Specialist Speaking

malting techniques and hops to impart flavors, sake leans heavily on the delicate flavors of different rice varieties, koji and yeast. Even the extent to which rice is milled — 50% versus 70%, for example — can affect the beverage’s nuanced flavor balance.

Arkansas shares latitude with Japan

Chris, who has visited Japan seven times, started with Yamada Nishiki, the preferred rice variety used in that country’s highend sakes. Although growing sake rice in Arkansas may raise some eyebrows, he pointed to the state’s location in relation to Hyogo, Japan, renowned for its premium sake rice. Both share almost the same latitude and have similar soils.

Chris imported seed from Japan in the mid-1990s, going through the proper U.S. Department of Agriculture quarantine steps.

Then came the arduous task of seed increase that involved planting rows and harvesting them by hand. Joining Chris were Mark, nephew Shane Isbell and son-in-law Jeremy Jones.

“It was one of the ones in the plots that was really scary looking,” Jeremy said of Yamada Nishiki, which can be a fickle variety to grow. “It lodged and the straw is very wiry and tough.”

Compared to the popular short-grain variety, Koshihikari, the Yamada Nishiki is about twice as tall.

They stored the seed in the freezer each season, eventually accumulating enough to plant an entire field.

The rise of premium sake

The Isbells have also begun growing the varieties Omachi, Watari Bune and Gohyakumangoku, all for the high-end sake market. But Chris said he realized that not all brewers produce for upper-tier buyers, so they now also grow SoMai, a quality medium grain, for mid-tier brewers. SoMai differs from California Calrose-type medium-grain varieties in that it is a single variety. “They can brew sake consistently from one batch to the next while also filling the need for the mid-tier application,” Chris said. Calrose, on the other hand, describes a class of medium grains that includes a number of different varieties. The Isbells made their first big sale a few years ago when they were approached by a high-end Pacific Coast sake brewer. That brewer has since won international awards for its sake made using Isbell specialty rices.

The fine art of milling

A serendipitous query through a mutual acquaintance in of all places, Norway, brought the Isbells together with Richardson of Minnesota Rice and Milling in Fridley, Minnesota. In addition, he owns moto-i, at one time the nation’s only sake brew pub.

Milling sake rice requires specialized machinery and a knowledgeable operator, Chris said. “You have to go really slow or you’ll break the rice,” he said.

If you run the mill too fast, the kernels overheat and are more prone to cracking. The goal is to polish off the exterior layers while maintaining the whole kernel.

A 70% polished batch, for example, can take up to eight hours to mill, while a 50% batch can take up to 48 hours non-stop.

The amount of kernel removed, or polished, during milling affects the quality of the sake. Rice where 50% of the kernel is remaining generally is used for a higher-end sake than rice with 60% remaining.

A family affair

Within the Isbell family sake rice endeavor, family members have taken on different tasks. Mark designed the four-color booklet that explains the family’s rice-growing philosophy. It also highlights the sake rice varieties they grow and each one’s characteristics.

In addition, Mark helps find new markets and potential buyers. He came up with the idea of developing a sake rice sample box to showcase the family’s offerings.

Although his sister, Whitney Jones, liked the idea, she suggested they use a series of small jars to really showcase the rice rather than vacuum-sealed plastic bags as Mark had proposed.

Putting together the boxes became an evening family event as requests came pouring in. Whitney laughed that she had to split the mailings so she wouldn’t overwhelm the small post office in Humnoke. The family also is on their second printing of the informational booklet that accompanies the samples.

Nevertheless, building a customer base hasn’t happened overnight.

“It’s a slow process in this industry because (the brewers) have long schedules,” Mark said. “But we have definitely seen an uptick in interest and orders.”

“COVID didn’t help either,” Jeremy added. “We want it to grow, but it’s going to have to grow as the market does. It’s something that you don’t want to over-produce or under-produce.”

Jeremy, along with Mark and Shane, take care of the sake rice fields throughout the growing season.

Jeremey’s son, Harrison, proposed the farm have a professionally designed logo to brand all of its social media content and promotional materials. He also films much of the video content that makes its way to Isbell Farm’s social media sites. Jeremy’s daughter, Alayna, edits the sometimes hours of video content into much shorter films that appeal to viewers. 

Mark Isbell pours a prize-winning sake made with one of their sake rice varieties. Potential buyers receive an Isbell Farms’ sample pack that includes a four-color booklet about the operation and its sake rice varieties, sample jars of individual rice varieties and other promotional materials.