Sake Revolution

Episode 117. This week John and Timothy give a recap of their recent visit to the Joy of Sake event in New York City.  This is one of the "big kahuna" sake events in the U.S. and a great kick off to what we hope will be a return to more in-person sake tasting overall.  We explore some of the history and what to expect at this event.  John even lets us in on his favorite sips of the night.  If you'd like to join next year, we give you all the details on staying connected to get in on their next big tasting.  We also enjoyed a summery nama sake from the Niwa no Uguisu brand which we tasted as a rare example of an unpasteurized usu-nigori (lightly cloudy) sake.  Listen in as we all discover the "Joy of Sake" together!  #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 116. 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 a real square in the world of sake cups - the masu.  Born as a box-shaped measuring cup for rice and re-imagined as a fragrant wooden cup for drinking sake, the masu is a totally unique vessel and one that you will find in Japanese sake bars and izakaya across the world. Have you tried drinking your sake out of a square box? And how does that masu stack up against our trusty wine glass?  Listen now to our third sake vessel smackdown! #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 115. While Sake Revolution is currently the only U.S. sake podcast, there are several other podcasters around the world working hard to spread the good word of sake.  We thought it would be fun to connect with our international colleagues for a little sake pod "crosstalk" to network and share the sake love. This week we connect with  Japan-based sake podcasters Giulia Maglio and Cindy Bissig, creators of "Sake Unplugged".  This podcast promises to take listeners behind the sake curtain and in our interview we find out about how they connected to get their podcast off the ground as well as the challenges of running a weekly show. Join us in the crosstalk!   #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 114. With the recent heatwave, there was one kind of sake that kept grabbing our attention.  Not just cold sake, but super-chilled "Mizore" sake.  Mizore means sleet in Japanese, and this word describes perfectly the sake slushies we made ourselves for this week's episode.  Sake slushies are made by freezing one cup sake or a small bottle to about 25 degrees F without letting it freeze solid.  When the sake is then agitated, it transforms by magic into an icy, cool and super refreshing sake sorbet-like treat.  Listen in as John and Tim get super chill and enjoy their first homemade Mizore Sake slushies.  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 113.   A-ha moments are not one and done.  This week, John and Timothy explore a sake brand that was a sake "A-ha 2.0" for them both.  Perhaps a bit less well known in Japan compared to some other so-called cult sakes, Kamikokoro is a brand from Okayama that is winning new fans around the world.  Kamikokoro has harnessed the power of their renowned local fruit - Yume Hakuto White Peaches - to take their sake to the next level.  The Kamikokoro Tokagen Nama sake tasted in this episode uses yeast from the peaches to express a deep and rich fruitiness that steers clear of tropical notes to focus in on stone-fruit and citrus.  And if you're interested in Japanese peach folklore, you'll surely want to first sip some sake and then listen in to our retelling of Momotaro, the legend of the boy born from a peach who teams up with a monkey, dog and pheasant to defeat a bunch of Orge bullies. Lets explore the power of Kamikokoro's peachy sake. hashtag peach emoji!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 112. When it comes to sake controversies, there is one topic that can give "hot sake vs cold sake" a run for its money - and that is "sake cocktails!" Love them or hate them, cocktails made with sake are an up and coming way for new consumers to get their first exposure to sake.  Since this is a somewhat controversial topic, we found the perfect subject matter expert to walk us through the the ins and outs of sake cocktails - Mr. Kenta Goto!  He is an award-winning bartender with two eponymous cocktail bars: Bar Goto in Manhattan and Bar Goto Niban in Brooklyn.  Kenta gives us his take on the role of sake in cocktails and teaches us how to marry sake wth other cocktail ingredients to create a balanced drink.  And even better, he guides us on how to mix our own sake cocktail live on the podcast! This experience leaves John and Timothy shaken AND stirred as they reevaluate everything they thought they knew about sake in cocktails.  If you feel somewhat muddled yourself when it comes to sake cocktails, this week's episode will help you find the sake cocktail that's just right for you. #sakerevolution Support the show

Episode 111. What do you get when extreme sake goes mainstream? Chances are, you're looking at a popular style known as Super Dry sake.  Referred to as "cho-karakuchi" in Japanese, these boozy, ultra-dry sakes pull a full 180 to the super sweet dessert sakes we've tasted before.  Prepare yourself for a sake that puts the alcohol aromas, flavors and finish front and center.  The bracing texture of this sake style really wakes you up and might be just the right fit if a dry martini is your favorite cocktail.  Super Dry sakes styles are popular with a fair amount of mainstream appeal but might they lack balance?  This week John and Timothy explore to see what puts the super in super dry sake. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 110. It's not every day that a new sake book hits the market, so we knew we had to sit down and talk with authors Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay about their fantastic new tome "Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth."  Nancy and Michael co-authored this book that focuses on the ingredients in sake and well as the microbes and people that magically transform those ingredients into the beverage we all love.  The stories that come out of their research trips across Japan to dozens of craft breweries illustrate the skill, nuance and fun that goes into crafting Japanese sake.  You'll come away with a new appreciation for the history of this ancient beverage and the book also helps beginners and experienced sake drinkers alike gain new perspective on appreciating whats new in the world of sake as well.  This sit down interview is part 2 of our discussion and sake tasting with Nancy and Michael - go back to episode 109 if you happened to miss part 1!  Be sure to pick up your copy of "Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake" wherever fine books are sold! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 109. It's not every day that a new sake book hits the market, so we knew we had to sit down and talk with authors Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay about their fantastic new tome "Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth."  Nancy and Michael co-authored this book that focuses on the ingredients in sake and well as the microbes and people that magically transform those ingredients into the beverage we all love.  The stories that come out of their research trips across Japan to dozens of craft breweries illustrate the skill, nuance and fun that goes into crafting Japanese sake.  You'll come away with a new appreciation for the history of this ancient beverage and the book also helps beginners and experienced sake drinkers alike gain new perspective on appreciating whats new in the world of sake as well.  This sit down interview is part 1 of our discussion and sake tasting with Nancy and Michael - and join us next week for part 2!  Be sure to pick up your copy of "Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake" wherever fine books are sold! #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 108. What happens when you bend the rules of sake brewing? You can certainly end up with sake that some would call extreme.  Case in point- there is some traditional thinking around how to treat "nama" or unpasteurized sake.  The often repeated golden rule is to 'keep it chilled' and 'drink it young'!  What happens if you decide to long-term age this kind of sake?  Today we'll find out!  Aged Nama is a new frontier in the world of sake styles.  If funky, fun and umami-driven flavors speak to you, you may very well want to check out this unconventional style of sake for yourself.  Let's explore the newest trend in older sake: Aged Nama!  #SakeRevolutionSupport the show