Sake Deep Dive

Andy and Jim explore the past and present of the first-ever association of sake brewers, the Tanba Toji. From the origins of toji as a title to the value of labor organizations to the industry, listen in to see just how big a role this rather secretive organization has played in the history of sake as a whole.

Vocabulary

Toji 杜氏 - the head of brewing in the traditional sake brewing system, in charge of a team of brewers and all that happens to the sake.

Kashira 頭 - the second in rank in a brewery under the traditional system.

Dakidaru だき樽 - a small tank with a handle filled with hot or cold water to adjust moromi temperature.

Recommendations:

Andy - Kikumasamune Hyakumoku

Jim - Kenbishi Kuromatsu

Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive 

Also, check out Andy’s new 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 take a little trip up the Seto Inland Sea coast to sunny Okayama Prefecture, a hidden gem of sake in western Japan. A sacred land for Omachists everywhere, what makes the sake here so darn great? Come, listen and find out on Sake Deep Dive!

Vocabulary from this episode:

Bizen 備前

Bingo　備後

Bicchu　備中

Recommendations:

Andy - Fuyu no Tsuki

Jim - Momo no Sato Junmai Ginjo

Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive 

Also, check out Andy’s new 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 

Andrew and Jim take their first ever deep dive into a single brewery. Kenbishi is about as classic as it gets, and with Andrew’s first-hand experience, the talk gets deep indeed. Come see how this truly historic brand maintains its core flavor through the changing currents of history and fad!

Vocabulary from this episode:

Dakidaru - A small tank that is filled with hot or cold water to help control temperature in the brewing mash. Kenbishi makes their own out of wood.

Futakoji - A style of koji making in which the batch is split into small wooden boxes, called futa, for temperature control. 

Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive 

Also, check out Andy’s new 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 

This time, Andy and Jim put on airs and address the noblest of sake styles: kijoshu, a modern brew made to take on the snootiest of events. We discuss everything from the supposed mythical origins of the process to the ethics of trademarking names for shared styles. No Edo period brewing manuals here, just pure seventies funk. 

Vocabulary from this episode

Engishiki - An ancient record of laws and customs from the noble court dating to around 927 CE.

Kijoshu -A style of sake made using finished sake instead of one part of the brewing water in the final brewing stage. Actually a trademarked name.

Saijoshikomi - One of several alternate names for sake made in the kijoshu style .

Shiori sake - An ancient brewing method in which a batch of sake is “refermented” with a fresh addition of rice and koji.

Recommended Sake

Andy - Kokuryu Kijoshu

 Jim - Nakashimaya Kijoshu

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 

Finally, the European masters have introduced the world of sake to the power of blending, something that no one in sake’s centuries of history ever thought of before. Or, not. Jim and Andy stir things up with a talk about the real, and very long, history of blending sake in all its many shapes and forms.

Vocabulary from this episode

Arabashiri - The initial “rough run” of sake from a pressing.

Nakatori - The middle, and often considered best, run of a pressing of sake.

Seme - The final cut, sometimes considered the “dregs” or tailings of a pressing of sake.

Chogo - The Japanese word for blending, as in sake.

Recommended Sake

Andy - Kuromatsu Kenbishi

 Jim - Miyoshi Hana 

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 explore the history of Nara as an early center for sake development and innovation. From rice polishing to branding, there's a solid argument that this is where sake as a consumer good was born.

Vocabulary from this episode:

Katahaku - Sake that used polished rice for only the mashing rice.

Morohaku - Sake brewed with polished rice in both Koji and kakemai

Recommended Sake

Andy - Yucho Shuzo Takacho Junmai Bodaimoto

Jim - Kubo Honke Nemuryu Kimoto Junmai Jukusei

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 

Your humble hosts look over developments in the types of tanks used through history. It's a great chance to reflect on the surprising links between material advancements, brewing technology, and market demands. 

Vocabulary from this episode

Horo - Enamel coating used on metal tanks

Kame - A general term for large ceramic jars/tanks used for storing or fermenting

Kioke - Wooden tanks 

Taru - A wooden cask or keg used for storing and transporting sake

Recommended Sake

Andy - Kikumasamune Taruzake

Jim - Aramasa Cosmos 

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 

Time at last for Andy and Jim to tackle the beast that is the junmai ideology. This time the gents look at just how junmai became such a hot topic, what it really means for the brewing industry, and the figures behind its postwar “revival,” if that’s what it really is. 

Vocabulary from this episode

Aruten - Brewer’s alcohol added. Short for arukoru tenka

Komedake no osake - sake made from only rice/rice koji/yeast.

Mutenka - Nothing added

Recommended Sake

Andy - Gokyo Kiokezukuri Junmai 

Jim - Ryujinmaru Junmai Nama Genshu

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

We are finishing our series on Japan's major brewing regions in Fushimi, Kyoto. Built around the palace of one of Japan's most powerful warlords, we discuss how this once-sleepy town literally cleaned its way to becoming one of Japan's most famous brewing regions.

Vocabulary from this Episode

gokusui: fragrant water

kinmeisui: Golden Water

ginmeisui: Silver Water

Recommended Sake:

Andy - Souku Usu-Nigori

Jim - Sho Chiku Bai

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 

Saijo - Sake Theme Park

The second of our series on Japan’s major brewing regions takes us to Hiroshima’s Saijo. This little town built on sake brewing is a sake lover’s dream. Seven breweries in close proximity, with museums, shops, and tasting opportunities galore. Come learn how it got to be this way in the latest Sake Deep Dive!

Vocabulary from this episode

Shuto: Affectionate name for Saijo meaning sake capital.

Sake kabu: A brewing license system enforced by the Tokugawa shogunate.

Recommended Sake

Andy - Kirei Mannen 

Jim - Kamotsuru Daiginjo Tokubetsu Gold

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