CONTEMPORARY HISTORY OF SAKE
22/ What was the quality of sake before and after World War II?
Before the Second World War, all sake was Junmai, that means pure rice, without any additives or artificial enzymes. Most of them were drunk hot. After the Second World War, all sake was made with added alcohol (ethanol) and flavour enhancers and sweeteners, as required by law. These sakes were called sanzoshu, which means "three times more alcohol with the same amount of rice", and the Japanese continued to drink them hot because it was part of the culture. But since heat brings out all the flaws, the Japanese started to drink it cold or even iced. And most of them stopped drinking it, especially the new generation who turned to beer and western spirits.
23/ Why did the traditional Junmai sake completely disappear during World War II?
When Japan entered the war, it was a country mainly composed of farmers. These farmers went off to war, which led to a shortage of rice. This shortage led to a national rice rationing policy by the Japanese government, which lasted until 1968. The government distributed the quantity of rice to each person, and the breweries were no exception to this rule. As the quantity of rice was insufficient to continue producing the quantity of sake that Japan needed, the government developed a technique with the addition of alcohol and flavour enhancer, which made it possible to produce the same quantity of sake using three times less rice: Sanzoshu was born. The Ministry of Finance then passed a decree requiring all breweries to produce 100% of their sake with added ethanol, including at least 35% of their production in Sanzoshu quality. 50% of the breweries were then closed down to become arms depots, while the others had to obey and apply the national policy. Sanzoshu sake became the norm, and it was not until almost 30 years later that any producer dared to challenge this situation.
24/ Why has sake with added ethanol continued to be the norm after the war until today?
Quite soon after the war, the amount of rice produced returned to normal, but the country, which had been totally destroyed by the American bombing, had to rebuild. Sake, unfortunately, was the main source of taxes, and there was no way that these taxes could be reduced. If the breweries had started making junmai again, the quantity of sake would have fallen, as it takes a lot more rice to make traditional sake.
The second reason why the producers did not question this way of making sake was that this technique made it possible to make sake at a lower cost and to have high margins. So the Japanese gradually turned away from sake in favour of Western spirits and beer. It was not until 1966 that a producer dared to break out of this pattern.
25/ How did cold sake become popular from the 1970s onwards?
We can't say exactly what made the market move in the first place, whether it was consumer taste or a change in strategy on the part of brewers' associations. In reality, it is often a combination of circumstances more or less spread out over time. We can therefore relate some facts. The first fact is that post-war sake was of very poor quality, and that heating it made it even worse. The second fact is the history of Ginjo sake itself, which appeared at the beginning of the 20th century as a result of technical progress in rice poloishing machin.
At the beginning of the 20th century, two associations also appeared, which created competitions. The first was an association of brewers, and the second was a government association. It was the Ginjo and Daiginjo (great Ginjo) sake, which created new fruity smells, tending towards apple or citrus fruits, that won these competitions. However, during these competitions, the sake is drunk cold. We also notice at the beginning that these particular smells of ginjo sakes tend to disappear when the sakes are heated. This is why we think that these sakes are fragile. Today, it is becoming clear that the brewing process must be mastered perfectly in order to heat a ginjo sake. Few breweries have reached this level. These Ginjo sakes were produced in very small quantities, with the aim of presenting them in competitions. Before the war, these sakes were obviously all Junmai. After the war, all sake, including Ginjo sake, contained added alcohol and flavour enhancers. So here we are again in the 60s and 70s, competitions are still held, sake during these competitions is always drunk cold, and ginjo sake always wins competitions. Consumers turned away from hot drinking sake because of its very poor quality. At the same time, sake producers realised that adding pure alcohol,( ethanol), would enhance the ginjo taste. The so-called quality production was oriented towards this type of sake, and the consumers followed, which was the glory hour of cold sake on the rock.
From the 1970s onwards, Junmai sake resurfaced after almost 30 years of oblivion. The very few producers no longer mastered the manufacturing process, which led to bad tastes in the sake. The cold and charcoal filtration techniques will mitigate these defects. As a result, junmai sake is much drier and consumers have become accustomed to a very sweet sake. It has been a 30 year battle to really revive junmaishu and to start to change the image of heated sake. Consumers and producers rediscover slowly the reasons for heating sake.
Since the 2000s, quality heated sake has made a comeback. More and more producers have reached a satisfactory level of manufacturing quality, allowing their sake to be heated. It cannot be said often enough that heat reveals quality and defects, and only very high quality sake can withstand heating and reveal all its secrets.
The only exception is namazake, unpasteurised sake, which is not heated and is best drunk at room temperature.
26/ Who revived Junmai sake?
Yoshimasa Ogawahara is the father of the contemporary traditional sake called "Junmai". While still a student, he decided that what he wanted to do was to make Junmai and nothing else. He thought before anyone else that this was the only way for sake to continue to exist in the future. If he doesn't do it, the Japanese will continue to turn away from their favourite drink, breweries will continue to close, sake production will continue to decline, and sake will disappear.
What you have to understand is that in Japan it is foolhardy to question the system alone and to oppose the group. The group is more important than the individual, it's a country where you have to be one with the group. If you oppose the group, it will try to put you back on the right track and even crush you if necessary. Yoshimasa is 20 years old when he decides that his life will be to revive Junmai sake. He is full of enthusiasm and recklessness. In 1966, while still a student, he applied to the tax office for permission to brew Junmai again. This was refused, as there was no precedent for it since the Second World War. In 1967, he applied again, in his last year of university, and for the first time since the war, he obtained official permission for a brewery to brew Junmai. The tax office allowed him to brew the symbolic quantity of 3000 litres. Yoshimasa managed to convince them that he wanted to do his dissertation on junmai, so he needed to test it under real conditions. The tax office gave him permission, thinking that after he would then follow the national policy of sake with added alcohol. Yoshimasa never stopped making Junmai, and it was a 20-year battle to gradually increase the quantities produced, at the risk of the Shinkame Brewery's existence. In 1987, the Shinkame brewery became the first brewery to brew only Junmai !
27/ Has Junmai sake been saved?
No, Junmai sake is not saved. It is a fragile ecosystem between several trades and raw materials that are also in danger.
The rice farmers: a minimum number of breweries are needed to keep the farmers producing rice for sake, which is much more difficult to produce than food rice. Yoshimasa estimates that a minimum of 1000 breweries is needed. The number of breweries continues to decline, with only about 1,200 left.
The Tanekoji producers, essential for the Koji to develop and allow the saccharification process, producing Komekoji. There are now only 6 companies left in Japan.
Kojibuta producers, an indispensable tool for making good komekoji.
The water is also in danger, the Japanese mountains are left abandoned, losing their soil little by little, following the disappearance of the traditional wooden habitat. Today, the Japanese use reinforced concrete for buildings and synthetic materials for small prefabricated houses. Poor soils deplete water, and its flow is also less constant.
Finally, legislation on manufacturing processes favours industries, and thus mass production. This creates confusion about what quality sake is, and reduces the market for those who make real Junmai.
1/ A quality label created by the Japanese government that puts Junmai sake and sake with added alcohol on the same level: sake is a natural fermentation that naturally reaches over 20°.
2/ Komekoji rule: official minimum quantity 15%. What you need to know is that below 18% komekoji, you need to use an artificial enzyme to make the saccharification. These artificial enzymes are also used to control the flavours. If these enzymes are used, there is no obligation to mention their use on the label.
3/ Rules on polishing: these tend to suggest that the more the rice is polished, the higher is the quality of the sake. Before 2004, you had to polish at least 70% (% of remaining rice) to make Junmai. After 2004, Junmai can supposedly be made at 100%, it means without polishing. In fact, this does not mean that the rice is not milled, it just means that the part that was removed to mill the rice can be recovered and made into Junmai. This rule also makes it possible to crush the rice and make Junmai.
Thus, although the quantities of Junmai appear to be increasing, it is most likely that it is only the industrially produced Junmai that gives this impression. Mass production seeks to produce more and more, reducing costs, and has no need to maintain the sake ecosystem that is essential for breweries aiming for quality sake.
