Season 1, Episode 4. For this week "Junmai" is the magic word.  It literally means "pure rice" in Japanese and refers to those styles of sake that are made with rice, water, yeast and koji only, with NO added alcohol allowed.  Timothy and John explore the three classification grades of Junmai sake from the entry level grade (Junmai) to the middle grade of premium (Junmai Ginjo) all the way up to the luxurious, super-premium classification (Junmai Daiginjo).  Learn what flavors you might expect from a Junmai style sake and what our recommended pairings are.  You'll also hear about Timothy's intrepid journey finding himself alone on an isolated and rural Japanese country road in search of an elusive Junmai.  And John tells of his trip to far away Kochi Prefecture to root out the perfect Junmai sake to pair with deep-fried Izakaya fare.  Both stories have a happy ending, with Junmai Sake coming to the rescue.  Have you tried all three grades of Junmai Sake?

Support the show

Season 1, Episode 3. The rise of Covid-19 has John and Timothy recording remotely and sipping socially-distanced sake.  In our last episode, we discussed the four main ingredients in sake but did you know there is actually a 5th optional ingredient as well? We are talking about "Jozo Arukoru" a.k.a. Brewer's Alcohol!  It's true! Some sakes have distilled alcohol added, and some  do not.  For premium sake, distilled alcohol is sometimes added to round out flavors and boost aromas.  The decision whether to add alcohol or not is largely a stylistic one  - as both styles can be delicious.  To illustrate the point, Timothy and John are each bringing an alcohol-added sake to the table to taste in this episode!  let's explore how added distilled alcohol affects the flavor, texture and aroma of these sakes.

Support the show

Season 1, Episode 2.  Welcome aboard for the second episode of Sake Revolution. This week, join our intrepid hosts, Timothy and John, as they tackle the mysteries of what ingredients it takes to make sake! We’re going to go over each of sake’s four main components and how they impact the taste and feel of the sake you enjoy! This week’s sake tasting is a stand-out Junmai Ginjo from Yamagata, the Mac Daddy, Kudoki Jozu! Grab your favorite sake, relax, and enjoy!

Support the show

Season 1, Episode 1. Welcome to America’s First Sake Podcast. Power to the Sake People! Join your hosts sake otaku John Puma and sake samurai Timothy Sullivan as they explore the world of Japanese Sake. This podcast will help you know where to get started with sake. Every week, we’ll teach you something new about sake in a fun and easy to understand segment, we call the “Sake Education Corner”. It wouldn’t be a sake podcast with out some sake tasting! We’ll profile and taste some of our favorite sakes. We want to make sake accessible, fun and easy to understand. We hope you’ll join us! Kanpai

Support the show