Kumiko '23

"How is Kumiko this year?"

Thinking that such a conversation is only possible among those in the world of craftsmanship, I bottled this year's Kumiko.

Kumiko is the name of our blueberry mead. Yes, it is the name of the mead made with blueberries grown by Ms. Kumiko. The 2022 Kumiko was our first attempt at a naturally fermented mead at ANTELOPE. While it retained some residual sugar and had a mead-like finish, it was a creation that left our team with both a sense of intrigue and new challenges to overcome.

The 2023 Kumiko is calm, has organic acidity, and a dry finish. Within its delicate flavor profile, I feel a core of strength. My gratitude goes out to Ms. Kumiko's blueberries.

〈Yasu→Yasu〉

Kumiko is a mead that holds great significance for ANTELOPE. It was the first to teach us the importance of living locally and revealed the depth of brewing beyond mere scientific input. All of this was made possible by the crops grown by the people at Lakes Farm, including Ms. Kumiko.

A creation made with a focused mindset carries a core within it.

That sounds like something a great historical figure would say, but it is just a thought I had right now. And I truly believe it to be true. We spent a long time in various meetings with Ms. Kumiko to harvest her 2023 blueberries.

At the end of the day, all we could do was pray to God and Ms. Kumiko, "Please, ferment well," and I believe it turned out beautifully.

〈Tasting Note〉

It has a smooth, red hue, with legs that trickle down the glass just slightly, followed by strong oak aromas and notes of blueberry and honey that rise through the nose. It is a wonderful style—one that feels familiar, yet is rarely encountered. It might age well further in the bottle, but we decided to bottle it now because we believe this is the best time for it.

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Style: Barrel Aged Melomel

ABV (Alcohol Content): 13%

Carbonation: None

Volume: 500ml

Ingredients: Honey, Blueberries (grown in Yasu)

Sweetness (10-point scale): 3 (Semi-Dry)

Recommended Serving Temperature: Chilled (8-12°C)

〈Mead making〉

We pick the blueberries, wash off just the dirt, crush them, mix them with honey and water, and let them rest in a tank according to the ambient temperature. We do not use commercial yeast. We trust in Ms. Kumiko's blueberries, we trust in the environment, and we simply pray. That is all we do. Once fermentation settles a bit, we put it into barrels to age.

Originally, we planned to back-sweeten it (adding honey after fermentation to adjust the sugar content) like many American meaderies, but we decided to preserve the delicate nuances achieved through natural fermentation and proceeded with this method.

This is a primitive process that uses no sulfur or nutritional additives. Ms. Kumiko’s blueberry farming will come to an end with the '24 harvest, but I am already looking forward to seeing how that final batch turns out.