Episode 119 This week we welcome sake expert Jessica Joly to the podcast to introduce us to this very special trio of sakes all from Saga Prefecture. The breweries are all different and distinct, but they have collaborated to create a set of three bottles with a unique branding and flavor story you won’t see anywhere else. First, from Koimari Brewery, we have the Tropical Junmai Daiginjo which uses the silhouette of a pineapple on the label to communicate it’s fruity aroma and flavor. Next, the ...
Sep 08, 2022•37 min•Season 3Ep. 119
Episode 118. This week, John and Timothy combat the boredom of late summer by exploring another extreme sake. If you've ever put a squeeze of lemon in your iced tea, you know acidity can transform a beverage. But what role does acidity play in sake? and how do we taste it? By exploring a sake that is much higher in acid, we hope to uncover this and more. Wine is well known to have more overall acidity than sake, so let's see if this high acid brew brings some wine-like qualities to the tasting. ...
Sep 01, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 118
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 t...
Aug 19, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 117
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 measuri...
Aug 11, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 116
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 ...
Aug 02, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 115
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 ...
Jul 27, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 114
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...
Jul 22, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 113
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 epony...
Jul 15, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 112
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 c...
Jul 07, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 111
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 acro...
Jun 28, 2022•37 min•Season 3Ep. 110
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 acro...
Jun 14, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 109
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 y...
Jun 07, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 108
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 t...
Jun 01, 2022•34 min•Season 3Ep. 107
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...
May 23, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 106
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 lov...
May 13, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 105
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 sma...
May 07, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 104
Episode 103. If you look up "extreme sake" in the dictionary and you may well find a picture of this bottle in there. We are upping the ante on our quest for extreme sakes this week by introducing a brew with a lot of character... and a lot of fans: Tamagawa Heirloom Yamahai Junmai Genshu from Kinoshita Shuzo out of Kyoto. The brainchild of UK-born Master Sake Brewer Phillip Harper, this sake is extreme in its deft use of ambient yeast to create a uniquely wild fermentation starter. Paired with ...
Apr 30, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 103
Episode 102. Who needs a vacation?! If you’re having visions of swaying palm trees and ocean sunsets, this episode may be just what the doctor ordered! This week, we live vicariously through John’s recent trip to Hawaii and his visit to Islander Sake Brewery, makers of Hawaii’s only local sake. John wouldn’t leave us high and dry, so we also get to taste a fruity and zippy Kitashizuku Junmai Ginjo sake from Islander, hand carried by John from Hawaii for this episode. It’s a rare treat that gets ...
Apr 19, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 102
Episode 101. This week, we have an enlightening and fun interview. We’re joined by Marcus Consolini, a New York City native who became the first non-Japanese owner and CEO of a sake brewery in Japan. In 2017, Marcus was introduced to Osaka’s Daimon Shuzo and with his background in finance and banking, he began a partnership to help guide the 200 year old brewery into new markets and opportunities. With such a unique perspective on the sake industry, both inside Japan and abroad, we knew we’d hav...
Apr 10, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 101
Episode 100. This week, we reach a very special milestone - 100 episodes of Sake Revolution! John and Timothy plan to celebrate with a quiet and heartfelt Kanpai together to reflect on the last two years, but - a few interruptions got in the way. Our phones were suddenly blowing up with previous guests of Sake Revolution checking in. You won't believe some of the breaking sake news and updates we received! Did Timothy and John ever get their quiet Kanpai together? Listen in to find out! A specia...
Mar 31, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 100
Episode 99. Ripening in May each year, Japanese plums have a brief window of being in season. Brewers take advantage of this delicious fruit to make an ever popular style of sake known as "Ume-shu" a.k.a. plum sake. We're not talking about sticky and cloyingly sweet chemical plum wine here but rather a lightly sweet, tart and low alcohol elixir that is made by soaking whole plums in premium sake. These styles of premium umeshu have complexity and go down smooth as silk. John and Timothy dive fee...
Mar 22, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 99
Episode 98. What’s on the menu this week? Well, Menus! Sake Menus, that is. We’ve all been there – Sitting in a restaurant, our server asking what we’d like to drink, staring at a sake menu and wondering what the heck to order. Sake menus come in all shapes and sizes and range from the helpful to the downright perplexing. The goal of any sake menu should be to help a customer easily find a sake they will love. And what makes a good sake menu? There is no one answer, but John and Timothy look at ...
Mar 16, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 98
Episode 97. 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. Let's start by taking a look at one of the most traditional sake cups there is - the ceremonial Sakazuki. Th...
Mar 11, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 97
Episode 96. Listen at SakeRevolution.com. What's the first thing that pops to mind when you hear the word "Miyagi"? Well, Daniel-san, if you're our age, it might be Mr. Miyagi's "wax on, wax off". But we are digging deeper to discover the real Miyagi - Miyagi Prefecture that is! And, by listener request, we'll be exploring some of the brands and sakes that are a part of this fascinating and resilient region. With only 25 breweries total, Miyagi suffered a major blow during the March 2011 Great E...
Mar 03, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 96
Episode 95. Listen at SakeRevolution.com. Sitting down with another U.S. sake brewer, this week John and Timothy interview Steve Vuylsteke, CEO of SakeOne sake brewery in Oregon. Steve has an extensive background in Oregon wine, not only having grown up in a winery and but also having lead several wineries as CEO over the years. Fate brought Steve to SakeOne in 2009 and since then he's guided the company through the rapid growth of the craft sake movement in the U.S. What's it like to transition...
Feb 23, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 95
Episode 94. Listen at SakeRevolution.com. This week John and Tim try to keep the episode short and sweet... EXTREMELY sweet, that it! Yes, extreme sakes are back! Listen in as we descend the Sake Meter Value (SMV) scale to taste a sake rated at a stunningly low -86! This super-duper sweet strawberry nigori from Homare Shuzo shatters our expectations on what extremely sweet sake is all about. Made with pure strawberry purée, this funky brew gives us serious Jamba Juice smoothie vibes all while ma...
Feb 16, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 94
Episode 93. It is a truth universally acknowledged that, when visiting a foreign country, learning a few words of the local language can go a long way to enhancing your experience. We certainly agree and this is doubly true when visiting a sake bar in Japan. This week, Tim and John will introduce you to their "Survival Japanese" for navigating the all important conversations around ordering sake in Japanese. Move beyond a simple Kanpai and learn to describe some sake flavors and temperatures in ...
Feb 11, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Episode 92. Listen at SakeRevolution.com. Are you ready to get EXTREME? In a new series, Timothy and John explore the fringes of what sake can be, taking on the expressions of sake that really push the envelope. To start things off, we look at a sake that has undergone only a bit of rice polishing - just a scant 10% milled away to leave us with a full 90% seimaibuai remaining. Most premium sakes clock in at 70% or often much less of the rice grain remaining. How will the minimal milling affect t...
Feb 02, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 92
Episode 91. This week we train our sake spotlight on another perennial favorite prefecture: Yamagata. Quite rightly known as the "Ginjo Kingdom", Yamagata has one of the highest percentages of premium sake production of any prefecture in Japan. The Yamagata Sake Brewer's Association has united the 50 breweries in the prefecture to focus their production, starting in the 1980s, on more aromatic, floral and fruity ginjo style sakes. There is no better poster child for this than the popular Dewazak...
Jan 25, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 91
Episode 90. What better way to kick off a new year on the show than to have a reunion with two ultimate VIPs who are indeed "married to sake". This time, we get Myshell and Scott, the Sake Revolution Spouses, back for another episode but this time... together! How did they feel about their previous episodes? What is it like to be married to a sake-lebrity? Do they mind being locked away every week while John and Tim Record? John and Timothy also break out a Hiyaoroshi-style sake to taste with th...
Jan 20, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 90
