Sake Revolution

Episode 87. With 2021 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. But we're not only looking back, we are also looking ahead to 2022 and coming up with a new set of our annual Sake Revolution Resolutions - setting our sake goals for the year ahead.  Did you have a favorite Sake Revolution Episode from this year?  Let us know in the comments and we look forward to another year of great sake and many kanpais.Support the show

Episode 86.  This week, we take on a listener request and roll out the barrel - the sake barrel that is.  Taru sake is a unique style of sake that is aged in "sugi" or Japanese cedar.  This barrel aging allows the sake to take on a warm, woody and soothing aroma and flavor. At the first sip it is unmistakeable, but also mysterious. Once upon a time in Japan, all sake was Taru, as this wood was the principal material used to construct wooden brewing tanks and shipping barrels. With the advent of stainless steel tanks and glass bottles for shipping in the 20th century, Taru sake has evolved into more of a niche style. For fans of Taru, the finest cedar is recognized as coming from the Yoshino forest in Nara.  So let's listen in as we explore the barrel-aged beauty of taru sake.Support the show

Episode 85. The holidays are here and gift giving is high on the to-do list for a lot of us. One thing that we love to give and receive is, of course, a bottle of sake. But before you pull the trigger there are a number of considerations when giving sake. John and Timothy discuss what types of sake work well for what occasions and how you can dress up a bottle of sake with a stylish “furoshiki” or include a sake cup or carafe along with the bottle. Not sure if your friend is a friend of sake? Reach for our “Crowd Pleaser” sake recommendation which will warm the heart of even the most grinchy-est grinch on your holiday list. A sake with a unique production method or high end design to the packaging is excellent for your recipients who already love sake and will help them dive deeper into their new hobby. So, whether the folks on your list have been naughty or nice, a gift of premium sake is sure to fit the bill!Support the show

Episode 84. The Holidays are our favorite time of year!  And sake, of course, is our favorite beverage. This week, we explore a new project that brings them together like never before. Online sake retailer Namazake Paul has released the first Sake Advent Calendar! That's right! 23 Sake cups and a full size bottle to enjoy on the 24th.  The sake cups arrive in a big rectangular box that, when opened, reveals the cutest illustration of a snowy christmas village filled with cartoon animals enjoying sake and winter fun.  Behind each door, as you'd expect, is a single serving cup of sake.  This was a massive effort to put together and immensely fun to enjoy and explore.  Tim and John taste through Dec 1st and 2nd in this episode and generally just have fun getting into the holiday spirit.  Be sure to visit the episode show notes if you'd like to get information for getting your own sake advent calendar for next year!Support the show

Episode 83. We love a good sake interview and today we have a great one!  We are joined by our friend Sam Barickman who has worked in just about every aspect of the sake industry.  Sam has worked not only for a sake brewery but he has also introduced sake to the public as a sake sommelier in high end restaurants. Currently Sam is active in sake distribution and sales with a new distribution company, Sipt Global.  We sit down with Sam to learn about his path into the sake industry and it involves ripe peaches, a stunning view of Mount Fuji and of course some show stopping premium sake.  We also tasted two of Sipt Global's products from the renowned Kozaemon brand produced by Nakashima Jozo in Gifu Prefecture.  These two brews are a delight and are great examples of elegance and depth in the sakes that Kozaemon is producing.  Listen in as we taste, explore and enjoy these sakes but be on high alert for that #UmamiSneakAttack!Support the show

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

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

Episode 80. It's time to get wild again! Wild about sake rice, that is.  This week we zero in on a premium sake rice that is elegant and a true workhorse: Gohyakumangoku. This is not a sake rice name that rolls off the tongue on first glance, but it is well worth getting to know.  Once you've conquered the pronunciation, the rest is pure enjoyment.  Gohyakumangoku is the second most produced premium sake rice in Japan and comes from the land of clean, crisp and dry sake: Niigata Prefecture.  As you might expect, this rice produces sake that tends to be lighter, cleaner and more airy - perfect for Niigata's regional style.  We'll be tasting a classic Niigata sake to examine these characteristics a bit deeper and to see what Gohyakumangoku sake rice brings to the party.  Join us as we go a bit gaga for Gohyaku!Support the show

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

Episode 78. Movies about sake are few and far between, so you can bet that "The Birth of Sake" caught our attention when it was released as a feature length documentary in 2015.  It profiles a brewing season at Yoshida Shuzoten, the makers of Tedorigawa brand sake out of Ishikawa Prefecture.  The story centers on Yasuyuki Yoshida, the 7th generation heir to the brewery and chronicles his path to learning the skills not only to take over as brewery president, but also be come the new master brewer when their toji moves toward retirement.  It's a beautifully shot film that truly takes you inside the brewery.  Just as beautiful is the Tedorigawa sake that is well known as an outstanding example of premium sake with an emphasis on the flavorful yamahai brewing style.  There is a lot to explore as we learn about The evolution of this great Ishikawa brewery.  Support the show