This coffee is overflowing with Mother Nature in Shirakami.
Shirakami Baisen Charcoal-Roasted Coffee is an authentic product born in the local area. We use apple-tree-based charcoal produced at our facility, which is the largest in Aomori: “Shirakami Charcoal Factory Sumizo.” It has quality and durable heat to roast coffee beans. A long-established coffee shop joins this project to create the taste. Furthermore, using water from the Shirakami Sanchi to brew, we offer a high grade of aroma and flavor. We hope you enjoy a cup of rich coffee with which we strive for the ideal taste.
Ideal Charcoal
We make charcoal suitable for Shirakami Baisen Charcoal-Roasted Coffee with learning techniques from Nishimeya Village where the charcoal making business used to prosper. With charcoal, the beans are roasted deeply inside through the effects of far infrared heating; therefore, they will be fluffier and tastier. However, why is Shirakami a good location for coffee? The answer is water. The mountain water of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shirakami Sanchi is soft water with a smooth taste that makes coffee clear. The right water matters in coffee culture in Japan, and Hirosaki, as “a Town of Coffee,” has been spending time with the history of the charcoal industry in the village.
Charcoal Roasting Coffee
Charcoal roasting is a unique method of roasting coffee beans over charcoal in a specialty shop. With charcoal, the coffee beans are cooked to the deep inside by effects far greater than infrared heating; they become soft, fluffy, and are rich in aroma. Coffee drinkers have loved its mellow taste for many years. Currently, mainstream coffee roasting in Japan uses gas burners. Due to the need for roasting skills and the difficulty in finding a stable supply of charcoal, there are few stores offering charcoal-roasted coffee. Shirakami Baisensya has been striving for the ideal taste and charcoal-roasting method as well. With the precious blessing of Shirakami, the skilled workers here pursue this goal then offer a cup of coffee that you had never tasted before.
Eat Local, EAT Aomori
The forestry and charcoal-producing industries have prospered in Nishimeya Village, and so “Meya charcoal” was necessary for local production. This charcoal is durable and emits fewer sparks from the fire; in addition to its hardness, it is suitable for roasting coffee beans. The charcoal-producing industry in this area declined once due to a drop in demand; however, in recent days, it has received attention again as being useful and having cultural value in Japanese tradition, and its demand is also growing.
Apples in Tsugaru
Aomori Prefecture is proud to be Japan’s biggest apple producer. In the apple orchards, farmers prune their trees, which bear delicious fruits every year despite the severe winters. The pruned branches of the apple trees will become useful, high-quality firewood that has a high potential for heat energy. In Europe, they use applewood as firewood when they have valued guests. In Tsugaru, farmers use applewood to warm their bones after work. This knowledge and the culture of the land indicate how proud the local people are of their apples. You could say that apples are their treasure. Pruned applewood that is delivered by the apple farmers is a vital part of Shirakami Baisen Charcoal Roasted Coffee.
Striving for Ideal Water
The mountain water from Shirakami Sanchi, which is a UNESCO Heritage Site, is soft water, which makes the taste of coffee clear. The rainwater falls into the forest, which has a large water-storage capacity, just like a “natural dam,” and penetrates the ground, spending an incredibly long time moving through the forest soil, which acts as a filter. Being without impurities, the clear water is good for people's health and is popular as a natural resource. Our good coffee is born of good water. The reason Japan’s culture of coffee persists to this day is its background: Japan is an island surrounded by nature rich in natural water. For example, Hirosaki City, located on the east of Shirakami Sanchi, has good tasting water and is known for its “Town of Coffee” where nature and history coexist.