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 episode

Kanzukuri 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 Genshu

Jim - 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.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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

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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 episode

Namachozo 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 namazake

Recommendations:

Andy - Daijiro Kimoto Junmai Namazake

Jim - Kikusui Jukusei Funaguchi

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.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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

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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 episode

Hiya 冷、ひや - Cool in temperature

Oroshi　卸、おろし - To bring down, to package, to ship out or sell wholesale

Aki 秋 - Autumn

Namachozo 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 Hiyaoroshi

Jim - Moriko Junmai Hiyaoroshi

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.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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg 

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 episode

Sugi 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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

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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 episode

Kassei 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 sake

Recommendations:

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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg 

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 episode

Natsu 夏 - Summer!

Sake 酒 - Sake!

Recommendations:

Andy - Tamagawa Icebreaker

Jim - Chomonkyo Natsu no Sake/ Natsujun

Don’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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg 

Andy and Jim bear down and wring out their brains to get as much info as possible about an overlooked part of the sake making process: shibori. Whether you call it pressing (correctly) or filtration (hmmm…), this is a step that is both more complicated, and more important, that most people probably think. No pressure, but you really need to squeeze this one into your schedule. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Arabashiri 荒走り - The “rough run” of sake that is the first to come out of the press during shibori.

Assakuki 圧搾機 - Literally, “pressing machine.” The official name for what is usually called a “yabuta” after the most popular brand of sake press.

Fukurozuri 袋吊り - “Bag pressed” sake, in which moromi is put into cloth bags, which are then tied to a pole over a collecting tank. Also called shizuku shibori 雫搾り, meaning “droplet pressing”. But no pressure apart from gravity is used.

Fune 槽  - A traditional shibori style using a large wooden (and these days stainless steel) box filled with bags of moromi then pressed from above. Modern ones use hydraulics, older ones could be hand-cranked or use a tenbin 天秤 cantilever system.

Moromi 醪 - The sake mash, a thick concoction of rice, rice koji, and liquid. The solids (kasu/lees) must be separated from the liquid (sake) to be called seishu 清酒. 

Nakagumi 中ぐみ - The middle section, or the “hearts” of a sake pressing.

Seme 責め - The final section, or the “tails,” of a sake pressing. 

Tenbin shibori 天秤搾り - A very old style of pressing in which a fune is pressed using a counterweighted beam. A huge beam is suspended over the press with a cantilever to push down on the sake when large weights are put on the other end of the beam. Also called haneki shibori はね木搾り.

Recommendations:

Andy - Hoken Retro Label (寳劔 純米 レトロラベル)

Jim - Harada Tokubetsu Junmai Saito no Shizuku

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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg 

Andy and Jim go all in on a single brewery this time, looking at Akita Prefecture’s Aramasa Shuzo. Known as one of the most desirable and hard-to-get labels around, we wonder what exactly makes it that way? The answer may well lie in an obsessive focus on detail, from brewery cleaning to label design. Scrub your kioke, tie up the shimenawa, and fill your cup with a true maboroshi. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Kioke 木桶 - Wooden tanks for fermentation etc. Aramasa uses all wooden tanks.

Shimenawa しめ縄 - A woven straw rope decorated with white paper charms, associated with sacred spaces in the Shinto faith. Used on the tanks at Aramasa.

Maboroshi 幻 - Literally a “phantom,” figuratively it’s something that is elusive.

Kame 亀 - A turtle. 

Recommendations:

Andy - Nirukame

Jim - Cosmos

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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg 

This time, Andy and Jim take things a little easy with a little guide to drinking in Japan. From hidden neighborhood izakaya to trendy Tokyo sake bars, they ease the way into finding and enjoying a tipple on your next trip to Japan. 

Vocabulary

Izakaya　居酒屋 - An eating and drinking spot, meaning literally “shop to be with liquor.” The baseline for drinking in Japan.

Kaku uchi 角打ち - A type of liquor store that doubles as a place to drink in the evening. Standing only, and some simple snacks are often available.

Mokkiri もっきり - a rather ostentatious way of serving nihonshu by putting a glass into a masu then pouring until the glass overflows.

Otoshi お通し - a small dish served on sitting down at an izakaya or some bars, without being ordered. It is a paid dish and essentially doubles as a table charge.

Otsumami お摘み - The general word for nibbles or snacks, often associated with drinking.

Sakana 肴 - The traditional word for food served along drinks. Note that the pronunciation is the same as “fish” but the character is different.

Tachinomi　立ち飲み - A standing bar. Different from kaku uchi in that it is ONLY a bar, without the liquor store function.

Recommendations:

Andy - Kaifork 解放区 in Okayama City

Jim - Hularito in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture

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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg 

This episode of Sake Deep Dive sees Andy and Jim go on an etymological journey to see how a once-disparaging term came to represent something sought after and, eventually, almost meaningless. Along the way, we look at how changing consumer attitudes have shaped even the smallest breweries and their output. Grab your favorite local brew and settle in for some word nerdery!

Recommendations:

Andy - Kosen, Izumi Shuzo

Jim - Ikusanga, Kinfundo Shuzo

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-notions

Under a  Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg