Sake Deep Dive

A sake podcast for the beyond beginner!
Sake brewer Andrew Russell and sake writer/translator Jim Rion dive deep into the history and culture around Japan's national drink to bring context and insight, for when an introduction just won't cut it.
Join us every month for a tokkuri full of unfiltered sake knowledge!

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Saturday · 1 hr 3 min
Futsushu Revisited - Sake's Uncrowned King (Still)
Join us for a very special episode of Sake Deep Dive, as it marks several firsts for our duo: the first ever return to a previously covered topic, and the first ever special guest. Julian Houseman is a sake educator and writer, as well as running his own sake bar in Osaka. The three go back to reflect on how attitudes toward futsūshu may have changed (or not!) in the five years since they tackled it in the very first episode. Is it still the same overlooked, undervalued segment of the sake market? Is it still packed with undiscovered gems? Listen and find out. And it is also important to remember that for every first, there is a last. This marks the final episode for Jim as his career takes him in new directions. But lament not! Andy and Julian are ready to keep the sake warm and the torch lit. Kampai! Vocab: Kyūbetsu seidō 級別制度 - An older classification system for sake based on various subjective factors that was replaced with the tokutei meishōshu system. Sanzōshu 三増酒 - “Tripled” sake made by adding large amounts of distilled alcohol and flavoring additives to triple the amount of sake made from the same amount of rice. Abolished in the 1990s, but some level of heavy additive use remains in the cheapest levels of futsūshu. Tokutei meishōshu 特定名称酒 - The current system for classifying sake by rice grading, polishing, alcohol content etc. Yodanjikomi 四段仕込み - A four-stage mash, when an additional stage is added for either necessity as in aruten alcohol addition, or for a different expression of the sake. Recommendations: Andy - Tsuru no Tomo Jōhaku　 Jim - Gokyō Jōsen Julian - Nihonjō Jōsen Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com Find Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he mostly doesn’t talk about sake at all. Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
August 31 · 47 min
Sanin Ginjo - Sake from the Shadows
Ginjo sake brewing is familiar enough, but what about those folks out on the Sanin coast? Some claim they’re doing it a little differently, but Jim and Andy aren’t so sure. Is it the koji? The yeast? The climate? Come and let’s see what’s going on in the shadows. Kampai! Vocab: Ajigin 味吟 - A flavor-focused ginjo sake. Chūgoku 中国 - A region of western Japan including Hiroshima, Okayama, Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi prefectures. Hanagin はな吟 - An aroma-focused ginjo sake. San’in 山陰 - The part of the Chugoku region that stands to the north/west of the Chugoku Mountains along the Sea of Japan coast. Mostly associated with Tottori and Shimane Prefectures. Sanyō 山陽 - The coastal area of the CHugoku Region along the Sea of Japan, south/east of the Chugoku mountains. Sōhaze 総はぜ - A koji growth pattern with the filaments covering the whole surface of the rice grains. Tsukihaze 突きはぜ - A koji growth pattern with filaments speckling the surface, with filaments sticking deep inside the rice grain. Recommendations: Andy - Tenon Mukkyu Sake Jim - Chiyomusubi Goriki 60 Junmai Ginjo Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com Find Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he doesn’t talk about sake at all. Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
August 1 · 46 min
Dankake - Building a Sake Mash
Three steps? Four steps? More?! Building a stable sake mash can be a tricky business, and here Andy and Jim dig deep into a tried and true way of making sure your fermentation is a strong one. From history to stages, variations to value, they give dankake the good ol’ Sake Deep Dive Treatment. Kampai! Vocab: Dankake 段掛け or Danjikomi 段仕込み - Staged mashing. A standard feature of multiple-parallel fermentation sake brewing, in which rice and koji are added in batches to allow for more stable growth of the yeast. Eda oke 枝桶 - a technique where the smaller Hatsuzoe batch of rice and koji is mixed with the starter in a smaller tank, allowing for more controlled yeast propagation during the vulnerable early stages. Goshu no Nikki 御酒之日記 - A record/journal that is considered the first technical brewing guide in Japan, kept by members of the Satake clan. Its date is contested but it is mostly considered to date to 1489, though some believe it was written in 1355. It mentions sandanjikomi, important to this discussion. Hatsuzoe 初添え - The first stage of a mash or shikomi, when steamed rice and koji are added to the moto starter. Ittonjikomi 一トン仕込み - A one-tonne (of rice) mash for sake brewing. Often considered a kind of standard measure for small to medium sake breweries. Nakazoe 仲添え - The second addition of rice and koji to the fermentation mash. Odori 踊り - A stage of rest between hatsuzoe and nakazoe. Sandanjikomi 三段仕込み - A three-stage mash/ Tamonin Nikki 多聞院日記- A journal/record kept at Tamoin temple from 1478 to 1618. It mentions several topics of interest to sake brewing, including a reference to dankake in connection to Bodaisen sake brewing. Togaimai 等外米 - Rice that has not been graded for the official classification system, meaning it cannot be used for tokuteimeishu brewing. Tomezoe 留添え - The final stage of a dankake, when fermentation is encouraged to stop. Yodanjikomi 四段仕込み - A four-stage mash, when an additional stage is added for either necessity as in aruten alcohol addition, or for a different expression of the sake. Recommendations: Andy - Hanatomoe Yodan Muroka Nama Jim - Yachiyo Bd-14 Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com Find Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he mostly doesn’t talk about sake at all. Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
May 31 · 54 min
Koshi no Kanbai - Snow Country Sake
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 - Tokujoshu Kimoto-kei Hashirajochu Shikomi Jim - Futsushu White Label Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com Find Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he mostly doesn’t talk about sake at all. Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
March 31 · 1 hr 3 min
Itami - Sake's Other, Other Birthplace(?)
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: Andy ＆Jim both - Choutokusen Shirayuki Edo Genroku no Sake Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com Find Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he mostly doesn’t talk about sake at all. Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
January 31 · 54 min
Niigata - How Snow Country Sake Fueled the Jizake Boom
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: Andy - Secchubai Honjōzō Jim - Koshi no Kanbai White Label Jōsen Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com Find Jim at his website www.JimRion.com, where he mostly doesn’t talk about sake at all. Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Dec 31, 2025 · 52 min
Brewery Hierarchy - Sake Making Structure
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 Jim - Kenbishi Kuromatsu Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Nov 30, 2025 · 48 min
Namazake - The Story of Unpasteurized Sake
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: Andy - Daijiro Kimoto Junmai Namazake Jim - Kikusui Jukusei Funaguchi Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Oct 31, 2025 · 38 min
Hiyaoroshi - Autumn Sake Season is Here
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 - Minami Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi Jim - Moriko Junmai Hiyaoroshi Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s websites at: https://www.originsake.com/ and https://www.originsaketours.com And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Sep 30, 2025 · 42 min
Sugidama - Sake Brewing's Evergreen Symbol
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! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Jul 31, 2025 · 47 min
Nigori - Clearing up Cloudy Sake
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 - Seikyo Junmai Nigorizake 誠鏡純米にごり酒 Jim - Nakashimaya Junmai Nigori 中島屋純米にごり Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Jun 30, 2025 · 40 min
Natsuzake - Summertime Sake
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 - Tamagawa Icebreaker Jim - Chomonkyo Natsu no Sake/ Natsujun Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s sake tours at: https://www.originsaketours.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
May 31, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Shibori - Sake Pressing Matters
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 - Hoken Retro Label (寳劔純米レトロラベル) Jim - Harada Tokubetsu Junmai Saito no Shizuku Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Mar 31, 2025 · 55 min
Aramasa - Sake with Style
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: Andy - Nirukame Jim - Cosmos Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Feb 28, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Sake Bars - Drinking in Japan
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: Andy - Kaifork 解放区 in Okayama City Jim - Hularito in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Jan 31, 2025 · 56 min
Jizake - Local Sake Goes Global
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: Andy - Kosen, Izumi Shuzo Jim - Ikusanga, Kinfundo Shuzo Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s website at: https://www.originsake.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Dec 31, 2024 · 52 min
Koji - Sake's (In?) tangible Cultural Heart
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: Andy - Daigorei from Bajo Shuzo Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s new sake tours at: https://www.originsaketours.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Nov 30, 2024 · 43 min
Honjozo - A Hidden Sake Hero
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: Andy - Juyondai Tokubestu Honjozo Honmaru Jim - Ugo no Tsuki Tokubestu Honjozo (See also New Moon) Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s new sake tours at: https://www.originsaketours.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Sep 30, 2024 · 1 hr
Gokyo - Yamaguchi's Soul Sake
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 - Gokyo Saitonoshizuku Daiginjo Jim - Gokyo Josen Futsushu / Gokyo Kiokezukuri Junmaishu Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s new sake tours at: https://www.originsaketours.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg
Aug 31, 2024 · 46 min
Taru Sake - The Scent of Sugi
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 - Choryo Tarusake Jim - Kamotsuru Taruzake Don’t forget to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/SakeDeepDive Also, check out Andy’s new sake tours at: https://www.originsaketours.com/ And buy Jim’s book, Discovering Yamaguchi Sake wherever you order your books (print and ebook available)! Our theme music is from Lotus Lane by The Loyalist - Preconceived Notions Available at https://soundcloud.com/preconceived-notions Under a Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lotus-lane Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/1YVHRMVwwHg

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