エピソード

  • Nada: The Sleeping Giant

    Nada: The Sleeping Giant
    2024/09/13
    Nada is a well-known name in the world of sake. Almost a brand, it is associated with the area whose sake dominated the Edo (Tokyo) market in the later part of the Edo period (1603-1868), and it is still the largest sake production area in Japan. Despite this track record, “Nada sake” can sometimes be reduced to an association with “Industrial sake” and carry a slightly negative image. We think it is important to set a few facts straight! In this episode Andrew Russell, sake brewer at the iconic brewery Kenbishi, John Gauntner and Sebastien Lemoine discuss Nada and its sake: the area’s boundaries (across 3 cities today) and history, the sake style, the huge contribution it made to the development of the sake brewing industry (processes, tools, sakagura design). That history was rough at times and Nada breweries last showed their strength and resilience at the occasion of the 1995 Hanshin earthquake. It led to deep changes in the area. Nada breweries can make any sake, and it should not be a surprise that Hyogo (including 9 Nada breweries) collected the largest number of gold medals at the New Sake Appraisal Competition in 2024. Last but not least, our 3 hosts are sharing a number of tips about places our listeners can visit there to discover or experience more. For anyone curious about Andrew Russell, make sure to check out his tours and website on OriginSake and or listen to his podcast (Sake Deep Dive, co-produced by Jim Rion) 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.
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    1 時間 7 分
  • Exploring Shochu in Kagoshima with Maya Aley

    Exploring Shochu in Kagoshima with Maya Aley
    2024/08/27
    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.
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    34 分
  • Natsuzake Revisited

    Natsuzake Revisited
    2024/08/15
    Summer in Japan is hot! Too hot some might say. To help beat the heat, nihonshu producers sell a variety of sake called natsuzake or “summer sake.” But what is natsuzake really? It has no legal definition and no established taste or serving guidelines. Miho Ohta and John Gauntner have a conversation about the recent trends in natsuzake until Frank Walter joins the fray to talk about natsuzake flavors and the trend towards sour flavors and low alcohol in sake. While the jury is still out on whether natsuzake will become a consistent kind of sake, the answer is clear that sake is totally a summer drink, even (according to Miho) when warmed. Tell us your thoughts and feelings about natsuzake at @sakeonair on Instagram and Facebook, or send us a message with your thoughts and experiences to questions@sakeonair.com. We’ll be back with more Sake On Air before you know it. 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.
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    54 分
  • Finding Sake Seeker: Thai food and Sake

    Finding Sake Seeker: Thai food and Sake
    2024/07/18
    This week we are excited to welcome not just one, but two amazing guests to our table Yu Nakamura and Nattinee Sirirattanapol, aka Pam, who are changing the face of sake in Thailand with an array of amazing projects and collaborations! So join us as one of our regular hosts Chris Hughes sat down with them at our base the Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center in the heart of Tokyo for a chat with them. Find out what brought them together and how they got into sake. Their company TASTE HUNTERS and especially their brand Sake Seeker had caught our attention before, so we were eager to learn more about it as well as their amazing sake concepts and the unique strategies that helped them import sake. We are also exploring how they are connecting sake breweries with outlets to change the image of sake in Thailand. For this interview, we were incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to join one of their events in Tokyo. Sake Seeker was in town to showcase a fusion of modern Thai food and sake. Needless to say we were excited to experience just how amazing these combinations of food and sake are firsthand. As Chris pointed out, it is not an entirely new concept and certainly a Thai Green Curry (if not too spicy) can pair wonderfully with some sake, however it was really brilliant to see all the aromatics, so famous for Thai food, coming together and perfectly match with the pairings Yu and Pam suggested. So prepare yourself as in this episode, we not just learn more about the Thai sake market, but also venture a little bit in the the world of gourmet, as our guests share why you may do well to get a bottle of sake to pair with your Thai cuisine. For anyone curious about Sake Seeker and upcoming events, make sure to check out their Sake Seeker Instagram, as these ladies really do not seem to stop, with many great events constantly on their schedule (and spread all around the world). And of course, you can (or should) also check out Yu’s Instagram to learn more about her creative endevours and last byt but not least her amazing Grandma's Recipes on Youtube. 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! 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. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.
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    1 時間 2 分
  • Selling Sake in Ginza with Maksim Polkin

    Selling Sake in Ginza with Maksim Polkin
    2024/07/11
    We're Back! This time we are talking to Maksim Polkin of Imadeya, one of the most well known sake distributors in Japan. He is usually at their Ginza Six location, but helps introduce people to the wonders of sake all around Tokyo. Sebastien Lemoine and Chris Hughes talk with Maksim about how he found himself in Japan and in Sake. Their conversation also winds through the forest of sake retail, the needs of different markets and how Imadeya sees itself in the industry. You can follow Makism on his instagram and he helps manage the Imadeya Ginza instagram as well. Kanpai!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 Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.
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    1 時間
  • Designing Your Own Sake with Nathaniel Hoy

    Designing Your Own Sake with Nathaniel Hoy
    2024/05/08
    This week Chris Hughes continues our discussion of contract brewing sake with a conversation with Nathaniel Hoy. We started this series with Episode-117: A Sake of Your Own: Contract Brewing Sake: in which Sebastien Lemoine, Chris and Justin Potts shared their opinions and expertise on the trend of sake companies brewing custom sakes for clients. We recommend you listen to that episode before listening to Chris’s interview with Nathaniel.Nathaniel describes himself as just a sake enthusiast, but he is much more than that. Aside from collecting professional sake certifications, Nate worked at Kintora Shuzo in Nagoya during the Pandemic. He still spends much of his time promoting the brewery. He is also the creator of “En” a custom-brewed sake that he made with Sekiya Brewery Ginjo Koubou. The way he went about deciding what kind of sake to make left even Chris rather surprised.In this episode we learn more about the process of custom ordering sake. We also learn about Nate’s special relationship with Sekiya Brewery, and how that enabled him to make a fully unique sake.If you want to know what “En” tastes like and are in Japan, you can reach out to Nate via his Instagram. His sake may also start being sold in some sake shops, as he is making more of it every year!Of course and 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! 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 for Sake On Air.
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    51 分
  • Craft Sake Week with Rebekah Wilson Lye

    Craft Sake Week with Rebekah Wilson Lye
    2024/04/13
    In this week's episode of Sake On Air Sebastien Lemoin and Cindy Bissig are talking about the World’s largest sake event, which just so happens to be a project that one of our other regular hosts; Rebekah Wilson Lye is deeply involved in. We are of course talking about Craft Sake Week in Tokyo! Japan’s most prominent sake event, which was founded by no other than Hidetoshi Nakata in 2016 is not it its 8th installment and is promising to top everything we have seen before. With even more “extra time”, this year CSW will be over the duration of 12 days (kicking off on the 18th of April and finishing on the 29th of April 2024), showcasing 120 breweries from all around Japan bringing some of the best brews available including sake we do not often see at similar events. Accompanied by some of the best food Tokyo has to offer in a stunning space featuring Taichi Kuma’s fabulous art installations, as well as the chance to experience an electrifying lineup of DJs and performers that will elevate your evening with unforgettable entertainment. But aside from the obvious, CSW is so much more and in this episode we are digging a little deeper than just mentioning the breweries or how to navigate it. We were lucky to have Rebekah share with us not just her extensive knowledge of the sake world per se, but also the trends she has been witnessing over almost a decade of CSW, how the industry evolved and how that is reflected in this very special festival. We hope that this will help you enjoy this special event and of course if you are having 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! 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 for Sake On Air.
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    1 時間 1 分
  • Preserving the Flavors of Sake with Coravin & Toku

    Preserving the Flavors of Sake with Coravin & Toku
    2024/03/29
    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.
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    1 時間