Shinshu (new sake)

Shinshu (new sake) refers to sake that is brewed and shipped within the same brewing year, which runs from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. In general, the term describes freshly made sake, and it includes sake brewed with new rice harvested that same year. As a result, shinshu is characterized by a fresh taste and aroma. Shinshu that reaches the market in winter, from around December to February, has not yet matured, so it offers a distinctive aroma known as "shinshu-ka" (新酒香, "new sake aroma"). In the sake industry, everything shipped within the brewing year (BY) is classified as shinshu. Sake brewing begins around the end of autumn, and shinshu is loved by many people for the fresh flavors of sake that has only just been made.