamed rice, water, and koji mold and simply leaving the mixture to ferment in a cool place. It was commonly brewed at home until the late nineteenth century when the Japanese government outlawed making alcohol without a license. However, doburoku made a comeback in Miyama in the early 2000s, after the town was designated a special “doburoku zone” as part of a government push to relax brewing regulations in the hope of stimulating rural economies.
Restaurants and hotels in Miyama are now allowed to set up microbreweries for doburoku, provided they grow the rice used themselves. Three facilities currently brew doburoku, selling it directly and at Miyama Fureai Hiroba, the local highway rest stop. All three varieties have an ABV of around 9 percent and are sweet and somewhat pungent. They differ slightly in aroma, including hints of tropical fruits like banana or papaya.
Since doburoku is unfiltered, it has a thick consistency and some of the texture of the rice remains in the liquid. As it also contains live lactic bacteria, if you buy doburoku to bring home you should take care not to shake the bottle and to keep it refrigerated before opening. The beverage stays fresh for up to a month but is best consumed within two weeks.