The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Zuiyo
No.146 · Brewery Profile
Zuiyo瑞鷹 · Zuiyo Co., Ltd. 瑞鷹株式会社
Zuiyo was founded in 1867 at the old river port of Kawashiri, at a time when Kumamoto’s signature drink was the sweet red sake called akazake — a style the brewery still produces today alongside modern seishu. In 1909 it established the Kumamoto Prefecture Sake Research Institute in-house, whose work led in 1952 to the Kumamoto (K-901) yeast strain, now used across the country for its clean, fragrant ginjo aromatics — a legacy visible in Zuiyo’s own gold-medal daiginjo.
Who makes Zuiyo?
Zuiyo was founded in 1867 at the old river port of Kawashiri, Kumamoto, at a time when the prefecture’s signature drink was the sweet red sake called akazake — a style the brewery still produces today alongside modern seishu. In 1909 it established the Kumamoto Prefecture Sake Research Institute in-house, whose work led in 1952 to the Kumamoto (K-901) yeast strain, now used nationwide.
What does Zuiyo taste like?
Tagged Aromatic & Fruity and Elegant & Refined, reflecting the clean, fragrant ginjo aromatics the brewery’s own Kumamoto yeast helped establish. The Junmai Daiginjo Kin, brewed with that house yeast, rates 4/5 aromatic with SMV +6 and won gold at Kura Master 2023; the standard Kissho Zuiyo is more restrained at 3/5 aromatic.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Junmai Daiginjo Kin, brewed with the brewery’s own Kumamoto yeast and awarded gold at Kura Master 2023.
How does Zuiyo compare to other Kumamoto breweries?
Kumamoto also lists Kouro, tagged Aromatic & Fruity and Elegant & Refined like Zuiyo itself, and Chiyonosono, tagged Rich & Umami and Elegant & Refined. Zuiyo shares its exact style pairing with Kouro, both standing apart from Chiyonosono’s richer, more umami-forward character.
Frequently asked questions
What is akazake?
A sweet red sake that was Kumamoto’s signature drink when Zuiyo was founded in 1867; the brewery still produces it today alongside modern seishu.
What yeast strain did Zuiyo help develop?
The Kumamoto (K-901) yeast strain, developed in 1952 through the in-house Kumamoto Prefecture Sake Research Institute Zuiyo established in 1909, now used nationwide for clean ginjo aromatics.
How many bottles does Zuiyo make?
Two on this page: the Junmai Daiginjo Kin and the standard-tier Kissho Zuiyo.
The bottles
Junmai Daiginjo Kin純米大吟醸 金
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Brewed with the brewery’s own Kumamoto yeast; gold medal, Kura Master 2023.”
Kissho Zuiyo吉祥瑞鷹
爽酒 Soshu · Light & Smooth“A standard-tier ginjo from one of Kumamoto’s oldest sake houses.”
Reading the bars: an editorial flavor reading (0–5) of each bottle — Dry→Rich, Light→Full, Subtle→Aromatic, Low→High acidity — not laboratory values. The colored badge is the SSI four-type classification (薫酒 Kunshu · 爽酒 Soshu · 醇酒 Junshu · 熟酒 Jukushu). SMV and acidity appear only where the brewery publishes them.
Sources: zuiyo.co.jp · ja.wikipedia.org