Sake Revolution In Search of Junmai Sake: Drunken Whales and Country Roads
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?