1.
master sake brewer; head brewer
The chief craftsman who directs sake brewing at a brewery and is responsible for its quality. Traditionally a seasonal worker from a farming region who led a team of brewers through the winter; famous groups include 南部杜氏 and 越後杜氏.
Also read とじ, an older reading. The team working under the 杜氏 is called the 蔵人.
Cultural note
Brewing groups are named after their home regions: 南部杜氏 (Iwate), 越後杜氏 (Niigata), 丹波杜氏 (Hyogo). Farmers once left home every winter to brew sake; today many brewers are year-round employees.