Sake Deep Dive

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: