This week on our show, we’re heading to Kagoshima, the heart of Japan’s shochu production! Join us as one of our regular hosts, Chris Pellegrini, sits down with the incredible Maya Aley – a certified Shochu Meister and industry expert with over 6 years of experience. Maya is also the manager of Bar Roku, a must-visit destination for shochu lovers. In this episode, Maya shares how a visit to her bar is not just about enjoying a drink but also about experiencing “a dinner and a show.” She introduces us to the rich world of shochu, its makers, and the Kagoshima region, offering insights into local culture, traditions, and even other beverages beyond shochu. With one of Japan’s best shochu selections and educational displays, Bar Roku offers a unique experience that Maya loves explaining to guests. Together, we dive deep into the art of enjoying shochu, from traditional serving styles to the growing trend of shochu-based cocktails. Maya explains the rise of “soda wari” and how distillers are now skillfully highlighting natural aromas and flavors without adding anything artificial. We also discuss Maya’s exciting new ventures, including her latest bar and Shochu Bistro Gou, a Kagoshima-inspired restaurant that pairs local ingredients with shochu. With over 150 shochu varieties, it’s a showcase of the region’s distillers and their flagship brands. And finally, Maya wraps up the episode by sharing her local tips on how to spend the perfect day in Kagoshima. Tune in for a fascinating journey through the world of shochu and Kagoshima culture! For anyone curious about Maya make sure to check out her Instagram and in case you are in Kagoshima you can find Bar Roku here. As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! This episode has been made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake on Air was created by Potts-K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Justin Potts, Miho Ota, Cindy Bissig, Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pelegrini, Arline Lyons, Shuso Imada, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Miho Ohta, a key player in the nihonshu production industry, joins sake expert John Gauntner and flavors connoisseur Frank Walter to discuss natsuzake, Japan's refreshing summer sake. They explore the absence of a legal definition for natsuzake and the trending shift towards sour, low-alcohol varieties. With anecdotes on personal serving rituals and insights on the visual appeal of sake, the trio delves into the unique serving styles that make nihonshu a beloved drink even during the hottest months. Cheers to summertime flavors!

Yu Nakamura is pioneering sake projects in Thailand, while Nattinee Sirirattanapol, also known as Pam, co-founded initiatives elevating the sake scene in the region. They share their transformative journey in introducing craft sake to Thailand, discussing the cultural challenges and the necessity for education. The duo highlights the elegant pairing of Thai cuisine with sake, showcasing how flavors interact harmoniously. They also recount a memorable event where a skeptic discovered the joys of sake through food, exemplifying the culinary adventure they advocate.

Maksim Polkin, a prominent sake distributor in Japan, shares his journey in the sake industry, from Russia to Ginza. The conversation covers Imadeya's marketing strategies, Russian cuisine evolution, sake pairings, and the presence of Japanese beverages in the Russian market. They also discuss customer trends in Ginza and plans to improve the sake store experience for all clientele.

Nathaniel Hoy, a sake enthusiast, shares his experience creating a unique sake named 'En' with Sekiya Brewery. He discusses the process of custom ordering sake and the special relationship he has with the brewery. Nathaniel's passion for sake shines through as he continues to promote and expand his unique creation.

Rebekah Wilson Lye, deeply involved in Craft Sake Week, shares insights on the evolution of the sake industry and trends witnessed over years. Discover the significance of the event showcasing 120 breweries, unique pricing strategies, and the vibrant atmosphere with music and art installations. Get practical tips on navigating the event efficiently and enjoy a celebration of diversity and craftsmanship.

During the recording of Episode 115 “Should sake be promoted like wine?”, Sarah Stewart mentioned a research project between some members of the British Sake Association, and Coravin, the US firm selling a device aimed at preserving the flavors of wine in the bottle after indulging oneself with one glass or two. Intrigued, Sebastien Lemoine reached out to Grace Hunt, Chief Operating Officer at Toku Sake, a premium Junmai Daiginjo produced in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, for the UK market, as well Greg Lambrecht, inventor of Coravin and Chairman of the company, based in Boston. You will hear about Coravin’s history and how the device works, in general and for sake (in effect the results of the research project launched by Toku Sake), as well as how Coravin is helping Toku Sake to open new doors at bars and restaurants.  If you ‘d like to share what devices you are using to preserve the flavors of your favorite drink after opening a bottle, you can do so on Instagram, X, or Facebook, and you can reach us all directly with your thoughts or questions at questions@sakeonair.com. There’s more Sake On Air headed your way again in just a couple of weeks. Until then, kampai! Sake on Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew.

Justin Potts, Chris Hughes, and Sebastien Lemoine discuss the trend of contract brewing sake, including benefits for established breweries and entrepreneurs. They explore partnership sakes, private brand sake, and OEM sake, offering insight into the world of sake collaborations. Tune in for more on sake education experiences and kampai!

Explore the art of aging sake, from the challenges of categorizing 'old sake' to the revival of aged sake after a century. Learn about breweries shifting to Koshu sake, the complexities of marketing aged sake, and the unique flavor profiles created by time.

It feels like only the very recent past when opportunities for more formal sake education and certifications were few and far between, and when they were available, they were often infrequent and hosted in only a handful of territories, which made learning from knowledgeable industry insiders and professionals relatively prohibitive for most of the world’s growing number of sake-curious. Thankfully offerings from formalized organizations and institutions expanded, and a handful of ambitious sake pioneers helped increase both the frequency and quality of these much-needed places and spaces. This week’s guest, however, not only positioned himself on the front lines of the sake education movement as a certified instructor of the WSET sake curriculum while raising the bar for service night-in and night-out as the Beverage Director of Ki Modern Japanese + Bar in Toronto, he also established the world’s first core curriculum and certification focusing on the regional qualities of Japanese Sake with the Sake Scholar Course. His extensive travel throughout Japan and relentless dedication to furthering the depth of knowledge available to sake professionals led to him being anointed a Sake Samurai in 2018. In 2022 he (literally) wrote the book on sake, together with Nancy Matsumoto, providing the world with the James Beard Foundation Award-winning (and fantastic), Exploring Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth. This week we’re thrilled to welcome one of the world’s leading sake educators, Michael Tremblay, as he joins Justin Potts to discuss the nature of teaching, studying, learning, and growing together with the ever-expanding sake-inspired community around the world. If you’d like to follow along with Michael’s tireless endeavors you can catch him @mtrsake or @sakescholarcourse. If you have some of your own sake (or shochu) education experiences that you’d like to share with us here at Sake On Air, you can do so on Instagram, X, or Facebook, and you can reach us all directly with your thoughts or questions at questions@sakeonair.com. Thanks so much for raising an ochoko with us this week. There’s more Sake On Air headed your way again in just a couple of weeks. Until then, kampai! Sake on Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew.