The Story of Ikeda: The rise and fall of a sake brewing powerhouse.
Historical background Nothing embodies the ebb and flow of the sake industry like the history of its prominent regions. Nowadays, Nada...
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Andrew Russell
- Jan 25
- 9 min
The Origin of Sake
There is much we still don’t know about sake. One example is the question of its birthplace. Three regions – Shimane, Nara and Hyogo -...
188 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Sep 24, 2022
- 5 min
Stories from the Crane of the Swamp
What is it about sake that captures the imagination so thoroughly? Although lacking in number compared to those of other alcoholic...
75 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Aug 17, 2021
- 4 min
Noguchi Naohiko: Seven decades in the making.
On a recent trip to the beautiful region of Kaga in Ishikawa prefecture I had but one souvenir on my wish list: sake brewed by the...
490 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Jul 11, 2021
- 4 min
Gakki Masamune and Aiyama, Hyogo's worst kept secret
Gakki Masamune 楽器æ£å®— from Okidaikichi Honten in Fukushima has one of the prettiest designs I have seen on a sake label in quite some time....
293 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Apr 1, 2021
- 5 min
Sake Perfection (April Fools)
Introducing the world's first sake with an incredible 0.00% rice polishing. Yes, you read that correctly! In what is a world first, the...
326 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Mar 21, 2021
- 3 min
The Revival of Hiroshima Omachi
In a departure from my usual sake reviews, this time I will be focusing on the rice variety rather the actual sake itself. This is for...
151 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Oct 18, 2020
- 6 min
The School of Kimoto
Orthodox sake brewing requires the preparation of a yeast starter, a small batch of steamed rice, koji, water and yeast, interchangeably...
567 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Jun 28, 2020
- 9 min
One Cup Sake: More than just a single serving friend
The now iconic blue and white label that adorns Ozeki's One Cup sake first burst onto the scene back in 1964. The release, of what was at...
1,348 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Feb 8, 2020
- 8 min
Standing on the shoulders of giants: Defining the position of Master Brewer.
Towards the end of last year I noticed a few interesting discussions simmering away on social media regarding the "true" definition of a...
141 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Jan 5, 2020
- 14 min
Henpei and Genkei: Rice polishing for a new era in Ginjo brewing.
The so-called "rice polishing war" is finally over. What began over two decades ago and led to the creation of some genuinely superb...
1,288 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Nov 10, 2019
- 11 min
A New Hope: Rejecting terroir and the wider gentrification of sake.
The sake industry has been undergoing radical change over the last few decades. Few would argue that this was necessary to stimulate an...
842 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Sep 22, 2019
- 9 min
Nada: Brewing with Nature's Bounty
Nada in Hyogo prefecture is the undisputed powerhouse of the sake industry. No other region produces more sake annually, with the total...
178 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Aug 27, 2019
- 4 min
Bijofu and The Handsome Man of Tosa
Located on the southern coast of Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands, Kochi prefecture is blessed with an abundance of...
221 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Jun 18, 2019
- 3 min
Tamagawa: The Jewel River of Kyoto
Visiting the brewery Kinoshita Shuzo in northern Kyoto, makers of Tamagawa.
265 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Jun 15, 2019
- 8 min
Spontaneous Sake: A Walk On The Wild Side Of Brewing
In the clinical world of sake brewing, reducing risk is one of the most crucial challenges facing a master brewer. Each batch is made up...
995 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- May 6, 2019
- 5 min
Kanpai London: Crafting the Sake Revolution
Co-founder & Head Brewer Tom Wilson The word "Craft" is used very liberally in today's more consumer conscious drinks market. Indeed, the...
94 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Feb 3, 2019
- 11 min
The Devil is in the Detail: The Precarious Task of Washing and Soaking Rice
There is a very famous saying amongst sake brewers that goes: 1st koji, 2nd moto, 3rd moromi. This is a list of three key stages in the...
315 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Oct 5, 2018
- 8 min
The Truth About Rice Milling: Three Sake That Crack The Common Narrative
Last year a sake made from rice that had been polished to just 1% of its original weight was released to much hype and fanfare. Before...
858 views0 comments
Andrew Russell
- Sep 1, 2018
- 5 min
The Wandering Poet of Shimane
Isn't it interesting how certain images stick in our subconscience. Back when I first started taking an interest in sake, the inevitable...
119 views0 comments
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