Sake Revolution

Episode 57. Our Shubo series continues! Shubo of course is the "fermentation starter" step of sake production.  Whichever the method, we use lactic acid to give the shubo a jump start and allow the sake yeast to live its best life.  This week, we look at the Kimoto method.  Kimoto is the O.G. method that has been the default for centuries.  By definition, it involves the mashing of rice, rice koji and water together in a low tub, into a paste using long poles in a step known as "yamaoroshi."  Then over the next two weeks or so, lactic acid bacteria in the mash slowly and naturally creates lactic acid which eventually kills off any ambient microbes, wild yeast or other unwanted microorganisms.  When the sake yeast is introduced, it can thrive uninhibited and go on to do it's sake making work.  Kimoto is no longer used that much - only about 1% of sake made today uses this historically important starter method.  Be sure to give kimoto a try if you see it - it's a sake that will connect you with centuries of sake making in just one sip. Let's go!Support the show

Episode 56. Over the next few weeks, we're going to do a short series on a sake production step called "Shubo" (酒母). Shu=Sake and Bo=Mother.  So consider this step the mother of the sake, and it gets translated in many ways... seed mash, yeast starter, fermentation starter. However you slice it, the shubo step in sake production is where yeast get introduced and where fermentation begins. One of the keys to all shubo methods is lactic acid.  It is required to kill off all of the bad bacteria and make the starter tank environment ideal for sake yeast. The secret to the sokujo method is that they put in ready-made lactic acid to jump start the process. All other shubo methods let lactic acid develop naturally over time.  Be cause it is easier, cheaper and faster, 90% of all sake produced uses the Sokujo method.  So, let's dive in and learn more about all things Sokujo!Support the show

Episode 55. Few sake personalities shine as bright as Mr. Kosuke Kuji, the 5th generation President of the Nanbu Bijin Sake Brewery.  Known as "Mr. Sunshine" of the sake industry, Kuji-san has been a tireless booster of the sake while promoting his Nanbu Bijin brand literally around the world.  We were honored for Mr. Kuji to take time to talk to us. After a bit of introduction to his brewery, we finally learn the answer to a question that has long puzzled sake fans far and wide! Why is "Nanbu Bijin" a.k.a. "Southern Beauty", located in the northern prefecture of Iwate?  You'll need to tune in to find out!  And also, we get Kuji-san's take on the growing industry of sake brewing outside Japan.  While learning the art of sake brewing on Youtube alone may not be the answer, listen in to find out why we need sake producers all around the world and not just in Japan.   We also taste Kuji-san's much loved Shinpaku Junmai Daiginjo - it's velvety and alluring. Listen in on this fun, interesting and enlightening talk with this well known Kuramoto! Support the show

Episode 54. Continuing our series focusing on the "wild rice" of the sake world, we move next to sake rice royalty.  There is one strain of premium sake rice that is grown in more volume and used in more premium sakes that any other: Yamadanishiki.  Originating out of Hyogo Prefecture as a cross breed of Yamadaho and Kantan Wataribune, the  resulting rice that came to be known as Yamadanishiki was born to be king.  This rice reigns supreme for a reason - it is large in grain size, has a highly developed starchy core (known as shinpaku), is lower in protein and fats, and dissolves easily after soaking and steaming. In short, it has many ideal qualities that brewers are looking for. Because it is more costly to grow however, brewers often use Yamadanishiki for their top of the line, super premium sakes where they coax out vibrant, fruity flavors. Why not join us as we explore the world of yamadanishiki sake?  They are easy to find and oh so easy to enjoy. Long live the king!Support the show

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!”Support the show

Season 1. Episode 52.  Of Japan's 47 Prefectures, the third largest is Fukushima. This region is a sake powerhouse with a number of famous sake breweries and more than their share of gold medals in all kinds of sake competitions.   Today John and Timothy look into a couple of Fukushima sakes and dive a bit deeper into the unexpected flavors of this region.  Look for deep, developed flavors on the palate and a sophisticated thread of umami throughout. Timothy also tells the tale of a ramen game-of-chance he found in Kitakata City. You need to slurp every drop of ramen broth to find out if you've won. You'll definitely want to join us as we explore a bit of the sake kingdom of Fukushima.Support the show

Season 1. Episode 51. This week we meet up with another U.S. sake brewer - Shinobu Kato.  Shinobu was born in Tokyo, Japan and came to the States for school and stayed on for work.  After discovering a passion for sake brewing, he left corporate America to make a go at working full-time in fermentation and opened up Kato Sake Works in March 2020.  Just as Shinobu was getting his Bushwick, Brooklyn micro-brewery off the ground, cue the pandemic.  Despite the challenges of 2020, Shinobu hung in there and with the support of sake-curious Bushwick locals, he toughed out a tough year.  Right now, he's celebrating a hard-earned year of success at Kato Sake Works by releasing a fabulous, limited and very special anniversary sake the Kato Sake Works Shizuku Junmai.  Shizuku is a rare style of sake that uses the least invasive pressing method - gravity alone does all the work.  Join us as John and Timothy sit down with Shinobu to talk about brewing sake in Brooklyn, his fabulous Shizuku sake and why it always pays to leave the door open for the neighborhood dogs.  Happy one year anniversary to Kato Sake Works! Kanpai!Support the show

Season 1. Episode 50. Well it's been 50 episodes since Sake Revolution launched in 2020.  The year turned out very differently than we expected... as did our little sake podcast.  This week John and Timothy flip the script on its head and start the episode with a "kanpai".  John starts by asking Timothy what the heck is a Sake Samurai anyway? Has anyone else ever had a crazier first day in Japan? Let's all promise to "Spread the word about Japanese sake around the world with pride and passion!" Then, we look back on how the Sake Revolution got started... it was just a couple of guys with a sake-soaked podcast idea and absolutely no idea what they were doing. What could go wrong!?  Well, as it turns out, transcription A.I. is not yet up to speed with all the latest sake vocabulary, leading to hilarious transcription errors such as SUCKY Revolution. JUNE MY GOOD JOB!  Challenges aside, to celebrate this milestone, the guys enjoy a 50% milled Yamdanishiki Junmai Ginjo from Izumo Fuji Brewery to celebrate 50 episodes.  This soft and lovely sake is the perfect soft landing pad for winding down our first season of episodes.  Looking to the future, we see a sunny horizon of on-location episodes and maybe even a visit to Japan??  Our sincere thanks to everyone who has listened to Sake Revolution so far.  We are so grateful and hope to bring you more sake sipping, savoring and kanpai-ing in the next 50 episodes.  Let's go!Support the show

Season 1. Episode 49. While we've done a fair number of interviews on Sake Revolution, today marks the start of something special as we challenge ourself to reach out in a new direction. To start off, it's important to know that the word "kuramoto" means "Japanese Sake Brewery President." We're beginning our first in a series of sit down talks with Kuramoto in Japan.  Our first guest is Mr. Testuo Yamaguchi.  He is the 11th generation president of Yamaguchi Shuzojo in Fukuoka Prefecture, and is the maker of the "Niwano Uguisu" (Garden's Nightingale) brand of sake.  Mr. Yamaguchi was kind enough to take time to chat with us about his brewery and tell us quite a bit about his brewing philosophy.  There is a strong emphasis on pairing with the local cuisine - a platform that we can really get behind!  Together we taste one of Yamaguchi-san's flagship products, the Niwano Uguisu "Garden's Nightingale" Junmai Ginjo 60.  It's a delightful sake - just look for the unmistakeable nightingale bird on the label.  Our special thanks to Mr. Yamaguchi for this fun and enlightening talk! Enjoy this first of many Kuramoto chats to come!Support the show

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 -  dilute another day.Support the show