Sake Deep Dive

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 Andy - Kikuhime Yamahai Junmai Jim - Yuki no Bosha Hiden Yamahai Junmai Ginjo 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

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: Tsuki no I Nanotsuki Kimoto Junmai 80% Jim Kai no Kaiun Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu （Limited edition-sorry. The shiboritate and regular junmai are great, too!） 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

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 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

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: Sakura Masamune Kyokai 1  Jim Hakushika Suzuro Shiboritate Futsushu  Useful vocabulary for this episode: 灘五郷 Nadagogo - the five villages of Nada. Currently, they are Imazu, Nishinomiya, Uozaki, Mikage, and Nishi. 灘目 Nadame - The original “nada brewing region.” The me is likely a corruption of 辺 be, meaning “area around.” 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

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: Bijofu Ginjo Rei Jim: Takarabune Junmai Saito no Shizuku Useful vocabulary for this episode: Sokujo Moto - Fast yeast starter. Developed by Kamajiro Eda, first established in detail in an NRIB journal article in 1910, but also hinted at in 1909. Koon Toka - High temperature saccharification fast yeast starter. Also known as amazake moto. Particularly common in Hiroshima brewing. Chuon Toka - Medium temperature saccharification fast yeast starter. Teion Toka - Low temperature saccharification fast yeast starter. Also known as futsusokujo. The original sokujo moto. Kobo Jikomi - “Yeast mashing.” No-starter brewing. 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