Podcast appearances and mentions of john gauntner

What happens when the world's leading non-Japanese Master of Sake Tasting joins forces with three sake brewery presidents and one of the most enthusiastic wine reps in the business? You get a deep, delicious dive into sake that's equal parts educational and intoxicating—in the best way. In this highly anticipated installment, Bella Pearson returns with “the Godfather of Sake” himself, John Gauntner, to walk us through the fascinating world of sake—from the rice fields to the bottle. Gauntner, the only non-Japanese Master of Sake Tasting certified by the Brewing Society of Japan, brings unmatched insight into the complex processes and centuries-old techniques behind Japan's national drink. Alongside Gauntner and Bella, we're joined by sake brewery presidents from Takatenjin, Kawatsuru, and Rihaku, each offering up exquisite pours that showcased the staggering range of flavor profiles—from crisp and clean to rich and unfiltered. Though we barely scratched the surface of this vast and nuanced subject, what we covered was intense, surprising, and nothing short of mind-blowing. [Ep 371] Kampai (乾杯)! Links:John Gauntner – Sake WorldBella Pearson – Kome CollectiveBella on Instagram

Hold your breath, Osaka—there's a new sake bar in town! After much anticipation, Julian Houseman has taken the leap and opened Sake House in Osaka! For those unfamiliar with Julian, he is a long-time friend of the Sake On Air team - a voice behind the scenes, a sake industry journalist, and a brilliant musician among his many other talents. Now, he's bringing his passion for sake to life with his very own venue, creating a space where sake lovers can gather, explore, and enjoy the incredible world of Japan's iconic beverage in a small intimate setting just a stone's throw away from Umeda Station. In this week's episode, John Gauntner and Cindy Bissig sit down with Julian to talk about Sake House. From the logistics of opening a sake bar to the passion that drives it, they dive into what it's like to stock the fridges, line up the glasses, turn on the music, and finally open the doors to the public. Of course, if you're visiting Osaka, we highly recommend stopping by Sake House - not only for its stellar selection of sake but also for Julian's expert guidance in helping you find the perfect pour. Whether you're a seasoned sake enthusiast or just discovering it for the first time, Julien is there to navigate you through the experience. Join us as we celebrate this exciting new addition to Osaka's sake scene! In other news, we have a newsletter! Subscribe here: https://sakeonair.substack.com/ If you have questions or comments share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack as we would love to hear from you! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air. 

A few weeks ago we celebrated the exciting news of “Traditional Sake Brewing with Koji” being listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (if you missed it you can find out more here) and in this episode, we decided to dive deeper into the world of koji as we had the immense pleasure of interviewing Higuchi Koichi, owner of Higuchi Matsunosuke Shoten Co., Ltd. and one of the experts in koji starter manufacturing in Japan! So join us as our regular hosts Rebekah Wilson-Lye, John Gauntner, and Arline Lyons sit down at our base, the Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center with Higuchi Koichi to dive into the fascinating world of koji—the mold at the heart of Japanese fermentation culture.  Learn more about what koji is, as Higuchi breaks down the different types of koji (yellow, white, black) and their unique roles in sake brewing, miso, shoyu, and other fermented foods. He also shares his journey into the koji industry and a behind-the-scenes look at the production process, the types of koji his company produces, and some of his ongoing projects in the world of fermentation. Although many of them are rather secret, he was able to share some details about a recent collaboration with Kewpie (possibly the best-selling Japanese brand of mayonnaise in Japan) and how he is creating “egg koji” for them on a quest to bring more umami to their products… For anyone curious about Koichi Higuchi and his company Higuchi Matsunosuke Shoten Co., Ltd., you can find more information here and if you would love to learn more about Koji and how it is used in Sake brewing check out our “Episode-23: Koji Basics” to get started. As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

This week we sit with the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert John Gauntner as he describes the intricacies of sake and the industry behind Japan's famous alcohol. Follow John Gaunter:https://www.instagram.com/johngauntner/https://x.com/johngauntnerhttps://sake-world.com/https://sake-world.com/store/books/Follow us on our social media:‪‪@unpackingjapanshorts‬https://www.buzzsprout.com/2158416  / unpacking_japa@ucx3xoy5gyypvce4fdwdfjqa  / unpackingjapanhttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japan  / unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan!Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/youtube.com/@unpackingjapanyoutube.com/@unpackingjapan

Our guest is John Gauntner who is one of the world's leading non-Japanese sake experts and educators.  He has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994, in various newspapers and magazines in Japan and overseas. He has published six books on sake across two languages, and hundreds of articles on the topic.  Several times each year, he runs the Sake Professional Course, a week-long intensive sake study course, held both in and outside of Japan, as well as the advanced level of that course. John joined us in Episode 25 in December 2015 and discussed his intriguing path to becoming a sake expert, why sake was gaining popularity in the world, how to get to know more about sake and many other topics. Sake has become popular globally over the last decades but we tend to think that sake is something to drink only at Japanese restaurants.  However, more non-Japanese restaurants are serving sake, including new American restaurants Michelin-starred Per Se, Blue Hill At Stone Barns and Eleven Madison Park in New York. In this episode, we will discuss food pairings, in particular sake and non-Japanese food!!!

Many people will be familiar with the word GI (Geographical Indication), especially if they are familiar with wine. Famous GIs are known around the world like Champagne or Prosciutto. But what about sake? Does sake need a GI system? What does a GI actually mean? Where do we find these regions in Japan and does GI make any sense in the sake world?Our regular hosts, Chris Hughes and John Gauntner unravel this somewhat controversial topic with Ken Takehisa, the CEO of Sake Edge and Monten. Ken is an expert on the topic and has closely worked with the National Tax Office of Japan, to actively seek out, create, and introduce new GIs around Japan.The conversation focuses on the definition of GI, the advantages and disadvantages of GI, and challenges applying GI to the sake industry. We also tried to get a better understanding about how sake GIs are created. He spoke about not only the necessary paperwork, but also the consensus building (or not building) process that is required to create a new GI for a region or prefecture. As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai!Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

As sake continues to gain popularity around the world, shochu is next in line. In August 2024, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) held its inaugural week-long Advanced Shochu Academy in Kagoshima. The event was designed to educate professionals in the global beverage industry about shochu.The 12 participants came from diverse backgrounds—educators, importers, and consultants from seven different countries. Miho Ota seized the opportunity to interview them, gaining insights into shochu's presence in their respective countries and exploring what draws them to the spirit. She organized three impromptu sessions focused on the European, Asian, and Brazilian markets, highlighting both the similarities and differences within and across these regions.One small note: As we we recorded this on the fly, the recording quality was less than ideal. But the conversations provided valuable insights into shochu's current standing and potential for promotion in global markets, so we hope you will give it a listen. We deeply appreciate the participants' time and expertise, especially after their long days of intensive lectures. Thanks to: Adrian Goh (Singapore)IG: @apgoh / @Interriceasia Facebook: Adrian GohWebsite: www.theartofsake.com Chris Yang (Taiwan)Instagram: @hockeybabytwFacebook: Chris YangCompany website: www.kurisake.com Ding Liu (China)Instagram: @dingliu91Xiaohongshu: Fish swimming in wine (account number 1055966437) Elvira Aldaz (Spain)Instagram: @maldazFacebook: Elvira Aldaz MezcuaLinkedin: @elviraaldaz Fabio Ota (Brazil)Instagram and Facebook: @megasakeOnline shop: www.megasake.com.br Fall Huang (China/Malaysia)Instagram: @fall.huangFacebook: Fall Huang Francesco Braun (UK/Italy)Instagram: @just_imbiberFacebook: Francesco Braun Sam Boulton (UK)Instagram: @boultononboozeWebsite: www.kokushu.info Sean Ou (Singapore)Instagram and Facebook: @thebeveragecliqueLinkedIn: @the-beverage-cliqueYouTube: @thebeveragecliquetv782Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vtPuXog1hsfRIzpi6IPI5?si=af256f4a07094b55Academy Website: https://thebeverageclique.com/ Tony Yip (France)Instagram: @food_drinks_cultureFacebook: @TonyMTYip As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! This episode has been made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake on Air was created by Potts-K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Justin Potts, Miho Ota, Cindy Bissig, Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pelegrini, Arline Lyons, Shuso Imada, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air. For more information about the Honkaku Shochu & Awamori EXPERIENCE: www.jfn.co.jp/lp/experience2024/ (Japanese Only)

Nada is a well-known name in the world of sake. Almost a brand, it is associated with the area whose sake dominated the Edo (Tokyo) market in the later part of the Edo period (1603-1868), and it is still the largest sake production area in Japan.  Despite this track record, “Nada sake” can sometimes be reduced to an association with “Industrial sake” and carry a slightly negative image. We think it is important to set a few facts straight! In this episode Andrew Russell, sake brewer at the iconic brewery Kenbishi, John Gauntner and Sebastien Lemoine discuss Nada and its sake: the area's boundaries (across 3 cities today) and history, the sake style, the huge contribution it made to the development of the sake brewing industry (processes, tools, sakagura design). That history was rough at times and Nada breweries last showed their strength and resilience at the occasion of the 1995 Hanshin earthquake. It led to deep changes in the area. Nada breweries can make any sake, and it should not be a surprise that Hyogo (including 9 Nada breweries) collected the largest number of gold medals at the New Sake Appraisal Competition in 2024. Last but not least, our 3 hosts are sharing a number of tips about places our listeners can visit there to discover or experience more.   For anyone curious about Andrew Russell, make sure to check out his tours and website on OriginSake and or listen to his podcast (Sake Deep Dive, co-produced by Jim Rion) As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! This episode has been made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake on Air was created by Potts-K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Justin Potts, Miho Ota, Cindy Bissig, Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pelegrini, Arline Lyons, Shuso Imada, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

This week on our show, we're heading to Kagoshima, the heart of Japan's shochu production! Join us as one of our regular hosts, Chris Pellegrini, sits down with the incredible Maya Aley – a certified Shochu Meister and industry expert with over 6 years of experience. Maya is also the manager of Bar Roku, a must-visit destination for shochu lovers. In this episode, Maya shares how a visit to her bar is not just about enjoying a drink but also about experiencing “a dinner and a show.” She introduces us to the rich world of shochu, its makers, and the Kagoshima region, offering insights into local culture, traditions, and even other beverages beyond shochu. With one of Japan's best shochu selections and educational displays, Bar Roku offers a unique experience that Maya loves explaining to guests. Together, we dive deep into the art of enjoying shochu, from traditional serving styles to the growing trend of shochu-based cocktails. Maya explains the rise of “soda wari” and how distillers are now skillfully highlighting natural aromas and flavors without adding anything artificial. We also discuss Maya's exciting new ventures, including her latest bar and Shochu Bistro Gou, a Kagoshima-inspired restaurant that pairs local ingredients with shochu. With over 150 shochu varieties, it's a showcase of the region's distillers and their flagship brands. And finally, Maya wraps up the episode by sharing her local tips on how to spend the perfect day in Kagoshima. Tune in for a fascinating journey through the world of shochu and Kagoshima culture! For anyone curious about Maya make sure to check out her Instagram and in case you are in Kagoshima you can find Bar Roku here. As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! This episode has been made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake on Air was created by Potts-K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Justin Potts, Miho Ota, Cindy Bissig, Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pelegrini, Arline Lyons, Shuso Imada, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Summer in Japan is hot! Too hot some might say. To help beat the heat, nihonshu producers sell a variety of sake called natsuzake or “summer sake.” But what is natsuzake really? It has no legal definition and no established taste or serving guidelines. Miho Ohta and John Gauntner have a conversation about the recent trends in natsuzake until  Frank Walter joins the fray to talk about natsuzake flavors and the trend towards sour flavors and low alcohol in sake. While the jury is still out on whether natsuzake will become a consistent kind of sake, the answer is clear that sake is totally a summer drink, even (according to Miho) when warmed. Tell us your thoughts and feelings about natsuzake at @sakeonair on Instagram and Facebook, or send us a message with your thoughts and experiences to questions@sakeonair.com.  We'll be back with more Sake On Air before you know it. Until then, kampai! This episode has been made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake on Air was created by Potts-K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Justin Potts, Miho Ota, Cindy Bissig, Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pelegrini, Arline Lyons, Shuso Imada, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

In this episode of TWTT, Simone and Julian chat with a guest who needs very little introduction to those who are in the sake industry... Mr. John Gauntner. Hailing from the U.S, John Gauntner is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert. A resident of Japan since 1988, he is well known in the sake industry as the window to making sake understandable and popular outside of Japan. He has been writing and teaching about sake since 1994. There is so much accessible information about John online that we decided to skip the back-story in our chat, (and in our show notes), and just have a good chin-wag and catch up while talking all things 'sake'. A huge advocate in the sake world, and a huge influence & mentor for many - we hope you enjoy our chat with John as much as we did! Useful links: Sake World by John Gauntner Sake Today Magazine Sake Industry News Sake On Air Podcast Sake Confidential (book) The Sake Handbook (book) SPC - Sake Professional Course SEC - Sake Education Council JSS - Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association Follow John on Instagram: @johngauntner TWTT Podcast ⁠@tastewiththetoji⁠ Our hosts: Simone ⁠@sakemistress⁠ Julian ⁠@sakeadvocate⁠ Maki ⁠@sake.amata⁠ This episode was recorded on 11 July, 2024.Thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ More information about Taste with the Toji - The Podcast and The Project can be found on our website: ⁠https://tastewiththetoji.com/⁠ Music by Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo) Thanks for listening!

In this episode of TWTT, Simone and Julian chat with Marcus Consolini, CEO of Daimon Shuzo in Osaka. Marcus hails from New York but has held strong business connections with Asia through his many years of working in finance. The story of how he came to be a non-Japanese CEO of a Japanese Sake Brewery, (a very rare thing indeed), has been told many times in print and on other podcasts.  We initially wanted to catch up with Marcus to talk about the internship that Daimon Shuzo offer, as sake brewing experiences has been a little bit of a theme for us lately, but it has also been some time since Marcus appeared on TWTT The Project, (our Zoom room series and where TWTT, as a whole, began). Marcus was our special guest in the Zoom room for TWTT The Project back in February 2021, right in the heart of COVID lockdowns and border closures. He presented a wonderful virtual tour of the incredible space that is Daimon Shuzo, we got to see inside the brewery and the restaurant, and we were also joined by 6th generation, Yasutaka Daimon and his son Kohei for that session. A lot of changes have happened at Daimon since we last spoke to Marcus, so we thought we'd touch base and hear about the recent happenings and changes at Daimon, as well as a little about the internship they offer. We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it, and if you are curious to hear or read more about Marcus and Daimon after listening to this episode, we have shared a few links below of interviews and articles from others that you might find of interest. Sake Today article by John Gauntner from 2020 Japan Eats podcast episode from 2021 Sake Revolution podcast episode from 2022 You can follow Daimon Shuzo on Instagram @daimonbrewery TWTT Podcast @tastewiththetoji Our hosts: Simone @sakemistress Julian @sakeadvocate Maki @sake.amata This episode was recorded on 4 June, 2024.Thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ More information about Taste with the Toji - The Podcast and The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/ Music by Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo) Thanks for listening!

In this episode Simone and Julian catch up with their good friends Etsuko Nakamura and Jason Adamson, from Sake Tours Japan. Etsuko Nakamura - Sake Tours Founder / Tour Leader Etsuko Nakamura is a Sake Samurai, Advanced Sake Professional certified by The Sake Education Council and a Government Certified Bilingual English Guide [Registration Number: EN02400]. Etsuko owns and operates sake tours under enakamura Inc, Registered Travel Agency No. 3 – 7490 approved by the Government of Tokyo. Etsuko began Sake Tours in 2008 and believes in giving guests an experience rather than just a tour. She has toured more than 300 sake breweries around Japan and enjoys creating and leading customised tours for special interest groups. Jason Adamson - Tour Leader /Marketing / Photographer Jason has been living in Osaka, Japan since 2011. He has a Masters in Gastronomic Tourism from Le Cordon Bleu and is an Advanced Sake Professional having studied under John Gauntner and the Sake Education Council. Jason takes care of all the website, photos and marketing at saketours.com and when not travelling around Japan drinking sake and eating food - he is curating new tours, taking photos, making videos and feeding the internet. He also is part of the team at Sake Industry News. In the early days of TWTT The Project, Etsuko and Jason were regular Zoom room attendees, as COVID and border closures had put a stop to sake tourism. We don't see them much in the Zoom room anymore, and all for good reason... Now Japan's borders are open again and sake tourism is growing in popularity and demand, which means these guys are busy planning and running sake-focused tours to some amazing destinations all over Japan. We chat a little about their own personal sake journeys as well as the birth and evolution of Sake Tours, and sake tourism in general, as well as their future plans for their tours. We hope you enjoy listening to our chat with Etsuko and Jason as much as we enjoyed having it. This episode was recorded on 23 Nov 2023 You can follow Sake Tours on Instagram @sake_tours or find her website in our links list below. A huge thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠ More information about Taste with the Toji - The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/ Music by: Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo) Useful links: https://saketours.com/ https://www.chiyomusubi.co.jp/ https://kaiunsake.com/english https://rihaku.co.jp/ https://sake-world.com/sin/ https://sake-world.com/sake-professional-course/

In our last podcast episode of Sake On Air, we had two of our regular hosts Chris Hughes and John Gauntner talk with Katsunari Sawada, the man behind the pocket-sized sake can, KURA One. If you have not had a chance to listen to it yet, we recommend you do so (here) before listening to the 2nd part, as we are looking further into the question of whether this could be indeed the future of packaging for the sake industry and beyond.We will also be diving deeper into how to market sake overseas and KURA One's strength in doing so. This comes as no surprise as Sawada-san has an incredible PR and marketing background and knows that putting in extensive research into what producers, sellers, and consumers want is crucial to building a successful concept and product.But what is KURA One's long-term strategy? With a huge demand for small format single-serving units in Japan, how will the company navigate the challenge of possibly cannibalizing brands that they are promoting (or vice versa) in other markets, and are these small cans really sustainable in the long run?As always, we would love to hear what you think about this special double episode and make sure to check out KURA ONE on Instagram, as Sawada-san often posts promotions and special deals. At the same time, if you're looking for updates @sakeonair, you can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Don't hesitate to also share any other sake or shochu-related thoughts or questions with the hosts at questions@sakeonair.com and rate us on the podcast service of your choice while you're at it.We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

In this week's episode of Sake On Air, two of our regular hosts Chris Huges and John Gauntner came together to chat with Katsunari Sawada san, the mastermind behind KURA One!For anyone unfamiliar with KURA ONE, the company's mission in their own words “is a sake service that changes the "unreachable" into "deliverable".” Moving away from the bigger sized 720 ml bottle and creating a smaller 180 ml aluminum sake can, an alternative to the traditional “One Cup”. Sawada-san has set out to change the sake industry and is working with representative brands of sake breweries that have won awards both domestically and internationally, hoping to promote sake.With the brand KURA ONE becoming more and more prominent it might come as a surprise that the man behind the idea did not really drink sake in his 20s and 30s. When asked why, he answered that it was because of the image he had about alcohol being used to “just get drunk” and it was not until much later in his life that he connected with the beverage. In fact, he attributes coming back to Japan after extensively traveling all around the world that made him realize his role and responsibility in helping people to discover the charm of his home country, Japan.Knowing this could only be done by truly understanding the local mindset, he visited 47 prefectures across Japan, in which he had many opportunities to exchange opinions with craftsmen and brewers. This uniquely valuable experience is what became the foundation of it all, as he became fascinated by regional products born from geographical and cultural backgrounds, influenced by the way of life, thinking, and attitude of the craftsmen who create them. This is where the Idea of KURA ONE started.Combining his incredible PR & communication knowledge with finding a new way to package and showcase these producers is what we see in KURA ONE today. Finding smart solutions that both help the people in the industry who make the sake, as well as using data to customize the products for customers to easily understand the product with smart technology to help to easily deliver and store them. Plus dare we say, these can's are also incredibly beautiful to look at.Prepare yourself for an engaging conversation as John, with his extensive knowledge of the sake import industry follows up with Sawada-san on some key points of why or why not this might be the future of packaging.As always, let us know what you think about this week's episode and we will be back very soon with part 2! In the meantime make sure to check out KURA ONE on Instagram, as Sawada-san has mentioned he will have some promotions coming up soon and of course, don't hesitate to also reach out to us with any sake or shochu-related thoughts or questions at questions@sakeonair.com and rate us on the podcast service of your choice while you're at it. At the same time, if you're looking for updates @sakeonair, you can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Don't hesitate to also share any other sake or shochu-related thoughts or questions with the hosts at questions@sakeonair.com and rate us on the podcast service of your choice while you're at it.We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Keep up with Andrew (@lambdogg) and High Water Saké (website) (Instagram). Tippsy's Intro to saké, True Saké on varietiesTable rice vs. saké rice (sakamai)More on saké's intertwined nature with Japanese tradition and culturePlaces and things: Accidental bar in NYC, World Saké Day, Pan-Asia Supermarket, 'Ssippi, Ben's Tune Up, Sunflower Saké NYT piece on saké's rising popularity in the USPeople referenced: John Gauntner and Michael TremblayHis certifications: Saké Sommelier Association and Saké ScholarWhat we drank on air: Tensei's Endless Summer This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit decodingcocktails.substack.com

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

In this episode we catch up with the ever-charming Keith Norum from Masumi / Miyasaka Brewery in Nagano Prefecture. We are thrilled to be able to interview Keith early on in our Podcast journey as he is the person who introduced Maki and Simone back in May 2020. Since then, Maki has been a huge part of Simone's online project, 'Taste with the Toji' and the two are now hosting this podcast together as an extension of those Zoom room sessions ~ which just this week celebrated its 100th session. Keith was a guest on the Taste with the Toji project, alongside Toji Atsushi Nakano, back in March 2021 for session #32. Since then, not only has Keith seen some major changes in his personal life, but also a lot has changed within the brewery since we last spoke to him. We get the lowdown on some of those changes and elaborate on some of the things discussed in the Zoom room back in March 2021, including their re-branding and yeast #7, which was of course founded at the brewery back in 1946. Keith will tell you himself that he never keeps an eye on the time, so we have just let this episode flow. Having said that, there is never a dull moment and it is always such a joy to chat with Keith - so much so that we hope to be able to do so again in the near future and have him back for another podcast episode, or perhaps even in the Zoom room for TWTT (The Project). More information about Taste with the Toji - The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/ Music by: Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo) Other links from this episode: Masumi website: https://www.masumi.co.jp/en/ Sake Tours: https://saketours.com/ John Gauntner: https://sake-world.com/ Yeast No. 7: https://sake-world.com/about-sake/how-sake-is-made/the-yeast/

For this third installment of our Sake Travel Series, we're heading north – way north!More commonly associated with some of the best skiing and snowboarding on the planet, extravagant snow festivals, expansive landscapes unlike anywhere else in Japan, and a wholly unique and celebrated culture rooted in the livelihood of the Ainu people spanning centuries, it's fair to say that Hokkaido was really only added to the sake map relatively recently.But what an incredible trajectory Hokkaido sake is on. From the rapid development of breweries across the territory by Kamikawa Taisetsu, to the unprecedented brewery relocation of Michizakura to the region, and the almost overnight transformation into a rice-cultivating powerhouse, Hokkaido is being looked to as a vision for the future of sake.To help you chart that vision this week are your hosts John Gauntner, Cindy Bissig, and Chris Hughes. From local stories and history to exciting brewery developments and a few suggestions on places to check out for some exceptional sake discoveries, we've got you covered.For more info on Hokkaido and other regional adventures, follow along with us at @sakeonair on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, or if you'd like to share your thoughts or questions with the hosts, please reach out to us at questions@sakeonair.com.We'll be back with more Sake On Air in just a couple of weeks.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is recorded and broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

In case you missed it, last week we kicked off a new mini-series in Osaka. This week, together with hosts John Gauntner, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, and Chris Hughes, we're off to Nagano!Despite being Japan's only entirely landlocked prefecture, sharing a border with 8 different prefectures gives the region with 2nd most breweries in Japan some wild diversity. Being a rather short and easy trip from Tokyo gives it some great accessibility. Together, the newly-minted Geographical Indication of Nagano makes for a no-brainer when it comes to sake travel.Despite this being a travel-centric episode, this week's show is additionally packed with regional sake facts and is a fantastic primer on the region as a whole. From a breakdown on regional rice varieties and yeast types to local styles, an examination of local regional differences to unique food culture, the group's combined sake knowledge and clear love for Nagano makes this episode a resource worth bookmarking for future reference.Beautiful (and dangerous) festivals, massive sake events, excellent museums, favorite sake picks, great brewery visits, world-class lodging and dining, sake therapy, and more, this week the crew goes over this gorgeous region with a fine-tooth comb, demonstrating exactly why Nagano deserves its place near the top of the sake pyramid and a significant chunk of time on your next Japan itinerary.For more info on Nagano and other regional adventures, follow along with us at @sakeonair on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, or if you'd like to share your thoughts or questions with the hosts, please reach out to us at questions@sakeonair.com.We'll be off to a new destination next week.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is recorded and broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

If there is one thing to take away from this show, it's that sake is NOT a wine. This week, we begin to scratch the surface of this exciting beverage with John Fischer, a professor of wine, beverage, and hospitality management for The Culinary Institute of America, also, a Certified Sake Professional. We talk about how to buy sake, what to look for in sake service, how it's made, and the hopefully soon-to-be open sake brewery in Hyde Park, New York.  Shout out: John Gauntner, Brooklyn Kura, #floweryeast

Ginjo is king.Or at least, that's kind of been a mantra for several generations of more than a few sake lovers, makers, and advocates. Looking at the numbers in recent years, some have dubbed this the current era to be the era of junmai ginjo. (Straight-up ginjo has been faltering a bit, however).Sake classified in the ginjo stratum today aren't the same as that of yesteryear, and if the depictions of the style further permeating the market today are any indication, ginjo-classified sake will likely be a bit different tomorrow, as well. As the styles of ginjo-classified sake and other classifications evolve, we thought it would be worthwhile to remind ourselves (and listeners) exactly what it is we're talking about when we talk about ginjo.This week John Gauntner has brought Rebekah Wilson-Lye and Sebastien Lemoine to the party to discuss the above and a whole more. We hope you'll pour a glass of something ginjo-esque and join us. After listening, share with us your own ginjo-related experiences over on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. When you're done with that, you can go ahead and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite listening service, as well. Any additional comments and questions can be sent to us at questions@sakeonair.staba.jp.We'll be back with more Sake On Air again before you know it.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Ginjo is king.Or at least, that's kind of been a mantra for several generations of more than a few sake lovers, makers, and advocates. Looking at the numbers in recent years, some have dubbed this the current era to be the era of junmai ginjo. (Straight-up ginjo has been faltering a bit, however).Sake classified in the ginjo stratum today aren't the same as that of yesteryear, and if the depictions of the style further permeating the market today are any indication, ginjo-classified sake will likely be a bit different tomorrow, as well. As the styles of ginjo-classified sake and other classifications evolve, we thought it would be worthwhile to remind ourselves (and listeners) exactly what it is we're talking about when we talk about ginjo.This week John Gauntner has brought Rebekah Wilson-Lye and Sebastien Lemoine to the party to discuss the above and a whole more. We hope you'll pour a glass of something ginjo-esque and join us. After listening, share with us your own ginjo-related experiences over on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. When you're done with that, you can go ahead and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite listening service, as well. Any additional comments and questions can be sent to us at questions@sakeonair.com.We'll be back with more Sake On Air again before you know it.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Although this particular holiday season may prove to be somewhat of an exception for some – much in the way that many of us assumed 2020 to be an exception – for many people around the world the year winding down and a new year ramping up tends to be a long-awaited opportunity to gather and spend a bit more time with family, friends and colleagues. A natural extension of this is, for many, also a welcome opportunity to open a few bottles of something special that they've been hanging on to, or put just a bit more thought into what to open for whom and for what occasion. In doing so, it's a great opportunity to extend yourself just a tad – within safe and healthy means, of course – in order to sip some more variety than you may be accustomed to when tied to more of a routine throughout the rest of the year.As such, in addition to the range of holiday classics, we here at Sake On Air see this as a wonderful season of opportunity, not only to sample some fantastic new sake and shochu, but to proactively share these stellar beverages with friends and family and establish some all new holiday classics of your own.So this week, Justin rang up each and every member of the team to find out what their sake and shochu routines and go-to drinks and drinking styles are for the season, as well as find out if they have any special drink plans or suggestions for the weeks ahead. Naturally, depending upon where it is you call home is going to determine your access to different styles of shochu and sake, so your mileage with some of the team's suggestions might vary, but we thought it would be a fun opportunity to share a bit of our holiday season with all of our listeners, even if only in voice and in spirit.02:20 -- John Gauntner & Chris Pellegrini13:44 -- Marie Nagata & Chris Hughes22:40 -- Cindy Bissig & Sebastien Lemoine 48:43 -- Rebekah Wilson-Lye & Shuso Imada Thanks for tuning in this week. Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or whatever service you rely upon for your podcasting needs. Contact us at questions@sakeonair.staba.jp with any thoughts about the show, and feel free to follow us on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Everything from Sake Future Summit 2020, as well as a number of other recordings, are all archived over on our YouTube channel, as well.We'd like to wish all of our listeners, followers, fans and supporters both new and old a very happy and healthy holiday season, however it is you may choose to spend it and wherever it is you may be tuning in from. We'll be back with one more episode to close out the year in a couple of weeks, but until then, a very happy holidays and a festive kampai to all of you from the team here at Sake On Air.Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Although this particular holiday season may prove to be somewhat of an exception for some – much in the way that many of us assumed 2020 to be an exception – for many people around the world the year winding down and a new year ramping up tends to be a long-awaited opportunity to gather and spend a bit more time with family, friends and colleagues. A natural extension of this is, for many, also a welcome opportunity to open a few bottles of something special that they've been hanging on to, or put just a bit more thought into what to open for whom and for what occasion. In doing so, it's a great opportunity to extend yourself just a tad – within safe and healthy means, of course – in order to sip some more variety than you may be accustomed to when tied to more of a routine throughout the rest of the year.As such, in addition to the range of holiday classics, we here at Sake On Air see this as a wonderful season of opportunity, not only to sample some fantastic new sake and shochu, but to proactively share these stellar beverages with friends and family and establish some all new holiday classics of your own.So this week, Justin rang up each and every member of the team to find out what their sake and shochu routines and go-to drinks and drinking styles are for the season, as well as find out if they have any special drink plans or suggestions for the weeks ahead. Naturally, depending upon where it is you call home is going to determine your access to different styles of shochu and sake, so your mileage with some of the team's suggestions might vary, but we thought it would be a fun opportunity to share a bit of our holiday season with all of our listeners, even if only in voice and in spirit.02:20 -- John Gauntner & Chris Pellegrini13:44 -- Marie Nagata & Chris Hughes22:40 -- Cindy Bissig & Sebastien Lemoine 48:43 -- Rebekah Wilson-Lye & Shuso Imada Thanks for tuning in this week. Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or whatever service you rely upon for your podcasting needs. Contact us at questions@sakeonair.com with any thoughts about the show, and feel free to follow us on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Everything from Sake Future Summit 2020, as well as a number of other recordings, are all archived over on our YouTube channel, as well.We'd like to wish all of our listeners, followers, fans and supporters both new and old a very happy and healthy holiday season, however it is you may choose to spend it and wherever it is you may be tuning in from. We'll be back with one more episode to close out the year in a couple of weeks, but until then, a very happy holidays and a festive kampai to all of you from the team here at Sake On Air.Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Who else loves this sound? Sounds like good sake, right? But what is good sake? And do you know how to find good sake? Imagine you are at a restaurant or at a liquor shop or even on the Internet. Should I take Ginjo? Or should I go for Junmai? How are they different? Have you ever thought about that while facing a large selection of sake? If you have, don' worry. You'll have your question sorted today. Maybe some of you have never been in such a situation – because you have some favourite ones that you always go for. But don't you want to try other good sake too? I hope the answer is yes! And the worst case? … is removing sake from your options because you are not sure about what to start with! I hope you didn't give up. But even if you did, it's not too late to try it now. Because today you'll gain some good knowledge on how to select good sake and enjoy it better. To do that, I'm so honoured to have John Gauntner -- aka the sake guy -- on my show. He has been writing and lecturing about sake for longer than any other English-speaking experts of sake would have – in fact for almost 30 years. He is certified as both a Sake Expert Assessor and a Master of Sake Tasting, meaning that he is the only non-Japanese person to hold these two certifications in the world. More information about John Gauntner and his work can be found in the following site: https://sake-world.com/ ----------------- A SPECIAL offer for you! You will be getting a 50 percent or more discount from a monthly membership fee in 2022 if you sign up for the dojo community today! The Japan Experts dojo community is a place for you to get access to the secrets, mysteries and everything else that even the Japanese cannot explain in detail, for less than the money you pay for a single cup of coffee! So, save the money today and invest it into your learning! I can promise you that you will gain so much knowledge on how to explore, appreciate and understand Japan. More details are available here: patreon.com/japanexperts Extra bonuses are also available if you want to take your learning to a deeper level. Please make sure you check out the page carefully and choose what would benefit you the most. I look forward to meeting you inside the dojo community! ------------------ Love listening to Japan Experts? Please follow Japan Experts social media channels to receive the latest updates! Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/japanexperts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jpexperts Twitter: https://twitter.com/Japan_Experts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japan.experts/ YouTube: bit.ly/JpExperts

We've been way overdue for an episode highlighting one of Japan's many inspiring sake breweries. When your hosts Sebastien Lemoine and John Gauntner line up a sit-down with Mr. Jun Kono, who represents five generations of award-winning Sohomare sake, you know you're in for a treat.Located in Tochigi prefecture – a bit of a hot-spot in the world of sake these days – Sohomare's stretch of consecutive gold medals over the past decade at the National Sake Appraisal, along with top honors at the Kanto Regional Appraisals in both the ginjo and junmai ginjo categories in 2020 – a rather unheard of achievement – the brewery's recognition has more than solidified the accumulated efforts of Mr. Kono and the team at Sohomare throughout his tenure.In this episode, Mr. Kono shares with us the story of his family's lineage that was kept a secret for centuries, how intricate blending sensibilities and a return to kimoto-style sake making have grown to define Sohomare, the behavioral quirks of different yeast types, how they've managed to acquire yamada nishiki from Hyogo's most prized growing sites for so long, and how for Mr. Kono, “making sake he wants to drink” takes precedent over everything else.If you enjoy Sake On Air, you can help new listeners discover the show by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on whatever service delivers you all of your podcasting needs. Contact us at questions@sakeonair.staba.jp with any thoughts about this week's show, and feel free to follow us on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Everything from Sake Future Summit 2020, as well as a number of other recordings, are all archived over on our YouTube channel, as well.We'll be back in two weeks' time with more Sake On Air. Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

We've been way overdue for an episode highlighting one of Japan's many inspiring sake breweries. When your hosts Sebastien Lemoine and John Gauntner line up a sit-down with Mr. Jun Kono, who represents five generations of award-winning Sohomare sake, you know you're in for a treat.Located in Tochigi prefecture – a bit of a hot-spot in the world of sake these days – Sohomare's stretch of consecutive gold medals over the past decade at the National Sake Appraisal, along with top honors at the Kanto Regional Appraisals in both the ginjo and junmai ginjo categories in 2020 – a rather unheard of achievement – the brewery's recognition has more than solidified the accumulated efforts of Mr. Kono and the team at Sohomare throughout his tenure.In this episode, Mr. Kono shares with us the story of his family's lineage that was kept a secret for centuries, how intricate blending sensibilities and a return to kimoto-style sake making have grown to define Sohomare, the behavioral quirks of different yeast types, how they've managed to acquire yamada nishiki from Hyogo's most prized growing sites for so long, and how for Mr. Kono, “making sake he wants to drink” takes precedent over everything else.If you enjoy Sake On Air, you can help new listeners discover the show by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on whatever service delivers you all of your podcasting needs. Contact us at questions@sakeonair.com with any thoughts about this week's show, and feel free to follow us on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Everything from Sake Future Summit 2020, as well as a number of other recordings, are all archived over on our YouTube channel, as well.We'll be back in two weeks' time with more Sake On Air. Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

An exploration into the various types of drinking vessels and related wares that have for centuries shaped the service and enjoyment of sake is one of the most frequently requested show topics that we get.That's why this week we're thrilled to (finally!) welcome Robert Yellin to the show.Owner and curator of Robert Yellin Yakimono Gallery in the heart of Kyoto, over the past 30+ years Robert has dedicated himself to the exploration of the world of yakimono – literally “fired things,” referring specifically to Japanese pottery and ceramics – a life's work that has made him one of the world's leading non-Japanese experts in the field.Robert's expertise extends far beyond just the world of sake-related wares, however this week we hone in on an array of enthralling (and largely) sake-specific works, discussing history, types, regional styles, and more.Conducting our interview at a distance via ZOOM, entirely by chance Robert was visited by an artisan colleague packing a suitcase of extraordinary works just as we began recording. If you notice a bit of banter in the background, that's it. (We may have to try and get a short video segment from this recording up on our YouTube channel sometime in the coming weeks, as well…!)When it comes to drinking, serving, and enjoying sake, there really is no “right” or “wrong” way to go about it. However, if you have the curiosity and access to explore, experiment and integrate the world of yakimono into your experience, it opens up an entirely new world as deep and enriching as the liquid itself. If this week's visit with Robert doesn't spark that interest, we don't know what will. Sebastien Lemoine, Rebekah Wilson-Lye and John Gauntner are piloting this week, with Justin Potts occasionally playing the role of the annoying backseat driver. Ready your tokkuri and settle in.  We now have almost all of the sessions from Sake Future Summit 2020 conveniently compiled into a playlist on our official YouTube channel for your holiday enjoyment. If you missed out (and there are a few that YouTube cut from the primary recording), we've got you covered. The remainder should be up in time for the holidays.Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and reach out to us at questions@sakeonair.staba.jp if you have any questions, comments, thoughts, suggestions, or messages for us here at the show. You can follow us on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to us over on YouTube.We'll have a bit more Sake On Air for you before we close out 2020. Until then, have a happy and healthy sake and shochu-filled holiday. Thanks for joining us this year.Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter.Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

An exploration into the various types of drinking vessels and related wares that have for centuries shaped the service and enjoyment of sake is one of the most frequently requested show topics that we get.That’s why this week we’re thrilled to (finally!) welcome Robert Yellin to the show.Owner and curator of Robert Yellin Yakimono Gallery in the heart of Kyoto, over the past 30+ years Robert has dedicated himself to the exploration of the world of yakimono – literally “fired things,” referring specifically to Japanese pottery and ceramics – a life’s work that has made him one of the world’s leading non-Japanese experts in the field.Robert’s expertise extends far beyond just the world of sake-related wares, however this week we hone in on an array of enthralling (and largely) sake-specific works, discussing history, types, regional styles, and more.Conducting our interview at a distance via ZOOM, entirely by chance Robert was visited by an artisan colleague packing a suitcase of extraordinary works just as we began recording. If you notice a bit of banter in the background, that’s it. (We may have to try and get a short video segment from this recording up on our YouTube channel sometime in the coming weeks, as well…!)When it comes to drinking, serving, and enjoying sake, there really is no “right” or “wrong” way to go about it. However, if you have the curiosity and access to explore, experiment and integrate the world of yakimono into your experience, it opens up an entirely new world as deep and enriching as the liquid itself. If this week’s visit with Robert doesn’t spark that interest, we don’t know what will. Sebastien Lemoine, Rebekah Wilson-Lye and John Gauntner are piloting this week, with Justin Potts occasionally playing the role of the annoying backseat driver. Ready your tokkuri and settle in.  We now have almost all of the sessions from Sake Future Summit 2020 conveniently compiled into a playlist on our official YouTube channel for your holiday enjoyment. If you missed out (and there are a few that YouTube cut from the primary recording), we’ve got you covered. The remainder should be up in time for the holidays.Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and reach out to us at questions@sakeonair.com if you have any questions, comments, thoughts, suggestions, or messages for us here at the show. You can follow us on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to us over on YouTube.We’ll have a bit more Sake On Air for you before we close out 2020. Until then, have a happy and healthy sake and shochu-filled holiday. Thanks for joining us this year.Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter.Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

This week, we're bringing you a double episode exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the sake industry here in Japan, and how that impact is beginning to reverberate through the international market.The entire nation of Japan, while never undergoing a formal lockdown, was officially placed on State of Emergency status as of April 7th, a state which continued until May 31st, with the country gradually easing restrictions in phases over the several weeks that followed, leading to a complete reopening on June 19th.During this period, restaurants and izakaya were requested to limit their hours of operation from 5am to 8pm, while closing all alcohol service by 7pm. This, combined with the request for the entire population to refrain from unnecessary travel, as well as shift to teleworking in all instances possible, transformed how people shopped, dined, and of course, accessed and consumed sake and shochu. As you might have guessed, for many breweries, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants, sake and shochu stocks became largely idle for months on end.While sales numbers have been gradually recovering since June, the number of people testing positive for COVID 19 have also been on the rise as of late, with Japan now experiencing what at this stage might be considered a “mild second wave.” As a result, dining establishments have again been asked to curtail their hours of operation for the month of August, closing by 10pm, with particularly dense dining and entertainment districts in parts of Osaka being asked to cut back their hours of operation even further.These front-line sales tend to get a lot of attention, however it's the beverage's deep agriculture ties, along with the particular timing of the pandemic which might result in a truly devastating fallout down the road. We discuss this as well.To be honest, there's still a lot that we don't know. The impact from the past 6 months isn't truly going to manifest itself for some time to come, and how the pandemic will develop both in Japan and internationally is, at this point, still anybody's guess.However, we do feel a responsibility to sake lovers around the world to share what it is we do know, which is why over the past couple of months we've been conducting a series of short interviews, as well as discussing this reality amongst ourselves, in order to help paint at least somewhat of a picture as to where we stand as of the end of August 2020. For Part 1, we've edited together a series of excerpts from five different interviews that we conducted with individuals here in Japan who are in a position to offer particular insight into the impact COVID-19 on certain pockets or channels of the sake and shochu industries. Our guest include:・Yoshiro Okamoto – Vice President of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association・Koichi Saura – President of Saura Co. Ltd. (makers of Urakasumi) and co-chairman of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association・Takahiro Ibaragi – Head of the International Sales Division at Nihon Shurui Hanbai・Sam Mitsuya – Owner of Mitsuya Liquors・Shinnosuke Hiramatsu – Retail Sales Office at Imadeya When you're done with this episode, Part 2 is already live, so you can jump over and continue this exploration whenever you're ready. For Part 2 we bring your regular hosts Christopher Pellegrini, John Gauntner, Sebastien Lemoine, and Justin Potts together to anecdotally discuss the experience of the past six months. We hope you'll find it to be an interesting supplement to the first-hand perspective provided in this episode.Between this and Part 2, we've left you with a lot to digest over the next couple of weeks. There's still a long road ahead, but we'll be in it for the long haul. We hope you'll stick with us. If you're looking for a great way to support, there's always one:Keep kampai-ing. Part 2 is here.We'll see you in two weeks. Timestamps:0:00:21 Introduction0:05:17 Yoshiro Okamoto – Vice President of JSS0:12:47 Koichi Saura – President of Saura Co.

Thanks for tuning in to Part 2 of our special focusing on the current impact of COVID-19 on the sake and shochu industries. If you haven't yet listened to Part 1, where we interview a number of significant individuals with unique perspective on the industry here in Japan, that's a great place to start. You can find that here.Slightly different from Part 1, this particular recording is more discussion-based. This time around several of your regular Sake On Air hosts, including John Gauntner, Sebastien Lemoine, Christopher Pellegrini, and Justin Potts, share anecdotal insights from their own experiences over the past several months. While our experience is by no means any be-all-end-all “official” word on where things stand, we hope that it will contribute further perspective, as well as provide some additional food for thought. In addition to the impact of COVID-19, we also touch upon the serious flooding that has battered the Kyushu region throughout the month of July, only adding insult to injury in already incredibly trying times. This is impacting the livelihoods of the locals, as well as producers across both the shochu and sake industries. If any listeners are keen to donate and contribute to the relief efforts still very much underway, please contact us at questions@sakeonair.staba.jp and we'll be happy to provide you with a few potential options. As all of these activities and the information related to them are being conducted in Japanese, it makes it hard for the international community to support. If you'd like to help, let us know how we can help you.  While all of us in Japan are now generally free to roam at this point, this particular conversation took place online, with John joining us from the U.S., where he's been grounded since the early days of all of this, Christopher and Sebastien joining us from their respective locales in the heart the Tokyo metropolis, and Justin tuning in from his home Chiba countryside.For this conversation, do feel free to pour yourself a glass or two of sake or shochu (or both) and settle in with us. After the show, we'd love to hear from our listeners about their experiences over the past several months all across the globe, so do feel free to reach out to us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook at @sakeonair, or mail us at questions@sakeonair.staba.jp. Thanks so much for joining us across this special two-part series. As this is an ongoing challenge affecting everyone, we'll very likely revisit this topic again six months or a year from now. While the hurdles to overcome are high any many, we're all guaranteed to learn a lot through this process together. We look forward to helping keep you informed along the way.We'll be back to our regular programming in two weeks.Until then, Kampai. Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter.Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

This week, we’re bringing you a double episode exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the sake industry here in Japan, and how that impact is beginning to reverberate through the international market.The entire nation of Japan, while never undergoing a formal lockdown, was officially placed on State of Emergency status as of April 7th, a state which continued until May 31st, with the country gradually easing restrictions in phases over the several weeks that followed, leading to a complete reopening on June 19th.During this period, restaurants and izakaya were requested to limit their hours of operation from 5am to 8pm, while closing all alcohol service by 7pm. This, combined with the request for the entire population to refrain from unnecessary travel, as well as shift to teleworking in all instances possible, transformed how people shopped, dined, and of course, accessed and consumed sake and shochu. As you might have guessed, for many breweries, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants, sake and shochu stocks became largely idle for months on end.While sales numbers have been gradually recovering since June, the number of people testing positive for COVID 19 have also been on the rise as of late, with Japan now experiencing what at this stage might be considered a “mild second wave.” As a result, dining establishments have again been asked to curtail their hours of operation for the month of August, closing by 10pm, with particularly dense dining and entertainment districts in parts of Osaka being asked to cut back their hours of operation even further.These front-line sales tend to get a lot of attention, however it’s the beverage’s deep agriculture ties, along with the particular timing of the pandemic which might result in a truly devastating fallout down the road. We discuss this as well.To be honest, there’s still a lot that we don’t know. The impact from the past 6 months isn’t truly going to manifest itself for some time to come, and how the pandemic will develop both in Japan and internationally is, at this point, still anybody’s guess.However, we do feel a responsibility to sake lovers around the world to share what it is we do know, which is why over the past couple of months we’ve been conducting a series of short interviews, as well as discussing this reality amongst ourselves, in order to help paint at least somewhat of a picture as to where we stand as of the end of August 2020. For Part 1, we’ve edited together a series of excerpts from five different interviews that we conducted with individuals here in Japan who are in a position to offer particular insight into the impact COVID-19 on certain pockets or channels of the sake and shochu industries. Our guest include:・Yoshiro Okamoto – Vice President of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association・Koichi Saura – President of Saura Co. Ltd. (makers of Urakasumi) and co-chairman of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association・Takahiro Ibaragi – Head of the International Sales Division at Nihon Shurui Hanbai・Sam Mitsuya – Owner of Mitsuya Liquors・Shonnosuke Hiramatsu – Retail Sales Office at Imadeya When you’re done with this episode, Part 2 is already live, so you can jump over and continue this exploration whenever you’re ready. For Part 2 we bring your regular hosts Christopher Pellegrini, John Gauntner, Sebastien Lemoine, and Justin Potts together to anecdotally discuss the experience of the past six months. We hope you’ll find it to be an interesting supplement to the first-hand perspective provided in this episode.Between this and Part 2, we’ve left you with a lot to digest over the next couple of weeks. There’s still a long road ahead, but we’ll be in it for the long haul. We hope you’ll stick with us. If you’re looking for a great way to support, there’s always one:Keep kampai-ing. Part 2 is here.We'll see you in two weeks. Timestamps:0:00:21 Introduction0:05:56 Yoshiro Okamoto – Vice President of JSS0:12:47 Koichi Saura – President of Saura Co.

Thanks for tuning in to Part 2 of our special focusing on the current impact of COVID-19 on the sake and shochu industries. If you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, where we interview a number of significant individuals with unique perspective on the industry here in Japan, that’s a great place to start. You can find that here.Slightly different from Part 1, this particular recording is more discussion-based. This time around several of your regular Sake On Air hosts, including John Gauntner, Sebastien Lemoine, Christopher Pellegrini, and Justin Potts, share anecdotal insights from their own experiences over the past several months. While our experience is by no means any be-all-end-all “official” word on where things stand, we hope that it will contribute further perspective, as well as provide some additional food for thought.  While all of us in Japan are now generally free to roam at this point, this particular conversation took place online, with John joining us from the U.S., where he’s been grounded since the early days of all of this, Christopher and Sebastien joining us from their respective locales in the heart the Tokyo metropolis, and Justin tuning in from his home Chiba countryside.For this conversation, do feel free to pour yourself a glass or two of sake or shochu (or both) and settle in with us. After the show, we’d love to hear from our listeners about their experiences over the past several months all across the globe, so do feel free to reach out to us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook at @sakeonair, or mail us at questions@sakeonair.com. Thanks so much for joining us across this special two-part series. As this is an ongoing challenge affecting everyone, we’ll very likely revisit this topic again six months or a year from now. While the hurdles to overcome are high any many, we’re all guaranteed to learn a lot through this process together. We look forward to helping keep you informed along the way.We’ll be back to our regular programming in two weeks.Until then, Kampai. Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter.Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Here it is! The final installment of our “Know Your Hosts” series, introducing our listeners to the minds and motivations behind Sake on Air.For the first half of this week's show, we have Rebekah Wilson-Lye in the hot seat. Currently the head of international marketing and public relations for Japan Craft Sake Company, we delve into not only the personal journey that led her from New Zealand to the Izu Peninsula, but also her evolution in the industry as she went from school teacher, to gourmet dining guide, to spearheading innovative sake projects with the likes of Takashi Murakami and Hidetoshi Nakata, all while carving out her own unique niche as a staunch advocate for the betterment of the industry as a whole.Following her, our man on the mixing boards Frank Walter interviews the sake guy himself, Mr. John Gauntner. Seeing as how interviews with John are scattered across the interwebz in an array of formats, we wanted to mix it up a little bit. The result? A fun, lighthearted discussion that sidesteps a lot of the more conventional sake questions, instead attempting to peer into the sake habits of the man himself, and as a result, scoring a lot of enjoyable and entertaining industry tidbits along the way. If you enjoyed this or any of our shows here at Sake On Air, taking a moment to review and rating us on Apple Podcasts would be greatly appreciated. You can also share your thoughts and feelings about the show with us by mailing to questions@sakeonair.staba.jp.Say “Hi” to the team anytime at @sakeonair on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you're so inclined, we actually have a YouTube channel, as well.Thanks for tuning in everyone. We'll be back in a couple of weeks.Until then, Stay Home & Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter.Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Here it is! The final installment of our “Know Your Hosts” series, introducing our listeners to the minds and motivations behind Sake on Air.For the first half of this week’s show, we have Rebekah Wilson-Lye in the hot seat. Currently the head of international marketing and public relations for Japan Craft Sake Company, we delve into not only the personal journey that led her from New Zealand to the Izu Peninsula, but also her evolution in the industry as she went from school teacher, to gourmet dining guide, to spearheading innovative sake projects with the likes of Takashi Murakami and Hidetoshi Nakata, all while carving out her own unique niche as a staunch advocate for the betterment of the industry as a whole.Following her, our man on the mixing boards Frank Walter interviews the sake guy himself, Mr. John Gauntner. Seeing as how interviews with John are scattered across the interwebz in an array of formats, we wanted to mix it up a little bit. The result? A fun, lighthearted discussion that sidesteps a lot of the more conventional sake questions, instead attempting to peer into the sake habits of the man himself, and as a result, scoring a lot of enjoyable and entertaining industry tidbits along the way. If you enjoyed this or any of our shows here at Sake On Air, taking a moment to review and rating us on Apple Podcasts would be greatly appreciated. You can also share your thoughts and feelings about the show with us by mailing to questions@sakeonair.com.Say “Hi” to the team anytime at @sakeonair on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you’re so inclined, we actually have a YouTube channel, as well.Thanks for tuning in everyone. We'll be back in a couple of weeks.Until then, Stay Home & Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter.Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

ENTER.Sake is a boutique Japanese sake collection curated by renowned techno artist Richie Hawtin, who joins us this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast.Richie aka Plastikman has been drinking sake while touring Japan on a regular basis since 1994.But he very quickly became obsessed with it on a much deeper level, so much so that he enrolled in the Japanese sake course taught by the legendary John Gauntner, a previous guest on the show.In this episode, Richie discusses his evolution from Japanese sake drinker to aficionado, then founder of the ENTER.Sake brand.In 2014, he was recognised for his efforts in promoting Japanese sake around the world, when he was awarded the prestigious title of Sake Samurai.In Australia, you can find Richie's brand ENTER.Sake in retailers stocking from distributor De Ja Vu Sake, whose founder Yukino Ochiai – a fellow Sake Samurai – we met in the very first episode of the podcast.

Continuing with our Meet Your Hosts series, this week we bring you interviews with another pair from the team here at Sake On Air. First up we have Marie Nagata, interviewed by John Gauntner – a bit of an interesting dynamic, as it was Marie's participation in John's Sake Professional Course and the community of sake lovers and sake-curious who shared that experience with her that initially lured her down this path, as you'll hear her describe. Essentially, a Jedi Master interviewing his young Padawan. From her globetrotting upbringing to her time as a brewer, as well as touching upon her new endeavors and her advice for those getting started with the category, it's a fun, lighthearted and motivating discussion that highlights how the passion for sake is getting passed from generation to generation.   In the latter half of the episode we have Justin Potts being interviewed by Sebastien Lemoine. (You can listen to the reverse of this back on Episode 27). From fermentation to farming, brewing to educating, local food to the role of family in the future of sake, and advocacy for the necessity of kanzake, the conversation takes many turns and (hopefully) rewards the listener willing to accompany Justin in his adventures and ramblings. We would be grateful if you could take a moment to review and rate us on Apple Podcasts, and feel free to send your questions and comments to questions@sakeonair.staba.jp, or to @sakeonair on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can find us on YouTube as well. We've got a lot coming down the pipeline in March. Stay tuned and Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Continuing with our Meet Your Hosts series, this week we bring you interviews with another pair from the team here at Sake On Air. First up we have Marie Nagata, interviewed by John Gauntner – a bit of an interesting dynamic, as it was Marie’s participation in John’s Sake Professional Course and the community of sake lovers and sake-curious who shared that experience with her that initially lured her down this path, as you’ll hear her describe. Essentially, a Jedi Master interviewing his young Padawan. From her globetrotting upbringing to her time as a brewer, as well as touching upon her new endeavors and her advice for those getting started with the category, it’s a fun, lighthearted and motivating discussion that highlights how the passion for sake is getting passed from generation to generation.   In the latter half of the episode we have Justin Potts being interviewed by Sebastien Lemoine. (You can listen to the reverse of this back on Episode 27). From fermentation to farming, brewing to educating, local food to the role of family in the future of sake, and advocacy for the necessity of kanzake, the conversation takes many turns and (hopefully) rewards the listener willing to accompany Justin in his adventures and ramblings. We would be grateful if you could take a moment to review and rate us on Apple Podcasts, and feel free to send your questions and comments to questions@sakeonair.com, or to @sakeonair on  Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can find us on YouTube as well. We’ve got a lot coming down the pipeline in March. Stay tuned and Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

This episode of was recorded on location at Brooklyn Kura in Brooklyn NY. 68 34th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232. You will find them in Industry City. Brooklyn Kura and The Sake Export Association hosted a Sake tasting that featured 8 incredible breweries from Japan. Featured conversations: Brandon is the Master Sake Brewer at Brooklyn Kura. He shares the process for making Sake. Brooklyn Co-owner Brian talks to us about getting the Brewery started and his passion for Sake. John Gauntner is recognized as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert. A longtime Japan resident, he is well known among sake brewers and others within the sake industry. Known as "The Sake Guy", John is an author, Publisher of Sake Today, and Sake World. Monica Samuels is the Director of Sake & Spirits for Vine Connections. Thank you for making the entire evening possible. Kanpai!

In this episode we're diving back into the world of Japanese sake, which we explored in the very first episode of Season One.This time I've got two interviews to share with you from my time in Japan earlier this year doing a sake press tour with the Japanese Sake & Shochu Makers Association.First up is a chat with John Gauntner, who is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert.A resident of Japan since 1988, he has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994 and has published six books on the topic.Next up, I visited the Japanese Sake & Shochu Makers Association Information Centre in Tokyo where I sat down for a chat with the centre manager, Shuso Imada.Shuso has spent almost his entire life in the sake industry - he was born into a family that owns a sake brewery.At first he had little interest in following in his family's footsteps, so much so that he did the unthinkable and study a sommelier equivalent qualification in wine.But little by little, sake drew him back in. And as you would expect for someone of his experience, he has some really interesting insights into Japanese sake industry.And if you're heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend you visit the JSS Information Centre, it really is one of the best places you can taste a lot of sake and learn about it.I also want to recommend John Gauntner's excellent book, Sake Confidential - I bought a copy last year and it's a fantastic introductory resource for sake beginners.And finally, also for people visiting Japan, look out for Rangitoto Tokyo. It's a brand new bar in Tokyo opened by Wayne Shennen, a sommelier from New Zealand who also has a passion for sake.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

Season Two of Drinks Adventures will launch in April with a in-depth look at Stone & Wood Brewing Company and the Australian independent brewing sector. Also in this season, an interview with Beefeater master distiller Desmond Payne MBE, who will notch up his 52nd year as a gin distiller in 2019. We'll take at look at farm-based brewing, Tasmanian pinot noir and Australian craft spirits in various guises. And in Tokyo, we catch up with John Gauntner, the only non-Japanese certified Master of Sake Tasting in the world. Season Two will be bigger and better than last year's debut. We look forward to your company in a few weeks' time. Theme music by The Rudists. Mixing and mastering by Dave Robertson.You can follow James Atkinson and Drinks Adventures at @byjamesatkinson on all social media platforms.

We’ve got a new twist on an old formula this week.   In the interest of fairness, after having done a Shochu 101 episode, we thought it only made sense to give Sake the same treatment.   However, unlike Shochu, the “basics” of sake have been well-treaded in many forms across books, videos, blogs, lectures and other media. It didn’t make sense for us to just rehash the same material that’s already readily available just about everywhere. While we want to provide our listeners with a solid foundation of the core principles surrounding Sake and Shochu, digging deeper in order to provide context and stimulate dialogue is why this show exists. So, we thought we’d mix it up a little.   John has been on the road a great deal as of late (as of always?) and we wanted to get him on air. When we talked about doing a Sake 101, it was something that he really wanted to be a part of. When he offered to provide a monologue outlining the fundamentals, we naturally said, Yoroshiku! This is a master in his wheelhouse – what more could we ask for?   With that, this week you get the core basics outlined by the best in the business. You want to scout out a tasty bottle of sake that you’ll be happy with today? We’ve got you covered.   But we wanted to do something for our listeners who already feel comfortable with the “basics”, providing a bit more food-for-thought. So, what we’ve done this week is break John’s brilliant monologue into segments, with the Sake On Air team jumping in at regular intervals to flesh out the details, ask deeper questions, and provide further context for why the various points that John has laid out are significant.   In addition to John Gauntner’s pre-recorded presence, three core members of the SOA crew, Chris Hughes, Sebastien Lemoine, and Justin Potts, are very lucky to be joined this week by Sarasa Suzuki, who is a WSET Sake Educator, as well as wine and spirits specialist here in Japan, also serving as the Japan brand manager for CAMUS Cognac. She was kind enough to put up with our shenanigans this week as she brings her experience and insight to the important topics that we delve into for this week’s show. Lucky us, and lucky you! (She’ll be making an appearance in a future episode to be released soon, as well!)   Our listeners may have a few thoughts and opinions about the content of this week’s episode. Great! Send those to us at questions@sakeonair.com   You can stay up-to-date on what’s happening with the show by following along on Instagram, Twitter (@sakeonair) and Facebook, as well.   If you can find a moment in your busy schedule,  a quick review on your favorite listening service would really mean a lot.   Thanks to Frank Walter for the time he put into making this one shine. It wasn’t an easy task.   Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association and is a joint production between Potts.K Productions and Export Japan.   Until our next outing, Kampai!   Show Notes: 6:07 What is Sake? 9:02 Sake and the Family of Brewed Beverages 10:30 Brewing Beer vs. Brewing Sake; Clarifying “Koji” 10:46 The History of Sake 22:02 What’s the fuss about Ginjo? 22:50 Good Sake and Better Sake 31:57 Relationship Between Price and Quality: Sake Rice 38:33 Relationship Between Price and Quality: Rice Milling & Special Designation Sake 45:13 The Blood, Sweat and Tears of Sake Brewing and the Tenuous Hierarchy System 48:02 Sake Service Temperature 51:52 Storing Sake and Aging Sake 56:18 Drinking Vessels 61:50 Sake and Food 65:25 John Gauntner’s “Basics for Enjoying Sake Today” (uncut from start to finish)

And characters they are indeed! We’re giving ourselves one more “warm-up run” before we really dig in, so we thought it only made sense to round the team up at the bar and pass the tokkuri as we reminisce and share, “How did I get here?” stories. Plus, we wanted our listeners to get to know exactly who it is that will be guiding them on these twice-a-month journeys into the depths of the sake and shochu world – never to return! This week John Gauntner, Sebastien Lemoine, Christopher Hughes, Christopher Pellegrini, Shuso Imada and Justin Potts are all here playing musical chairs. For sake and shochu aficionados, these may be old friends, or possibly new faces (voices?). While we’re all here with the same goal in mind, we have rather different backgrounds and inspirations that have led us to where we are today, and as a result, equally unique approaches and perspective. This week’s episode serves as more of an introduction of sorts, but over the coming weeks and months we think you’ll find that the team’s varied experiences and interpretations on how the world of sake is expressing itself might inspire as many new questions as answers. We want to empower our listeners, not only with the information to help you all make the most out of your own sake and shochu experiences, but to also provide context and stories for how the industry got here, where it might be going, and empower everyone to find their own unique connection to the world of sake. As with just about anything, there are different opinions, styles, values and schools of thought. We hope that by trying to inspire a more diverse and varied dialogue around sake, we can inspire more people to engage with the infinitely deep and fascinating (not to mention, just really, really delicious!) world of sake. So this week, just kick back with your ochoko in-hand and a bottle of hiyaoroshi by your side (it’s autumn!) and get to know your navigators. This is just the beginning. As always, please send questions, feedback and show ideas to:questions@sakeonair.com @sakeonair is where you can find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You can also find us on Soundcloud and YouTube very soon. Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association and is a joint production between Potts.K Productions and Export Japan. Please subscribe and leave us a (good) review to help us share the sake love with more listeners like yourself. Kampai! The Sake On Air theme is: “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” composed by forSomethingNew

In our New Segment, “The Specialist”, we interview John Gauntner. Mr.John was Born in Ohio, USA. When coming to Japan in 1988 it became attractive for sake, Serial sake column in English text newspaper "The Japan Times". He is carrying out various activities to convey the wonderfulness of sake. This time, we’re interviewing plenty of application knowledge that that can be used when you came to Japan from introductory knowledge such as charm and type of sake!

Known as “The Sake Guy,” and “The Sake Evangelist,” John Gauntner is recognized as the world’s leading non-Japanese sake expert and this week he joins in studio for the season wrap-up of Japan Eats.  He chats with host Akiko Katayama about his residency in Japan since 1988, he (necessarily) both speaks and reads Japanese fluently, and is well known in the sake industry as the window to making sake understandable and popular outside of Japan.  Tune in for a chat on all things sake and more!

More Americans are eating sushi all the time, and the popularity of sake is exploding. Sake presents an aroma and flavor profile that is very different from wine, and many consumers are confused about exactly what it is, how it’s made, and how best to appreciate it. Mark speaks with John Gauntner, an American living in Japan who is … Read more about this episode...