Sake brewer comes up with dark sake

HAPPO, Akita Prefecture--An innovative sake maker is inviting tipplers to explore the drink's dark side, and the offer has nothing to do with unpleasant morning headaches and half-remembered embarrassments.

Yamamoto Gomei Co., best known for its Shirataki (white waterfall) brand of sake, has come up with a jet black version of nigorizake, a type of unfiltered sake that is normally milky white.

Tomofumi Yamamoto, the 40-year-old chief brewer, experimented with nori and other types of seaweed while trying to achieve the inky look. In fact, he tried just about anything edible that he thought might create the right effect.

Squid ink emphatically did not work. Yamamoto said he found the fishy smell so repulsive that it was impossible to even take a sip.

He finally settled for edible, finely powdered bamboo charcoal, which is commonly used for dechlorinating tap water.

The dark sake has one drawback: the 10 micron-sized coal particles can leave permanent stains.

"Our advice is that you should wear black when drinking it, even if its summertime," said a liquor store owner in Akita.