Sake Deep Dive

Jim and Andy journey back to the snow country of Niigata to focus on a brewery that has helped shape modern sake tastes: Ishimoto Shuzo, makers of Koshi no Kanbai. From its humble origins as a small producer for the local market to the flagbearers of the jizake and tanrei karakuchi sake booms, your intrepid enthusiasts dig deep into how this sake became a nationwide staple. Settle in and warm up your sake because it’s time for some Niigata nectar. Kampai!

Vocab:

Ajigin　味吟 - Sake brewed to ginjō specifications and methods but with an emphasis on flavor rather than aroma.

Hanagin　ハナ吟 - Sake brewed to ginjō specifications and methods with an emphasis on aroma rather than flavor.

Hashirajōchu　柱焼酎  - Shōchu distilled from refermented sake lees or even seishu used in the brewing process instead of high-purity brewer’s alcohol. A traditional aruten method dating back to the Edo Period.

Recommendations:

Andy and Jim dig into the past of Itami, an influential sake brewing area in Hyogo prefecture that found itself replaced by Nada. What innovations did Itami offer up, and why did it get left in the shadows of sake history? Come listen as your hosts brush the cobwebs off a nearly-lost sake brewing center that just might be the birthplace of seishu. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Namizake 並酒　- An early word for sake brewed with unpolished rice in both kōji and kakemai.

Morohaku 諸白　- Sake brewed with polished rice both for kōji and kakemai

Katahaku 片白　- Sake brewed with polished rice for kakemai and unpolished rice in the kōji.

Genroku Period 元禄時代　- A historical period, 1688-1705, when Itami was at its sake brewing peak. 

Kamigata 上方 - An Edo period term for the region around Kyoto, where the imperial court remained.

Hashirashōchu 柱焼酎 - The use of kasutori shōchu, distilled from refermented sake kasu, as an additive to sake for a variety of purposes.

Recommendations:

This time, Andy and Jim take another regional dive and head to snow country: Niigata. With more sake breweries than any other prefecture, its once-hidden brands like Koshi no Kanbai and Hakkaisan are now nearly universally known to sake fans. How did this out-of-the-way region become the source of so much sought-after sake? Two words: Jizake Boom. Listen in and get some history of how Niigata sake and changes in the late-20th century sake market go hand in hand. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Hōrō 琺瑯 - Enamel coating on metal, in this case fermentation and storage tanks.

Kasubuai 粕歩合- The ratio of rice solids left after sake fermentation, expressed as a percentage of the initial weight of rice used. 

Sake no Jin 酒の陣 - A famed Niigata sake festival held in March.

Tanrei Karakuchi 淡麗辛口 - Usually translated something like “light and dry,” this is a style of sake popularized by Niigata breweries in the latter half of the 20th century. It was lighter and drier than previously popular sake styles, and shared some characteristics of what we now call ginjō-style brewing, i.e. low and slow fermentation.

Recommendations:

As the New Year brings a sake drinking season to us all, Andy and Jim take a moment to think about the people who make it and the system that keeps the brewery pumping. From toji to kurabito, the roles in a sake brewery all play an important part in keeping our tokkuri filled. Listen in for the inside story. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Kanzukuri 寒造り - The system of sake brewing during the cold seasons imposed by government edict in the Edo period.

Kashira 頭 - Literally “head,” the second highest rank in a traditional organization, such as a sake brewery.

Kōhai 後輩 - A relative rank referring to any member of a group junior to the speaker.

Kurabito 蔵人 - The general term for the workers in a sake brewery without specific title. Ranked sometimes into Jō (upper) Chuu (middle) and Shita (lower) levels.

Motoya 酛屋 - The person in charge of making the moto fermentation starter.

Muroya　室屋 - The person in charge of making kōji in the kōjimuro.

Oya or Oyabun 親・親分 - Literally “parent/father,” used as a term of address for people high up in a traditional organization, like a sake brewery.

Sanyaku 三役 - The three major ranks/roles of a traditional organization, most commonly used these days in reference to the Sumo ranks of Ozeki, Sekiwaki, and Komusubi. In sake brewing, these are the Kashira, Muroya, and Motoya.

Sendō 船頭 - The person in charge of pressing (traditionally a fune press). 

Senpai 先輩 - A relative rank referring to any member of a group senior to the speaker.

Shain 社員 - The general word for a full time, permanent employee of a company. Replacing the traditional brewery structure of the tōji system.

Sōtōji 総杜氏 - Overall tōji. In sake companies with more than one brewery, and so more than one tōji, the top of them all who coordinates all the sake production.

Recommendations:

Andy - Ozasaya Taketsuru Kimoto Junmai Genshu

In an amazing oversight, Andy and Jim realize they’ve never dug into the history of namazake and its path toward becoming a mainstay of the modern sake market. What was the first commercially available namazake? When did it hit shelves? And most importantly, is it really only drinkable fresh? Listen in for fresh, unheated sake talk, and kampai!

Vocab for this episode

Namachozo 生貯蔵 - Stored unpasteurized/heat treated, then pasteurized on bottling.

Namazume 生詰め - Pasteurized before storing, then bottled without another pasteurization.

Namanama　生生 - Sake that has not undergone any pasteurization (usually just nama)

Jukusei 熟成 - Matured or aged.

Namajuku 生熟 - Aged namazake

Recommendations:

Summer has passed here in Japan, bringing cool evenings perfect for a nice warm tokkuri full of kanzake. You might not be surprised to hear that your hosts both agree that the sake inside should be hiyaoroshi, the sake of autumn. It’s a topic that Andy and Jim have mentioned time and again, but this time they dive deep into the best of all seasonal sake. What does that name mean? Why is it such a special class of sake? And what’s the difference from akiagari, really? Listen close and all your questions will be answered. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Hiya 冷、ひや - Cool in temperature

Oroshi　卸、おろし - To bring down, to package, to ship out or sell wholesale

Aki 秋 - Autumn

Namachozo 生貯蔵 - Stored unpasteurized/heat treated, then pasteurized on bottling.

Namazume 生詰め - Pasteurized before storing, then bottled without another pasteurization.

Recommendations:

Andy and Jim take a break from the beverage itself to talk about one of the most recognizable symbols of sake there is: the sugidama, also known as a sakabayashi… Or IS IT?! Come and listen as your hosts trim away the excess to expose the sphere of truth behind this enduring icon, including the location of Japan’s biggest example. Hint: It’s practically in Jim’s backyard.

So fill those tokkuri up and settle in for some sake culture on this International Sake Day edition of Sake Deep Dive.

Vocab for this episode

Sugi 杉 - Cryptomeria japonica. An evergreen in the cypress family, this tree is native to Japan and its wood has been an essential part of sake brewing for centuries. Not synonymous with “cedar” but sometimes called “Japanese dwarf cedar” which is odd because the trees can grow to like, 70 feet high…

Sakabayashi 杉林 - A “sugi forest.” The name for a traditional Shinto item made of a roughly tied bundle of sugi branches. Not a ball, so not a sugidama.

Sugidama 杉玉 - A spherical bundle of sugi branches hung at nearly every sake brewery in Japan. It has become a symbol with many meanings, all of them good.

Recommendations:

No sake recommendations, but do come to Japan and see the sugidama!

In a perfect follow up to the pressing episode, Andy and Jim try to clear the water on a murky issue: nigori sake. What is it? WHY is it? How do they make it? And how should I drink it? Listen, and all the clouds will be lifted. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Kassei nigori 活性にごり - “active” nigori sake with living yeast still making alcohol and, importantly, CO2. Can be explosive on opening.

Nigori にごり・濁り - Literally “cloudy.” Here, we’re talking about sake with visible rice residue. It can range from only slight cloudy to thick, creamy white.

Ori　おり・澱 - Lees, sediment, dregs… The very fine rice solids still left in sake after pressing.

Oribiki　おり引き - A practice of allowing sake to rest in the tank after pressing so that the ori settles to the bottom. Clear sake is drained off the upper level, with the ori-rich sake still left at the bottom.

Origarami/Orizake　おりがらみ・おり酒 - Sake taken from the lower levels of an oribiki tank. This sake has lots of residual solids, which not only makes the sake “cloudy” but also brings complexity and heft.

Sasanigori　ささ濁り・佐々濁り - Very lightly cloudy sake.

Usunigori　うすにごり・薄濁り - Lightly cloudy sake

Recommendations:

Andy and Jim sweat over the details of summer sake. Is it light and refreshing, or hefty and punchy? Is it a brand new idea or something as old as brewing rice into booze? Lean back in your beach chair, slather on some sunscreen, and get ready to break the ice with the sake boys of summer in another Sake Deep Dive!

Vocab for this episode

Natsu 夏 - Summer!

Sake 酒 - Sake!

Recommendations:

Andy and Jim bear down and wring out their brains to get as much info as possible about an overlooked part of the sake making process: shibori. Whether you call it pressing (correctly) or filtration (hmmm…), this is a step that is both more complicated, and more important, that most people probably think. No pressure, but you really need to squeeze this one into your schedule. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Arabashiri 荒走り - The “rough run” of sake that is the first to come out of the press during shibori.

Assakuki 圧搾機 - Literally, “pressing machine.” The official name for what is usually called a “yabuta” after the most popular brand of sake press.

Fukurozuri 袋吊り - “Bag pressed” sake, in which moromi is put into cloth bags, which are then tied to a pole over a collecting tank. Also called shizuku shibori 雫搾り, meaning “droplet pressing”. But no pressure apart from gravity is used.

Fune 槽  - A traditional shibori style using a large wooden (and these days stainless steel) box filled with bags of moromi then pressed from above. Modern ones use hydraulics, older ones could be hand-cranked or use a tenbin 天秤 cantilever system.

Moromi 醪 - The sake mash, a thick concoction of rice, rice koji, and liquid. The solids (kasu/lees) must be separated from the liquid (sake) to be called seishu 清酒. 

Nakagumi 中ぐみ - The middle section, or the “hearts” of a sake pressing.

Seme 責め - The final section, or the “tails,” of a sake pressing. 

Tenbin shibori 天秤搾り - A very old style of pressing in which a fune is pressed using a counterweighted beam. A huge beam is suspended over the press with a cantilever to push down on the sake when large weights are put on the other end of the beam. Also called haneki shibori はね木搾り.

Recommendations:

Andy and Jim go all in on a single brewery this time, looking at Akita Prefecture’s Aramasa Shuzo. Known as one of the most desirable and hard-to-get labels around, we wonder what exactly makes it that way? The answer may well lie in an obsessive focus on detail, from brewery cleaning to label design. Scrub your kioke, tie up the shimenawa, and fill your cup with a true maboroshi. Kanpai!

Vocab for this episode

Kioke 木桶 - Wooden tanks for fermentation etc. Aramasa uses all wooden tanks.

Shimenawa しめ縄 - A woven straw rope decorated with white paper charms, associated with sacred spaces in the Shinto faith. Used on the tanks at Aramasa.

Maboroshi 幻 - Literally a “phantom,” figuratively it’s something that is elusive.

Kame 亀 - A turtle. 

Recommendations:

This time, Andy and Jim take things a little easy with a little guide to drinking in Japan. From hidden neighborhood izakaya to trendy Tokyo sake bars, they ease the way into finding and enjoying a tipple on your next trip to Japan. 

Vocabulary

Izakaya　居酒屋 - An eating and drinking spot, meaning literally “shop to be with liquor.” The baseline for drinking in Japan.

Kaku uchi 角打ち - A type of liquor store that doubles as a place to drink in the evening. Standing only, and some simple snacks are often available.

Mokkiri もっきり - a rather ostentatious way of serving nihonshu by putting a glass into a masu then pouring until the glass overflows.

Otoshi お通し - a small dish served on sitting down at an izakaya or some bars, without being ordered. It is a paid dish and essentially doubles as a table charge.

Otsumami お摘み - The general word for nibbles or snacks, often associated with drinking.

Sakana 肴 - The traditional word for food served along drinks. Note that the pronunciation is the same as “fish” but the character is different.

Tachinomi　立ち飲み - A standing bar. Different from kaku uchi in that it is ONLY a bar, without the liquor store function.

Recommendations:

This episode of Sake Deep Dive sees Andy and Jim go on an etymological journey to see how a once-disparaging term came to represent something sought after and, eventually, almost meaningless. Along the way, we look at how changing consumer attitudes have shaped even the smallest breweries and their output. Grab your favorite local brew and settle in for some word nerdery!

Recommendations:

In December, UNESCO recognized “Traditional Sake Making Techniques” as Japan’s latest example of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Andy and Jim have questions, and maybe even a few answers, about what exactly that might mean. The key is, of course, koji and its use in alcoholic fermentation in Japan. Come take a listen as our hosts explore the implications for nihonshu and its future.

Vocabulary for this episode:

Barakoji バラ麹 - Japan’s particular style of sprinkling Aspergillus oryzae spores over loose rice to make koji.

Mochikoji 餅麹 - One Japanese term for the common Chinese style of cake fermentation starter, called sometime jiuqu or qu. Basically, a cake of rice flour or other starch mixed with water and inoculated with various microbes including Apergillus or Rhizopus molds. 

Recommendations:

Back after a brief hiatus, Andy and Jim wax lyrical over a truly overlooked, and sadly undersold style of sake: honjozo. A class that has fallen victim to misinformation, you might be surprised to find out that some of the most sought after and valued sake around is, in fact, honjozo. So, fill a tokkuri and sit back as we dig deep on this secret star of the dinner table. 

Vocabulary

• Honjozo - 本醸造 One of the tokuteimeishoshu classifications, a sake that must have rice polished at least to 70% and can contain a small amount of added brewer’s alcohol.

• Tokuteimeishoshu - 特定名称酒 Special designation sake. The government-designated rules for labelling sake as ginjo, daiginjo, junmai, or honjozo.

Recommendations:

This is Jim’s moment to shine! The almost inevitable moment has come as Andy and Jim talk about a sake brewery close to Jim’s heart: Sakai Shuzo, home of iconic Yamaguchi label Gokyo. Learn about the brewery’s history, philosophy, and the unique ties between it and the local community… And, of course, the delicious sake that comes from them all. Listen along and imagine yourself sipping hiyaoroshi under the maple leaves along the lazy Nishiki River in this hyper-local episode of Sake Deep Dive.

Vocabulary

• Kioke　木桶 - A wooden vessel, in this case a fermentation tank. Usually made of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) wood.

• Sotoji 総杜氏 - “Head toji,” a term used for breweries that have more than one facility headed up by a toji. The one toji to lead them all.

• Nishiki 錦 - Silk brocade, specifically, but often a term used to give a nuance of luxury, excess, or “fanciness.” Sometimes also pronounced “Kin”

• Obi 帯 - A kimono sash or strip/band of land. Sometimes also “Tai”

• Kintaikyo 錦帯橋 - The famous five-arched wooden bridge over the Nishiki River. Could be translated “Sash of silk brocade.”

Recommendations:

Andy and Jim crack open a barrel of history with this look at a small but cool part of sake culture: tarusake/taruzake. Originally just an accident of logistics, sake stored in sugi wood barrels is now something breweries have to go out of their way to make. Why do they do it? HOW do they do it? Come, listen, and find out.

Vocabulary

• Hadakadaru 裸樽 - a “naked” taru without any wrapping, sometimes with the company logo etc. branded on the side. 

• Hon’nidaru　本荷樽 - a taru wrapped in a woven straw mat that bears decorations and, sometimes, the official brewery logo/sake information, calling back to when sake was shipped to market in these containers. Also called komadaru 菰樽.

• Kagami Biraki　鏡開き - a somewhat ceremonial practice, often seen at large public events, where VIPs use wooden hammers to break open the lid of a sake taru.

• Masu 升 - a box shaped vessel, originally used to measure rice, now sometimes used as a sake drinking vessel. Usually bare wood, but some are lacquered or even made of plastic.

• Sugi 杉 - Cryptomeria japonica, sometimes mistakenly called “Japanese cedar.” A conifer with aromatic wood.

• Taru 樽 - a barrel, in this case a wooden one, used to store liquid.

Recommendations:

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 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:

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. 

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

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 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

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

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

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 

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 and Jim get a little bit more personal as they take a look at a topic close to both their hearts: sake vessels! From tokkuri to hirahai, they talk bottles and cups, with a couple of bones to the wine-glass crowd, too. Raise whatever is closest to hand for a rousing kampai to shuki!

Vocabulary from this episode

Tokkuri - a common style of bottle-style sake pourer

Katakuchi - a widely varied style of pitcher/bowl style sake pourer.

Guinomi - a relatively large sake cup

Ochoko - a relatively small sake cup

Heihei - a rather unusual style of “flat” sake pourer 

Masu - A square wooden or plastic, sometimes lacquered sake vessel.

Kiriko - Japanese cut glass, often used for sake cups and pourers.

Recommended Sake

With the spring flood of namazake, Andy and Jim take their usual contrarian position and go for the hiire stuff. Why do brewers heat-treat their sake? How do they do it? And why is Andy so resistant to the idea of sticking his hand in a vat of hot sake? Find out in the latest Sake Deep Dive!

Vocabulary from this episode:

Binkan Kyurei - A specific term for pasteurization and rapid cooling of sake in the bottle. Literally “bottle heat rapid cool”

Hiire - Heating sake to kill bacteria and halt enzymatic action

Hiochi - The term for unpasteurized sake that has gone bad from bacterial action. Literally “Fire failure.”

Hiochikin - A blanket term for a group of alcohol resistant lactobacilli that can thrive in sake and turn it bad if not killed through heating.

Jakan - The “snake tube” used in a traditional heating method for sake.

Nizake - A kind of heated sake introduced to Japan from China during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), inspiring early pasteurization techniques.

Recommended Sake

Andy and Jim climb the mountains and explore the rice fields to get to the root of the “king” of sake rice, Yamadanishiki. We look at where it came from, why it got so big, and maybe express a wee bit of skepticism about those magical Hyogo rice fields.

Vocabulary from this episode:

Koji Haze - The distribution of koji over the surface of the rice grains.

Kumamoto Kobo - The origin of Association Yeast #9, often called the “Ginjo yeast.”

Nengo - The naming of eras in Japan based on the currently reigning emperor. Now, for example, we are in the Reiwa era, preceded by Heisei, and Showa before that. 

Nishiki - Silk brocade. A word often used to denote something elegant and luxurious.

Shinpakuritsu - The rate of starchy “white heart” appearance in a batch of rice, expressed as a percentage.

Shuzokotekimai - The more official term for what we call sakamai, or rice well-suited to sake brewing.

Tankanwataribune - One of Yamadanishiki’s direct parents. “Tankan” means short stalk.

Yamadaho - Another of Yamadanishiki’s direct parents. 

Toku A chiku - One of a few areas across two cities in northern Hyogo prefecture with reputations for growing high-grade Yamadanishiki rice. They are: Kato City - Yashiro, Tojo; Miki city - Yokawa

Recommended Sake:

In this New Year's episode of Sake Deep Dive, Andy and Jim get back to the start—yeast starter, that is. We round out the group by taking on yamahai this time, building on what we’ve already covered in the kimoto and sokujo episodes with how it came to be, and what it is becoming now.

Vocabulary from this episode

Kai-ire - while generally a term for mixing or stirring the mash, here we mean a step in orthodox yamahai where a single brewery worker mixes and crushes the moto mixture after kumikake

Kumikake - circulating the enzyme-rich moto liquid using a perforated metal cylinder in the middle of the mash, and ladling the liquid it lets in back over the rice outside

Recommended Sake

Show Notes

In the latest Sake Deep Dive, Andy and Jim take on Japan’s national mold, Aspergillus oryzae–the lowly koji-kin. This is less a historical exploration and more a real look at the nitty gritty on this itty bitty ruler of the sake world.

CORRECTION: During the episode, Jim mistakenly called Shirokoji Aspergillus luchuensis. That is incorrect. It is Aspergillis kawachii. Aspergillus luchuensis is another name for Aspergillus awamori.

Vocabulary from this episode

Kikoji - Yellow koji, Aspergillus oryzae. The standard sake strain of koji kin.

Koji kin - the actual way to refer to the mold spores that are added to rice to make rice koji.

Kurokoji - Black koji, Aspergillus awamori/Aspergillus luchuensis. The standard strain of koji kin for making the Okinawan rice spirit of awamori.

Shirokoji - White koji. Aspergillus kawachii. The standard strain of koji kin for making Japan’s spirit of shochu. Oddly, a mutated form of Aspergillus awamori.

Toko - Literally “floor/bed.” The table where major hand-made koji production happens.

Hako - Literally “box.” A box where moderately sized batches of hand-made koji are propagated for temperature control.

Futa - Literally “lid.” Smaller boxes for precise, granular temperature control in hand-made koji production.

Recommended Sake

Kodaishu - Days of Yore

Show Notes

Andy and Jim explore the very oldest kinds of sake in search of the real roots. From drunken serpents to monkly brews, we look at the earliest records of sake to see how it developed in the olden days.

Vocabulary from this episode

Sumizake - An ancient kind of filtered sake. No one knows for sure how they filtered it.

Dakushu / Doburoku / Nigorizake - all the same kanji, all meaning “cloudy/muddied sake.”

Heian Period - 794-1185

Goshu -  An ancient sake brewed in the Heian. Kojibuai 28.6%, water absorption 77% (Modern koji 22%, mizubuai 135% )

Goishu - Another ancient Heian sake. 1 dan jikomi brewed from late August into september. 28.6% kojibuai and mizubuai of 51.4% (very very low). SMV -80-100. The low water content prevented spoilage.

Kamakura - 1185-1333 Rise of private breweries, people drank too much, banned.

Muromachi 1336-1573

Azuchi-Momoyama 1568-1603

Edo Period 1603-1867

Tamonin Nikki (Tamon temple chronicles) from 1478 to 1618

Recommended Sake

Show Notes:

In a departure from the typical fact-based fare, this time Andy and Jim trawl the murky depths of terroir. What is it, really? No, really? And, is it really going to “save sake?” Predictably, we don’t think so… Enjoy the second part of our first ever two-parter!

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

Show Notes:

In a departure from the typical fact-based fare, this time Andy and Jim trawl the murky depths of terroir. What is it, really? No, really? And, is it really going to “save sake?” Predictably, we don’t think so… This time, recording ran pretty long so we're splitting this into our first ever two-parter.

Tune in next month for the exciting conclusion--and our recommendations!

Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions

Show Notes:

Andy and Jim look into perhaps the most famous brewing water in Japan: Miyamizu. Why is it so famous? Why ISN’T it part of Nada’s rise to fame? All will be revealed! NOTE: Issues beyond our control resulted in some need for re-recording and editing, so sound quality is kind of spotty in this episode. We apologize!

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

Show Notes:

Andy and Jim take on Sokujomoto, the incredibly common fast yeast starter. On the way, they explore its linked history with yamahai, talk about how it got so common, and clarify its modern variations.

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

Show Notes:

This month, Jim and Andy grind away at the true first stage of sake brewing: rice polishing. Or is it milling? Seimai. Whatever. They work their usual magic looking at the whos, whats, whens, and whys of how genmai becomes hakumai. Come and listen!

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

Jim and Andy take on one of the most persistent sake myths around: that hot sake means bad sake. Here, they go back to see just how long people have been warming up their tipples, explore why the practice seems to have fallen out of favor, and of course offer up their own preferences.

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

Show Notes:

Your two resident Omachists take on the only rice variety with its own fan club, Omachi. The gentle giant has a rabid fanbase, but why? What makes it different? Where’s it from? Andy brings his hands-on experience and Jim brings his unending thirst to this month’s Sake Deep Dive.

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

This month, Andy and Jim look into the mystical (or not) Bodaimoto method of making sake. What is it? Where did it come from? Where did it come BACK from? All will be revealed as we clear away the mists of myth to become one with the truth of this ancient sake brewing method.

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

In this episode of Sake Deep Dive, Jim and Andy tackle koshu-the history and culture of aging sake. Once more, our intrepid geeks go back to the early days of sake to see just what age does to our favorite beverage. We discuss the ancient history of aging sake, the Lost Century that saw the practice fade, and a little about its recent resurgence.  

Recommended sake in this episode 

Andrew: Akishika Okushika Yamadanishiki Jim: Mizuho Kuromatsu Kenbishi 

Useful Vocabulary: 

古酒 Koshu - sake that has been aged longer than usual. Literally "old sake." 

長期熟成酒研究会 Choki Jukuseishu Kenkyukai - The long-term matured sake study council. A group that promotes matured sake as a beverage and object of study.  

老香 Hineka - "Old smell." An unpleasant aroma in some older sake caused primarily by excess dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS). 

生老香　Namahineka - "Raw old smell." An unpleasant aroma in some older namazake caused by the enzymatic oxidization of isoamyl alcohol.

Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions

Kimoto: Raising Wee Beasties

The is a really deep dive, even for us. Kimoto: Raising Wee Beasties sees Andrew Russell and Jim Rion discuss the venerable kimoto method of making the seed mash for sake brewing, and hopefully clear up some common misconceptions about it and its close relative of yamahai.

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

Happy Holidays! ☆ Andrew Russell and Jim Rion bring a special episode of Sake Deep Dive for your Christmas listening pleasure-after the presents are open and carols are sung, warm up a tokkuri and settle in for some sake chat. 

☆ This time, we’re keeping it casual and looking back at the year that was. 

☆ Join us as we reflect on the podcast, great sake discoveries, the allure of pottery, and our sake breweries of the year. ☆ It’s a casual swim this time, but we hope you’ll still find something interesting to keep the sake flowing. 

☆ Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and kanpai. 

☆☆ Find Andrew Russell online at www.OriginSake.com and Jim Rion or www.JimRion.com and www.YamaguchiSake.com! 

☆Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions

Aruten: A Constant Companion

In this episode of Sake Deep Dive, Co-Hosts Andrew Russel and Jim Rion go back the very beginnings of when, and why, distilled alcohol was first added to seishu, trace the rise and fall of aruten, and see just what goes into this delicious class of sake. 

Recommended Sake in this Episode:

Andrew:

In this episode of Sake Deep Dive, Jim and Andy take a look at Ginjo--the word, the sake, and the significance. We hope people learn that there’s more to it than just milling ratios, and see just how important Hiroshima is to the modern conception of this “scrutinized” brewing method. Remember, ginjo is good, but it’s not everything!

Recommended sake in this episode

Andrew:

Futsushu, the sadly undervalued, yet overwhelmingly popular base of the sake pyramid.
In Sake Deep Dive's inaugural episode, hosts Jim Rion and Andrew Russell discuss the meaning of the term, its history, and the reason why so many people turn up their noses at this enormously diverse class of sake.
They also give some insight into how it's made, and how to know which ones are worth trying.

Recommended Brands in this Episode: