C17 - The Global Sake Industry - working Flashcards
what are the reasons behind the export of sake is increasing?
decline in local market and interest in sake outside of Japan
How many sake breweries in Japan comparing 1970s and 2014-15?
- 3500
- 1500
How’s the production volume of sake in Japan comparing 1970s and 2014-15?
- over 7.5 million koku
- 2.49 million koku
what is the structural problem among the sake brewing industry?
the industry is split between a few giant producers and many smaller producers, very little in between
what is the average (mean) production volume of sake in Japan now?
1500 koku
how’s production volumes per big, medium and small breweries?
- over 80% is <1000 koku
- more than 3% are over 10,000 koku
- only 1% is approx. 250,000 koku
what is the determining factor of the price of a sake?
how much the consumer is prepared to pay for it
What made the price differences between sakes?
- correlated to the costs of raw ingredients and production
what are the main factors affecting the cost of sake?
- rice type (and grade)
- rice polishing ratio
- sake category (without jozo)
- sake style (ginjo)
- other methods used (kimoto, koshu…)
other than the factors affecting the costs, what else add up the final price of a sake?
- gross profit for the brewery
- labour and equipment
- taxes and levies
- distributors’ margins
- further taxes in each layer
which 2 prefectures account for 1/2 of all sake production in Japan?
Hyogo and Kyoto
which prefecture ranked third in production volume but has the largest number of breweries?
Niigata
when did Nihon-shu became a G.I.?
2015
what are the 2 main reasons it’s so difficult to develop G.I. system in Japan?
- ingredients
- business trends
means a brewser in any location can make any style of sake in Japan.
why ingredients making G.I. development difficult?
- rice can be sourced from anywhere
- water’s mineral and nutrient content is permitted to adjust
- yeast and koji-in spores are mainly supplied by the BSJ. Only a few suppliers outside of the BSJ
why business trends making G.I. development difficult?
- expertise and skills now can be learnt from universities and organisations i.e. NRIB. rather from local guilds
- brewers are increasingly seeking national or international markets
what are the rough styles of each region in Japan?
- north-east (Niigata): lighter and drier
- south-west (HIroshima): sweeter, more intense flavour
- eastern-coastal (Miyagi): lighter, purer - for local-cold water seafood
- central mountains (Nagano, Akita): heavier, more complex
- west coast: richer, more intense
Iwate Prefecture (north-east) / toki guild / style
- Nanbu Toji guild
- pure, clean and light
Niigata Prefecture / toki guild / style
- Echigo Toji guild
- tanrei-karakuchi
- light, dry and very pure
- with a short clean finish (kire)
Nagano Prefecture (south of Niigata) / style
- intense flavour, rich and slightly sweet
- junmai
- exact opposite to Niigata style
- local yeast: Alps
- local rice: Miyama-nishiki
Kyoto Prefecture / style
- most delicately aromatic
- elegant and refined
- pair with sophisticated fine Kyoto cuisine
- use low-mineral water
Hyogo Prefecture / style
- firm texture
- more intense flavours
- higher umami
- so-haze koji
- mineral and nutrient rich local water
Hiroshima Prefecture / style
- ginjo
- using extremely low-mineral water
- so-haze koji
- slow, cold fermentation
- higher acidity
Which prefecture is an exception of styles in the Shikoku region?
Kochi prefecture
what is the style of Kochi prefecture’s sake?
- the driest and lightest
- due to consumption in large volume
Saga prefecture / style
balance sweetness with high acidity
when was Toji guilds formed?
early Edo period, 1603 - 1868
what is the original purpose of toji guilds?
- members of the guilds share techniques and educate the next generation of toji and kurabito
what is changed between toji and kuramoto?
today, kuramoto or their family members are closely involved in production, some even play the role of toji.
what is changed in the way of recruiting kurobito?
- a trend to employ kurabito locally, permanently and directly. it was a temporary seasonal team paid by the toji.
where the kurabito learn the skills nowadays?
brewing courses or on the job training.
what is the result of the toji’ guild’s role changed?
it’s now more flexibility how the kurabito and toji are recruited, trained and organised.
what are the changes made many toji guilds disappeared or struggle to continue?
- many breweries now employ a brewer trained up by the toji
- the brewery staff now work full time throughout the year in various roles, this becomes a more attractive career to young generation
who are the 3 more important toji guilds (sandai)?
- Nanbu
- Echigo
- Tanbu
Nanbu toji guild / Iwate
- memberships has not dropped in recent years
- base in north-eastern Japan
- accounts for 1/3 of all toji and kurabito
- excellent in brewing education and training for members
- *an exam is needed to be qualify as a Nanbu toji
Echigo toji guild / Niigata
- emphasis use of tsuki-haze koji
- lean, dry style (tanrei-karakuchi)
- accounts for the consistancy of the Niigata style
Tanba toji guild / Hyogo
- intense flavours, high umami
- high levels of enzymatic activities
- influenced some of the largest breweries
which organisations offer sake brewing courses?
- Tokyo Agricultural University brewing college
- Kyoto University
- Japan Brewing Society
what is also important in addition to learn brewing techniques from courses?
- must watch and work alongside with other kurabito and toji
- experience being highly valued
What is the scope of NRIB?
- conduct scientific research
- improve modern brewing techniques
- develop new technologies
- help implement safety standards and quality control
- ensure the sake trade continue to bring in revenue (tax)
- research also covers other alcoholic beverages
what are the recent ongoing research of NRIB?
- understand and explain how sake tastes
- identify and investigate the origin of sake aromas
- how to minimise the risk of faults and defects
- microbiology - including yeast and koji strains
- factors determining the suitability of rice for sake production
Which organisation started up the New National Sake Contest?
NRIB
which year was the New National Sake Contest start up?
1911
originally what was the purpose of grading sake in the New National Sake Contest?
the higher grades being more heavily taxed
which organisation fund the New National Sake Contest now?
Ministry of Taxation
who are the judges in the New National Sake Contest?
- members of the NRIB
- appointed by the NRIB and National Tax Agency
when in a year the New National Sake Contest run?
when the brewing season is over
how many sake per brewery can enter the New National Sake Contest?
one sake for each brewing licence
what is the main purpose of the New National Sake Contest?
- it helps identify trenads and the impact of the year’s rice harvest
- show the skills of the brewers
- not much guidance of quality to consumers
when was the Brewing Society of Japan established?
1906
what are the functions of the Brewing Society of Japan?
- support the development of Japanese brewers
- by supplying pure yeast cutures
- publish books on brewing
- perform other related duties
what kind of activities carried by the Brewing Society of Japan?
- publish a monthly bulletin
- research and development related to brewing
- helping members to study and understand techniques and promote the practical use
- collect, stock and distribute the generic resources of microorganisms
- honoring brewing researchers and technicians
- sale of sake treating materials
- inspect the standard norm of sake treating materials
- research and analysis by request
the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association is sometimes referred to as:
chuokai
JSS - the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association:
- non-profit organisation
- promote sake and shochu business
- act as a liaison between brewers and the government
- advise on laws related to the sake industry
what are the scope of the JSS in advice on laws?
- defining the different grades of sake
- definition for terms used to describe styles and production techniques
- labelling rules
- taxation
example of a successful liasion by JSS for taxation?
in 2013, JSS persuaded the government to extend a tax break for brewers producing less than 1300 KL a year.
where the JSS get it’s funding from:
the Japanese government
how JSS use the funding from the government?
- covers the operation costs of the JSS
- provide agricultural loans to small brewers
how can a brewer join the JSS?
- they must be first join an affiliated regional sake brewers’ association
- majority of brewers in Japan are members of the JSS
what is the scope of the Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council?
- influence the government on policies and actions affecting the sake industry
- promotes sake
where’s the Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council’s funding come from?
the JSS
how many voluntary members Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council’s has?
around 800
The Sake Samurai Association was established by whom?
the Junior Council
what is the scope of The Sake Samurai Association?
- award annual Samurai titles to individuals for their outstanding contribution to sake (understanding, appreciation or promotion)
what is the most significant event of The Sake Samurai Association?
collaborating with the IWC to introduce a sake category in 2017
