November 6, 2019
Nagoya Regional Taxation Bureau

In Tokai Sake Awards 2019, exhibited were a total of 237 items of Japanese sake including 112 items of ginjo-shu (sake made from highly polished rice using special technique) from 66 breweries, 71 items of junmai-shu (sake made only from rice and rice koji (without addition of brewers alcohol)) from 71 breweries, and 54 items of honjozo-shu (sake made from quality rice with addition of limited volume of brewers alcohol) from 54 breweries.

In the competition, according to today’s brewing environment, where the kinds of yeast used for ginjo-shu are increasingly diversified, we added a category to the ginjo-shu class for items using a traditional yeast,*. We evaluated junmai-shu and honjozo-shu in a heated state, which is a style of drinking unique to sake.

After meticulous and strict evaluation, we selected outstanding 29 ginjo-shu from 20 breweries, 28 junmai-shu from 28 breweries, and 21 honjozo-shu from 21 breweries and awarded them honor prizes.

1. Purpose of the Competition

To contribute to the development of the Japanese sake industry and to consumers’ benefit by promoting the advancement of brewing technology and improving the quality of sake in the district under our jurisdiction through quality evaluation for this competition.

2. Class

The competition was conducted for three classes: ginjo-shu, junmai-shu, and honjozo-shu.

3. Eligibility and evaluation methods

(1) Ginjo-shu Class

Eligible items for this class were undiluted sake of ginjo-shu and junmai-ginjo-shu (ginjo-shu without addition of brewers alcohol) that brewers brewed in their own breweries between July 1st 2018 and June 30th 2019. All items were classified according to the yeast used, divided into groups based on the aroma level. We evaluated ginjo-shu items at 18degrees.

(2) junmai-shu Class

Eligible items for this class were junmai-shu that brewers brewed in their own breweries with the same alcohol content as sake on the market. They were separated by the rice-polishing rate (60% or less and more than 60%). We evaluated the items at 45degrees.

(3) Honjozo-shu Class

Eligible items for this class were honjozo-shu that brewers brewed in their own breweries with the same alcohol content as sake on the market. They were separated by the rice-polishing rate, like items in the junmai-shu class. We evaluated the items at 45degrees.

4. Quality Evaluation

(1) Evaluation schedule

  • Mon, September 30, 2019: Evaluation of the ginjo-shu class (Preliminary examination)
  • Wed, October 2, 2019: Evaluation of the junmai-shu and honjozo-shu classes
  • Thu, October 3, 2019: Evaluation of the ginjo-shu class (Final examination)

(2) Panel

Evaluations in this competition were performed by officers from brewing technology institutions in Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi or Mie prefecture, officers from National Research Institute of Brewing, people with knowledge and experience, those who were recommended from associations of sake producers, wholesalers and retailers; and officers of the Office of Analysis and Brewing Technology, Nagoya Taxation Bureau.

A total of 45 panelists were engaged in the evaluation.

5. Participants and Award Winners by Prefecture

Please refer to the Participants and Award Winners by Prefecture.

6. Winners of the Honor Prize

Please refer to the Tokai Sake Awards 2019 Honor Prize Winners List.

* Traditional yeast:

Today, most ginjo-shu exhibited in the competition are made using yeast which was developed in order to produce a high level of aroma, however, some items are still made using “Traditional yeast” which has also excellent characteristics and had been mainly used before new yeast was developed.

While most ginjo-shu have a gorgeous apple like aroma and elegant taste, those made using “Traditional yeast” have a gentle banana-like aroma and mild taste with the least aftertaste. Because of these very different characteristics, we separated the ginjo-shu class into two groups in this competition.