October 31, 2018
Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau

1. Overview

The Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau held a regional sake awards competition with the aim of promoting and advancing the sake brewing techniques of sake brewers in the Chugoku Region's five prefectures (i.e., Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi). Of the 191 entries submitted, prizes were presented to 73 outstanding sakes at an awards ceremony. The prize-winners are as shown in the Appendix 1.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2018 List of Prize Winners (Breweries)”. These winning sakes were selected in particular for their wonderful well-balanced flavor and sharp after taste, recognizing the high technical brewing skills required.
　In addition, the Brewing Techniques Workshop conducted the tasting of submitted sakes as a means of promoting improvements in sake brewing techniques amongst those involved in sake brewing. Details of the Sake Awards are provided below.

2. Purpose for Holding the Competition

The Chugoku Sake Awards aim to promote the development and advancement of sake brewing techniques as well as enhance the quality of sakes in the Chugoku region, thereby sound development of the liquor industry, by evaluating the quality of sake produced within the region and based on these results rewarding brewers recognized as having outstanding brewing skills.

3. Judging Categories

Judging was carried out in three categories: “Ginjo-shu”, “Jummai-shu”, and “Kan (warmed sake)”.

Entries in each of these categories were as follows.

1. (1) “Ginjo-shu”
    Unprocessed sake produced as ginjo-shu at the brewery in the 2017 brewing year (July 1, 2017– June 30, 2018).
2. (2) “Jummai-shu”
   　Chozo-shu sake produced as jummai-shu at the brewery that is for sale on the market or scheduled to be released onto the market. The alcohol content of Chozo-shu sake is adjusted with water according to the standards of the market in which it is to be sold.
3. (3) “Kan”
   　Chozo-shu sake produced as a Tokutei-meisho sake at the brewery that is for sale on the market or scheduled to be released onto the market. The alcohol content of Chozo-shu sake is adjusted with water according to the standards of the market in which it is to be sold.

4. Number of Entries

Brewers could enter one sake in each of the above three categories. However, in the “Ginjo-shu” category only, brewers with multiple breweries could enter one sake product from each of their breweries. In 2018, there were 71 entries in the “Ginjo-shu” category, 64 entries in the “Jummai-shu” category, and 56 entries in the “Kan” category for a total of 191 sakes entered by 70 brewers overall.

5. Judging of Quality

Sake quality was judged by means of sensory evaluation (that is, “sake-tasting”) by specialists. First of all, all of the sake entries were evaluated (Preliminary Round), and then based on these results the sakes were narrowed down to those entries achieving comparatively good results, and these were evaluated again (Final Round).

1. (1) Schedule
    Preliminary Round: September 25 (Tuesday) and 26 (Wednesday), 2018
    Final Round: October 3 (Wednesday), 2018
2. (2) Venue
    Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau Appraisement and Testing Laboratory
3. (3) Judges
    Judging was performed by judges with a detailed knowledge of sake brewing and excellent sensory evaluation abilities, including staff of organizations providing guidance regarding brewing techniques in prefectures in the Chugoku region, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, and National Research Institute of Brewing, individuals involved in the manufacture of sake, and technical officers from Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau.
4. (4) Methods of Judging Quality
    The quality of the sake entries was judged by means of sensory evaluation (sake-tasting) by specialists with a detailed knowledge of sake brewing and excellent sensory evaluation skills. Judges considered and evaluated the entries based not simply on their personal preferences but the composite elements of aroma and taste and the balance of these from a technical perspective, as well as factors in the brewing techniques that brought about these results. For the sensory evaluations, the sakes were judged at 20 ℃ for the “Sakes whose main characteristic is Ginjo-shu” and “Sakes whose main characteristic is Jummai-shu” categories and at approx. 40℃ for the “Kan” category.

6. Judging Results

Prizes were awarded to a total of 73 sakes with high scores for quality in each of the three categories: 26 in the “Ginjo-shu”category, 25 in the “Jummai-shu”category, and 22 in the “Kan”category.
　For winning entries, please refer to Appendix 1.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2018 List of Prize Winners (Breweries)”; for a breakdown of entries from each prefecture, please refer to Appendix 2.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2018 Table of Entries and Award Status”; for the characteristics of sake entries in this year’s competition, please refer to Appendix 3.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2018 Judging Report”.

7. Awards Ceremony

1. (1) Date and Time
    November 22, 2018(Thursday); 13:30-14:30
2. (2) Venue
    Main Conference Hall, 2F, Hiroshima National Government Building No. 1 Annex
3. (3) Participants
    Award-winning sake brewers, etc.
4. (4) Content
    Comments on awards judging, presentation of awards, etc.

8. Brewing Techniques Workshop

1. (1) Date and Time
    November 22, 2018 (Thursday); 14:30-16:00
2. (2) Venue
    No. 22 Conference Room, 5F, Hiroshima National Government Building No. 4
3. (3) Participants
    Employees of liquor manufacturers, researchers, and others involved in sake brewing (approximately 100 participants)
4. (4) Content
    The workshop was conducted with the aim of contributing to the enhancement of sake brewing techniques in the future by providing participants with the opportunity to take part in a tasting of sakes entered in the competition and study these sake.
   All of the entries were set out and make available for tasting, and prize-winning sakes were labeled. Also, for the “Kan” category, sakes were set out at approx. 40.