Spring Greetings to the CSP/ASP community,
I hope all is well as the brewing season (“BY24”) approaches a close here in Japan. It has been a cold one, which is good for sake brewing, but not without its problems. Read more about what I am alluding to below.
I began the year all full of fire and brimstone about getting a newsletter out monthly, each month this year. Ah, but the best laid plans of mice and men go often awry. As such, I missed February, but have packed this one with lots of information, so please do read it through and enjoy it.
Warm regards,
John
|
INDUSTRY NEWS
Special Clause 87 Extended Again
In January, the Ministry of Taxation again extended Special Clause 87 for a couple of years. As you all likely remember, SC87 gives tax breaks to smaller brewers, which means almost everybody, since the industry is so polarized.
How polarized? Out of 1260 breweries, about 15 make about 50% of the sake. About 1000 are very, very small.
The original clause gave a 30% break to these smaller brewers, and as it expired, the industry (well, most of it!) sought a permanent extension. The compromise was a 20% break for five more years (actually, it is a bit more complicated than that, but that is the gist). So the can has been kicked down the road a bit, but hopefully, over the next five years, profits will rise, and will not stand to lose the hundreds of brewers we might have lost this time, had it expired.
Sake Production Up 2.2%
Sake production increased for the second consecutive year (the first time that has happened in decades) for the BY (Brewing Year) ending in June of 2012. It was also up for the calendar year of 2012, but detailed statistics for that have not yet been made available.
As an interesting side note, production stats are gathered by mathematically converting all sake to 20% alcohol. Since most sake is sold at about 16% alcohol, actual sale are about 1.3 to 1.4 times more than production numbers. The total amount of sake produced in Japan during that one year period (the BY ending June 30, 2012) was 450,000 kiloliters, which was again up 2.2% from the previous year.
Of that, 32% was tokutei meishoshu (premium grades) and 68% was futsuu-shu. Tokutei Meishoshu was up 3.7% overall, but what is deceiving about that is that the one category that dropped the most was honjozo, which was down 3.7%. The point is more people are drinking more and more junmai-shu and ginjo-shu.
In the useless but somehow interesting statistics category, the average seimai buai for the whole industry was 66.9%, down (i.e. better!) from 67.1% the previous year.
Last year, 12 breweries closed down, leaving the total number of active breweries at 1260, although a handful of those outsource their production.
Yamada Nishiki Shortage
The harvest of Hyogo-Prefecture-grown Yamada Nishiki last year was down for a handful of reasons, and the impact is being felt throughout the industry.
The rice grown is sold to the Brewers Associations of the various prefectures, rather than to individual brewers. And Hyogo Prefecture has told at least a few prefectures that they would only get 88% of what they ordered.
It was indeed a less-than-copious harvest. But there are other reasons and rumors swirling about too. While keeping the homeboys of Hyogo and the most important customers happy before supplying those far away is certainly part of it, there is more. For example, one source told me (on condition of anonymity) that the Tohoku region sold a lot of sake fast after 3/11/11, and needed to outsource some of that from Western Japan, who then needed to replenish their stocks, hence driving demand for Yamada up. Another source said that Hyogo Prefecture tightened their standard for top-inspected-grade “Tokujo” Yamada Nishiki to raise the image of Hyogo-grown Yamada, thus lessening the supply of same. There are other interpretations as well.
In any event, this and the fact that there have been overall price increases on most rice this year means we may see an increase in sake prices come next fall.
Sake Packaging: Are Pouches the Future?
Kizakura, the 7th largest producer, has come out with daiginjo in foil pouches. Yes, you read that correctly: daiginjo in foil pouch containers. But it is not just them, nor just daiginjo. Ozeki too has 900ml pouches of futsuu-shu, and Kizakura has 900ml junmai-shu pouches too. (The daiginjo version is 500ml.) The pouches are lauded for being lighter, and easier to dispose of, therefore being more economical and better for the environment overall. I, for one, admire the innovation. Not sure I will dig sipping daiginjo from a pouch, but I should knock it until I try it.
 |
| Kizakura Diaginjo Pouch |
|
|
Those interested can see the pouches here:
Kizakura Daiginjo: http://kizakura.co.jp/ja/
Ozeki Futsuushu: http://www.ozeki.co.jp/product/nihonshu/nomonomo.html
Shochukubai Futsuushu: http://www.takarashuzo.co.jp/news/2011/11-s-014.htm
Kimijimaya in Ginza
The renowned sake retailer Kimijimaya, who is also quite active in the fine wine category, as well as the shochu category, has opened a shop in Ginza. From what I hear, it is cozy and quite nice. If you are in Japant it surely worth checking out. Learn more and see a map here: http://www.kimijimaya.co.jp/home/ja/subwin/ginza_open.jpg
|
2013 Japan Course Graduates
January CSP Course
The 2013 Japan-based CSP course took place January 21-25. The course was completed smoothly, and this year, as has been the case the past few years, we visited Sohku and Eikun in Kyoto, Hakutsuru in Nada, and Mukune / Rikyubai in Osaka.
Congratulations to the 15 individuals that passed the CSP exam and are now Certified Sake Professionals.
Alex Watson
Antony Moss
Ben Grieve
Denis Pierret
Gerald Michaluk
Johan Lim
Joshua Flannery
Kimi Kiviranna
Leigh Hudson
Rebekah Wilson-Lye
Sebastien Lemoine
Thomas Ling
Tore Nybo
Vincent Muller
Stephanie Hudson
February ASP Course
The 2013 ASP course took place February 11-15, the course was completed smoothly, and this year, as has been the case the past few years, we visited Masumi’s two breweries in Nagano, Tensei in Kanagawa, and Kikuyoi in Shizuoka, and also were able to participate in the Dassai tasting party on the final night. This year’s exam was a bit more difficult as label-reading was a part of the exam for the first time.
Congratulations to the 17 individuals that passed the ASP exam and are now Advanced Sake Professionals.
Alexis Kane
Alyssa DiPasquale
Ben Bell
Christy Shibata
Constantine Svimonoff
Dan Fullick
Derrick Lim
Elliot Faber
Fixi Linden
Marek Malcharczyk
Mariko Tajiri
Michael Traves
Michelle O'Dell
Steve Tamura
Tomo Matsukuma
Tyler LeBrun
Wayne Shennen
If your name is in one of the above two lists, be sure to look for your name on the SEC website!
|
|
|
FUTURE COURSES
|
|
CSP Course in New York City, May 8-10, 2013
From Wednesday, May 8 to Friday, May 10 I will run the 2013 New York Sake Professional Course with SEC-backed CSP testing a private venue in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan. More information can be found here:
http://www.sake-world.com/html/spcny.html
Should anyone you know or work with be interested, by all means, feel free to email me at sakeguy@gol.com.
CSP Course in Dallas, TX,
August 8-10, 2013
From Thursday, August 8 to Saturday, August 10, I will run the a Sake Professional Course with SEC-backed CSP testing in conjunction with TEXSOM 2013 at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas. More information can be found here:
http://www.sake-world.com/html/spc_texsom_2013.html
Should anyone you know or work with be interested, by all means, feel free to email me at sakeguy@gol.com.
Other CSP Courses
There remains a possibility of another course in the fall, as well as one in Europe if enough interest exists and if enough support can be mobilized. We will indeed keep you posted!
|
|
In Closing,
Enjoy the coming spring, and continued good luck in all things sake!
By all means, all CSP and ASP readers are encouraged to submit content for the SEC newsletter. Don’t be shy!
Please look for your name on the list of alumni on the SEC website. If your name is misspelled, please contact Sally Mohr to correct any mistakes.
If you are no longer involved with sake, God forbid, or for any other reason you prefer to not receive this email, then please let us know.
Sake Education Council
|
|
