In August we gave you a taste of our new Sake Travel series, which we’ll be returning to again here shortly.This week, however, we’ve got the first in what will be another new ongoing series: Unfiltered.New things are happening all the time in and around the sake and shochu industries that are noteworthy and impactful. As individuals living-with-sake, we’re also constantly having a range of new experiences that are being impacted by the constantly evolving worlds of sake and shochu.We wanted a good excuse to bring our hosts – and occasional guests – together to not only inform our listeners of some of the industry’s more significant news and developments, but also provide a bit of context, sharing our own personal thoughts, experiences, and insights along the way. We may (likely) just chat on sake-related things that just happen to be on our mind, as well.This week your hosts Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Chris Hughes, and Justin Potts sit down to discuss:・The underrecognized impact that catching COVID has on those in the food and beverage industry.・The possibility of a (nearly) fully open Japan in the not-so-distant future.・The National Tax Agency’s less-than-perfectly executed campaign to “get more young people to drink”.・The establishment of the Japan Craft Sake Brewers Association and how it reflects (and challenges) current industry regulations while striving to broaden the category.

We had a lot more to discuss, but will be saving it for a future Unfiltered episode. Let us know what you think of this new series format by following along and sharing with us at @sakeonair on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can share questions and ideas for future Unfiltered discussion topics by reaching out to us at [email protected], sake and shochu taste (even more) exceptional this time of year.Enjoy (responsibly) and kampai!Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is recorded and broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.