This post is part of a blog series revealing the table of contents of upcoming Issue Nineteen. As is our custom, we’ll be discussing one article per weekday in order to give you a taste of what is to come.
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To get Issue Nineteen when it ships in early September, you can sign up for a subscription here. If you aren’t sure about your subscription status, you can reach out to Grace at info@mortiseandtenonmag.com. Keep in mind though, if you are set to auto-renew, you never have to worry about getting the next issue of Mortise & Tenon. Issue Eighteen is coming your way soon!
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Douglas Brooks – “KIOKE: A New Way of Tradition”
Traditional ways are worth preserving. And in some instances, they’re the only way to go. Take traditional Japanese soy-sauce making: The highest-quality brews on the planet have always relied on massive wooden barrels (kioke) for the perfect fermentation. In some instances, these coopered vessels the size of a small car have been in continual use for 150 years, and the flavor of each batch of soy sauce brewed in them grows richer.
But Japanese kioke do not last forever, and new ones must be built. The art of constructing these massive containers is kept alive by just a handful of artisans, and at times has been in danger of fading away. For Issue Nineteen, boatbuilder, teacher, and author Douglas Brooks traveled to Japan to learn and document the art of building kioke and help keep the craft alive. As a recipient of our 2024 M&T Craft Research Grant, Brooks aims to make the tradition come to life for M&T readers.
Equal parts travelogue, history, and narrative of skilled woodcraft, Brooks weaves a fascinating story. Describing the sounds of the bamboo forest where hoop material is harvested or the complex smells of the ancient brewery brings readers along with him. Through his research, the means and methods of producing these impressive barrels will be recorded for future generations, helping the timeless practices of kioke craftsmen to continue to flourish.
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