2026 ASA Jury Recruitment Now Open
Starting Monday, 2 February 2026, we are officially accepting applications for the Australian Sake Awards 2026 Jury.
The Australian Sake Awards not only aim to establish a clear and accessible benchmark for the Australian market but also provide jury members with a valuable opportunity to deepen their knowledge of sake and tasting.
We look forward to reconnecting with industry professionals and welcoming new members to our jury panel. We encourage you to apply. For more details, please visit our Jury page.
| Application Period | Monday, 2 February 2026 – Friday, 27 February 2026 |
| Judging Schedule Day 1 | Saturday, 16 May 2026 | 10:00 – 16:00 Wentworth Park Sporting Complex, 5 Wentworth Park Rd, Glebe NSW |
| Judging Schedule Day 2 | Sunday, 17 May 2026 | 10:00 – 17:00 Wentworth Park Sporting Complex, 5 Wentworth Park Rd, Glebe NSW |
| Judging Method | ・All evaluations will be conducted through blind tasting using wine glasses. ・Each judge will taste approximately 50 varieties of sake. ・Scoring will follow a 20-point system based on ASA’s evaluation criteria, with judges providing comments for each entry. (Day 1 will focus on Regular Competition; Food Matching Competition will not be included.) (Day 2 will focus on Food Matching Competition, with sake being judged for its compatibility with corresponding dish.) |
| Eligibility Requirements | Applicants must meet the following criteria: 1. Australian citizens (including multinational Australian permanent residents). 2. Those working in the sake and wine industry (sommeliers, Japanese sake qualification holders, food and beverage businesses, sake retailers, exporters and wholesalers, etc.). 3. To be able to attend one of the ASA judging sessions held at a venue in downtown Sydney on either Saturday, 16 May, or Sunday, 17 May 2026. 4. To be able to attend the online judges briefing and lectures (If you are unable to attend, a recorded video will be provided). |
| Online Pre-Training Session | Sunday, 26 April 2026 | 10:00 – 11:00 (AEST) |
| Number of applicants | Up to 80 applicants *If the total number of applications exceeds the limit, participants will be selected by lottery. *Final announcement of judges: Friday, 6 March 2026 |
