Have you ever thought about getting professionally certified as a beverage connoisseur? The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is a globally recognized, certified institution that offers courses for enthusiasts and industry professionals alike. Professional certification demands knowledge, ability, and an experienced palate – yet that doesn’t mean it’s out of reach. Read on to […]
Everyone knows sake: it’s Japan’s ceremonial wine. What many may not realize, though, is that sake is not made with fermentation like traditional wine. The Japanese brew it like beer, leading to the phrase: you brew sake like beer, but drink it like wine. Sake has a rich, symbolic history in Japan, as any sake specialist will […]
The previous episode showed exemplary words to describe Sake aroma and texture. Let’s now move onto flavor description terminologies: sweet taste, acidity, bitter taste, and Umami. Keeping in mind that Sake temperature can greatly influence the sensitivity of one’s palate, sake served at two varying temperatures will be quite different with a sake at […]
A while ago at a second-hand bookstore, I purchased a book published by Yomiuri Shinbum some 25 years ago. Reading this book, “100 Popular Selections of Japanese Sake Brewery and Toji Masters” I encountered a phrase “Ginjo Gannen”. What exactly is “Ginjo Gannen?” I wondered. “Gannen” literally means “the first, birth year”. In this case, […]
Lately, subtle but noticeable changes are occurring amongst wine drinkers. Until recently, the general preferences have been towards “fruit forward” wines or those with strong and fruity aromas, but today, they’re leaning towards more delicate wines with balanced qualities. Seemingly, fruit forward wines these days are becoming passé, viewed as overly vulgar due to the […]
In this episode, I’d like to focus on how to analyze and evaluate Sake characteristics by “Sight”, “Smell” and “Taste”. By consciously practicing the following three areas of evaluation, anyone can develop sound Sake tasting skill. 1.) By Sight: Examine the transparency, color and viscosity of Sake. It’s easy to see (a) the cloudiness […]
I’m sure that many Japanese restaurant owners, chefs, and mangers have participated in Sake tastings to consider them for sake menu listing. I’d like to offer some key points when conducting such samplings, so as to help improve tasting skills like a pro, and in turn, to strengthen the Sake menu. There are three […]
In the last few of years, I’ve visited many major cities across the US to promote sake, and during the course of these visits, I’ve learned many things simply from studying the sake menus at restaurants. While these points may be nothing new, and plain common sense, I share them in hopes of raising enjoyment […]
What goes through a person’s mind when they sit down with a glass of sake? Could it be on the flavor pairing and compatibility with the food just ordered? Is the sake to be a festive drink to share with family and friends, or perhaps for the purposes of simply relaxing the mind while appreciating […]
During the last 60 years, from the Showa to the Heisei eras, ingenuity and technology advancements of unprecedented speed have improved machineries used in sake related research, development and production. For instance, sake brewing steps spanning from rice polishing to koji and yeast production, have all improved greatly to ensure a top quality output. Through […]
