Sake On Air

Sake On Air
Sake On Air

SAKE ON AIR is an exploration into the stories, people, lifestyle, and what’s really happening in the world of SAKE and SHOCHU. The show is brought to you by a team of experts based here in the Sake Homeland of Japan, working and thriving on the front lines of the industry. Together with local and international guests from a range of fields, both sake-specific and sake-curious, each week we’ll be going beyond just, “What is sake?” and instead, exploring the excitement, challenges, depth, and possibilities in, what we think, is arguably the world’s most fascinating and enjoyable pair of beverages.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Traditional Sake Making is World Heritage!

    Earlier this week the sake industry received some amazing news: "traditional sake brewing" was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. However, the term is rather vague on its own. So for this episode of Sake on Air, our hosts Arline Lyons and Frank Walter set out to clarify what "traditional sake brewing" means, the potential benefits of the listing, and what it might mean for the future. Arline and Cindy went to a celebration event in Itami and got to talk with sake brewers, shochu distillers, mirin producers, and a wide range of other people and organizations (including an many people from the Japanese press). Arline collected statements from sake brewers both in Japan and overseas, Koji spore makers and other industry professionals to hear what they think the listing means. Everyone is excited by this international recognition and proud that the skills involved in sake-making are now valued as highly as washoku, traditional Japanese food culture, which received the same recognition in 2014.This is just the beginning and many people in the sake and shochu industry plan to use the UNESCO listing to promote koji, nihonshu, shochu, awamori, mirin and the skills needed to produce them both in Japan and overseas. As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you!We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air.Until then, kampai!Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

    28 min

  2. NOV 29

    Oh the Omachi! A Sake Rice Deep Dive

    Japanese sake is made from water, rice, and koji. There are many specific rice varieties cultivated for brewing sake, all of which are lumped together as sakamai (酒米). Some are more prominent than others and one in particular has gotten itself a bit of a cult following. You may refer to it as the OG or grandfather of sakamai and of course, we are referring to Omachi (雄町)!One of the oldest rice varieties dating back to 1859, Omachi was first grown in the town of Omachi in Okayama Prefecture. It is praised for adding rich and complex flavors to sake but is notoriously difficult to grow. Cultivation dwindled as farmers turned to easier to grow varieties until it was almost lost. However, it was brought back from the brink of extinction by dedicated and passionate brewers and the rest is history. It is impossible to think about Japan's sake landscape without sake made from Omachi rice and “Omachists” (as fans endearingly call themselves) celebrate their favorite sake online with dedicated hashtags, while farmers and brewers from Okayama organize an amazing event - the Omachi Summit every year to help people fall in love with it. So join Cindy Bissig and Arline Lyons as they welcome Giulia Maglio, a sake educator and kurabito to dive into the world of Omachi and share their knowledge and experience. Learn more about the basic facts and history of Omachi rice, reasons why it might be so popular, and how to promote it, as well as get a unique perspective as Giulia shares a bit of what it is like working with Omachi in the Koji room… As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

    52 min

  3. NOV 6

    Slinging Sake with Sake Samurai Adrian Goh

    In our latest Podcast Cindy Bissig and Frank Walter had the pleasure to welcome no other than Singapore’s first Sake Samurai - Adrian Goh, the director and chief educator at Inter Rice Asia, IWC judge and organizer of one of Singapore’s biggest Sake Matsuris!For anyone unfamiliar with what a Sake Samurai is or how to become one, it is a prestigious title bestowed by the Japan Sake Brewing Young People's Council, an organization of young brewers from all over Japan, every year since its conception in 2005. Only 3-5 people are given this title each year, which is a huge honor to receive. Although as Adrian put it, it is also a responsibility pledging to keep promoting sake and the people and communities surrounding it.Since starting his career in nihonshu in 2013, Adrian has been incredibly busy. In the last 11 years, he has visited more than 130 sake breweries in 35 prefectures, changed the structure of his business in the face of adversity during the pandemic, and has been able to introduce sake (and other beverages) in a fun yet educational way to many Singaporeans and beyond the countries borders. He also became a recent graduate of the JSS Shochu Academy. This is bringing good news as we may see more Shochu coming to Singapore.But with all this focus on business, we also learn about the importance of his family and their unconditional support. As well as how he purposefully is trying to recreate the same spirit in his company, and we might say he is doing a very good job at it. Transcripts of new episodes can now be found at our substack! https://sakeonair.substack.com/ (sometimes there is a few days delay) As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you!We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air.Until then, kapai!Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

    1h 2m

  4. OCT 30

    Koji Cocktails with Sam Boulton

    Sebastien Lemoine, Chris Hughes, and Miho Ota sit down with Sam Boulton, author, mixologist and drinks consultant to talk about his new book, “The Art of Mixing Koji Cocktails.” Sam is based in Birmingham, and is one of handful of experts on Japanese booze in the UK. He was a participant in this year's Advanced Shochu Academy in Kagoshima, and then spent almost a month visiting distilleries and breweries around the country after the program ended. He has also started a podcast “The Izakaya Happy Hour” and has written a book on vermouth. You can find out more about him at his website: www.kokushu.info or his instagram (@boultononbooze). Sam came and made two cocktails from Japanese ingredients for the team and then talked about the sake and shochu scene in the UK and some of the positives and negatives to the slow but steady growth in popularity of shochu as a cocktail ingredient. The conversation also dives into how bartenders can incorporate a Japanese spirit into their standard line up without going overboard or spending too much. Transcripts of new episodes can now be found at our substack! https://sakeonair.substack.com/ (sometimes there is a few days delay) As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you!We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air.Until then, kampai!Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

    1h 2m

  5. OCT 23

    What even is a Sake GI?

    Many people will be familiar with the word GI (Geographical Indication), especially if they are familiar with wine. Famous GIs are known around the world like Champagne or Prosciutto. But what about sake? Does sake need a GI system? What does a GI actually mean? Where do we find these regions in Japan and does GI make any sense in the sake world?Our regular hosts, Chris Hughes and John Gauntner unravel this somewhat controversial topic with Ken Takehisa, the CEO of Sake Edge and Monten. Ken is an expert on the topic and has closely worked with the National Tax Office of Japan, to actively seek out, create, and introduce new GIs around Japan.The conversation focuses on the definition of GI, the advantages and disadvantages of GI, and challenges applying GI to the sake industry. We also tried to get a better understanding about how sake GIs are created. He spoke about not only the necessary paperwork, but also the consensus building (or not building) process that is required to create a new GI for a region or prefecture. As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai!Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

    1h 1m

  6. OCT 11

    Talking Spirits with the Advanced Shochu Academy 2024

    As sake continues to gain popularity around the world, shochu is next in line. In August 2024, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) held its inaugural week-long Advanced Shochu Academy in Kagoshima. The event was designed to educate professionals in the global beverage industry about shochu.The 12 participants came from diverse backgrounds—educators, importers, and consultants from seven different countries. Miho Ota seized the opportunity to interview them, gaining insights into shochu's presence in their respective countries and exploring what draws them to the spirit. She organized three impromptu sessions focused on the European, Asian, and Brazilian markets, highlighting both the similarities and differences within and across these regions.One small note: As we we recorded this on the fly, the recording quality was less than ideal. But the conversations provided valuable insights into shochu’s current standing and potential for promotion in global markets, so we hope you will give it a listen. We deeply appreciate the participants' time and expertise, especially after their long days of intensive lectures. Thanks to: Adrian Goh (Singapore)IG: @apgoh / @Interriceasia Facebook: Adrian GohWebsite: www.theartofsake.com Chris Yang (Taiwan)Instagram: @hockeybabytwFacebook: Chris YangCompany website: www.kurisake.com Ding Liu (China)Instagram: @dingliu91Xiaohongshu: Fish swimming in wine (account number 1055966437) Elvira Aldaz (Spain)Instagram: @maldazFacebook: Elvira Aldaz MezcuaLinkedin: @elviraaldaz Fabio Ota (Brazil)Instagram and Facebook: @megasakeOnline shop: www.megasake.com.br Fall Huang (China/Malaysia)Instagram: @fall.huangFacebook: Fall Huang Francesco Braun (UK/Italy)Instagram: @just_imbiberFacebook: Francesco Braun Sam Boulton (UK)Instagram: @boultononboozeWebsite: www.kokushu.info Sean Ou (Singapore)Instagram and Facebook: @thebeveragecliqueLinkedIn: @the-beverage-cliqueYouTube: @thebeveragecliquetv782Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vtPuXog1hsfRIzpi6IPI5?si=af256f4a07094b55Academy Website: https://thebeverageclique.com/ Tony Yip (France)Instagram: @food_drinks_cultureFacebook: @TonyMTYip As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! This episode has been made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake on Air was created by Potts-K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Justin Potts, Miho Ota, Cindy Bissig, Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pelegrini, Arline Lyons, Shuso Imada, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air. For more information about the Honkaku Shochu & Awamori EXPERIENCE: www.jfn.co.jp/lp/experience2024/ (Japanese Only)

    1h 2m

  7. OCT 1

    [Special Announcement] Sake & Shochu Events in October 2024

    Happy Sake Day! Here is a list of events that are happening this month in Japan and around the world. Outside Japan (Sake Day Events) On October 1st in Melbourne, Australia. Tamura Sake Bar is celebrating World Sake Day 2024 from 6 to 9PM. https://www.tamurasakebar.com/ On October 4th from 4 to 10 pm, World Sake Day NYC 2024 will be happening at The W Loft Rooftop (240 Kent Ave, Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY)https://www.upstairsnyc.org/world-sake-day-nyc-2024 On October 5th from noon to 4 pm, the Queen City Sake Festival is happening in Denver Colorado. It will be held at Finn's Manor and 2 sake samurai will be attending.https://www.eventbrite.com/e/queen-city-sake-festival-tickets-1003066237117?aff=oddtdtcreatorAlso on October 5th in Long Beach the 2nd Annual LB Sake Day will be held from 1 to 4pm at Rancho Los Cerritos. https://aftontickets.com/lbsakeday Also on October 5th in Southern California, is the 8th Annual San Diego Sake Festival from 2 to 6 pm at Julep Venue.https://sandiegosakeclub.com/sake-festival Tuesday, October 1, 2024 AomoriA Toast with Local Sake from Around Japan & The Aomori Preliminary Round of the National Sake Tasting Competition5:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Reception: 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm): Preliminary Round of the National Sake Tasting Competition5:30 pm - 8:00 pm: A Taste of Local Sake from Around JapanLocationsA Taste of Local Sake from Around Japan: Machiniwa, 21-1 Mikkamachi, Hachinohe, Aomori PrefecturePreliminary Round of the National Sake Tasting Competition: Tsurutamachi Toyomeikan, 184-1 Hayase, Tsuruta, Kitatsugaru-gun, Aomori PrefectureOfficial Website: https://aomori-sake.or.jp/event KagawaThe 16th Sanuki Sake PR Mission3:00 pm - 4:45 pm: Preliminary Round of the National Sake Tasting Competition5:00 pm - 7:05 pm: A Toast with Sanuki Sake!LocationsKagawa Preliminary Round of the National Sake Tasting Competition: Marugamemachi Letts Hall Culture RoomA Toast with Sanuki Sake!: Dome Square in front of Takamatsu Marugamemachi Shopping Street, 1-1 Marugamemachi, Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture1-1 Marugamemachi, Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture 4F Takamatsu Marugamemachi Ichibangai East Bldg.Official Website: https://sanuki-sake.com/ EhimeNationwide Sake Toast & Horoyoi Festa 2024Reception: Starting at 6:00 pmToast: Starting at 7:00 pmLocationsYasuragi Hiroba, Shiroyama ParkHorinouchi, Matsuyama, Ehime PrefectureOfficial Website: https://www.ehime-syuzou.com/ KochiA Toast with Tosa Sake! Make Friends In Person and Online!6:30 pm - 8:00 pm (Reception starting at 6:00 pm)LocationsThe Crown Palais New Hankyu Kochi, 4-2-50 Honmachi, Kochi City, Kochi PrefectureOfficial Website: https://www.kbiz.or.jp/kumiai/sake/ NaraNara Sake: A Toast at World Heritage SitesTuesday, October 1, 2024 Toast from 5:00 pmSunday, October 13 12:00 - 5:00 pm*Sake will be served from 2:00 pmLocationOctober 1: Rooftop of Nara Park Bus Terminal, 76 Noboriojicho, Nara City, Nara PrefectureOctober 13: Kinpusen-ji Temple, Yoshinoyama, Yoshinocho, Yoshino-gun, Nara PrefectureOfficial Website: https://yamato-umazake.com/ Friday, October 4 to Sunday, October 6th, 2024 Kochi56th Tosa Hashiken All-Japan ChampionshipFriday, October 4, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pmLocationThe Crown Palais New Hankyu Kochi4-2-50 Honmachi, Kochi City, Kochi PrefectureOfficial Website: https://www.kbiz.or.jp/kumiai/sake/ ChibaChiba Sake Festival 2024Friday, October 4Part 1: 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm　(Reception: 2:15 pm)Part 2: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm　(Reception: 5:15 pm)LocationTokyo Bay Makuhari Hall, 2-3 Hibino, Mihama-ku, Chiba City, Chiba PrefectureOfficial Website: https://chiba-sake.jp/

    2 min

  8. SEP 13

    Nada: The Sleeping Giant

    Nada is a well-known name in the world of sake. Almost a brand, it is associated with the area whose sake dominated the Edo (Tokyo) market in the later part of the Edo period (1603-1868), and it is still the largest sake production area in Japan.  Despite this track record, “Nada sake” can sometimes be reduced to an association with “Industrial sake” and carry a slightly negative image. We think it is important to set a few facts straight! In this episode Andrew Russell, sake brewer at the iconic brewery Kenbishi, John Gauntner and Sebastien Lemoine discuss Nada and its sake: the area’s boundaries (across 3 cities today) and history, the sake style, the huge contribution it made to the development of the sake brewing industry (processes, tools, sakagura design). That history was rough at times and Nada breweries last showed their strength and resilience at the occasion of the 1995 Hanshin earthquake. It led to deep changes in the area. Nada breweries can make any sake, and it should not be a surprise that Hyogo (including 9 Nada breweries) collected the largest number of gold medals at the New Sake Appraisal Competition in 2024. Last but not least, our 3 hosts are sharing a number of tips about places our listeners can visit there to discover or experience more.   For anyone curious about Andrew Russell, make sure to check out his tours and website on OriginSake and or listen to his podcast (Sake Deep Dive, co-produced by Jim Rion) As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! This episode has been made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. Sake on Air was created by Potts-K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Justin Potts, Miho Ota, Cindy Bissig, Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pelegrini, Arline Lyons, Shuso Imada, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

    1h 7m
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4.8
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

SAKE ON AIR is an exploration into the stories, people, lifestyle, and what’s really happening in the world of SAKE and SHOCHU. The show is brought to you by a team of experts based here in the Sake Homeland of Japan, working and thriving on the front lines of the industry. Together with local and international guests from a range of fields, both sake-specific and sake-curious, each week we’ll be going beyond just, “What is sake?” and instead, exploring the excitement, challenges, depth, and possibilities in, what we think, is arguably the world’s most fascinating and enjoyable pair of beverages.

Information

  • Creator
    Sake On Air
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2024
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Sake On Air

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