Welcome to Issue #163 of SIN.
Most of the world seems to be in the midst of World Cup fever, but it’s sake business as usual for the SIN crew.
The rainy season will be over soon and then the real heat kicks in as we move into the deathly hell known as “summer in Japan”. Then the big question will be, did the breweries of Japan listen to the voices of the bar/restaurant/retail world and increase production of summer sake to see us through to the real end of the season (as opposed to the calendar end), or will we be left high and dry by August?
It may seem trivial, however it’s important for the industry to recognize and react to the demands of the consumer. Last year saw breweries run out of summer releases by mid-August, immediately shifting to autumn releases despite temperatures still sitting in the high 30s well into September. What ensued was something of a stand-off as many sake suppliers were stocked up with autumn releases which bars and restaurants pushed back on as being too early when summer sake was still very much in demand.
Given that sake sales generally drop off in the summer months as drinkers turn to more refreshing options such as beer and mixed Chu-hi, it would behoove the industry to listen to its audience, however we’ll have to wait and see.
Let’s check in again in a couple of months.
And now for the news…
Dassai Keeps Growing
Yamaguchi- Just when you thought Dassai couldn’t get any bigger, the powerhouse brewery has signed an investment agreement with the city of Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture, to construct a new brewing facility, known as the Third Brewery (Dai-San Gō Kura), with operations scheduled to begin on June 30, 2028.
The new brewery will be built near the company’s headquarters in Shuto, Iwakuni. The eight-level facility (five above ground, three below) will have a total floor area of approximately 9300 square meters and will bring in an investment of JPY9.84 billion (USD60mil). With an annual production capacity of 5000 koku (around 1.25 million 720ml bottles), the new facility will primarily focus on higher-end products retailing for ¥10,000 or more per bottle.
Under Iwakuni City’s business investment promotion ordinance, the project qualifies for incentives including grants equivalent to fixed asset taxes. Dassai said the new brewery will further enhance its brewing quality while strengthening recognition of the Dassai brand.
Source - Nikkei
JG: What is most significant about the above may have been easy to overlook as we are inundated with large-scale news from Dassai. But here it is: the capacity is for 1.25 million bottles, most if not all of which will retail for ¥10,000 or more per bottle. They are building that now, even as sake consumption continues to contract. And this is their third brewing facility. Clearly, they are doing something very, very right.
獺祭
Sake From The Australian Point Of View
Sydney- The results of the Australian Sake Awards 2026 were announced on June 12. Held annually in Sydney since 2022, the competition differs somewhat from other competitions in that it aims to support the growth of Australia’s burgeoning sake market by highlighting sake styles suited to local tastes.
