Episode 149. This week we return to another fun and sake-rich prefecture: Gunma! This area is home to onsens, national parks, record breaking tunnels and some pretty darn good sake.  After we first touched on this region in episode 8, we thought it deserved another visit and a bit more exploration of their food, culture and traditions.  We'll taste a much loved sake from Ryujin Shuzo, makers of the Oze no Yukidoke brand.  This sake features the much beloved Omachi sake rice and snow melt water from the oze plain that springs from a well guarded by a dragon!  It's a delightful brew that will have us returning to Gunma again and again in our glass!  Keep an eye out for more prefecture profiles soon! #sakerevolution

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Episode 148. Did you know that there is a booming business in skincare products made from sake? In this episode, we dive face first into the world of sake beauty products, from the use of sake in your bath, to sake kasu used to soften skin and finally to the science behind kojic acid and how it's used in a variety of commercially available sake skincare products. We also slap on a  Japanese sake face mask to the test out sake skincare for ourselves. Hopefully we'll finish up the episode moisturized and refreshed. We finish by toasting our success with a special sake featured in a previous episode - Toyo Bijin Junmai Ginjo Karakuchi, also known as Asian Beauty. So, if you're ready to learn about the fascinating connection between sake, cosmetics and skincare, you won't want to miss this episode!  #SakeRevolution

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Episode 147. How do you like them apples?! When we discovered the Kinoene "ripe apple" Junmai Ginjo sake from Iinuma Honke Brewery, we knew we need to take a bite and find out what this unique sake is all about.  This took us on a journey exploring yeast, acidity and some pretty extreme fruity flavors.  It may very well be a case of comparing apples to oranges, but this fruity confection of a sake does share some traits with a typically bright and crisp white wine.  The secret here is malic acid - often found in wine - which is given center stage in this sake.  This type of acidity brings us to the delicious intersection of sweet and sour with a bright fruity flavor that will have you asking "how did they do that!?"  If we can have it sake form, we'll be glad to enjoy an apple a day to keep the doctor away. #SakeRevolution

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Episode 146. Do you judge a book by it's cover? Or even more likely, perhaps you've purchased a sake based only on the label?  Since we've all been there, we thought it might be fun to explore the world of sake labels and share some likes, dislikes and survival tips for navigating your way around a bottle of sake. In particular, learn our technique to read a Japanese sake label "by the numbers".  Whether they are all in Japanese, all graphics or including some english, the sake bottle labels can have a major impact on sales so it is well worth learning more. So, get ready to judge sake bottles by more than just their covers in this episode, as we take you through the ins and outs of understanding whats on the label.  #sakerevolution

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Episode 145. TippsySake.com is a well known online retailer of sake in the U.S. and when they launched their new Tippsy Sake Club in March, John and Timothy knew they had to check it out. To get started, Tippsy designed an interactive online quiz that walks you through a few questions to help identify the sakes that might be the best match for your palate. We decided to take the quiz in real time and then discuss the results with Tippsy Portfolio Manager Sachiko Miyagi. Sachiko walks us through the ideas behind the flavor profile quiz and how the whole club is set up.  The fun really begins when we get to taste the results of the quiz as we all share a sake recommended by the Tippsy algorithm to both John and Timothy.    Listen in to see if the sakes recommended by the Tippsy quiz garner high marks from the guys!    #SakeRevolution

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Episode 144. This week, we “think pink”! Hanami is the Japanese tradition of picnicking under cherry trees in full bloom. It’s a treasured seasonal pastime in Japan that is carefully tracked and timed for friends and family to enjoy blossom viewing at its peak. The cherry blossoms represent the fleeting nature of beauty and how it is worthwhile to stop and admire these natural displays as they will soon fade and flutter to the ground. Traditionally, sake is enjoyed under the trees as well, with especially lucky vibes should a blossom petal float into your sake cup. Timothy tells of his experience in Japan when he enjoyed hanami and also about the day he knew for sure that hanami season was over. Before its too late, let’s enjoy hanami together! #SakeRevolution

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Episode 143. Lights, Camera, Action! This week we are joined by fellow podcaster, film buff  and sake fanatic Ben Haslar, from the Reels of Justice podcast to talk sakes and film.  We focus primarily on the famous Birth of Sake documentary from 2015, a film that explores sake making at Ishikawa prefecture's Yoshida Shuzoten, the makers of the Tedorigawa brand of sake. If you haven't seen the Birth of Sake film yet, please watch it before listening! Seriously... Spoiler Alert! To pair with our discussion, we taste the flagship Tedorigawa sake - their Yamahai Junmai.  In addition to The Birth of Sake, Ben recommends his other top 3 movies that feature sake. Alright Mr. DeMille, listen in, as sake is ready for its close up!  #SakeRevolution

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Episode 142. Stop the presses! Sake is back again in the news recently and we wanted to take a look at some of the latest newsworthy sake headlines hitting our shores.  This week, we'll discuss the New York Times' declaration that "Sake is Booming in America" and talk about their comprehensive take on sake.  We'll also look at a report out of Japan that the 1.8L Issho-bin or magnum bottle size for sake is falling out of favor.  Lastly, we'll discuss the BBC's take on the global rise in sake sales outside of Japan.  Listen in to get our two cents the latest sake headlines as we revisit our series on sake in the news!  #SakeRevolution

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Episode 141. When you think of Washington DC, What pops to mind?  Maybe the White House? or perhaps the picturesque cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin each spring?  If this week's guest has her way, when you think of DC, you'll soon think of "sake"!  Reiko Hirai is the founder of DC Sake Co - an online sake retailer serving the Washington DC area.  She's also an event planner and a strong voice working to promote sake in our nation's capital. This year marks Reiko's first annual Spring Sake Festival in DC with an upcoming event happening on April 6th 2023 that is not to be missed. We toast with one of Reiko's favorite sakes, Fukucho Junmai Ginjo, to celebrate the coming of spring and to celebrate sake in Washington DC! #SakeRevolution

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Episode 140. Week in and week out, our standard gear for tasting and evaluating sake is a simple wine glass. This works really well and almost everybody has one nearby. But in Japan, there are a wide variety of shapes, materials and sizes used to make cups for drinking sake. That got us wondering if we should take some other cups out for a test drive and compare them to our usual stemware. This week we are exploring Edo-Kiriko. This luxurious and historic hand-cut crystal glassware is most well known for its royal blue and ruby red shades.  It's renowned for its elegance and sparkle and is often seen at high-end sake bars and restaurants.  How does this glassware stack up against our standard wine glass?  Tune in this week to find out! #sakerevolution

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