Podcasts about junmai

Jimmy heads down to Kato Sake Works on Troutman St. in Bushwick, NY. There, he's joined by Shinobu Kato, James Tai, Kaori Eda, Yuki and Yumi. The group shares a lot of laughs as they talk about the growing popularity of sakes in the US, the differences between Junmai and Nigori sake, the cultural differences of operating in Japan vs the U.S. and much more!

A Queenstown brewery has put New Zealand on the global sake map for the first time. The country's first and only dedicated sake brewery has taken home a gold award for its handcrafted Drip Pressed Junmai Ginjo as part of the Tokyo Sake Challenge. Zenkuro Sake director Richard Ryall says this award comes as the brewery celebrates its 10-year anniversary. "It's been an amazing journey for us to reach this point - and 10 years has just flown past. But what a way to celebrate, with this fantastic award." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is George Kao who is the head of sales at Boken Sake https://www.drinkboken.com/　based in New York.  Boken Sake is a unique concept.  The company collaborates with authentic Japanese sake breweries and produces sake under the Boken brand. Many sake breweries consider expanding to overseas markets, but a lot of them are family-owned small businesses without enough resources to make it happen.  Boken can effectively create a path for them to get into the American market and American consumers can have opportunities to taste their precious craft sake. George is an ideal talent to execute Boken's mission with his rich and unique background in Japanese food, in particular Japanese sake. In this episode, we will discuss the unique concept of Boken Sake, the sake Boken has produced with a 540-year-old brewery, great ways to enjoy sake with non-Japanese food and much, much more!!!

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

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

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

Wieder mal in München. Ein importierter Sake aus dem Mikado. Mit Gast: Andz

- Đối với người dân Nhật Bản, rượu sake (sa-kê) không chỉ là một thức uống, mà còn có ý nghĩa vô cùng quan trọng trong văn hóa và ẩm thực tại quốc gia này. Ngay từ thời cổ, rượu sake đã được trân trọng và sử dụng trong các nghi lễ tôn nghiêm. Không những vậy, chỉ bậc vua chúa, quý tộc mới được thưởng thức loại rượu này. Trong số những loại rượu sake, đặc biệt phải kể đến sake junmai (sa-kê giun-mai) cay và thơm nồng đặc trưng của vùng Okutama. Đây cũng là loại rượu được nấu bằng phương pháp thủ công 600 năm tuổi, và chỉ chiếm 1% sản lượng rượu sake hàng năm tại Nhật Bản. Chủ đề : rượu sake junmai, Nhật Bản --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vov1sukien/support

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

Time at last for Andy and Jim to tackle the beast that is the junmai ideology. This time the gents look at just how junmai became such a hot topic, what it really means for the brewing industry, and the figures behind its postwar “revival,” if that's what it really is.  Vocabulary from this episode Aruten - Brewer's alcohol added. Short for arukoru tenka Komedake no osake - sake made from only rice/rice koji/yeast. Mutenka - Nothing added Recommended Sake Andy - Gokyo Kiokezukuri Junmai  Jim - Ryujinmaru Junmai Nama Genshu Our theme music is from  Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg

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

In this episode the TWTT crew chat with Wolfgang Angyal, President of Riedel (The Wine Glass Company) in Japan. Wolfgang Angyal was born in Kufstein, Austria, the village that is home to the headquarters of the wine glass company Riedel. Angyal first came to Japan in 1985 while he was working in the hotel industry in Austria. He travelled to Osaka as a representative of his country in the 28th WorldSkills Competition, where he won the gold medal in the Restaurant Service category. His first experience of Japan was enough to entice him to return, which he did 3 years later. In 1988, he worked as a guest lecturer at Tsuji Academy in Osaka and the following year, he began working for Riedel. Angyal has played a huge role in the development of Riedel's 2 sake specific glasses, the Daiginjo glass and the Junmai glass. In this episode, we talk a little about that journey, the glasses themselves, and more, in what was a most enjoyable conversation. We hope you enjoy listening to our chat with Wolfgang as much as we enjoyed having it. 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://www.riedel.com/en-au https://www.riedel.co.jp/ https://en.sake-times.com/how-to-drink/riedels-new-junmai-sake-glass-worlds-best https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netsuke Follow Wolfgang on Instagram: @w.j.angyal Follow TWTT Podcast on Instagram: @tastewiththetoji

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

Eine Studioaufnahme aus München mit einem über Düsseldorf importierten Sake aus Niigata.

Persönlich aus Japan eingeflogener Sake am Münchner Königsplatz.

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

In this episode, Simone, Maki and Julian pick up where they left off in Episode 12 and continue their conversation with Tamagawa Toji, Philip Harper. In this second half of the conversation with Philip, we chat a little about the impacts of COVID, the brewery's use of Yeast #1, Junmai vs Aruten and more. More info on Philip can be found in our show notes from Episode 12. We will be sorting through some of the edits that are still on the cutting room floor and releasing them in video format to our subscribers over at  ⁠Patreon⁠. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation with Philip as much as we enjoyed having it. 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://www.sake-tamagawa.com/en/ https://sake-festival.com.au/melbourne https://www.amazon.com.au/Insiders-Guide-Sake-Philip-Harper/dp/4770020767

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

Aruten, arukoru tenka, or the ingredient largely responsible for the need to create a category of junmai sake in the first place, is sake that has been made with an addition of brewer's alcohol. Four years and 4 months ago John, little Chris, big Chris, and Justin discussed the differences between junmai and aruten sake in episode 11 of Sake on Air. How time flies. But today Justin is diving back into aruten with sake specialist, and fellow podcaster, Jim Rion. Jim is the author of Discovering Yamaguchi Sake: A Taster's Guide to Breweries, Culture, and Terrain, published earlier this year from Stone Bridge Press.Jim's word for this week is aruten. Reasons for adding brewer's alcohol are many and you'd miss out on a lot of exceptional sake to assume, “junmai, good; aruten, bad.” Aruten sake types include daiginjo and ginjo (sans “junmai” of course), as well as honjozo and futsu-shu. Some brewers choose to specialize in aruten to give themselves more control over the final flavor of their sake, others are maintaining a long tradition that has its roots in preservation techniques for sake.Are you more of an Aruten or Junmai person, or does it really even matter? Share more with us here at @sakeonair on Instagram, Twitter, 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 – On Your Own Terms, 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 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.

It's time for our new series for the year, and it's the year of Sake! Yes, we discussed it before, but we are going in deep now and much like Sake brewing, it's going to take a couple of tries before it's all done. Today we are going very far into the way-back machine, but we are also discussing one of the variants of sake, Junmai. Get ready for the butchering of Japanese and get ready to Have a Drink. Kampai, Y'all!

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

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats in the first part of Mieko Kawakami's 2008 novel Breasts and Eggs. Topics include (titular) titties, the existential crises of 12 year olds, and the badass that is Mieko Kawakami. This week's drink: Grapefruit Sake Cocktail via I Heart UmamiINGREDIENTS:3 oz Junmai sake (Nigori or Daiginjo or Ginjo Sake)2.5 oz gin (pure, distilled)3 oz grapefruit juice⅛ tsp grated fresh ginger rootTiny pinch ground nutmeg (optional)4-5 medium size ice cubes (plus extra for serving)Splash grapefruit sparkling water (chilled)2 sprigs fresh rosemary (garnish, optional)2 slices fresh grapefruit (garnish, optional)INSTRUCTIONS:In a shaker, add the sake, gin, grapefruit juice, ginger, a tiny dash of ground nutmeg powder, if using, and 4-5 medium size ice cubes. Shake 30-40 seconds.Pour the cocktail through a strainer filter into two cocktail glasses.Add a splash of grapefruit sparkling water. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and grapefruit slice, if using.Current Reads and Recommendations: Hell and Back by Craig JohnsonCrazy Mountain by Elise AtchisonFollow us on Instagram @literatureandlibationspod.Visit our website: literatureandlibationspod.com to submit feedback, questions, or your own takes on what we are reading. You can also see what we are reading for future episodes! You can email us at literatureandlibationspod@gmail.com.Please leave us a review and/or rating! It really helps others find our podcast…and it makes us happy!Purchase books via bookshop.org or check them out from your local public library. Join us next time as we discuss Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami (part 2: chapter 12 to the end)

In this week's bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss contemporary books by Black/African-American authors to add to your TBR.Books, etc. discussed in this episode:The Underground Railroad by Colson WhiteheadBeloved by Toni MorrisonThe Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. JemisinThe Black Flamingo by Dean AttaAn American Marriage by Tayari JonesThe Sweetness of Water by Nathan HarrisMore authors to check out:Angie Thomas, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jesmyn Ward, Zadie Smith, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Jacqueline Woodson, Helen Oyeyemi, Nnedi OkoraforFollow us on Instagram @literatureandlibationspod.Visit our website: literatureandlibationspod.com to submit feedback, questions, or your own takes on what we are reading. You can also see what we are reading for future episodes! You can email us at literatureandlibationspod@gmail.com.Please leave us a review and/or rating! It really helps others find our podcast…and it makes us happy!Purchase books via bookshop.org or check them out from your local public library. Join us next week as we discuss Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami (part 1, up t chapter 12)Here is the cocktail recipe for next week's episode if you want to drink along with us!Grapefruit Sake Cocktail via I Heart UmamiINGREDIENTS:3 oz Junmai sake (Nigori or Daiginjo or Ginjo Sake)2.5 oz gin (pure, distilled)3 oz grapefruit juice⅛ tsp grated fresh ginger rootTiny pinch ground nutmeg (optional)4-5 medium size ice cubes (plus extra for serving)Splash grapefruit sparkling water (chilled)2 sprigs fresh rosemary (garnish, optional)2 slices fresh grapefruit (garnish, optional)INSTRUCTIONS:In a shaker, add the sake, gin, grapefruit juice, ginger, a tiny dash of ground nutmeg powder, if using, and 4-5 medium size ice cubes. Shake 30-40 seconds.Pour the cocktail through a strainer filter into two cocktail glasses.Add a splash of grapefruit sparkling water. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and grapefruit slice, if using.

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

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

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

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

Wolfgang Angyal, President of Riedel Japan, originally grew up in Austria and came to Japan in 1985 as an Austrian representative in restaurant service sector of the 28th WorldSkills Competition and won first place. He credits this win to the trust he had of his supporting team who were all Japanese. Mr. Angyal has also been practicing Judo from a young age where he developed a deep respect and fascination for Japanese culture. After working in the education sector as an instructor in Japan, Mr. Angyal became interested in working for Riedel as he was familiar with the brand due to his experience in the hospitality industry in Austria. Through persistency, Mr. Angyal met with Georg Riedel, the owner of Riedel, and secured a business development role for a subsidiary company. There, he was able to apply the skills he had gained working in hospitality and event management to promote Riedel products to Japanese restaurants and companies.   Staying true to the Riedel family motto of “stoke the fire, don't save the ashes,” Mr. Angyal persistently approached restaurants to promote Riedel. Fortunately, this was the 80s economic boom time in Japan, and Mr. Angyal used his networks to successfully schedule appointments to meet restaurant owners in person. “I think a lot of them actually bought their first [wine] glasses, more out of pity, [thinking] this guy's sweating with this case, coming to the restaurant and waiting for two hours. Or some of them maybe were admiring the effort.” Mr. Angyal worked to establish the brand within companies to build relationships with large scale distributions. Mr. Angyal states the main challenge for him at the time was introducing wine culture to those who were not familiar with drinking wine on a daily basis. Therefore, Mr. Angyal actively promoted the product by holding tasting sessions where people got to experience drinking wine from Riedel glasses. “If you taste the difference, it's experiential. If you taste the difference between [a Riedel glass] and another glass of drinking the same beverage, you will never forget it.” Mr. Angyal then moved his base to Australia where he worked from Riedel's Sydney office as the Vice President of Asia Pacific, Latin America and Southern Hemisphere. After a brief consideration of moving to China, Mr. Angyal was persuaded by an old friend to move back to Japan in 2000 where he has been since then, working as the President & CEO of Riedel Japan. By 2000, Riedel Japan had become an independent operation and Mr. Angyal started to build his team through referrals to recruit staff. As a leader, Mr. Angyal found challenges in driving the operation side of the organization and establishing a shared vision while going through an acquisition. In order to maintain employee engagement during the merger, Mr. Angyal organized workshops, off-site meetings and external coaching. Additionally, Mr. Angyal worked to get to know his staff through open communication and personality tests. By better understanding his staff, Mr. Angyal adjusted his communication style and worked to form a more trusting relationship. Mr. Angyal notes that as a foreign leader, he is mindful of being consistent with his decision-making and tries to be predictable with his actions. He claims that constantly asking the questions “How do they see us and what do they expect from us?” is key to leading in Japan as a foreigner. Additionally, Mr. Angyal values open communication and provides equal opportunities for his staff to be heard even if this means rejecting his own ideas in public. Mr. Angyal also seeks to bring different perspectives and ideas from his global networks and to his Japanese team in order to provide the “right fuel for their sparks.” He also has his immediate reports give him a 360 degree performance review to continue developing his leadership abilities and maintain transparency. Riedel Japan has come up with innovation such as creating sake glasses, an idea that came out of a tasting workshop from a customer. Currently, the Japan office has independently come up with two different sake glasses - the Daiginjo glasses and Junmai glasses - by working with hundreds of brewers and testing in multiple workshops to come up with the perfect product. For newcomers in Japan, Mr. Angyal advises to be patient and mindful of one's actions as well as words. He recommends having small wins first and then building on that to quickly gain trust and credibility. Lastly, he advises to be authentic and to be yourself to be able to survive leading in Japan in the long term.

Episode 122. A long overdue return to the Sake Education Corner lets us explore a common question affecting everyone who brings a bottle of sake home - what's the deal with sake storage?! How long can you keep your sake before opening, after opening, at what temperature, in what location, and what to avoid.  While the lawyerly answer to any of these questions is often "it depends", we get into the nitty gritty and provide concrete advice anyone can implement immediately. So crack open your fridge and  let's store some sake!    #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Die Sommeliers Wolfgang Krivanec und Noel Pusch sind mitten in ihren Vorbereitungen zur Sake Week Vienna. Was steckt hinter dem japanischen Getränk? Wir sprechen mit Wolfgang und Noel über die Handwerkskunst des Sakebrauens, die in jahrhundertealter Tradition ausgeübt wird, welchen wichtigen Stoff man daraus für die Kosmetikproduktion gewinnt und Wiens erste Sake-Brauerei. Okra Izakaya in Wien: www.okra1020.com/ Vienna Sake Week, 1.-7. Oktober 2022: www.sakeweekvienna.com/ www.instagram.com/noelpusch/ www.instagram.com/okra_izakaya/ www.kapture.ch Foto: Markus Patak

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, hope its new robot named Nyokkey will help compensate for labor shortages in the face of Japan's declining population. Japanese marine biologists managed to reach a record depth of 9,801 metres while studying the ocean floor. And in Iwate, the independent sake brewery Kiku-zakari, founded in 1894 and rebuilt following the 2011 earthquake, was named with a renewed sense of purpose in mind, determined to press ahead no matter what happens. Its two best brands of Junmai-shu sake, “Taxi Driver” and “Ya-kyoku”, look to Scorsese and folk songs for further inspiration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we try out Sake, which is something neither Nick nor John is familiar with.  We celebrate the occasion by making wild assumptions about how sake is made and what tasting notes we might be getting.  The contenders are Hakutsuru, Momokawa, and Rihaku.  Please like and subscribe, and if you have any suggestions tweet us at @tastetestdummies or email at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.       SPOILER! Below is a list of which wine corresponds to which numbered glass it was in. This information will be at the end of the podcast as well. 1. Hakutsuru 2. Rihaku 3. Momokawa

Episode 107. While Sake Revolution is currently the only U.S. sake podcast, there are several other podcasters around the world working hard to spread the good word of sake.  We thought it would be fun to connect with our international colleagues for a little sake pod "crosstalk" to network and share the sake love.  We start with Alex, the intrepid voice behind London's "Sugidama Podcast". He brings sake interviews, history and education and to his interesting episodes. We also take some time to taste a sake together. It's a sake with a hard-to-pronounce name that is, however, oh so easy to drink: Kokuryu "Kuzuryu" Junmai.  Join us for our first crosstalk!   #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 105. This week we interview and get to know Wes Konishi the President of the Sake Brewer's Association of North America. Wes gives us the lowdown on the SBANA and their mission to help with establishing North American sake breweries and advocating for legislative form for the U.S. sake industry. Most of us sake lovers remember a special “A-ha” moment where we discovered the joys of premium sake for the first time, but Wes comes prepared with no less than two “a-has” that cemented his love for sake. Listen in as we discuss the path forward for sake education and sake literacy in the States. You won't want to miss it!Support the show

Episode 103. If you look up "extreme sake" in the dictionary and you may well find a picture of this bottle in there.  We are upping the ante on our quest for extreme sakes this week by introducing a brew with a lot of character... and a lot of fans: Tamagawa Heirloom Yamahai Junmai Genshu from Kinoshita Shuzo out of Kyoto.  The brainchild of UK-born Master Sake Brewer Phillip Harper, this sake is extreme in its deft use of ambient yeast to create a uniquely wild fermentation starter.  Paired with very high alcohol levels and a high acidity to match, this sake pushes the envelope on multiple fronts.  You'd think a sake like this might be a bit of a bull in a china shop, but the Tamagawa brewers have created an elegant, deeply flavored and eminently drinkable extreme sake.  It's not to be missed! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/sakerevolution)

Episode 99. Ripening in May each year, Japanese plums have a brief window of being in season.  Brewers take advantage of this delicious fruit to make an ever popular style of sake known as "Ume-shu" a.k.a. plum sake.  We're not talking about sticky and cloyingly sweet chemical plum wine here but rather a lightly sweet, tart and low alcohol elixir that is made by soaking whole plums in premium sake.  These styles of premium umeshu have complexity and go down smooth as silk. John and Timothy dive feet first into the world of plum sake.  And beyond simply tasting, they also look at some easy cocktail recipes that use umeshu as a base.  There is a lot to explore and talk about, so do join us this week as we plumb the depths of all things Umeshu! #sakerevolutionSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/sakerevolution)

Episode 93. It is a truth universally acknowledged that, when visiting a foreign country, learning a few words of the local language can go a long way to enhancing your experience. We certainly agree and this is doubly true when visiting a sake bar in Japan.  This week, Tim and John will introduce you to their "Survival Japanese" for navigating the all important conversations around ordering sake in Japanese.     Move beyond a simple Kanpai and learn to describe some sake flavors and temperatures in Japanese - all while being exceedingly polite!  Disclaimer for all the linguists out there: This is our rough and tumble survival Japanese, so we're putting exacting grammar and full sentences on the back burner for this episode. To follow along, download our free "Survival Japanese for Sake" cheat sheet PDF at SakeRevolution.com, Onegaishimasu!   #SakeRevolutionSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/sakerevolution)

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

Episode 82.  Japan is well known as an exceedingly polite country but along with this comes a bevy of rules and regulations to guide manners and behaviors for just about every social situation.  This applies to sake drinking as well with a list of dos and don'ts when it comes to drinking culture.  This week Tim and John explore the world of sake etiquette and all that that entails.  From how to pour sake to how to receive sake, do you know the rules? The more formal the situation, the more likely it is that the sake etiquette will be more strictly adhered to.  Beyond just being polite, sake etiquette also helps us dive deeper into understanding Japanese culture as a whole. For example, the idea of "wa" or group harmony is at the root of some ideas that drive sake manners. However you slice it, sake manners are important.  With that in mind, let's listen in and learn to mind our Ps and Qs while sipping sake!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sakerevolution)

Episode 81. This week, let's peruse another prefecture and visit what's known as the "Roof of Japan", the mountainous, landlocked and high altitude Nagano Prefecture. This prefecture is most widely known as the host of the 1998 Winter Olympics but it is also famous for its photogenic snow monkeys that love to warm up in the onsen hot springs in winter. The many towering mountain chains of Nagano provide snow melt water to much of the region and because of this, Nagano has the second highest number of sake breweries of any prefecture.  John and Timothy sample a sake from a quintessential brand of Nagano: Masumi, and they explore their flagship, the Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri Junmai. The guys really dig deep and "talk turkey" about this brew.  Join us for another virtual outing to a sake-centric prefecture as we explore and sip our way through Nagano!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sakerevolution)

Episode 79.  This week we pay another visit to the Sake Education Corner to focus on what is known as "roka" or fine particulate filtering.  this can be done by both a activated carbon powder or by a micron filter.  The sake industry is full of debate as to whether filtering strips all the personality out of sake, or provides a clarity for color and flavor.  At the end of the day it is up to our palate and our preferences!  To test the waters, we are sampling one "muroka" or non-charcoal filtered sake, and one standard filtered sake.  The differences are subtle and interesting.  What Brita does to our tap water, brewers also usually do to our sake as well.  Join us as we focus on filtration for this week's episode!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sakerevolution)

Episode 77. October 1st is the biggest day of the year for us - it's World Sake Day!  2021 saw Sake Day reemerge from the cancellations of last year and there was an array of in-person events happening from coast to coast.  This episode is a recap and overview of some of those events.  Mark your calendars now if you'd like to get involved with sake day next year.   We also get in our usual sake tasting with two fresh and delightful brews: Dan Junmai Ginjo from Sasaichi Brewery and Gangi Hitotsubi from Yaoshin Shuzo.  They are a delicious way to button up our Sake Day experiences and to look ahead to an even bigger sake day next year!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sakerevolution)

Episode 73.  Can you judge a book by its cover? Or a sake by its label?  This week, John and Timothy put this to the test.  Now there are a lot of label styles out there, so they each found a sake label with a common style: a "kawaii" or super cute label on the bottle.  One is a Muppet-like abominable snowman with a shaggy coat and saucer-like eyes. The other is an adorable kitty drinking sake while surrounded by symbols of good luck. When we looked a little deeper, both labels actually have a surprising connection to their brewery.   We'll discuss how labels might influence our buying decisions and how super cute labels in particular can transcend language and grab our interest. Join us to see if the taste of these sakes matches well with their adorable appearance. Meow!

Episode 71. You may have heard that most sake is best consumed young and fresh. But what happens when you come across a sake that is older? What's the deal with sakes that are aged 3 years, 5 years or even over a decade? This week, we're exploring what happens when sake is allowed to age gracefully and become what is known as "koshu".  This type of aged or matured sake is also known as Jukuseishu, and it is only a small percentage of the total sake market.  It does tend to be more expensive as well, but it is an interesting area of sake culture and flavor that is well worth looking into.  In this episode, we're learning-by-tasting and sipping a more traditional expression of koshu - an amber-colored yamahai junmai genshu aged for 12 years produced by the Kanbara brand located in Niigata Prefecture.  Known as "Ancient Treasure" this koshu sake is a perfect example of how delicious, deep and unique flavors can evolve when a suitable style of sake is carefully aged by expert brewers with some time on their hands.  Listen in as John and Timothy taste for themselves how time itself can transform simple sake into a mature masterpiece.

Episode 69. Onward in our series all about "shibori" or sake pressing.  This week's episode focuses in on the Assaku-ki (compression machine), known more informally as the "yabuta" sake press.  As Xerox is to photo copies and Kleenex is to facial tissue, so is the Yabuta to the automatic sake press.  It's a sake press brand name that has become synonymous with the process itself.  The yabuta is often compared to an accordion in appearance and uses a series of frames stacked one next to another. The sake mash is pumped into the space between each frame.  Every other frame is sandwiched with a flat balloon that gets inflated and squeezes the mash, forcing the sake out the bottom, while the rice solids are held back.  The genius of the yubuta design is that the frames can then be opened up and the leftover sake lees (kasu) can be extracted.   Compared to the "fune" press, the yabuta cuts the time it takes to press the mash in half and it is the most common sake pressing method in use today.  Join us as we squeeze in another episode on the high pressure work of "shibori."

This week we're looking at the fundamentals of rice wine, a staple of many east Asian cultures. Rice wine, like any wine, is filled with nuance and complexity both in flavor and manufacture. There's so much that defines a good rice wine and sake is a great example of many of these finer points  so it makes a great primer for our exploration into the broader category of rice wine. Over the next few weeks, we'll be looking at everything from makgeolli to sake from koji to qu  from awamori to baijiu and we'll even look at rice wine vinegar. So get ready because there's a lot to learn here. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, suggestions or whatever else on instagram @planetpantrypod or by email planetpantrypod@gmail.com and don't forget to check out patreon.com/planetpantrypod if you want to support the show and help me to build a community around the pantry staples of the world.  Here is a great sake recipe that uses store bought koji which you can find at many Asian grocery stores under the brand "cold mountain koji"  https://byo.com/article/making-sake/ Some sources (more upon request, character limit is limiting) Koji Alchemy by Rich Shih and Jeremy Umansky Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz Noma Guide to Fermentation by Renee Redzeppi and David Zilber Stephen Lyman's talk at Koji Con 2021 The wonderful resources provided by the members of the koji discord server https://www.truesake.com/pages/sake-types https://sakeguide.net/articles/2020/10/21/what-is-junmai-sake-1 https://boutiquejapan.com/sake101/#:~:text=Junmai%20is%20the%20Japanese%20word,such%20as%20sugar%20or%20alcohol. https://www.takarasake.com/sake-brewing-process https://www.seriouseats.com/sake-yeast-temperature-yeast-strains https://www.midorinoshima.com/en/content/6-sake-production-process https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/a-brief-history-of-japanese-sake/ http://awamori-news.co.jp/1980_2-26_awamori-kuchi-kami-sake_sake-made-from-rice-or-other-cereal-which-is-chewed-before-fermentation_arakaki-kana/ https://thejapanesebar.com/sake-rice/ https://www.hakushika.co.jp/en/enjoy/Ingredients.html https://en.sake-times.com/learn/seimaibuai-rice-polishing-rate https://www.tippsysake.com/pages/sake-guide-lesson-3-types-of-sake https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Aspergillus_oryzae https://www.thefermentary.com.au/products/tane-koji-to-grow-on-rice http://www.fao.org/3/x6897e/x6897e05.htm http://oa.upm.es/47964/1/INVE_MEM_2017_261872.pdf --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nicholas-ronyai/support

Episode 68. Another week, another sake miniseries!  This time around, John and Timothy look at the sake production step known as "shibori" or squeezing the mash in a little more detail.  At the end of fermentation, this step separates the freshly born sake from the left-over rice solids.  There are a few different methods to make this happen, and this week, we look at the classic "fune" method.  One of the most traditional ways to press sake, the fune is a large and long rectangular box into which the brewers stack up fabric bags, known as "fukuro", that are filled with sake mash. Pressing with a board from above, the bags get squeezed and the fresh sake is collected from a spout at the front bottom of the fune box, while the rice solids are held back by the fukuro bags.  This is a hands-on and labor intensive way to press sake. For some breweries, they press all their batches with a fune, while other breweries reserve fune pressing for only their more premium sakes. To finish off the work of fune pressing, listen in to learn all about the "Fukuro Punch", which sounds like a yummy cocktail, but unfortunately, is not.  If you're interested in learning more about squeezing the mash, we hope you'll stay tuned to our complete shibori series over the next few weeks - but of course, no pressure!

Episode 66. This week, John and Timothy continue their series of interviews with U.S. Sake Brewers, scoring a fun and interesting sit down chat with Byron Stithem, the owner and toji at Proper Sake Co. out of Nashville, Tennessee.  Byron has been producing excellent sake down south since 2017 and has a soft spot for yamahai style sakes, given their depth of flavor, acidity and ability to pair well with non-Japanese cuisine.  With a true pioneer spirit, Proper Sake Co. is blazing a trail and is the first port of entry to the world of sake for many consumers in Tennessee and beyond.  Bryon crafts a fabulous and flavorful Yamahai Junmai called "the Diplomat" that combines balance, flavor and just the right amount of tart acidity, and is winning fans and followers across the region.  With a new taproom and expanded brewery opening up later this year in East Nashville and new online sales distribution coming soon, be sure to check out Proper Sake Co. any chance you get for a fantastic introduction to what American sake can be.  Kanpai, Byron!

Episode 65. This week's episode involves absolutely no kidding around. For our first brand deep dive, we look at the interesting and innovative Heiwa Shuzo in Wakayama Prefecture. Heiwa means "peace" and this brewery name was adopted in 1952 as a nod to the hopes of peace and prosperity in the post war period. In 2008, the "Kid" brand was released and as a brand, it speaks to the movement of young and up-and-coming brewers making a new style of sake in a new way.  The president of Heiwa Shuzo, Mr. Norimasa Yamamoto has even written a book on his new and collaborative ideas on brewing and producing sake as a team.  The Kid sakes project a super easy-drinking and fruity flavor profile.  Imagine the sake you'd want to sip from a wine glass on the couch after a long day at work.  Join us as we explore and taste the delicious innovation of the Kid brand from Heiwa Shuzo.

Episode 61.  This week John and Timothy go on location again. As more and more businesses are reopening and expanding their hours, we wanted to get out there again and encourage anyone, who can safely, to support their local sake shops and restaurants. For our part, we've gone back underground by returning to the famous NYC Sake Bar Decibel, a dark and funky basement sake bar that can't be missed.  We are tasting two fantastic sakes from their menu: Shichiken Junmai Ginjo - a dream of a balanced and fruity premium sake and Kimonoi Junmai Yamahai - an umami and rice-y treat recommendation from Decibel's Manager Cho-san.   In addition to our sake chit chat, we are announcing this week the launch of our Patreon.  If you'd like to support what we do at the Sake Revolution podcast, please consider joining us on Patreon.com/SakeRevolution for some fun perks and extras.  We invite all our listeners to grab a sake, sit back and listen in as we head back down the stairs to Decibel!

Recently, I have spoken to one of my listeners, who praised this podcast for its wonderful content. “But you know”, he said. “Sake is a completely new thing for me and I feel a bit overwhelmed with the amount of information you put in each episode. Why don't you make them a bit easier to digest?” And he's absolutely right. So I decided to do a series of episodes focusing on one particular topic, I have mentioned before. And this time it's junmai/honjozo.Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.Episode's Content:What is junmaiHistory of adding alcohol to sakeJunmai is backHow to drink junmai (aroma, taste & food pairing)How to drink honjozo (aroma, taste & food pairing)Is junmai better than non-junmai?Sake of the episode Double bill: Urakasumi Honjozo and Urakasumi JunmaiKampai!Sake mentioned:Urakasumi Honjikomi HonjozoUrakasumi Sake BreweryLondon SakeUrakasumi Misty Bay JunmaiUrakasumi Sake BreweryLondon SakeMusic used:Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Vocal: Svetlana

Episode 58.  Onward with our exploration of all things "shubo" in the third entry in our sake yeast starter mini-series.  This week John and Timothy explore the "yamahai" method of starting sake.  In a language fond of contractions, the Japanese word "yama-hai" has to be one of the most sake friendly linguistic shortcuts you'll find.  Short for "yamaorshi" (pole ramming/mashing) and "haishi" (to stop/cease), Yama-hai indicates that this shubo method ceases the pole ramming/mashing that is done in the Kimoto method to get that fermentation kicked off.  Yamahai and Kimoto are related insofar as they allow for the natural build up of lactic acid, but Yamahai does it without the arduous mashing of the rice, koji and water together.  Is it a short cut to umami-town? Not quite, as the process still takes about four weeks, but you can put away the mashing poles and instead sip on some sake on while that lactic acid develops on it's own. Let's talk turkey and get the low down on Yamahai!

Wolfgang Angyal, President of Riedel Japan, originally grew up in Austria and came to Japan in 1985 as an Austrian representative in restaurant service sector of the 28th WorldSkills Competition and won first place. He credits this win to the trust he had of his supporting team who were all Japanese. Mr. Angyal has also been practicing Judo from a young age where he developed a deep respect and fascination for Japanese culture.   After working in the education sector as an instructor in Japan, Mr. Angyal became interested in working for Riedel as he was familiar with the brand due to his experience in the hospitality industry in Austria. Through persistency, Mr. Angyal met with Georg Riedel, the owner of Riedel, and secured a business development role for a subsidiary company. There, he was able to apply the skills he had gained working in hospitality and event management to promote Riedel products to Japanese restaurants and companies.     Staying true to the Riedel family motto of “stoke the fire, don't save the ashes,” Mr. Angyal persistently approached restaurants to promote Riedel. Fortunately, this was the 80s economic boom time in Japan, and Mr. Angyal used his networks to successfully schedule appointments to meet restaurant owners in person. “I think a lot of them actually bought their first [wine] glasses, more out of pity, [thinking] this guy's sweating with this case, coming to the restaurant and waiting for two hours. Or some of them maybe were admiring the effort.” Mr. Angyal worked to establish the brand within companies to build relationships with large scale distributions.   Mr. Angyal states the main challenge for him at the time was introducing wine culture to those who were not familiar with drinking wine on a daily basis. Therefore, Mr. Angyal actively promoted the product by holding tasting sessions where people got to experience drinking wine from Riedel glasses. “If you taste the difference, it's experiential. If you taste the difference between [a Riedel glass] and another glass of drinking the same beverage, you will never forget it.”   Mr. Angyal then moved his base to Australia where he worked from Riedel's Sydney office as the Vice President of Asia Pacific, Latin America and Southern Hemisphere. After a brief consideration of moving to China, Mr. Angyal was persuaded by an old friend to move back to Japan in 2000 where he has been since then, working as the President & CEO of Riedel Japan.   By 2000, Riedel Japan had become an independent operation and Mr. Angyal started to build his team through referrals to recruit staff. As a leader, Mr. Angyal found challenges in driving the operation side of the organization and establishing a shared vision while going through an acquisition. In order to maintain employee engagement during the merger, Mr. Angyal organized workshops, off-site meetings and external coaching. Additionally, Mr. Angyal worked to get to know his staff through open communication and personality tests. By better understanding his staff, Mr. Angyal adjusted his communication style and worked to form a more trusting relationship. Mr. Angyal notes that as a foreign leader, he is mindful of being consistent with his decision-making and tries to be predictable with his actions. He claims that constantly asking the questions “How do they see us and what do they expect from us?” is key to leading in Japan as a foreigner.   Additionally, Mr. Angyal values open communication and provides equal opportunities for his staff to be heard even if this means rejecting his own ideas in public. Mr. Angyal also seeks to bring different perspectives and ideas from his global networks and to his Japanese team in order to provide the “right fuel for their sparks.” He also has his immediate reports give him a 360 degree performance review to continue developing his leadership abilities and maintain transparency.   Riedel Japan has come up with innovation such as creating sake glasses, an idea that came out of a tasting workshop from a customer. Currently, the Japan office has independently come up with two different sake glasses - the Daiginjo glasses and Junmai glasses - by working with hundreds of brewers and testing in multiple workshops to come up with the perfect product.   For newcomers in Japan, Mr. Angyal advises to be patient and mindful of one's actions as well as words. He recommends having small wins first and then building on that to quickly gain trust and credibility. Lastly, he advises to be authentic and to be yourself to be able to survive leading in Japan in the long term.

Episode 53. When we first heard about Hannah Kirshner’s new book “Water, Wood and Wild Things,” we knew we had to get her on the show. Not only does the book outline Hannah’s amazing adventure living the in rural town of Yamanaka in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, but during her stay there, she interns at Engawa, a destination premium sake bar and then also works a season at Matsuura Shuzo, the local sake brewery. Hannah writes with great insight and sensitivity about her entry into the world of sake from an outsider’s point of view – and this makes it accessible and approachable for all of us who are so interested in Japan and in sake. Now, Shishinosato, the brand of sake made by Matsuura Sake Brewery, where Hannah worked, is not yet available in the States, so we taste some other brands of sake from Ishikawa Prefecture with Hanna. We absolutely enjoyed talking sake with Hannah, but if that weren’t enough, her book also describes her studies of woodturning, hunting, tea ceremony, dance, paper making and other amazing Japanese traditions to bring the rural town of Yamanaka alive for her readers. We hope you enjoy our foray into the world of “Water, Wood and Wild Things!”

Season 1. Episode 48. Genshu is known commonly as the heavy hitter in the world of sake. Sometimes called "cask strength" or "high alcohol sake", what we are really talking about here is sake that is undiluted with water. Usually, this gives us a sake clocking in at around 18-20% alcohol. Most sake is brewed to this level and then water is added at the time of bottling to bring the alcohol level down to about 15%. When this addition of water is skipped, then we get "genshu". One misunderstanding about Genshu is that it is just one thing - namely, a high alcohol bull in a china shop. Tim and John discover that Genshu has a lot more nuance than that. There are both lower and higher alcohol sakes that qualify as Genshu. For those classic high alcohol sakes, John tries his on the rocks - a fun way to engage with Genshu. Whether the alcohol level is high or low, be sure to give genshu sakes a try... Or as genshu sake brewers say - live to dilute another day.

Season 1. Episode 45. Another in our series of U.S. Sake Brewer interviews takes us to Virginia to talk to Andrew Centofante, Toji and Master Brewer of North American Sake Brewery. Andrew told us about his discovery of premium sake in Japan and then, following his home brewing instincts, he soon found himself propagating koji in his attic and fermenting sake mash low and slow in the basement. By 2018, Andrew was out of the basement and had opened his own brewery - the North American Sake Brewery, which is the first and only kura in Virginia. Taking his cues from the craft brewing industry, Andrew developed some classic sake styles from Superdry to silky super premiums. Today, we had the honor to phone a brewer-friend to get a guided tasting with Andrew and explore their "Quiet Giant" Genshu, and the lux "Serenity Now!" Join us as we explore another cool corner of the USA sake scene: North American Sake Brewery with Andrew Centofante.

Season 1. Episode 43. When buying sake, price is always a consideration, and compared to wine, imported premium sake usually comes at, well, a premium price. What makes a sake expensive? The first factor is often the "seimaibuai" or rice milling rate. The smaller the rice is milled, the more expensive the sake will be. Transportation costs also add to the cost of sake. But are there affordable sakes out there? Can you find a good sake and a rock bottom price? This week John and Tim explore sakes that are on the cheaper side, but still shine like a diamond. You don't have to give up good taste to enjoy premium imported sakes. Just be aware that even the cheapest imported sakes won't be quite as affordable as imported wines, but they will bring value if you enjoy them with food and friends. Let's discover some bargain brews!

Podden er tilbake på norsk med ALT du trenger å vite om sake – Japans vin!Carl Otto Lund fra NonDos forteller oss hva sake er, hvordan det lages, hva som skiller kommersiell sake fra ren sake, hvordan fruktsake lages og hvordan paire sake og mat. Blant annet.Du vil få tips til både introsake og crazy sake og så snakker vi litt om sosial angst og korona bare for å jevne ut litt, sånn at vi ikke skal kose oss I HJEL. Instagram-handles:Carl Otto @crottoNonDos @nondosfanclubLise @thatnorwegianwineladySakene vi drakk var:Kinoshita Shuzo YanwariLink til NonDos nettsideElegant sake med relativt lav alkohol.  Kan serveres kald, romtemperert eller varm(40-50C)Terada Honke Katori 90Link til NonDos nettside Nesten ikke polert, knusktørr og kompleks. Kan serveres kald, romtemperert eller varm(40-50C)Heiwa Shuzo Suppai UmeshuLink til NonDos nettsideSyrlig og fresh plommesake, Suppai betyr syrlig. Bør drikkes kjølig, men kan også drikkes romtemperert. Introsaker:Chikuma Nishiki KizanLink til NonDos nettsideFruktig og elegant, mest mot tropisk frukt, banan og melon. Bør drikkes kjølig, men kan også drikkes romtemperert.Ōta Shuzō KokoroLink til NonDos nettsidePasse elegant og fruktig, har endel appelsin/clementin på lukt og smak. Kan serveres kald, romtemperert eller varm(40-50C) Crazy coconuts:Uehara Shuzō Soma No TenguLink til NonDos nettsidePasse tåkete sake, mer «støvete» enn cloudy. Fint rispreg med sitrusfrukter, saltholdig og elegant. Fin nybegynner-cloudy-sake. Bør drikkes kjølig, men kan også drikkes romtemperert.Terada Honke Daigo No ShizukuLink til NonDos nettsideFullstendig cloudy/tåkete sake. Bør vendes før servering, kan være noe CO2 ved åpning. Kanskje mest for de viderekommende, mye rispreg, mye sitrus, mye laktisk fedme. Bør drikkes kjølig, men kan også drikkes romtemperert.

Season 1. Episode 37. You’ve got the Avengers, and your Justice League Heroes but did you know we’ve got some sake superheroes too? This week John and Tim interview Sakeman Red a.k.a Nick Matsumoto. Nick is part of team Sakeman, who describe themselves as “A team of athletic, sake superheroes who import their own brands and educate the masses!” Nick first connected with the Sakeman group through his love of judo. The first thing you’ll notice about the Sakeman group is their use of iconic and custom made luchador masks when presenting their stellar sake portfolio of sake from premium producers all around Japan – so their stuff is legit. . As Nick explains in our interview, the masks help draw attention to sake and start the conversation! Or the masks draw an invitation to wrestle! However it turns out, Sakeman is all about good sake. Thanks Nick for taking the time to teach us to work hard, train hard and drink hard!

Season 1. Episode 36. Shoe leather? Starfruit? Pheasant Skin? Have you ever heard a - let's say - "advanced" sake aroma or taste description that left you feeling a little bit lost? What if you feel like you're not picking up on the nuance or subtlety in sake? That is exactly the question one of our listeners asked us by email. In this episode, John and Tim break down the process of tasting sake - Tasting with intention to study the main points of a sake. That would be the appearance in the glass, aroma, palate/taste and finish. We talk about each step in detail and what to do if you might be lacking the vocabulary to express what you're tasting. Also, we'll review some tips and tricks to study aromas and flavors. In the end, the art of studying sake tasting is about enjoying sake tasting. Learn as little or as much about tasting as interests you and helps you find a sake you love.

Mike and Joey taste three bottles of Sake from TippsySake.com while keeping comic talk Japan themed as they read Batman / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (2015) and Wolverine #1 (1982). Follow us on Twitter at @GrapesNCapes or go to our website GrapesandCapes.com Sake #1: Kudoki Jozu Junmai Ginjo, what is Sake?, Futsu-Shu vs Premium, Honjozo vs Junmai, Single Malt Scotch vs Blends, moving the damn Elf on a Shelf, is Sake a beer?, drinkin' cheap Sake, Sake's REAL name Comic #1: Batman / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (2015), Something Is Killing The Children, Batman's package. who is our favorite turtle, TMNT movies (old and new) Sake #2: Nanbu Bijin Tokubestu Junmai, the white powder on gum Comic #2: Wolverine #1 (1982), "The Wolverine" movie, Comics Code, The Ten Cent Plague, EC Comics, Future State, Fortnite, Trainspotting Sake #3: Tozai "Snow Maiden" Junmai Nigori, what is Nigori?, Thank you TippsySake.com! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/grapesandcapes/support

Season 1. Episode 34. Continuing our series of interviews with U.S. sake brewers, this week we sit down with Yoshihiro Sako, owner and brewer at Den Sake Brewery in Oakland, California. Yoshi comes from the hospitality side of the sake industry and brings a true love of sake over to the world of U.S. sake production. Hailing from Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, Yoshi is the ultimate ambassador of sake - melding his knowledge of Japanese culture and language with his years living in the U.S., to create a sake that is a unique and delicious hybrid of these two world views. With a bumped up acidity, unique calhikari rice and a firm, dry finish, Yoshi crafts sake that hews to his own vision. So far, he's been recognized as a James Beard Award semi-finalist as well as being featured in season two of the PBS Television series Tastemakers. Listen in as we taste Den's Junmai (batch 11) and explore the flavors that Yoshi is crafting in Oakland. As a true pioneer of sake brewing in the U.S., it's an honor to chat with Yoshi about sake now and how to raise sake up in the years to come.

Season 1. Episode 33. Do you know your way to New York's most legit and old school sake bar? Walk east on 9th street until you see the "On Air" sign just before second ave. Descend the stairs and behind the door you'll find Decibel, the ultimate underground sake bar. If you find yourself in a dark and graffiti-covered basement, you're in the right place. Opened in 1993 by East Village restaurant pioneer Bon Yagi, Decibel has welcomed the spectrum of NYC nightlife in search of sake for over a quarter century - and with over 100 sakes on the menu, there is plenty of sake to choose from. What better place for Tim and John to do their first "on location" episode, than from New York's most classic sake bar. Sit back, relax and take in the sounds and atmosphere of Decibel as our hosts recall their underground (mis-) adventures in sake. Special thanks to Decibel's Cho-san for arranging our recording session!

Season 1. Episode 31. This episode can be summed up in a word: "Tokubetsu"... now that just means Special. If you want to short and sweet version you are done! But looking a little deeper, there are a few reasons why a brewery might label a sake their "tokubetsu" or special sake. In almost all cases, Tokubetsu is applied to either Junmai or Honjozo sakes. These two Classifications allow for upgrades to a "special" classification for a few (sometimes vague) set of circumstances. To qualify as tokubetsu sake must be milled to 60% or less remaining for either the Junmai or honjozo category. Another way to qualify for Tokubetsu is to use a special or unique premium sake rice. Finally you can also use a special process or production step and print this on the label. It's a little vague but it boils down to a special process for a special sake. The majority you will find will be Junmai or Honjozo that are having a serious glow up! Look for anything "tokubetsu" to find a special sake - guaranteed!

In the forty-fifth episode of the most refreshing pod on the net, your host Campion will interview his friend James. They'll be drinking Junmai Daiginjyo Sake which is one of the higher tiers of sake. It's a refreshing and clean drink that pairs great with sushi. If you've ever found dinosaur bones in your backyard or seen Night at the Museum, you'll love this episode. Say "kanpai" and hit play! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Junmai, honjozo, ginjo, daiginjo... What do all these strange words mean? Do we have to know them to enjoy sake? It will definitely help you to identify the sake types you like, to understand a difference between these incomprehensible sake bottles in a shop or exotic sake names on a wine-list, to decide what sake you should choose for a particular meal, or whether you need to pop the bottle in the fridge before drinking or it’s fine as it is and so on.So let me be your guide in this vast and strange sake universe and you can decide for yourself whether you want to remember all this sake mumbo jumbo or just go easy and enjoy the drink. Episode's Content:Variety of SakeHistory of sake classificationCurrent sake classification criteriaFutsushuWhy do brewers add distilled alcohol?Premium/Special designation sakePremium sake is not always betterSake of the Episode: Dewazakura Oka GinjoKampai!Sake mentioned in the episode:Dewazakura Oka GinjoDewazakura BreweryWorld Sake Imports UKThe Whisky Exchange SorakamiMusic used: Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKazhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Season 1, Episode 5. For every yin there is a yang, for every sunrise a sunset and for every Junmai sake classification, there is a Non-Junmai classification. Alcohol added sake is referred to generally as "aruten" style sake. Just as we have 3 grades of premium sake for the Junmai "pure rice" styles, we have three grades of premium sake for the alcohol added styles. In this episode we take a deep dive into understanding the alcohol added classifications including a tasting of two different aruten styles. Along the way, we discover we may indeed be living in a golden age of sake. And it goes without saying that the sake glass is half full. Everyone knows that sake always finds a way.

Season 1, Episode 4. For this week "Junmai" is the magic word. It literally means "pure rice" in Japanese and refers to those styles of sake that are made with rice, water, yeast and koji only, with NO added alcohol allowed. Timothy and John explore the three classification grades of Junmai sake from the entry level grade (Junmai) to the middle grade of premium (Junmai Ginjo) all the way up to the luxurious, super-premium classification (Junmai Daiginjo). Learn what flavors you might expect from a Junmai style sake and what our recommended pairings are. You'll also hear about Timothy's intrepid journey finding himself alone on an isolated and rural Japanese country road in search of an elusive Junmai. And John tells of his trip to far away Kochi Prefecture to root out the perfect Junmai sake to pair with deep-fried Izakaya fare. Both stories have a happy ending, with Junmai Sake coming to the rescue. Have you tried all three grades of Junmai Sake?

As promised, the Sake On Air team’s exploration into the sake-specific Daiginjo and Junmai glassware developed by Riedel continues with an interactive tasting led by Riedel Japan President and CEO, Wolfgang Angyal. Clocking in at roughly 90 minutes, this is by far the longest episode of Sake On Air to-date. Why? There turned out to be just too much great food for thought and insightful commentary sprinkled throughout the entire experience. Our apologies in advance – we recognize that a strictly audio format is not the most ideal medium for communicating the nuances of tasting and the associated olfactory experiences. Our recommendation is to grab a bottle of sake for yourself and settle in to join us on what was really a fantastic tasting journey. Just for reference, the tasting employed Riedel’s Daiginjo and Junmai glassware, along with for the sake of comparison, a very standard ochoko (albeit a bit on the small side), as well as a Riesling glass also developed by Riedel. While not a prerequisite, we recommend listening to Episode 19, where Wolfgang gives an excellent detailed explanation of the glassware that we’re testing in this episode, as well as outlines the process that went into bringing them into fruition. In the tasting room this week along with Wolfgang are Sake On Air hosts Sebastien Lemoine, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Chris Hughes, Marie Nagata and Justin Potts. Please do let us know what you think about this week’s episode (and the show in general!) by taking a moment to rate and leave us a review on your podcast platform-of-choice. We can’t express enough how much it helps the show. You can send your questions to questions@sakeonair.com, as well as follow us at @sakeonair on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. For those of you that prefer YouTube, check back again very soon! 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 recording and editing by Frank Walter. We’ll be back in two weeks. Until then, kampai! Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

The Sake On Air team recently gathered at the Japan offices of Riedel, renowned Austrian wine varietal-specific glassware makers, to meet with Japan’s President and CEO Wolfgang Angyal in order to learn about the nearly two-decade process that went into producing two pieces of highly influential, sake-specific glassware: the Daiginjo Glass, and the more recent, Junmai Glass. Over nearly three hours, Sebastien, Rebekah, Chris, Marie and Justin got an in-depth rundown on the philosophy, process and journey that fueled the creation of both the Daiginjo and Junmai glasses, followed by an interactive tasting and simultaneous Q&A. For part 1 this week, Wolfgang outlines how Riedel’s unique and innovative sake-specific glassware came to fruition. For part 2 (coming soon), you’ll get the live tasting and the discussion that ensued organically throughout the process. This two-part episode is a bit of a new experiment for us here at Sake On Air. We’d love to hear your thoughts, not just about the content of the show, but also about the format. Are there any other shows of this nature that you’d like for us to make happen? Let us know! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @sakeonair Send us a message at questions@sakeonair.com If you have a moment, please do rate us and leave a comment on whatever service you regularly enjoy listening to Sake On Air. It helps us immensely. Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Potts.K Productions and Export Japan, with audio engineering by Frank Walter. Thanks for listening. Until next week, Kampai!

Clean Chinese Food and Runaway Pigs It’s 2019 and people still use food to perpetuate racist stereotypes. Food blogger and nutritionist Arielle Haspel opened up “Lucky Lee’s” a “clean” Chinese Restaurant named after her husband. I personally don’t have a problem with someone opening up a restaurant serving food from ethnicities or cultures not their own, as long as they respect it. Haspel is not respecting Chinese culture by playing into awful stereotypes about Chinese Food being greasy and making you feel bloated. Don’t even get me started on MSG. In the ’50s and ’60s, Chinese Restaurants were incredibly popular, but never considered fine dining because of negative stereotypes. Putting up Instagram posts saying that your food has less oil than traditional Chinese Food is like putting up a post saying “Our chicken is real chicken, not cat like other Chinese restaurants” Also, this place is only open from 11-3 so its barely a restaurant. In other news Princess, the Pig escaped her pen in Humboldt County, California. A neighbor posted a photo on Facebook, and the local police were able to figure out who the owner was. They went to a neighbors house to ask him to watch Princess while they tracked down her owners. The neighbor obliged, but when the police got back to the home, the neighbor was in the front yard butchering Princess. R.I.P Princess the Pig, we hardly knew ye. Tipping is Stupid and Unfair, but Completely Necessary Finance Giant CNBC ran this article in February, but it went viral this week. With a clickbaity title like”This Tipping Trip Can Save You Up To $400 A Year”, of course, I knew not to expect anything good, and would probably walk away angry. Long story short, to save you the click and not give them the web traffic, the author says that it is socially acceptable to tip on the pre-tax total instead of the post-tax total and he is correct but just because he is correct doesn’t mean he is right. People, customers, guests, whatever you would like to call them don’t tip on service. They tip on personality, how they connect with their server, and a million other tiny little things. All this author did was take money out of servers pockets. This article will not turn any pre-tax tippers into post-tax tippers but will have people think that they are saving money(You just spent $100 on dinner, tipping $20 instead of $22 isn’t going to save anything) Tipping is a necessary evil though. I definitely come from a place of privilege for what I am about to say. I’m a Tall Cis-Het White Male who has only worked at Upscale Casual/Fine Dining establishments. Every place I’ve ever worked at had a check average of $50-$100 per person, and people tip me between 18 and 20 percent. I love working for tips because I live in a place where people tip well, and I am a person that statistically speaking, people like to give money to. If you live in a small town and work at a chain restaurant that gets people in by serving them 3 courses for $10, tips are everything to you. That fifty cents you get from a table tipping post-tax might be what actually keeps you above zero this week. Server wage is $2.13/hr in most places, which means after taxes you are working strictly for tips. I can go deep into serving actually being skilled labor, and how most people reading this cannot do what my team is able to do. Every dinner is a symphony that I’m conducting, and much like a conductor, all I can do is tell my orchestra what to do and hope they execute it correctly. If your food comes out wrong, give the restaurant a chance to fix it before you decide you now aren’t going to tip. If you ask a female server for her number and she says no and you don’t tip, you’re a garbage person. Lastly, if you actually want to save money, learn to cook and dine out less. The best way to learn to cook is to keep following us on Instagram and Twitter and asking us questions about recipes, techniques, and anything else you can think of food wise. A Guide to Sake with Zak Gross Sake Expert Zak Gross joined us in the studio this week to talk all this Sake. Zak is a partner of Soto Sake, a newer sake brand that is taking the US by storm. It is an incredibly smooth and affordable Junmai Daiginjo. Essentially everything I know about sake I learned from Zak. We worked together at Sen Sakana and he made sure to teach me everything I needed to know and then some. I still occasionally text him questions and he always gets back to me and explains his answer thoroughly. Zak started serving at a very popular Japanese Restaurant in Hollywood, California and decided he would separate himself from the other servers by learning about sake and being able to upsell expensive bottles. His sake knowledge allowed him to go work at top Japanese restaurants all over LA and NYC. He eventually became the head bartender at Shuko and then worked with as the Beverage Director at Sen Sakana. Sake 101 There are two ways to categorize sake Purity: Junmai: Roughly translates to “Pure” this classification means that this sake was made only with Water, Yeast, Rice, and Koji. The rice milling can be at 70% for it to be called Junmai, but can also be a prefix for Ginjo and Daiginjo, hence Soto Sake being a Junmai Daiginjo. If sake does not have the Junmai label it means that the brewer decided to add a small amount of neutral spirit to the sake. Milling: Honjozo: This is the most popular classification of sake in Japan. It is the minimum amount of polishing at 70%. I like to try a brewery’s Honjozo before I try anything else because if it is good, the rest of their sake will most likely be good Ginjo: Rice with a polishing rate of 60% or less, a cleaner sake compared to Honjozo Daiginjo: Rice with a polishing rate of 50% or less, the highest quality sake

We decided that it was about time we sat down and hashed it out over something that is becoming an increasingly divisive topic in the sake world: to aruten or not to aruten? That is the question that John, little Chris, big Chris, and Justin pose to one another, as well as our listeners, in this week’s surprise release of Sake On Air. For those unfamiliar with the concept, both junmai and aruten likely appear to be nothing more than drunken gibberish. However, to anyone trying to discern what’s inside (or rather, not inside) a bottle of sake, this is important vocabulary.   “Aruten” is Japanese industry slang for sake which has had what is often translated as “brewer’s alcohol”, which is added to sake in some (many!) cases. It can also refer to the related process of adding such alcohol to a bottle of sake. While by no means necessary in order to craft a delicious fermented rice beverage, motivations for adding this somewhat ambiguous alcohol can range from anything as simple cost-cutting, to calculated and crafted usage leading to extremely high-end, carefully nuanced sake production. As reasons for aruten’s existence and prevalence very much run the gamut of motivations, it’s challenging to shuffle it into any one specific camp, or explain it in simple terms of “good” vs. “evil”. Aruten sake would include daiginjo and ginjo (without the word “junmai” attached), as well as honjozo and futsu-shu styles.   “Junmai”, then, translated literally as, “pure rice”, is exactly what you might expect: sake that has not had any brewer’s alcohol added in any form, or in other words, has not received the “aruten treatment”. Originally, any and all sake produced was junmai. However, times change, as do brewers’ ambitions and the market’s tastes and perceptions. There’s a rather significant “all junmai” push from both inside and outside the industry, as of late. The reasons for that, however, are actually more varied and complicated than you might think.   As regular consumers and extreme foodies alike increasingly (and rightfully) demand more transparency in relation to food and beverage, the industry is up against further pressure to openly communicate not only “what” is inside a bottle of sake, but also justify “why” it ought to be there in the first place.   In a world where views and opinions feel like they’re becoming increasingly polarized, we set out to do our best in order to give both junmai and aruten a fair shake, going to bat for both parties in (hopefully) equal form. In this episode, the goal isn’t to provide our listeners with “the answer”, but the information to help everyone make more informed decisions for themselves.   Are you in the “junmai camp”? The “aruten camp”? Or maybe just the plain old, “love for sake camp”? Hopefully this week we can help you to spread the sake love wherever it is your inspirations and preferences may guide you.   As always, thanks to both our dedicated followers and new listeners that make it all possible. If you’d like to leave us a kind review, our love for you will flourish all the more. We can’t begin to tell you how much that helps.   If you have any thoughts about the show, feedback, questions or show ideas, feel free to contact us at questions@sakeonair.com Please do follow along with us (@sakeonair) via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, as well. We try to send out some lovely photos and thoughtful words here and there in order to satiate those thirsty for more sake-related insight in between episode releases. A big thanks (as always) to the amazing Frank Walter for bringing us to life each and every round. 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.   Kampai!   Our theme is “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

3/3/19 - The very knowledgeable Charlie Yin, of the 88 Restaurant Management Group family, teaches us all about Sake at Hiro 88. We started with a generic well sake and worked our way in to premium and dessert sake. All of us were completely surprised and the difference in flavors and aromas among the different types. If you are interested in knowing more about this lesser known drink, this is the episode for you! Cheers! The types of sake we had were:House Sake; Gekkeikan Cap Ave, Junmai Shu; Kikusi Funaguchi; Kikusui Junmai Ginjo; Gekkeikan Horin, Junmai Daiginjo-shu; & Gekkeikan Zipang Spakling, Junmai

In this episode, Emma & Winston tackle new subjects and a new part of the world: Hayao Miyazaki, sake, and Japan! Listen to find out what Junmai, Ginjo, and Daiginjo mean on a sake label, as well as which Miyazaki films are our favorites of Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Spirited Away. We talk about the magic of these films and the dangers of the deliciousness of sake. Plus: how to pronounce Ghibli (we don't know), alcoholic Fresca, Mr. Hatgood, good mold, nigori, nama, genshu, Emma & Winston being gross, steampunk magic, ta-da forever, and several new slogans. Kampai! Thank you to Feedspot for choosing us as one of the Top 30 Wine Podcasts to Listen and Subscribe to! Check out the full list here. Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & Tumblr @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, www.thepairingpodcast.com Become a Pairing Patron on Patreon to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, livestreams and more! Please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! About Pairing: Pairing was created, edited, and produced by Emma Sherr-Ziarko, with music and audio recording by Winston Shaw, and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey.

Sakeskolan del 2. Här är de sorter som Åke Nordgren valde ut för dagens provning. Fr v: Enter sake (jun-mai ginjo) från Aichi län, Homare banshu yamada-nisshiki (jun-mai dai-ginjo), Yamatoshi-soko (jun-mai kimoto) från Akita län, Taru (jun-maishu), Oori-nigori (grovfiltrerad) från Wakayama län, Hanahato (jun-mai) lagrad i 8 år (!)  

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Chris Johnson, aka The Sake Ninja. As a sake sommelier, Johnson is one of the foremost experts on sake in the United States. Tune in to hear them discuss the differences between sake varieties, food pairings, sake judging competitions, and more!

Monica Samuels is the National Sake Sales Manager for Vine Connections, a wine and sake importer.

This week listener Jenn Y and I interview Tomomi Muraki Duquette, a sake sommelier from Niigata City who schools us in everything sake! We cover everything you need to allow you to explore the world of sake! Thanks to Tomomi and Jenn for a great lesson! We cover things like: What is sake? How much like beer is it versus like wine? How is sake made? What flavors should we expect from different kinds of sake? What are the different kinds of sake? What should we look for on the bottle? As promised, here are the types of sake that Tomomi discussed: junmai honjozo Junmai ginjo, gingo Junmai daiginjo, daiginjo  For more good reading on the topic, please visit this site: http://boutiquejapan.com/sake101/   Enjoy this very cool, different WFNP special!    And for more info on Tomomi's group, see her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/niigatasakelovers?fref=ts

Join us for a discussion on the origins and production of saké, and a tasting of four Junmai quality sakés: Sho Chiku Bai, Izumi, Hakusturu and Rihaku's Wandering Poet.  We tried to be as accurate as possible, while sticking to our motto of "drink it how you like it".  Much respect to the Toji near and far who make delicious saké - KANPAI! Sho Chinko Bai - http://www.takarasake.com/sake.php Izumi - http://ontariosake.com/ Haiku Katana (Kingdom of Loathing Item) - http://kol.coldfront.net/thekolwiki/index.php/Haiku_katana xxxHolic - http://www.funimation.com/xxxholic Blossom viewing party - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami The Book of Sake by Hiroshi Kondo - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4452654-book-of-sake Baijiu - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baijiu Maotai - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maotai Hakutsuru - http://www.hakutsuru-sake.com/top.html Rihaku (Wandering Poet) - http://esake.com/Brewers/RihakuB/rihakub.html E-sake - http://esake.com/ Utsuwa-No-Yakata (Japanese tableware store, now closed) - http://www.utsuwa.ca/ Sake drinkware - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sake_set Oishinbo - http://comicsworthreading.com/2009/03/24/oishinbo-a-la-carte-2-sake/ Ozeki California Sake - http://www.ozekisake.com/