The etymology of “hascup” is the Ainu word “hasikapu,” which means “a lot of things on tree branches.” It is a berry family whose ingredients such as anthocyanins have been attracting attention in recent years, and in Hokkaido it grows mainly in the Yufutsu wilderness. It is said that the Ainu people were prized as a magical medicine for “immortality and longevity.”I often see sweets made with haskap as souvenirs, but this is sake. The moment you pour it into a glass, you will be attracted to the bright red color like ruby. Invited by the fruity aroma, when you put it in your mouth, it has a good balance of sourness and sweetness that is typical of northern countries, and it has a very refreshing taste. The alcohol content is as low as 7 degrees, making it easy to drink even for those who are not good at alcohol. The encounter between Hokkaido Chuo Grape Brewery Co., Ltd. and Haskap dates back to 1988 when it was founded. The reason for the product development was that the staff of the Chitose Agricultural Cooperative (currently JA Central Hokkaido) at that time asked me if I could drink alcohol using Haskap.The Haskap harvest season is only about three weeks from late June to mid-July, with manual picking and sorting. The fruit of Haskap is easily damaged and has a short shelf life, so the development of processed products was required. “Currently, honeysuckle is cultivated only in Hokkaido all over the world. It is good for us to help the locals by brewing sake using local products. Thanks to you, Haskap Suite has become our long-selling product. It’s a bestseller, “says Sho Kurosu, general manager of the company’s sales department.It takes about 3 months from preparation to completion, and shipping starts from late September to early October every year. It has been selected as a recommended souvenir for sightseeing in Chitose City, and people in and around the city often use it as a gift. “I’m proud to have been loved locally for a long time,” says Kurosu.”It is recommended not only as an aperitif or after-dinner drink, but also as an aperitif because its red color and acidity are appetizing.”
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