Sake Revolution

Episode 97. 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.  Let's start by taking a look at one of the most traditional sake cups there is - the ceremonial Sakazuki.  This wide and shallow saucer-like cup is footed and often holds just a sip or two of sake.  They can be made of ceramic, metal, lacquered wood and even glass.  Most commonly seen at a Japanese shinto wedding ceremony, these cups scream tradition - but how do they stack up to our wine glass in terms enjoying taste and aroma?  Listen in to the first in a series of sake vessel smackdowns!   #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 96. Listen at SakeRevolution.com.  What's the first thing that pops to mind when you hear the word "Miyagi"?  Well, Daniel-san, if you're our age, it might be Mr. Miyagi's "wax on, wax off".  But we are digging deeper to discover the real Miyagi - Miyagi Prefecture that is! And, by listener request, we'll be exploring some of the brands and sakes that are a part of this fascinating and resilient region. With only 25 breweries total, Miyagi suffered a major blow during the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.  Six of the 25 breweries were completely destroyed. With the support of sake lovers, government support and a lot of hard work, all of the effected breweries were rebuilt and are back in business.  There is so much to love about this interesting prefecture.  Our sake tasting takes us back to Katsuyama Brewery, which is well known for it's rich, fruity and luxurious styles of ultra-premium sake.  This delicious brew has us looking forward to our next trip to Miyagi. #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 95. Listen at SakeRevolution.com.  Sitting down with another U.S. sake brewer, this week John and Timothy interview Steve Vuylsteke, CEO of SakeOne sake brewery in Oregon.  Steve has an extensive background in Oregon wine, not only having grown up in a winery and but also having lead several wineries as CEO over the years.  Fate brought Steve to SakeOne in 2009 and since then he's guided the company through the rapid growth of the craft sake movement in the U.S.  What's it like to transition from promoting Oregon Pinot Noir to Oregon Junmai Ginjo?  Steve shares with us a bit of his journey from grapes to rice.  To explore one of SakeOne's offerings, the guys taste a special sake together - Naginata Junmai Daiginjo, the Crown Jewel of SakeOne's portfolio. It features American grown Yamadanishiki and a limited production run of only 600 bottles per year.  Listen in and let's learn about one of the original craft sake breweries in the  States - SakeOne. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 94. Listen at SakeRevolution.com.  This week John and Tim try to keep the episode short and sweet... EXTREMELY sweet, that it! Yes, extreme sakes are back! Listen in as we descend the Sake Meter Value (SMV) scale to taste a sake rated at a stunningly low -86!  This super-duper sweet strawberry nigori from Homare Shuzo shatters our expectations on what extremely sweet sake is all about.  Made with pure strawberry purée, this funky brew gives us serious Jamba Juice smoothie vibes all while maintaining a background flavor of clean and smooth sake and does not take itself too seriously. While extremely sweet sake is not something you could drink all day, it certainly reigns supreme in the world of desserts and after-dinner drinking. Lets see if Sweet Dreams are made of this! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

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

Episode 92. Listen at SakeRevolution.com. Are you ready to get EXTREME?  In a new series, Timothy and John explore the fringes of what sake can be, taking on the expressions of sake that really push the envelope.  To start things off, we look at a sake that has undergone only a bit of rice polishing - just a scant 10% milled away to leave us with a full 90% seimaibuai remaining.  Most premium sakes clock in at 70% or often much less of the rice grain remaining.  How will the minimal milling affect the flavor?  This extreme brew comes from Terada Honke Sake Brewery located in Chiba Prefecture.  They take a "low intervention" approach to brewing using ambient yeast, home grown koji mold, organic rice and the old school kimoto yeast starter.  Any natural wine enthusiast would feel right at home with this philosophy.  Listen in to see how this extreme sake fares with Timothy and John.  Be sure to stay tuned for more extreme sake coming soon! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 91. This week we train our sake spotlight on another perennial favorite prefecture: Yamagata.  Quite rightly known as the "Ginjo Kingdom", Yamagata has one of the highest percentages of premium sake production of any prefecture in Japan.  The Yamagata Sake Brewer's Association has united the 50 breweries in the prefecture to focus their production, starting in the 1980s, on more aromatic, floral and fruity ginjo style sakes.  There is no better poster child for this than the popular Dewazakura Oka Ginjo sake which made its debut in 1980 and was one of the first brews to help shape the style of the new "Ginjo Kingdom".  Join us and listen in as we explore, study and taste the elegance of all things Yamagata ginjo. #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 90. What better way to kick off a new year on the show than to have a reunion with two ultimate VIPs who are indeed "married to sake".  This time, we get Myshell and Scott, the Sake Revolution Spouses, back for another episode but this time... together!  How did they feel about their previous episodes?  What is it like to be married to a sake-lebrity?  Do they mind being locked away every week while John and Tim Record?  John and Timothy also break out a Hiyaoroshi-style sake to taste with their better-halfs.   Listen in as we enjoy this fall nama in the middle of winter and muse on some fun pairing ideas for this special sake.  You won't want to miss this fun behind-the-scenes episode!Support the show

Episode 89. We've all sipped sake from a glass, and you may have even used sake in cooking, but did you know its also possible to eat your sake as well?  This week John and Timothy take a look at a very unique style of sake called kijoshu.  It is made by replacing some of the water used in creating the fermentation mash with finished sake.  This fortifies the mash and in turn creates a rich, sweet dessert-style sake that is often aged to deepen the flavor. Taste-wise, it could be compared to a sauterne wine or a rich sherry.  Now, you can certainly sip kijoshu from a glass, but we'll explore a totally fun pairing idea that has us reaching for a spoon instead! Listen in and taste along with us as we savor the flavors of kijoshu and try a totally new way to enjoy sake!Support the show

 Episode 88.  This week, something a little different! Back in Oct 2021, John and Timothy were guests on the Japan Eats! Podcast, hosted by our friend Akiko Katayama.  As we take a week off for the holidays, enjoy this replay of our visit to Japan Eats!  The topic was: "You found out you like sake - Now What??"  We had a great time talking with Akiko and we hope you'll enjoy the listen!  We'll be back to our regular format next week.  Until then, Happy New Year and, as always, kanpai!Support the show