Sugidama Sake Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

The new season of Sugidama Sake Podcast is out and I am releasing the first episode on Saturday! This is the start of a mini-series "How to Enjoy Sake".  After talking to a lot of people who don't drink sake I have realised that very often the reason is that they believe that sake has some special rules for buying, drinking and enjoying it and they don't know them.

In reality, sake is like any other drink, has its own particularities but they are not as complex and different from other alcoholic beverages as some people think. Its a Japanese drink so some of the language associated with it is Japanese, but it should not be a problem if you don't know it. You can start your sake journey without any advance knowledge.

And in the first episode of the series I am giving very simple and easy tips for buying your sake.

Another exciting thing is that I am organising Sake & Pintxos Discovery Night to celebrate versatility of sake. It's a drink that can be enjoyed with any kind of food! And on December 14 we will drink it with iconic Basque food, pintxos, which are so ubiquitous in Northern Spain.

If you are in London that day, please come! It would be great to meet any of my listeners. The tickets and the event information: Sake & Pintxos Discovery Night.

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today plus shochu and some other beverages. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• Sake & Pintxos Discovery Night: a bit of the back story
• "How to Enjoy Sake" mini-series idea
• Where to buy sake?
• Is a price of sake a factor?
• Sake lingo: should I know all this strange words?
• Why is sake shop staff  invaluable?
• Sake of the episode: Kamoizumi “Red Maple” 2-Year Aged Nama Genshu Ginjo

Kampai!

Sake of the episode:
Kamoizumi “Red Maple” 2-Year Aged Nama Genshu Ginjo
Kamoizumi Shuzo
World Sake Imports UK
London Sake

Red Maple Full Review
Sugidama Blog

Sake & Pintxos Discovery Night

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 

The final episode of Season 4 is about a new Shochu Advisor Course, run by the Intentional Sake School. I have recently taken it and decided to share my experience. The course was taught by amazing Toshio Ueno,  a Co-Founder of the Sake School of America, Director of Sake at MTC. Ueno san is Sake Samurai and advisor to many Japanese government bodies, associations and companies. His knowledge stretches from wine and beer to sake and shochu and many other areas.

It's a new and I think the only shochu course available in the UK. It’s a short and to-the-point course with a very wide coverage from the history of shochu to shochu-making methods, types, ingredients, food pairing etc. After completing the course you will sit an exam and if successful will receive a Shochu Advisor certificate. The course is great and highly recommended if you are interested in Japanese alcoholic beverages!

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake (and shochu!!!) available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• What is shochu?
• How sake and shochu are similar?
• Ueno sensei and the International Sake School
• Why did I decide to get a Shochu Advisor Diploma?
• The Shochu Advisor course content
• The shochu tasting part of the course
• Final Thoughts
• Sake of the episode: Takara Towari Soba Shochu

Kampai!

Shochu mentioned:
Takara Towari Soba Shochu
Takara USA
Yutaka

The Sake School of America

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana

This is the first episode in the Sake Around the World series. Today I am talking with Samuel Boulton about sake in Birmingham. With almost 15 years in the industry, Sam boasts many accolades such as CLASS Awards 2022, Bar Employer of the year, The Drinks Trust Golden Pineapple 2022 Winner of the award Best Internal Staff Initiatives. 

Samuel is also on the Spirits Judging Committee for the world-renowned IWSC, specialising in Vermouth and liqueurs. In 2021 Sam published his first book The Vermouth Ambassadors Guide to Modern Drinking

He is also the owner of the award-winning The Pineapple Club, which has been deemed Tale of the Cocktails, Spirited Awards Regional Top 10 Honoree for Best New International Bar in Europe and ranked 44th Best Bar on the UK Top 50 Bars List.

In early 2022 Sam opened Shibuya Underground a Testing menu cocktail bar specialising in Japanese sake and shochu. So if you are in Birmingham, living there or travelling, stop by Shibuya Underground or The Pineapple Club and have a chat with Sam over a glass or two of sake or one of his cocktails.

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• Sam's sake story and why sake
• Sake in Birmingham and Shibuya Underground
• Growth in sake in Birmingham and what holds it up
• Sake preferences and trends in Birmingham
• Future plans
• Sake of the Episode: Yamahai Miyama Nishiki 2018
• Goodbyes and Ending

Kampai!
Sake mentioned:
Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute Yamahai Miyama Nishiki 2018
Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute
Tengu Sake

The Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute

Shibuya Underground

The Pineapple Club Cocktail Bar

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana

Noguchi Naohiko is a legend in the world of sake. He has been making sake since 1949 and is widely known as the God of Sake Brewing. After working at a number of breweries as a toji (master brewer) he now heads The Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute (NNSI) established in 2017 with the vision of passing Noguchi-Toji’s skill, spirit and sake philosophy to a new generation of brewers. 

At last, Noguchi sake is available in the UK thanks to Tengu Sake and its charismatic owner, Oliver Hilton-Johnson.  Oliver has already been on Sugidama Podcast two years ago in Episode 09. So we sat with him, tried three Noguchi sake and talked about the master, the brewery and the sake as well as about a few other things.

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• Who is Noguchi Naohiko, the God of Sake Brewing?
• Noguchi sake style
• Noguchi Naohiko's philosophy of sake brewing
• Sake 01: Junmai 2020
• Sake 02:  Yamahai Gohyakumangoku 2018
• Sake and beer, food and terroir
• Sake 03: Yamahai Miyama Nishiki 2018
• What was our favourite sake of the evening?

Kampai!
Sake mentioned:
Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute Junmai 2020
Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute
Tengu Sake

Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute Yamahai Gohyakumangoku 2018
Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute
Tengu Sake

Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute Yamahai Miyama Nishiki 2018
Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute
Tengu Sake

The Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana

The wait is over and Season 4 is on with a lot of interesting interviews, breweries overviews, tastings, special episodes and even a competition together with London Sake, which will be announced later.

In this episode, I am talking to a bunch of very cool people I met at the British Sake Association Grand Tasting of Sake in October 2022.

You will hear from Natalie from Kanpai London, Chie from Wakaze Sake,  Hiroyuki from Shirakabegura, Maria Laura from Tanaka 1789 X Chartier, Tony from VSF Wine Education, Peter McCombie MW, Michele Quarta from Gordon Ramsay, and Paul and Richard.

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• What is the British Sake Association
• Natalie, Brewer at Kanpai London
• Chie Nasu, Sales manager at Wakaze Sake
• Hiroyuki Ito, General manager of Takara Europe
• Maria Laura Ortiz, International Marketing and Sales Director at Tanaka 1789 X Chartier
• Tony Yip, Director of VSF Wine Education
• Peter McCombie, Master of Wine
• Michele Quarta, Executive Bars Manager at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants
• Paul and Richard, BSA members

Kampai!

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana

Yay, it's been two years and three seasons of Sugidama Podcast! And this is the last episode of Season 3, where I share some observations from the IWC Sake judging this year and the Award Winning Sake Tasting at the Embassy of Japan followed after.

During that tasting event, I took comments from my fellow judges, sake breweries and even from the Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom,  His Excellency  Hayashi Hajime.

You will also hear Oliver Hilton-Johnson from Tengu Sake, who was in Episode 09, Marie Cheong-Thong, the Chairman of the British Sake Association, who was in Episode 32, Muneki Matsumoto, President and CEO of the Tosa Brewing Company, a maker of the famous Keigetsu sake, Tracey Delaney from The Sparkling Sake Brewery we talked with in Episode 28, and Robin Sola, the owner of the Sorakami Sake.

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• What is IWC Sake and how judging is done
• How IWC this year is different from the last year judging amid the pandemic
• What is the IWC Award Winning Sake tasting
• IWC Award Winning Sake tasting in 2022
• Comments and observations from sake professionals and Ambassador Hayashi Hajime.
• Sake of the episode: Kamoizumi Junmai Daiginjo

Kampai!
Sake mentioned:
Kamoizumi Junmai Daiginjo
Kamoizumi Brewery
London Sake

International Wine Challenge (IWC)

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana

This is the second interview, which concludes the Emergence of Sake series and highlights the modern sake trends. This time with Jim Rion and Andrew Russell from the super interesting and informative Sake Deep Dive podcast. 

Andy has already been on Sugidama Podcast before passionately talking about sake yeast in Episode 19. He is a sake brewer at Imada Shuzo and the author of the Origin Sake blog.

Jim is a freelance translator and writer working primarily in the tourism, sake, and entertainment fields. He is based in Japan in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Besides the podcast, Jim also publishes the Ochoko Time newsletter.

Both Jim and Andy possess an enormous amount of sake knowledge. It was great fun to discuss with them what is cool in the sake world in Japan!

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• Introduction and background
• The Sake Deep Dive Podcast
• From Kimoto to Sokujo
• Sake trends: 
  • Back to the Roots
  • Low Polish Ratio
  • Lower ABV Sake
  • Modern Juicy Style
  • The Growth in Namazake Export
  • The Emergence of New (Newish) Sake Breweries
• Future Trends 
• Sake of the Episode: Kanenaka Kimoto Junmai (Jim) and Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri Junmai (Andy)

Kampai!

Sake mentioned:
Kanenaka Kimoto Junmai
Nakashimaya Sake Brewery
Sake Shoten Online Store

Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri Junmai
Miyasaka Sake Brewery
London Sake

Sake Deep Dive Podcast
Intro music
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 

Yamaguchi Sake + Ochoko Times (Jim Rion)

Origin Sake (Andrew Russell)

Discovering Yamaguchi Sake (Jim Rion's new book pre-order page)

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown

After concluding The Emergence of Sake series tracing the history of sake brewing from ancient times until the modern times,  I decided to follow it with two interviews highlighting the modern trends in sake making.

And in this episode, I am talking to Tom Wilson, a master brewer and owner of the first UK sake brewery, Kanpai London. Kanpai represents a modern approach to sake brewing but follows the same philosophy as most brewers in Japan for hundreds of years: to make the best possible sake.

This episode is my first experience of recording on-site as I went to visit the Kanpai Brewery and Tap Room and sat down with Tom to talk about and try his beautiful sake. I didn't mention it in the episode, but we were drinking the finished version of the same sake Marie Cheong-Thong was talking about two episodes back.

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• Introduction and background
• Major challenges for opening and running a brewery in the UK
• How sake is made at Kanpai London
• The first sake of the episode: Kanpai Kaze Junmai Ginjo
• Kanpai Brewery and Tap Room concept 
• How does it feel to work as a family?
• Key points of Kanpai sake brewing and the Kanpai team
• The second sake of the episode: Kanpai Kura Junmai Koshu
• Kanpai sake range
• Plans for the future and kampai!

Kampai!

Kanpai London website:
Kanpai London

Sake mentioned:
Kanpai KAZE Junmai Ginjo
Kanpai London

Kanpai KURA Junmai Koshu
Kanpai Online Shop

Kanpai SORA 'Sky' Honjozo
Kanpai Online Shop

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana

Last time we were talking about the Edo period, which brought many techniques and innovations into sake brewing resulting in better and more stable sake. But the real revolution in sake-making happened after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate: during the Meiji era but particularly at the beginning of the 20th century. In this episode I am talking about huge changes in the sake industry, the foundation of the National Research Institute of Brewing and the development of yamahai and sokujo brewing methods.,

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• When sake first officially travelled to Europe and bottling
• The abolition of the Sakekabu system
• The development of sake rice
• National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB)
• Yamahai: no more rice pounding
• Sokujo-moto: modern sake brewing
• Other sake developments
• Sake of the episode: Daishichi Masakura Kimoto Junmai Ginjo

Kampai!
Sake mentioned:
Daishichi Masakura Kimoto Junmai Ginjo
Daishichi Brewery
Japan Centre

The Passionate Foodie: Saké in Bottles

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana

Sake is not a very easy topic. If you want to understand it well, you need to do some studying. You can buy a book or two about sake (see Episode 12 Essential Books about Sake) and read them. You can go to sake events and probably join a sake promoting organisation such as the British Sake Association.  Finally, you can go to a sake course and get a sake qualification.

And my guest for this episode is Marie Cheong-Thong, a certified WSET sake, wine and spirits educator, freelance writer and the Chairman of the British Sake Association among other titles, who is talking about all these options as well as about plenty of other sake related topics.

Don't forget, Sugidama Podcast now has a sponsor, London Sake, an excellent online sake store. London Sake has one of the widest selections of premium and craft sake available online today. They deliver across the UK and Europe, and with over 100 sake from 25 breweries, there really is something for everyone.

Using simple online tasting notes and sensible, affordable food pairings they help you find the perfect sake without any of the fuss. Listeners of the podcast can get a 10% discount Listen to the episode to get the magical code! London Sake: making sake simple.

Episode's Content:

• Introduction and background
• Marie's sake aha moment
• British Sake Association
• Sake education options: books and WSET
• Sake education options: SSI, Sake School of America, Sake Sommelier Association and other options
• Who and why come to learn about sake
• How a sake course is organised, key topics
• What to do after the graduation
• Interest in sake is growing everywhere
• Sake of the episode: Kanpai Namazake

Kampai!

Marie's website:
The Larder at 36

British Sake Association

Kanpai Online Store

Sugidama Podcast on Podchaser - please review if you don't use Apple Podcasts

Music used:
Wirklich Wichtig (CB 27) by Checkie Brown https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Checkie_Brown_1005/hey/Wirklich_Wichtig_CB_27

Just Arround the World (Kielokaz ID 362) by KieLoKaz
 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Just_Arround_the_World_Kielokaz_ID_362

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Vocal: Svetlana