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- Mar 31, 20261h 3m
Itami - Sake's Other, Other Birthplace(?)
Andy and Jim dig into the past of Itami, an influential sake brewing area in Hyogo prefecture that found itself replaced by Nada. What innovations did Itami offer up, and why did it get left in the shadows of sake history? Come listen as your hosts brush the cobwebs off a nearly-lost sake brewing center that just might be the birthplace of seishu. Kanpai!Vocab for this episodeNamizake 並酒 - An early word for sake brewed with unpolished rice in both kōji and kakemai.Morohaku 諸白 - Sake brewed with polished rice both for kōji and kakemaiKatahaku 片白 - Sake brewed with polished rice for kakemai and unpolished rice in the kōji.Genroku Period 元禄時代 - A historical period, 1688-1705, when Itami was at its sake brewing peak. Kamigata 上方 - An Edo period term for the region around Kyoto, where the imperial court remained.Hashirashōchu 柱焼酎 - The use of kasutori shōchu, distilled from refermented sake kasu, as an additive to sake for a variety of purposes.Recommendations:Andy ＆Jim both - Choutokusen Shirayuki Edo Genroku no SakeDon’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.comFind Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he mostly doesn’t talk about sake at all.Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
- Jan 31, 202654 min
Niigata - How Snow Country Sake Fueled the Jizake Boom
This time, Andy and Jim take another regional dive and head to snow country: Niigata. With more sake breweries than any other prefecture, its once-hidden brands like Koshi no Kanbai and Hakkaisan are now nearly universally known to sake fans. How did this out-of-the-way region become the source of so much sought-after sake? Two words: Jizake Boom. Listen in and get some history of how Niigata sake and changes in the late-20th century sake market go hand in hand. Kanpai!Vocab for this episodeHōrō 琺瑯 - Enamel coating on metal, in this case fermentation and storage tanks.Kasubuai 粕歩合- The ratio of rice solids left after sake fermentation, expressed as a percentage of the initial weight of rice used. Sake no Jin 酒の陣 - A famed Niigata sake festival held in March.Tanrei Karakuchi 淡麗辛口 - Usually translated something like “light and dry,” this is a style of sake popularized by Niigata breweries in the latter half of the 20th century. It was lighter and drier than previously popular sake styles, and shared some characteristics of what we now call ginjō-style brewing, i.e. low and slow fermentation.Recommendations:Andy - Secchubai Honjōzō Jim - Koshi no Kanbai White Label Jōsen Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.comFind Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he mostly doesn’t talk about sake at all.Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
- Dec 31, 202552 min
Brewery Hierarchy - Sake Making Structure
As the New Year brings a sake drinking season to us all, Andy and Jim take a moment to think about the people who make it and the system that keeps the brewery pumping. From toji to kurabito, the roles in a sake brewery all play an important part in keeping our tokkuri filled. Listen in for the inside story. Kanpai!Vocab for this episodeKanzukuri 寒造り - The system of sake brewing during the cold seasons imposed by government edict in the Edo period.Kashira 頭 - Literally “head,” the second highest rank in a traditional organization, such as a sake brewery.Kōhai 後輩 - A relative rank referring to any member of a group junior to the speaker.Kurabito 蔵人 - The general term for the workers in a sake brewery without specific title. Ranked sometimes into Jō (upper) Chuu (middle) and Shita (lower) levels.Motoya 酛屋 - The person in charge of making the moto fermentation starter.Muroya 室屋 - The person in charge of making kōji in the kōjimuro.Oya or Oyabun 親・親分 - Literally “parent/father,” used as a term of address for people high up in a traditional organization, like a sake brewery.Sanyaku 三役 - The three major ranks/roles of a traditional organization, most commonly used these days in reference to the Sumo ranks of Ozeki, Sekiwaki, and Komusubi. In sake brewing, these are the Kashira, Muroya, and Motoya.Sendō 船頭 - The person in charge of pressing (traditionally a fune press). Senpai 先輩 - A relative rank referring to any member of a group senior to the speaker.Shain 社員 - The general word for a full time, permanent employee of a company. Replacing the traditional brewery structure of the tōji system.Sōtōji 総杜氏 - Overall tōji. In sake companies with more than one brewery, and so more than one tōji, the top of them all who coordinates all the sake production.Recommendations:Andy - Ozasaya Taketsuru Kimoto Junmai GenshuJim - Kenbishi Kuromatsu Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.comAnd buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)!Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
- Nov 30, 202548 min
Namazake - The Story of Unpasteurized Sake
In an amazing oversight, Andy and Jim realize they’ve never dug into the history of namazake and its path toward becoming a mainstay of the modern sake market. What was the first commercially available namazake? When did it hit shelves? And most importantly, is it really only drinkable fresh? Listen in for fresh, unheated sake talk, and kampai!Vocab for this episodeNamachozo 生貯蔵 - Stored unpasteurized/heat treated, then pasteurized on bottling.Namazume 生詰め - Pasteurized before storing, then bottled without another pasteurization.Namanama 生生 - Sake that has not undergone any pasteurization (usually just nama)Jukusei 熟成 - Matured or aged.Namajuku 生熟 - Aged namazakeRecommendations:Andy - Daijiro Kimoto Junmai NamazakeJim - Kikusui Jukusei FunaguchiDon’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.comAnd buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)!Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
- Oct 31, 202538 min
Hiyaoroshi - Autumn Sake Season is Here
Summer has passed here in Japan, bringing cool evenings perfect for a nice warm tokkuri full of kanzake. You might not be surprised to hear that your hosts both agree that the sake inside should be hiyaoroshi, the sake of autumn. It’s a topic that Andy and Jim have mentioned time and again, but this time they dive deep into the best of all seasonal sake. What does that name mean? Why is it such a special class of sake? And what’s the difference from akiagari, really? Listen close and all your questions will be answered. Kanpai!Vocab for this episodeHiya 冷、ひや - Cool in temperatureOroshi 卸、おろし - To bring down, to package, to ship out or sell wholesaleAki 秋 - AutumnNamachozo 生貯蔵 - Stored unpasteurized/heat treated, then pasteurized on bottling.Namazume 生詰め - Pasteurized before storing, then bottled without another pasteurization.Recommendations:Andy - Minami Tokubetsu Junmai HiyaoroshiJim - Moriko Junmai HiyaoroshiDon’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.comAnd buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)!Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
- Sep 30, 202542 min
Sugidama - Sake Brewing's Evergreen Symbol
Andy and Jim take a break from the beverage itself to talk about one of the most recognizable symbols of sake there is: the sugidama, also known as a sakabayashi… Or IS IT?! Come and listen as your hosts trim away the excess to expose the sphere of truth behind this enduring icon, including the location of Japan’s biggest example. Hint: It’s practically in Jim’s backyard.So fill those tokkuri up and settle in for some sake culture on this International Sake Day edition of Sake Deep Dive.Vocab for this episodeSugi 杉 - Cryptomeria japonica. An evergreen in the cypress family, this tree is native to Japan and its wood has been an essential part of sake brewing for centuries. Not synonymous with “cedar” but sometimes called “Japanese dwarf cedar” which is odd because the trees can grow to like, 70 feet high…Sakabayashi 杉林 - A “sugi forest.” The name for a traditional Shinto item made of a roughly tied bundle of sugi branches. Not a ball, so not a sugidama.Sugidama 杉玉 - A spherical bundle of sugi branches hung at nearly every sake brewery in Japan. It has become a symbol with many meanings, all of them good.Recommendations:No sake recommendations, but do come to Japan and see the sugidama!Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)!Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
- Jul 31, 202547 min
Nigori - Clearing up Cloudy Sake
In a perfect follow up to the pressing episode, Andy and Jim try to clear the water on a murky issue: nigori sake. What is it? WHY is it? How do they make it? And how should I drink it? Listen, and all the clouds will be lifted. Kanpai!Vocab for this episodeKassei nigori 活性にごり - “active” nigori sake with living yeast still making alcohol and, importantly, CO2. Can be explosive on opening.Nigori にごり・濁り - Literally “cloudy.” Here, we’re talking about sake with visible rice residue. It can range from only slight cloudy to thick, creamy white.Ori おり・澱 - Lees, sediment, dregs… The very fine rice solids still left in sake after pressing.Oribiki おり引き - A practice of allowing sake to rest in the tank after pressing so that the ori settles to the bottom. Clear sake is drained off the upper level, with the ori-rich sake still left at the bottom.Origarami/Orizake おりがらみ・おり酒 - Sake taken from the lower levels of an oribiki tank. This sake has lots of residual solids, which not only makes the sake “cloudy” but also brings complexity and heft.Sasanigori ささ濁り・佐々濁り - Very lightly cloudy sake.Usunigori うすにごり・薄濁り - Lightly cloudy sakeRecommendations:Andy - Seikyo Junmai Nigorizake 誠鏡 純米にごり酒Jim - Nakashimaya Junmai Nigori 中島屋純米にごりDon’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)!Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
- Jun 30, 202540 min
Natsuzake - Summertime Sake
Andy and Jim sweat over the details of summer sake. Is it light and refreshing, or hefty and punchy? Is it a brand new idea or something as old as brewing rice into booze? Lean back in your beach chair, slather on some sunscreen, and get ready to break the ice with the sake boys of summer in another Sake Deep Dive!Vocab for this episodeNatsu 夏 - Summer!Sake 酒 - Sake!Recommendations:Andy - Tamagawa IcebreakerJim - Chomonkyo Natsu no Sake/ NatsujunDon’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s sake tours at: https://www.originsaketours.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)!Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notionsUnder a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
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About Sake Deep Dive
A sake podcast for the beyond beginner!Sake brewer Andrew Russell and sake writer/translator Jim Rion dive deep into the history and culture around Japan's national drink to bring context and insight, for when an introduction just won't cut it.Join us every month for a tokkuri full of unfiltered sake knowledge!Our theme song is from:Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-n...Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-laneMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
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