A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.
Sake and its rising popularity outside Japan was explored in the very first episode of Season One of Drinks Adventures.
My recent sake press tour with the Japanese Sake & Shochu Makers Association brought the opportunity to interview John Gauntner, who is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert.
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A resident of Japan since 1988, he has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994 and has published six books on the topic.
Next up, I visited the Japanese Sake & Shochu Makers Association Information Centre in Tokyo where I sat down for a chat with the centre manager, Shuso Imada.
Shuso has spent almost his entire life in the sake industry - he was born into a family that owns a sake brewery.
At first he had little interest in following in his family's footsteps, so much so that he did the unthinkable and study a sommelier equivalent qualification in wine.
But little by little, sake drew him back in. And as you would expect for someone of his experience, he has some really interesting insights into Japanese sake industry.
And if you're heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend you visit the JSS Information Centre, it really is one of the best places you can taste a lot of sake and learn about it.
I also want to recommend John Gauntner's excellent book, Sake Confidential - I bought a copy last year and it's a fantastic introductory resource for sake beginners.
And finally, also for people visiting Japan, look out for Rangitoto Tokyo. It's a brand new wine and sake bar in Tokyo opened by Wayne Shennen, a sommelier from New Zealand who also has a passion for sake.
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Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.