Episode 144. This week, we “think pink”! Hanami is the Japanese tradition of picnicking under cherry trees in full bloom. It’s a treasured seasonal pastime in Japan that is carefully tracked and timed for friends and family to enjoy blossom viewing at its peak. The cherry blossoms represent the fleeting nature of beauty and how it is worthwhile to stop and admire these natural displays as they will soon fade and flutter to the ground. Traditionally, sake is enjoyed under the trees as well, with especially lucky vibes should a blossom petal float into your sake cup. Timothy tells of his experience in Japan when he enjoyed hanami and also about the day he knew for sure that hanami season was over. Before its too late, let’s enjoy hanami together! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 143. Lights, Camera, Action! This week we are joined by fellow podcaster, film buff  and sake fanatic Ben Haslar, from the Reels of Justice podcast to talk sakes and film.  We focus primarily on the famous Birth of Sake documentary from 2015, a film that explores sake making at Ishikawa prefecture's Yoshida Shuzoten, the makers of the Tedorigawa brand of sake. If you haven't seen the Birth of Sake film yet, please watch it before listening! Seriously... Spoiler Alert! To pair with our discussion, we taste the flagship Tedorigawa sake - their Yamahai Junmai.  In addition to The Birth of Sake, Ben recommends his other top 3 movies that feature sake. Alright Mr. DeMille, listen in, as sake is ready for its close up!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 142. Stop the presses! Sake is back again in the news recently and we wanted to take a look at some of the latest newsworthy sake headlines hitting our shores.  This week, we'll discuss the New York Times' declaration that "Sake is Booming in America" and talk about their comprehensive take on sake.  We'll also look at a report out of Japan that the 1.8L Issho-bin or magnum bottle size for sake is falling out of favor.  Lastly, we'll discuss the BBC's take on the global rise in sake sales outside of Japan.  Listen in to get our two cents the latest sake headlines as we revisit our series on sake in the news!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 141. When you think of Washington DC, What pops to mind?  Maybe the White House? or perhaps the picturesque cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin each spring?  If this week's guest has her way, when you think of DC, you'll soon think of "sake"!  Reiko Hirai is the founder of DC Sake Co - an online sake retailer serving the Washington DC area.  She's also an event planner and a strong voice working to promote sake in our nation's capital. This year marks Reiko's first annual Spring Sake Festival in DC with an upcoming event happening on April 6th 2023 that is not to be missed. We toast with one of Reiko's favorite sakes, Fukucho Junmai Ginjo, to celebrate the coming of spring and to celebrate sake in Washington DC! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

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

Episode 139. If you enjoy the sound of ice cubes clinking in a glass, this may be the episode for you! This week, John and Timothy crack open the topic of sake on the rocks!  Pouring sake over ice may not be the norm, but it can be a treat with the right kind of sake... and the right kind of ice.  We'll experiment with tasting our higher alcohol genshu-style sake both on the rocks and straight up to see what works better along with the pros and cons of sake over ice. But all that is just the tip of the iceberg, so sit back, listen in and chill with us as we sip our sake on the rocks.    #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

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 135. Ready, Set, GO! This week, John and Timothy explore another brand profile: Gokyo Five from Sakai Shuzo in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Yes, we are returning not only to Yamaguchi, but also to the town of Iwakuni for this week’s episode. The town is famous for it’s 5 arched Kintai Bridge and Gokyo “GO”  FIVE (Go means 5 in Japanese) is a fun brand that explores seasonality and highlights the brewery’s dedication to “kioke” or wooden sake brewing vats. While breweries across Japan abandoned wooden vats to use for fermentation decades ago, Sakai Shuzo is bringing back this tradition coupled with a kimoto fermentation stater for good measure. The resulting sakes are educational to learn about and absolutely delicious to taste. Let’s GOOOO! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show