Sake Revolution

Episode 178.  In this episode join John and Timothy as they interview Keith Norum.  Keith is a well known figure in the sake industry and he has represented the Masumi brand of sake since 2005.  Keith tells us his story of getting to Japan and finding his way to the world of sake.  What's it like working at a traditional Japanese sake brewery?  Keith gives us a peek behind the noren!  Together we all taste one of the most popular Masumi sakes in the market outside Japan - Masumi Shiro Junmai Ginjo - a light and breezy delight!  Join us and listen in as we chat with our good buddy in Nagano!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 177. If we think about sake, usually an image of a glass bottle pops to mind.  But if we scratch the surface and investigate a bit more the way that sake is packaged and shipped, there is a world of variety out there you may not have considered! This leads us to one of our series we are calling "Funky Packaging"... think of it as sake beyond the glass bottle.  Cups, bags, paks, and today's packaging - the Joto One Cup - a special paper cup that makes sake accessible on the go. Listen in as we explore another variation of funky packaging with a graffiti twist.  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 176. With 2024 over and done, it's time to take a look back at the sake year that was.  Join us this week for some casual sipping and some discussion on the highlights, surprises and challenges of this past year's sake adventures. Tim and John both let us know their favorite episodes from the past year and we also take a guess at the most downloaded episode from 2024. It's also the moment of truth to review our "Sake Revolution Resolutions" - Did we achieve our goals? Whatever the outcome, we look forward to another year of great sake and many kanpais. Wishing you good sake in 2025! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 175.  Join us this week for another wide-ranging sake interview.  We are welcoming Lucas Smolic, the founder of the Sake Brewers Guild, to the podcast.  Lucas started in engineering but found his way to sake which evolved into a deep passion for sake brewing.  This inspired the development of the Sake Brewers Guild with its mission to make learning the skills of sake brewing accessible to all. Among other things, we discovered that the Guild is supporting and connecting sake brewers on ALL SEVEN continents (yes, including Antarctica!). As we chat, we taste a savory Tokubetsu Honjozo from Takeda Shuzo - a brewery in Niigata, Japan that welcomed Lucas for an internship. If you've ever considered giving sake brewing a go yourself, this episode is not to be missed!   #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 174. This week we welcome a sake personality from Quebec, Canada to the studio – Mr. Benoit Champagne. With a name like Mr. Champagne, you might well think Benoit was destined for a life involved with sparkling wine, but luckily for the sake lovers of Quebec, he found his way first to Japan and discovered a love of sake, which he now guides breweries to exporting in Canada. Benoit also worked for years as a non-Japanese brewer and export manager at a Japanese sake brewery, which we also discuss in this episode. Listen in as we sip on and explore the je ne sais quoi of a delicious sake recommended by Benoit, Zaku Ho no Tomo Junmai. Join us! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 173. World Sake Day comes once a year on Oct 1st.  For sake fans across the globe, this is our big holiday... think Christmas-4th of July-Halloween all rolled into one! What better way for us to mark the day then with a live recording of Sake Revolution in front of a studio audience and featuring an interview and tasting with our two New York City Tojis: Brandon Doughan of Brooklyn Kura and Shinobu Kato of Kato Sake Works. Our friends and sake fans who attended this live recording at the Brooklyn Kura Taproom on Oct 1st, 2024, got to taste along with us as we explored the sake and the stories of these two outstanding brewers.  We also welcomed audience questions for a fun-filled roundtable of sake exploration and learning - with lots of laughs along the way.  Listen in as we celebrate Sake Day 2024 live and in person! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 172. "Say Cheese"!  If you identify as a curd nerd, join us to explore an exciting new way of pairing with sake!  We are joined this week by extra special guest host Myshell who lends her crazy-style palate to our exploration of these pairing possibilities. Listen in as we taste three sakes, each of which has been paired with a show-stopping cheese - each a different style from a different country, no less. Have wine and cheese pairings finally met their match? #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 171. This week we go back to school...again! Timothy's new role as the Director of Education at the Sake Studies Center at Brooklyn Kura is the focus of today's episode.  The Sake Studies Center is the new sake school on the block, offering education, tastings and brewery tours for professionals and sake-curious consumers alike at our state-of-the-art facility at Industry City in Brooklyn.  It's also a sake community center where other sake educators can bring their classes and special events. As the only sake school in the U.S. attached to a working sake brewery, it really is the best place to "learn about sake where sake is made!" We hope you'll join us for a seminar or tasting soon.  Listen in for all the details! #SakeRevolutionSupport the Show.

Episode 170. We were so happy to sit down to chat and sip sake with our friend Ryan Mellinger, the General Manager of the Joto Sake imports portfolio at Kobrand.  Ryan explains to us, in an easy to understand way, the intricacies of the complex "three tier system" of alcohol distribution that we have in the States and all that goes into getting fresh and delicious sake all the way from Japan to local stores and restaurants for us to enjoy. Speaking of delicious sake, we also taste an intriguing selection from Joto's portfolio - the Chikurin Fukamari Junmai, which is a sake blended with previous year's batches to give it added depth and dimension.  Listen in as we explore all things Joto Sake with Ryan!    #SakeRevolutionSupport the Show.

Episode 169. This week, we are returning to our series on sake vessels, but this time looking at sake serviceware in particular.  We're focusing in on the Tokkuri, the workhorse carafe used for sake service across the world.  Tokkuri carafes can be used to serve sake chilled, room temperature, and to warm it up as well. The materials used to make tokkuri run the gamut from metal to glass to wood, with the most popular being ceramic.  However utilitarian, use of the tokkuri comes with some etiquette rules, too.  Have you broken any of the Tokkuri rules? Listen in and let's find out! #sakerevolutionSupport the Show.

Episode 168. We are off to explore the sake scene in another region of Japan! This time it is beautiful Oita Prefecture!  As we don't know much about Oita, despite there being 33 sake breweries there, we needed to phone-a-friend.  Luckily for us, our buddy Chris Johnson (aka The Sake Ninja) lived for 3 years in rural Oita on the Jet program.  Chris gets us up to speed on the charms of Oita as well as the local customs and food culture.  We also hear tales of Onsen that are so hot, they known as the Seven Hells as well has compulsory sumo wresting and a drinking game or two thrown in for good measure.  We also taste Wakabotan sake, a newly exported Oita brew.  Let's explore together what Oita has to offer!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the Show.

Episode 167. If we think about sake, usually an image of a glass bottle pops to mind.  But if we scratch the surface and investigate a bit more the way that sake is packaged and shipped, there is a world of variety out there you may not have considered! This leads us to our latest series we are calling "Funky Packaging"... think of it as sake beyond the glass bottle.  Cups, bags, paks, and today's packaging - the Kikusui Funaguchi "Smart Pouch".  It's kinda like a Capri Sun and a boxed wine had a baby.  This is definitely not your old school glass sake bottle.  The spout allows for quick and easy dispensing with no oxygen exposure and the pouch itself stands up on it's own without a box.  Listen in as we explore another variation of funky packaging.  #SakeRevolutionSupport the Show.

Episode 166. If we think about sake, usually an image of a glass bottle pops to mind.  But if we scratch the surface of exploring how sake is packaged and shipped, there is a world of variety out there you may not have considered! This leads us to our latest series we are calling "Funky Packaging" - think of it as sake beyond the glass bottle.  Cups, bags, pouches, and today's inaugural packaging - the Tetra Pak Juice Box.  Could this form factor we know from our school lunchbox be a good one for sake?  In this episode, John and Tim think INSIDE the box to explore what is going on with sake in juice box packaging. Is the sake worth the squeeze? Let's find out together! #SakeRevolutionSupport the Show.

Episode 165. If you hear the term "CEL-24" and the first thing you think of is prison, and not a sake yeast, I don't think anyone would blame you.  But today we're here to spread the word on CEL-24 sake yeast and it's role in bringing us some of the most fruit-driven sake aromas on the planet.  Developed in Kochi prefecture in the 90's, CEL-24 was a response to the market demands for more aromatic and fruity sake styles. And after tasting a CEL-24 sake for ourselves, we can say that the apple, pineapple and other fruit aromas are strong and powerful as promised.  Yeast can have a big impact on a sake's aromatics and CEL-24 yeast really shows this to be true. Join us as we explore the world of sake yeast and perhaps push the boundary of how fruity a sake can be! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 164. On New Year's Day, 2024, the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture was the epicenter of a major earthquake measuring a 7.6 on the Richter scale.  The affected areas are especially well known for sake brewing and in Ishikawa in particular, 24 out of 33 Ishikawa Sake Brewery Association member breweries suffered damage, with 8 suffering complete destruction. While the news of the earthquake and the recovery efforts have fallen out of the headlines, we wanted to offer our support and good wishes to the affected breweries inside Ishikawa and the surrounding prefectures as well, as they continue their road to recovery and rebuilding.  One thing we can all do to support the sake industry is easy - ordering more sake from the affected regions and keeping an eye out for Noto sakes when they make their return to the market.  We profile one such sake in this episode - Hakuto Tokubetsu Junmai. We look forward to supporting this brand and many others whenever they are able to restart brewing in their repaired facilities. Look for updates on this in future episodes!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 163. Word on the street is that travel to Japan is surging! One of the joys of travel to Japan is returning with a suitcase full of sake! But how best to do it?! This week, John and Timothy discuss the ins and outs of bringing back sake from Japan.  What's allowed and what's not!  Where to buy sake and how to package it.  Import duties and duty free shops!  If you want the lowdown on our experience bringing sake home from travel to Japan, this episode is for you. Let's UNPACK these topics and taste some of the sake (not for sale in the U.S.) we brought back ourselves.     #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 162. With 2023 drawing to a close, it's time to take a look back at the sake year that was.  Join us this week for some casual sipping and some discussion on the highlights, surprises and challenges of this past year's sake adventures. Tim and John both let us know their favorite sake stories and their favorite episodes from the past year. Do you know which episode was our most downloaded from 2023?  Let us know in the comments and we look forward to another year of great sake and many kanpais. Happy Sake New Year! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 161. This week, John and Timothy explore another brand profile: Masumi from Miyasaka Jozo in Nagano Prefecture. Most well known as the birthplace of Association Number 7 sake yeast, Masumi has a long history dating back to 1662.  Located on beautiful Lake Suwa, Masumi is a brand that is well known outside of Japan.  The brand name of "Masumi" means transparency or truth and traces its origin to an ancient bronze mirror, which is a treasure of the local shrine and is the proverbial "mirror of truth".  Masumi also recently updated their label design and sake portfolio to tie into their legacy as the home of number 7 sake yeast - a yeast that has gone on to become the most widely used sake yeast in the industry. Let's explore the flavors and history of Masumi together!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 160. It's time to get wild again! Wild about sake rice, that is.  Wild Rice is our series where we look closer at different strains of sake rice and what makes them unique.  This time around, we look to a rice native to Hiroshima Prefecture - Hattannishiki.  Known to not grow as tall as other sake rice, but still have a well developed shinpaku (starchy core) Hattannishiki is a fairly modern rice, as it was developed in the 1970's. Let's dive in and see what flavors Hattannishiki has in store for us! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 159. Week in and week out, our standard gear for tasting and evaluating sake is a simple wine glass. This works really well and almost everybody has one nearby. But in Japan, there are a wide variety of shapes, materials and sizes used to make cups for drinking sake. That got us wondering if we should take some other cups out for a test drive and compare them to our usual stemware. This week we are exploring Guinomi. This style of sake cup is a larger sibling to the standard ochoko, holding more sake per pour and often having a more rustic texture. The "GUI" of gui-nomi is an onomatopoeia for the glug-glug-glug sound, indicating perhaps a sake cup that is well suited for gulping sake!  How does this cup stack up against our standard wine glass?  Tune in this week to find out! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 158. Enough playing it safe! It's time for another walk on the high wire that is our extreme sake series! This time, the guys skirt the law and explore the rough and ready style of home-brew style sake known as Doburoku. While Home brewing of doburoku has been outlawed in Japan for over a hundred years, Doburoku can be produced legally in specially designated Doburoku zones across Japan and by facilities with an appropriate doburoku production license. Doburoku festivals are also held annually at dozens of shinto shrines around Japan each year. While it has bold flavors of rice, yogurt and a tangy, higher acidity, it is really the texture that makes Doburoku extreme. This is truly an "unfiltered" brew - no pressing of the mash at all.  Bring your fork as doburoku is funky and chunky! In addition, the alcohol is low due to a shorter fermentation period.  Buckle up and lets dive into another extreme sake!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 157. For our final episode recorded live at this year's American Craft Sake Festival, we are happy to bring you another U.S. sake brewer interview. This time, we visit with our pal Byron Stithem, owner and brewer at Nashville's Proper Sake Co., and the owner at Rice Vice, the attached sake bar and restaurant. Byron has lots to celebrate… as he sat down with us, he had just stepped off the stage after receiving the Silver Medal Audience Choice Award at the American Craft Sake Festival for the second year in a row. This comes on the heels of Rice Vice being named one of the 2023 Best Bars in America by Esquire Magazine. When it comes to our tasting, we were lucky enough to sip on “The Diplomat”, Proper Sake's flagship sake. By tasting this sake with Byron, we happily sailed way to “Yamahai Island”, where flavor, aroma and umami are hard earned, but absolutely delicious. What is that Yamahai aroma all about? Well – you'll know it when you smell it! Kanpai, and congratulations Byron! Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 156. Again this week, we revisit our field trip to the American Craft Sake Festival held this year in Charlottesville VA and bring you another U.S. sake brewer interview. This time, we get a two-for-one as we interview Blake Richardson and Nick Lowry of Moto-i Sake Brewery, which is based in Minneapolis, MN. Founded by Blake in 2008, Moto-i has been creating delicious sakes that are served locally and super fresh on tap. Blake works as Toji and Nick tells us how he graduated from customer to Lead Brewer, following his passion for making great sake. It's a fun and friendly conversation culminating in a tasting of their delicious flagship Junmai Ginjo “Another Dalliance”. Listen in and be sure to visit the Moto-i Brewery, taproom and restaurant if you are anywhere near Minneapolis – it's not to be missed! Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location. Look for other interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival in coming weeks. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 155. Our visit to the American Craft Sake Festival was awash with brewers, but one non-sake booth in particular caught our eye.  Without rice, there is no sake and we had the chance to sit down with Whitney Isbell Jones of the world famous Isbell Rice Farm in England, Arkansas.  Whitney grew up on the farm and tells us the story of how her family discovered Japanese rice varieties and how they eventually became global experts in growing premium sake rice varieties in particular. While us city boys think of space in terms of square feet, Whitney explains how the Isbell rice fields are expansive in size - the largest being up to 90 acres each! In addition to growing specialty sake rice strains for the U.S. market, Isbell Farms will soon have a hand in milling sake rice as well.  It's exciting times for rice and sake in the States and we enjoyed our chat with Whitney about all things short, medium and long grain!   Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location.  Look for other interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival in coming weeks!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 154. Taking a quick detour from our American Craft Sake Festival series, we're sneaking in a seasonally appropriate episode before it's too late.  "Natsu Sake" or summer sake, is a new-ish genre of brews meant to take the edge off of the sweltering summer heat, all while letting us enjoy the flavors of sake in the summer.  Often presented in clear or frosted bottles with cool-toned blue-ish labels, these sakes definitely give off a chill vibe.  With lower alcohol as well as clean, crisp and refreshing flavors, these sakes shine when served icy cold.  As the dog days of summer are a traditionally slow time for sake sales, these cool Natsu Sakes are meant to inspire us to drink a chilled nihonshu instead of a cold brewski or that wine spritzer over ice.  More and more summer sakes are hitting shelves here in the States, just as temperatures are hitting record highs.  Let's take advantage and chill out with some wonderful natsu sakes.#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 153. Listen in as we continue our series of live interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival 2023! This week it's all about SAKE Y'ALL, as the T-shirt of our interviewee says.  We welcome Co-founder and Head Brewer of The Void Sake Company, Justin LeVaughn. Justin runs Kentucky's only sake brewery founded in 2020.  He talks to us about his road to discovering sake as well as the styles of sake that are popular at his taproom. Orange Creamsicle Nigori anyone? We also discuss how the local water impacts the fermentation and finish on his brews. If you are in Kentucky, this taproom is really worth a visit, as they often feature live music and an array of events.  Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location.  Look for other interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival in coming weeks. Kanpai, Y'all!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 152. This week, we take Sake Revolution on the road!  John and Timothy recently attended the 3rd annual American Craft Sake Festival in Charlottesville, VA.  Sake Revolution hosted a live podcast recording of a "brewers roundtable" on stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd of sake lovers at the Festival.  We were lucky enough to interview Blake Richardson from Moto-i in Minneapolis MN and Todd Bellomy from Farthest Star Brewery in Boston, MA.  It was our first time recording in front of an audience, so you may notice some differences in our audio along with some background noise, but it was worth it to be able to connect with many fantastic U.S. Sake Brewers and sake fans all in one place. Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location.  In addition to our roundtable with Todd and Blake, we recorded many other interviews at the festival, so look for them in coming weeks!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 151. Everyone knowns that sake is made from rice, but how much of a role does rice variety really play in a sake's taste? We're lucky enough to have a Toji on speed dial!  We phoned up our friend and local sake brewmaster Brandon Doughan, the Toji at New York's first sake brewery, Brooklyn Kura.  We tasted two of Brandon's sakes: their well-loved flagship Blue Door Junmai made with California calrose rice and also an experimental bottling, the "Blue Door on Jupiter", which is a version of their junmai made with domestically-grown Jupiter sake rice from Arkansas.  The recipes  and production are very similar with the only difference being the rice strain itself.  Together with Brandon, let's explore the role of sake rice and taste for ourselves what a difference just a change in rice can make.#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 150. This week we continue our series on prefecture profiles with a special focus on those prefectures that are "landlocked" with no access to the sea or ocean.  Despite no ocean view, Shiga is awash in water with 20% of it's area covered by Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake!  This water feeds a robust rice growing industry and there is a healthy sake industry in Shiga as well. When it comes to food, listen in as Timothy recounts a harrowing run-in with Shiga's most famous, and definitely most funky fermented food that is best suited for - shall we say - extremely adventurous eaters.  Today's sake from Shiga's Mifuku Shuzo is something new imported into the States and it's always fun to try something new.  Let's explore Shiga sake together! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 149. This week we return to another fun and sake-rich prefecture: Gunma! This area is home to onsens, national parks, record breaking tunnels and some pretty darn good sake.  After we first touched on this region in episode 8, we thought it deserved another visit and a bit more exploration of their food, culture and traditions.  We'll taste a much loved sake from Ryujin Shuzo, makers of the Oze no Yukidoke brand.  This sake features the much beloved Omachi sake rice and snow melt water from the oze plain that springs from a well guarded by a dragon!  It's a delightful brew that will have us returning to Gunma again and again in our glass!  Keep an eye out for more prefecture profiles soon! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 148. Did you know that there is a booming business in skincare products made from sake? In this episode, we dive face first into the world of sake beauty products, from the use of sake in your bath, to sake kasu used to soften skin and finally to the science behind kojic acid and how it's used in a variety of commercially available sake skincare products. We also slap on a  Japanese sake face mask to the test out sake skincare for ourselves. Hopefully we'll finish up the episode moisturized and refreshed. We finish by toasting our success with a special sake featured in a previous episode - Toyo Bijin Junmai Ginjo Karakuchi, also known as Asian Beauty. So, if you're ready to learn about the fascinating connection between sake, cosmetics and skincare, you won't want to miss this episode!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 147. How do you like them apples?! When we discovered the Kinoene "ripe apple" Junmai Ginjo sake from Iinuma Honke Brewery, we knew we need to take a bite and find out what this unique sake is all about.  This took us on a journey exploring yeast, acidity and some pretty extreme fruity flavors.  It may very well be a case of comparing apples to oranges, but this fruity confection of a sake does share some traits with a typically bright and crisp white wine.  The secret here is malic acid - often found in wine - which is given center stage in this sake.  This type of acidity brings us to the delicious intersection of sweet and sour with a bright fruity flavor that will have you asking "how did they do that!?"  If we can have it sake form, we'll be glad to enjoy an apple a day to keep the doctor away. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 146. Do you judge a book by it's cover? Or even more likely, perhaps you've purchased a sake based only on the label?  Since we've all been there, we thought it might be fun to explore the world of sake labels and share some likes, dislikes and survival tips for navigating your way around a bottle of sake. In particular, learn our technique to read a Japanese sake label "by the numbers".  Whether they are all in Japanese, all graphics or including some english, the sake bottle labels can have a major impact on sales so it is well worth learning more. So, get ready to judge sake bottles by more than just their covers in this episode, as we take you through the ins and outs of understanding whats on the label.  #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 145. TippsySake.com is a well known online retailer of sake in the U.S. and when they launched their new Tippsy Sake Club in March, John and Timothy knew they had to check it out. To get started, Tippsy designed an interactive online quiz that walks you through a few questions to help identify the sakes that might be the best match for your palate. We decided to take the quiz in real time and then discuss the results with Tippsy Portfolio Manager Sachiko Miyagi. Sachiko walks us through the ideas behind the flavor profile quiz and how the whole club is set up.  The fun really begins when we get to taste the results of the quiz as we all share a sake recommended by the Tippsy algorithm to both John and Timothy.    Listen in to see if the sakes recommended by the Tippsy quiz garner high marks from the guys!    #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 144. This week, we “think pink”! Hanami is the Japanese tradition of picnicking under cherry trees in full bloom. It's a treasured seasonal pastime in Japan that is carefully tracked and timed for friends and family to enjoy blossom viewing at its peak. The cherry blossoms represent the fleeting nature of beauty and how it is worthwhile to stop and admire these natural displays as they will soon fade and flutter to the ground. Traditionally, sake is enjoyed under the trees as well, with especially lucky vibes should a blossom petal float into your sake cup. Timothy tells of his experience in Japan when he enjoyed hanami and also about the day he knew for sure that hanami season was over. Before its too late, let's enjoy hanami together! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 143. Lights, Camera, Action! This week we are joined by fellow podcaster, film buff  and sake fanatic Ben Haslar, from the Reels of Justice podcast to talk sakes and film.  We focus primarily on the famous Birth of Sake documentary from 2015, a film that explores sake making at Ishikawa prefecture's Yoshida Shuzoten, the makers of the Tedorigawa brand of sake. If you haven't seen the Birth of Sake film yet, please watch it before listening! Seriously... Spoiler Alert! To pair with our discussion, we taste the flagship Tedorigawa sake - their Yamahai Junmai.  In addition to The Birth of Sake, Ben recommends his other top 3 movies that feature sake. Alright Mr. DeMille, listen in, as sake is ready for its close up!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 142. Stop the presses! Sake is back again in the news recently and we wanted to take a look at some of the latest newsworthy sake headlines hitting our shores.  This week, we'll discuss the New York Times' declaration that "Sake is Booming in America" and talk about their comprehensive take on sake.  We'll also look at a report out of Japan that the 1.8L Issho-bin or magnum bottle size for sake is falling out of favor.  Lastly, we'll discuss the BBC's take on the global rise in sake sales outside of Japan.  Listen in to get our two cents the latest sake headlines as we revisit our series on sake in the news!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 141. When you think of Washington DC, What pops to mind?  Maybe the White House? or perhaps the picturesque cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin each spring?  If this week's guest has her way, when you think of DC, you'll soon think of "sake"!  Reiko Hirai is the founder of DC Sake Co - an online sake retailer serving the Washington DC area.  She's also an event planner and a strong voice working to promote sake in our nation's capital. This year marks Reiko's first annual Spring Sake Festival in DC with an upcoming event happening on April 6th 2023 that is not to be missed. We toast with one of Reiko's favorite sakes, Fukucho Junmai Ginjo, to celebrate the coming of spring and to celebrate sake in Washington DC! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 140. Week in and week out, our standard gear for tasting and evaluating sake is a simple wine glass. This works really well and almost everybody has one nearby. But in Japan, there are a wide variety of shapes, materials and sizes used to make cups for drinking sake. That got us wondering if we should take some other cups out for a test drive and compare them to our usual stemware. This week we are exploring Edo-Kiriko. This luxurious and historic hand-cut crystal glassware is most well known for its royal blue and ruby red shades.  It's renowned for its elegance and sparkle and is often seen at high-end sake bars and restaurants.  How does this glassware stack up against our standard wine glass?  Tune in this week to find out! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 139. If you enjoy the sound of ice cubes clinking in a glass, this may be the episode for you! This week, John and Timothy crack open the topic of sake on the rocks!  Pouring sake over ice may not be the norm, but it can be a treat with the right kind of sake... and the right kind of ice.  We'll experiment with tasting our higher alcohol genshu-style sake both on the rocks and straight up to see what works better along with the pros and cons of sake over ice. But all that is just the tip of the iceberg, so sit back, listen in and chill with us as we sip our sake on the rocks.    #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 138 This week we're proud to introduce you to our friends at Umami Mart: Kayoko Akabori and Yoko Kumano. These sake pioneers took Umami Mart from a food-focused blog back in the aughts to the outstanding  sake retailer, cocktail bar, online shop and Oakland CA community hub we know today.  At Umami Mart, you can buy all kinds of Japanese goods, dish ware, bar ware, tabletop items, but above all else, Umami Mart is a great place to buy sake.  This of course includes their eponymous Umami Mart Junmai, a delicious brew from Kita Shuzo, which we taste together in this episode. Be sure to check out their website and social media to stay on top of the many events and goings-on at Umami Mart! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 137. One of the most famous sweet treats to come out of Japan in recent years are the seasonal and sometimes funky-flavored Nestle KitKats. It seems that for every season or any reason there is an exclusive, limited edition KitKat flavor. To celebrate Valentine's Day, we thought it might be fun to pair some unusually-flavored Japanese KitKats with some absolutely unique sakes. Along the way Timothy and John discuss the different ways that Valentine's Day is celebrated over in Japan vs. here in the States… “Obligation Chocolate” anyone? Let's see if these KitKat pairings will break our hearts – or help us find true sake love. Join us! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 136.  Sitting down with another U.S. sake brewer, this week John and Timothy interview Todd Bellomy, founder and brewer at Farthest Star Sake in Medfield Massachusetts.  As New England's only sake brewery, it has become Todd's mission to introduce his customers to the adventure of discovering freshly brewed, local sake.  At his sci-fi themed taproom, guests can explore his classic junmai and nigori as well as an ever changing rotation of infusions and variations of his standard brews. Talking with the busy brewmaster gave us a window into the ever expanding market of domestically brewed sake.  Listen in as we discuss the life in the taproom and the sci-fi inspiration for his sake.   If you're anywhere near Boston, you'll want to travel at lightspeed to visit the Farthest Star Sake Brewery and Taproom!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 135. Ready, Set, GO! This week, John and Timothy explore another brand profile: Gokyo Five from Sakai Shuzo in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Yes, we are returning not only to Yamaguchi, but also to the town of Iwakuni for this week's episode. The town is famous for it's 5 arched Kintai Bridge and Gokyo “GO”  FIVE (Go means 5 in Japanese) is a fun brand that explores seasonality and highlights the brewery's dedication to “kioke” or wooden sake brewing vats. While breweries across Japan abandoned wooden vats to use for fermentation decades ago, Sakai Shuzo is bringing back this tradition coupled with a kimoto fermentation stater for good measure. The resulting sakes are educational to learn about and absolutely delicious to taste. Let's GOOOO! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 134. This time of year, many people think about going back to school to advance their careers, but have you considered going back to SAKE school?  Let's study up on all the various sake courses and certifications out there to help us learn more about our favorite drink.  If you dream of a career in sake, the right class might be just the ticket to get you on the the path to sake expertise in the new year! Check out our show notes for a sake education PDF download that will be your easy-to-understand guide to all of the various sake classes, courses and certifications available right now. Time to hit the books! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 133. It's time to get wild again! Wild about sake rice, that is.  Wild Rice is our series where we look closer at different strains of sake rice and what makes them unique.  This time around, we take things a bit literally and look at a true heritage wild rice strain that is used to make sake.  A "wild rice" episode featuring an actual wild rice? A bit too on the nose perhaps, but we couldn't resist! We are talking about "Akamai" or red rice.  This ancient grain has a distinct dark color and contains tannins that help facilitate a striking rosé-blush color when it is used to make sake. Flavors can be bright, tart, and fruity - anything but boring. Let's dive in and see how wild this rice actually is! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 132. With 2022 drawing to a close, it's time to take a look back at the sake year that was.  Join us this week for some casual sipping and some discussion on the highlights, surprises and challenges of this past year's sake adventures. Tim and John both let us know their favorite sakes and their favorite episodes from the past year. What was your favorite episode?  Let us know in the comments and we look forward to another year of great sake and many kanpais. Happy Sake New Year! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 131. The holidays are returning and along with them, the eternal question - what gift is best?! We know the answer! Sake is an amazing gift for friends, family and colleagues.  This week Timothy and John have a "wrap" session dedicated to all things sake-gifting. As for tasting, we'll introduce you to a snow globe in a bottle - the Senkin "Snowman" Junmai Daiginjo Nigori.  This premium seasonal sake would be a delicious gift in itself, but also represents the best of the spirit of the holidays - in sake form. Enjoy this week's episode as we explore all things holiday sake! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 130.  Join us this week as John and Timothy go down the rabbit hole in search of what could be described as the most unique sake yeast out there!  This takes us over 100 years back in time to the establishment of the first olive trees in Japan planted in the rural Sanuki region of Kagawa Prefecture which we learned went on to become the nation's epicenter for olive oil production.  To boost slumping sake sales, the Kagawa Sake Brewer's association decided in 2016 to leverage their region's famous fruit to create a new style of sake. And thus, Sanuki Olive Yeast was born.  Finding the right strain of yeast took years of research, but finally, an alcohol tolerant yeast propagated from olive leaves and fruit was established.  Would you roll the dice and try a sake made from olive yeast? And does it actually taste like olives??  We promise you'll be surprised! We sure were! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 129. This week we focus our spotlight on sake and stories from another prefecture: Yamaguchi!  Well known in Japan as the home to the poisonous but delicious Fugu (Japanese blowfish aka pufferfish), there are a number of outstanding breweries in the Prefecture. Located on the far western tip of Japan's main Honshu island, Yamaguchi is not close to Tokyo, but does have easy access to Hiroshima. To dip our toe into the wide world of Yamaguchi sake, we taste the stunning Gangi Mizunowa Junmai Ginjo. This expressive and fruity brew elegantly layers pineapple, mango and a whisper of floral notes to create a silky smooth and enjoyable aroma and flavor.  But does it pair with Fugu?  Listen in and discover a bit of what Yamaguchi sake has to offer. #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 128. Week in and week out, our standard gear for tasting and evaluating sake is a simple wine glass. This works really well and almost everybody has one nearby. But in Japan, there are a wide variety of shapes, materials and sizes used to make cups for drinking sake. That got us wondering if we should take some other cups out for a test drive and compare them to our usual stemware. This week we are exploring an icon in modern design - the Sori Yanagi Sake Glass.  With a solid glass foot, and a clear, minimalist bowl, the Yanagi glass is perhaps the most ubiquitous sake cup design of the post war period. How does this design stack up agains our standard wine glass?  tune in this week to find out! #sakerevolutionSupport the show