Tokyo Jizake Strolling (sugar-free sake)
2025-10-15
東京地酒散歩（糖質ゼロの酒）
By Ryuji Takahashi
Do you see major brands of carton sake advertised as sugar-free and purine-free sake in store aisles Although regional sake fans would never consider purchasing these sake products, you’ll likely see at least one brand in every supermarket and sake discount shop, which means there is a demand for these products in the market.
As a professional in the Japanese sake industry, I felt the need to familiarize myself with carton sake brands in the market. Therefore, I gathered as many brands as I could and organized an unprecedented “Sugar-free Sake Sampling Party” that no Japanese sake industry professional has yet organized. During my visits to several nearby supermarkets in search of varied brands of carton sake, I realized most stores sell sugar-free, purine-free sake by Gekkeikan Sake Co., Ltd.
I asked a sales representative from sake brewery Nihonsakari Co., Ltd. about my findings, to which he replied Gekkeikan is the top industry leader in market share of sugar-free and purine-free sake, followed by Nihonsakari.
Other similar sugar-free sake brands were not classified as refined sake due to a patent-related issue. I gathered a total of seven sugar-free carton sake brands: Gekkeikan, Nihonsakari, Kikumasamune, Hakutsuru, Sho Chiku Bai, Ozeki, and Isonosawa.
All sake brands besides Hakutsuru and Sho Chiku Bai were also purine-free. I could imagine sugar-free sake being produced from prolonged fermentation; however, I had no idea how purine-free sake is produced. I’m told a special patented filtration technology is used to adsorb purine.
While eliminating various compounds such as sugar and purine can reduce the umami flavor in sake, Gekkeikan and Nihonsakari seem to lead the sake industry with their patented technology that retains the umami flavor in sake. Other sake breweries add amino acid and other compounds to supplement their umami flavor, similar to liquor. However, I can’t deny the flavor of sugar-free, purine-free sake is flat and the umami flavor is rather subtle compared to regular sake brands. First-time consumers of sugar-free, purine-free sake might find the flavor to be amiss.
On the other hand, consumers who find sake difficult to consume in the scorching summer heat might find the subtle flavor of sugar-free, purine-free sake to be just right. The subtleness in flavor will gradually become less noticeable over time with continued consumption. The alcohol content is comparable to regular sake, thus sugar-free, purine-free sake is just as intoxicating.
Sugar-free, purine-free sake can also serve as an alternative to continuously distilled shochu, mixed with soda like chu-hai, and consumed in large volumes. Gekkeikan was most suitable to be served as a mixed drink. After sampling many carton sake brands, my conclusion was that it is unfortunate for a sake fan to not be familiar with sugar-free, purine-free sake when discussing sake.
Do you see major brands of carton sake advertised as sugar-free and purine-free sake in store aisles Although regional sake fans would never consider purchasing these sake products, you’ll likely see at least one brand in every supermarket and sake discount shop, which means there is a demand for these products in the market.
As a professional in the Japanese sake industry, I felt the need to familiarize myself with carton sake brands in the market. Therefore, I gathered as many brands as I could and organized an unprecedented “Sugar-free Sake Sampling Party” that no Japanese sake industry professional has yet organized. During my visits to several nearby supermarkets in search of varied brands of carton sake, I realized most stores sell sugar-free, purine-free sake by Gekkeikan Sake Co., Ltd.
I asked a sales representative from sake brewery Nihonsakari Co., Ltd. about my findings, to which he replied Gekkeikan is the top industry leader in market share of sugar-free and purine-free sake, followed by Nihonsakari.
Other similar sugar-free sake brands were not classified as refined sake due to a patent-related issue. I gathered a total of seven sugar-free carton sake brands: Gekkeikan, Nihonsakari, Kikumasamune, Hakutsuru, Sho Chiku Bai, Ozeki, and Isonosawa.
All sake brands besides Hakutsuru and Sho Chiku Bai were also purine-free. I could imagine sugar-free sake being produced from prolonged fermentation; however, I had no idea how purine-free sake is produced. I’m told a special patented filtration technology is used to adsorb purine.
While eliminating various compounds such as sugar and purine can reduce the umami flavor in sake, Gekkeikan and Nihonsakari seem to lead the sake industry with their patented technology that retains the umami flavor in sake. Other sake breweries add amino acid and other compounds to supplement their umami flavor, similar to liquor. However, I can’t deny the flavor of sugar-free, purine-free sake is flat and the umami flavor is rather subtle compared to regular sake brands. First-time consumers of sugar-free, purine-free sake might find the flavor to be amiss.
On the other hand, consumers who find sake difficult to consume in the scorching summer heat might find the subtle flavor of sugar-free, purine-free sake to be just right. The subtleness in flavor will gradually become less noticeable over time with continued consumption. The alcohol content is comparable to regular sake, thus sugar-free, purine-free sake is just as intoxicating.
Sugar-free, purine-free sake can also serve as an alternative to continuously distilled shochu, mixed with soda like chu-hai, and consumed in large volumes. Gekkeikan was most suitable to be served as a mixed drink. After sampling many carton sake brands, my conclusion was that it is unfortunate for a sake fan to not be familiar with sugar-free, purine-free sake when discussing sake.
東京地酒散歩（糖質ゼロの酒）
大手メーカーのパック酒で糖質ゼロやプリン体ゼロと書いてある酒を見かけることはないだろうか。地酒愛好家は決して手に取ることの無い酒だろうが、スーパーマーケットや酒のディスカウントショップを巡ると必ず1種類は置いてあるのだから、需要はそれなりにあるということである。日本酒業界にいて、これを知らずしてプロとは名乗れないと思い、とにかく集められるだけ集めて、日本酒業界人が誰もやらない「糖質ゼロの日本酒を飲み比べる会」を開催してみた。まずは、酒を集めることからだが、近くのスーパーを巡ってみて気づいたのだが、日本盛の糖質ゼロ・プリン体ゼロか、月桂冠の糖質ゼロ・プリン体ゼロの酒を置いている店が殆どであった。気になって日本盛の営業マンに聞いてみたところ、糖質ゼロ・プリン体ゼロのシェア1位が月桂冠で日本盛が2位とのことだった。その他の同様の酒を見てみると分類が清酒では無い糖質ゼロの酒もあり、これは特許の問題とのことらしい。結局集めた酒は、日本盛・月桂冠・菊政宗・白鶴・松竹梅・大関・磯乃澤の七種類。全てに共通するのは糖質ゼロであること。白鶴と松竹梅以外はプリン体もゼロ。糖質を無くすのはアルコール発酵を進めて行けばよいのだろうと想像がつくが、プリン体ゼロに関しては想像もつかなかったが、特殊な濾過技術によりプリン体を吸着させているとのこと。これが特許とのこと。色々と取り除くと旨味も無くなっていくが、この旨味を残す技術に関し月桂冠・日本盛の両蔵が特許の技術で頭一つ抜き出ている感じだった。他の酒蔵はアミノ酸などの添加で旨味を補っているのでリキュールなどの扱いになっていたりする。そうは言え、やはり他の通常の日本酒に比べると味わいは薄くライトな感じは否めない。初めて飲む人は皆、物足りなさを感じるだろう。しかし、この猛暑で日本酒が飲みにくいと感じている人にはピッタリのライトさなのである。しかも飲み続けていると、そのライト感は徐々に無くなっていき体が慣れてくる。アルコール度数は通常の日本酒と変わらないので酔いは変わらないのである。しかも糖質とプリン体を抑えられるので、甲類焼酎の代替品としてソーダで割って酎ハイの様にグビグビ飲んでも悪くないのである。これに関しては月桂冠が一番良かった印象だった。色々飲んでみて、日本酒好きなのに糖質ゼロ・プリン体ゼロを知らずに日本酒を語るのは勿体ないと私は思う。
