Sake Revolution

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

Episode 107. 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.  We start with Alex, the intrepid voice behind London's "Sugidama Podcast". He brings sake interviews, history and education and to his interesting episodes. We also take some time to taste a sake together. It's a sake with a hard-to-pronounce name that is, however, oh so easy to drink: Kokuryu "Kuzuryu" Junmai.  Join us for our first crosstalk!   #sakerevolutionSupport the show

Episode 106.  With his family's sake brewery on the verge of closing for good in 2003, Tadayoshi Onishi, at the age of 27, retooled the type of sake they were making by launching a new brand and a new flavor profile.  Their "Jikon" label soon gained recognition for its zippy and bright texture all while being approachable and easy drinking.  Since then, Jikon has been very much in demand with a limited supply causing some to label this a hard-to-find "cult" sake.  Luckily for us, there is some Jikon distribution in the States, so we couldn't resist looking into this brand for ourselves. Listen in and join us as we explore the world of Jikon sake!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 105. This week we interview and get to know Wes Konishi the President of the Sake Brewer’s Association of North America. Wes gives us the lowdown on the SBANA and their mission to help with establishing North American sake breweries and advocating for legislative form for the U.S. sake industry. Most of us sake lovers remember a special “A-ha” moment where we discovered the joys of premium sake for the first time, but Wes comes prepared with no less than two “a-has” that cemented his love for sake. Listen in as we discuss the path forward for sake education and sake literacy in the States. You won’t want to miss it!Support the show

Episode 104. 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 the most common and widely used sake cup: the work-a-day ochoko.  Ochokos are small, standard sake cups most often made of ceramic, but also coming in metal, glass and even wooden varieties. These cups can be seen dotting izakaya tables across Japan and are an everyday staple for sake lovers around the world.  But how do ochoko stack up against our trusty wine glass?  Listen now to our second sake vessel smackdown! #sakerevolutionSupport the show