KULTIVAT

// PHILOSOPHY

Microbial terroir
is real.

The koji that grows in our Kyoto-strain chamber behaves differently from the koji in our Berlin studio. Same species. Different air, different mineral water, different ambient microbiology. The result is perceptibly, measurably distinct — and replicable nowhere else on earth.

We do not add flavour to our ferments. We create the conditions in which flavour is inevitable. Our role is patience, precision, and the discipline to intervene as little as possible.

Primary Method

Koji / Lacto / Acetic

Shortest Cycle

72 Hours

Longest Cycle

36 Months

Cultures in Archive

38 Active

// LIVING ARCHIVES

Six active cultures.
Each irreplaceable.

CULT-001 // Aspergillus oryzae

The Kyoto Koji

Maintained since 2012 · Champagne yeast character

Strain K-12 // Isolated Kyoto 2012

Nutty, floral, deeply savoury. The koji that started everything. Maintained through 840 consecutive culture cycles.

// Cycle: 48h · Temp: 28°C · RH: 90%

CULT-002 // Long-Aged Miso

The 36-Month

Barley · Soybean · Hand-pressed

Batch M-24 // Started Jan 2022

Dark amber. Umami depth that arrives in three waves. Commission slots for this culture open once per year.

// Cycle: 36 months · Monitored weekly

CULT-003 // Acetobacter

The Oak Vinegar

Oak-aged · Bordeaux wine base

Mother V-07 // 14 Years Continuous

Fourteen years of continuous culture in a single oak barrel. The mother is now irreplaceable — a living archive of fourteen vintages.

// Cycle: 24 months · Never restarted

CULT-004 // Fish Garum

The Black Garum

Mackerel · 18 Months · Sea Salt

Batch G-18 // Nordic Recipe

The ancient ferment reimagined with precision temperature control. 18 months produces a liquid so concentrated that a single gram changes everything.

// Cycle: 18 months · 60°C chamber

CULT-005 // Lactobacillus

The Fermented Pantry

Seasonal vegetables · Wild-cultured

L-Series // Ambient Cultures

The ambient bacteria of our Berlin studio, captured in vegetables grown 30km north. A pure expression of location.

// Cycle: 72h–3 weeks · Variable

CULT-NEW // Your Commission

Your Culture

Species · Duration · Application — your choice

New Strain // Commission Only

We design, initiate, and maintain a culture on your behalf — 12 to 36 months. The result is yours exclusively. No other client receives the same strain.

// Begin: enquire below

// THE METHOD

Five acts of
microbial patience.

D01

// INOCULATION

The First Contact

The substrate — grain, legume, or protein — is prepared to precise water activity and temperature specifications. The culture is introduced. Conditions are set. We begin waiting and do not interfere.

D03

// OBSERVATION

Reading the Signs

Three days in. The culture is assessed by pH, visual growth, aroma, and Brix where applicable. Adjustments are made with the lightest possible hand — temperature ±0.5°C, humidity ±2%. No more.

D14

// EVALUATION

The Two-Week Assessment

Tasting begins. The first flavour arc becomes legible. We determine whether the ferment is developing on schedule, running early, or needs a longer window. Most need longer.

D90

// MATURATION

The Long Middle

Months pass. Weekly aroma checks. Monthly tasting. The ferment is largely self-directing now. Our role is to ensure conditions remain stable and to resist the temptation to intervene unnecessarily.

D–

// COMPLETION

When It Is Ready

There is no fixed endpoint. Completion is a sensory determination made by two pairs of hands independently. When both reach the same conclusion without communication, bottling begins. Not before.