Sake Revolution

Episode 133. It's time to get wild again! Wild about sake rice, that is.  Wild Rice is our series where we look closer at different strains of sake rice and what makes them unique.  This time around, we take things a bit literally and look at a true heritage wild rice strain that is used to make sake.  A "wild rice" episode featuring an actual wild rice? A bit too on the nose perhaps, but we couldn't resist! We are talking about "Akamai" or red rice.  This ancient grain has a distinct dark color and contains tannins that help facilitate a striking rosé-blush color when it is used to make sake. Flavors can be bright, tart, and fruity - anything but boring. Let's dive in and see how wild this rice actually is! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 132. With 2022 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. Tim and John both let us know their favorite sakes and their favorite episodes from the past year. What was your favorite episode?  Let us know in the comments and we look forward to another year of great sake and many kanpais. Happy Sake New Year! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 131. The holidays are returning and along with them, the eternal question - what gift is best?! We know the answer! Sake is an amazing gift for friends, family and colleagues.  This week Timothy and John have a "wrap" session dedicated to all things sake-gifting. As for tasting, we'll introduce you to a snow globe in a bottle - the Senkin "Snowman" Junmai Daiginjo Nigori.  This premium seasonal sake would be a delicious gift in itself, but also represents the best of the spirit of the holidays - in sake form. Enjoy this week's episode as we explore all things holiday sake! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 130.  Join us this week as John and Timothy go down the rabbit hole in search of what could be described as the most unique sake yeast out there!  This takes us over 100 years back in time to the establishment of the first olive trees in Japan planted in the rural Sanuki region of Kagawa Prefecture which we learned went on to become the nation's epicenter for olive oil production.  To boost slumping sake sales, the Kagawa Sake Brewer's association decided in 2016 to leverage their region's famous fruit to create a new style of sake. And thus, Sanuki Olive Yeast was born.  Finding the right strain of yeast took years of research, but finally, an alcohol tolerant yeast propagated from olive leaves and fruit was established.  Would you roll the dice and try a sake made from olive yeast? And does it actually taste like olives??  We promise you'll be surprised! We sure were! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 129. This week we focus our spotlight on sake and stories from another prefecture: Yamaguchi!  Well known in Japan as the home to the poisonous but delicious Fugu (Japanese blowfish aka pufferfish), there are a number of outstanding breweries in the Prefecture. Located on the far western tip of Japan's main Honshu island, Yamaguchi is not close to Tokyo, but does have easy access to Hiroshima. To dip our toe into the wide world of Yamaguchi sake, we taste the stunning Gangi Mizunowa Junmai Ginjo. This expressive and fruity brew elegantly layers pineapple, mango and a whisper of floral notes to create a silky smooth and enjoyable aroma and flavor.  But does it pair with Fugu?  Listen in and discover a bit of what Yamaguchi sake has to offer. #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 128. 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 an icon in modern design - the Sori Yanagi Sake Glass.  With a solid glass foot, and a clear, minimalist bowl, the Yanagi glass is perhaps the most ubiquitous sake cup design of the post war period. How does this design stack up agains our standard wine glass?  tune in this week to find out! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 127. Dreams do come true! Since its inception, the guys at Sake Revolution has been hoping to do an episode where at least one of them is reporting in “live from Japan”. With the covid restrictions finally easing, travel to Japan is allowed again and John jumped at the chance to visit our favorite destination! This week is a casual check in on the progression of his trip to the best sake bars and shops in Hiroshima and Tokyo. They guys also reminisce on their first (sideways) attempt to broadcast Sake Revolution live from Japan back in early 2020. This redemption episode finally gets us on the air as we envisioned! So let’s take a sneak peek at some sake hijinks Live from Japan! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 126. This week, John and Timothy explore another brand profile: Kamonishiki from Niigata Prefecture. This small brewery breaks the mold on what most people expect from a typical Niigata brewery – that is, classic, crisp and dry flavors along with even more classic labels. The packaging for Kamonishiki’s Nifudazake line really steals the show. The focus is squarely on small batch production at Kamonishiki. Each bottle has a hang tag instead of a traditional label and this tag not only tells us the usual sake classification and rice milling rate, but also which specific tank the sake came from. The sake itself is as beautiful and unique as the packaging with fruity notes and a lush palate. Let’s have som fun and experience this barrier-busting microbrew! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 125. Believe it or not, the holiday season is sneaking up on us again! And while you may be finalizing your halloween costume, we are thinking ahead to enjoying sake this December. What better way to do this than with the world’s only Sake Advent Calendar! Created for the second year in a row by sake retailer Namazake Paul, the calendar has been upgraded and improved by importing a number of new cup sakes and redesigning the packaging and presentation. Lucky recipients of the Sake Advent Calendar can compare their tasting notes of all the mystery sakes on a dedicated facebook group. The calendar also comes with a tasting notebook and adorable cover art featuring a sake-loving polar bear named “shiro kuma”. Without a doubt, this is the perfect gift for yourself or for the sake fan in your life! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 124. 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 an industry standard sake cup - the "kikichoko".  A larger relative of the standard ochoko, Kikichokos have a blue and white bullseye design inside the cup. To learn all the secrets of the kikichoko and to see how it stacks up against our trusty wine glass, listen now to this week's sake vessel smackdown! #sakerevolution Support the show