LIBROM’s “Kyoho and Oak” Unveils a New Paradigm
Tucked away in a quiet alley of Fukuoka’s Chuo Ward lies an exclusive boutique brewery. Founded in 2021, LIBROM Craft Sake Brewery is an urban sanctuary whose name gracefully intertwines the Italian words LIBERTÀ (freedom) and ROMANZO (romance). Their guiding ethos is as poetic as it is bold: “brew freely, be romantic.”
Helmed by two childhood friends born in 1992—representative Mitsuto Yagyu and head brewer Shunpei Anami—their initial dream of crafting fine libations in Italy was momentarily paused by the global pandemic. Yet, the spirited core of that vision—to brew with absolute freedom and unyielding romance—remained brilliantly alive. After honing their craft at two prestigious estates, Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute and Abe Shuzo, mastering the intricate parallel double fermentation techniques, they embarked on a visionary pursuit: pioneering an entirely new echelon of craft beverages that defied all existing categories.
A Masterful Symphony of Three Elements — Rice, Kyoho Grapes, and Oak “Kyoho and Oak” is an artisanal creation embodying a new paradigm—neither entirely sake nor wine. While deeply rooted in time-honored sake-brewing artistry, it transcends conventional classifications, emerging as a distinct brewed masterpiece. Its signature lies in an intricate, three-layered architecture: parallel double fermentation from premium rice and koji, masterfully interwoven with Kyoho grapes and oak chips.
The kakemai (steamed rice) is polished to 92 percent. This exceptionally low polishing ratio, retaining elements typically discarded as unwanted impurities, is an avant-garde brewing philosophy. It purposefully builds a profound, weighty backbone that refuses to rely solely on fleeting fruity aromatics. Conversely, the koji rice is polished down to 68 percent for pristine saccharification. This daring construction establishes the rich foundation that instantly elevates it far beyond ordinary fruit-infused spirits.
Artisanal Devotion in Every Berry — The Depth of Kyoho and Oak The Kyoho grapes are meticulously sourced from Okamura Farm in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture. In an exquisite display of craftsmanship, each bunch is gently hand-washed, and every grape is individually separated. Leaving exactly half the skins intact while peeling the rest allows for absolute precision in managing astringency. The vibrant natural sugars and fruit-derived acids, including citric and malic, beautifully balance the profound depth of the low-polished rice.
The second accent, premium oak chips, is intricately infused directly into the fermenting mash. Diverging from traditional barrel aging, this technique draws out sophisticated roasted notes of vanilla and lactone, imparting a luxurious, wine-like complexity that gracefully envelopes the rice’s innate umami. The profound structure of the rice, the sweet-tart elegance of the Kyoho, the toasty oak aromatics, and the delicate hint of skin astringency—these elements transcend mere addition. Instead, they seamlessly harmonize into one singular, mesmerizing flavor profile.
Presented at an elegant 10% ABV, a delicate effervescence from in-bottle secondary fermentation imparts a refined lift, while its nature as an unfiltered, unpasteurized sake preserves the vibrant, fresh character of living yeast.
An Exclusive Autumnal Release — Dictated by the Harvest “Kyoho and Oak” is a rare seasonal treasure. Brewed exclusively in autumn to align with the grape harvest, its production is strictly limited. As a living, unpasteurized creation, it foregoes heat treatment to keep the yeast vividly alive inside the bottle. This demands pristine temperature control—an unbroken cold chain from the brewery straight to the connoisseur’s glass—to prevent refermentation. Such delicate care is a testament to the uncompromising standards of a true small-batch artisanal house.
Redefining Value Through Sustainable Elegance Another hallmark of LIBROM’s philosophy is its commitment to circular craftsmanship, thoughtfully elevating imperfect yet exquisite local harvests. Rice from Fukuoka. Kyoho grapes from Omuta. Ingredients that might otherwise go unseen are gracefully reborn into magnificent libations. This high-value, small-batch ethos beautifully links the art of brewing with sustainable food-loss reduction, standing in elegant contrast to mass production.
LIBROM proudly champions this avant-garde movement as a founding member of the Craft Sake Brewery Association, established in 2022. Among a new wave of breweries honoring ancestral sake techniques while infusing them with visionary ingredients, LIBROM leads the vanguard. One of their signature labels recently secured a Platinum Award at a prestigious international competition in Milan—proof of their esteemed recognition within Europe’s discerning gastronomic circles. For the founders who once dreamed of Italy, that triumph in Milan was a poetic, quiet realization of their enduring romance.
With profound reverence for tradition, yet fearlessly stepping beyond its borders, this visionary brewery—carrying freedom and romance in its very name—continues to craft an extraordinary, yet-to-be-named category of fine libations from their hidden sanctuary in Fukuoka. (Mr.Bacchus)
This article is intended solely to explore the brewing philosophy and cultural heritage of LIBROM Craft Sake Brewery and the Kyoho and Oak brand, and does not aim to promote or encourage the consumption of alcohol. / บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อนำเสนอข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับปรัชญาการผลิตและมรดกทางวัฒนธรรมของ LIBROM Craft Sake Brewery และแบรนด์ Kyoho and Oak เท่านั้น มิได้มีเจตนาเพื่อส่งเสริมหรือโฆษณาเครื่องดื่มแอลกอฮอล์ สำหรับผู้มีอายุ 20 ปีขึ้นไป โปรดดื่มอย่างรับผิดชอบ