O-toso: New Year's Sake – A drink on the day keeps the doctor away     It is a rare occasion and ceremony that does not include some sake in Japan, and that harbinger of renewal, New Year’s Day, is no exception. Although sake figures prominently in...

SAKE: THE SOUL AND SPIRIT OF JAPAN ……..By the Foodies' Foodie, Mora Chartrand-Grant……….. Sake, as ubiquitous as the cherry blossom in spring, is perhaps Japan’s greatest contribution to the beverage world-a national beverage and elixir to many, the...

Diane Durston writes:  There is a song that the sake makers of Fushimi sang as they toiled through the night, stirring fermenting rice with long-handled wooden paddles to prepare the moto, or yeast mash, for the marathon task of making sake, the traditional rice brew of...

Renowned sake expert John Gauntner answers:  At what temperature should you enjoy sake? As with all things sake-related, there is a long answer and short answer. Short Answer: Most good sake should be enjoyed slightly chilled. Cheaper sake is served warm. Long Answer: Indeed, sake was...

    John Gauntner writes:  Rice Distribution in the Sake World One of the more idiosyncratic aspects of the sake world is the distribution system via which brewers get their rice. It certainly is not simple, and at one time it probably made sense. Certainly there are many that...

Steve here: Cooler weather is upon us. What do you suggest for September, John? John Gauntner Nanbu Bijin is a junmai ginjo sake that hails from Iwate prefecture, up north in Tohoku, a region where sake is usually light and crisp and much more fine grained than its big-boned counterparts from...

Sake of the month: February, 2011 is Takatenjin –Soul of the Sensei Steve here: Hello John. We’re ready to hear about your sake pick-of-the-month for February? John: This month I have chosen Takatenjin, a Junmai Daiginjo that is a generally light, complex and fragrant. Steve:...

Steve here: OK, John, what is a great sake suggestion for August, the hottest month of the year? John Gauntner: Ginga Shizuku is from Hokkaido, from the very center of Japan’s northernmost island. The city, Asahikawa, holds the record for the coldest recorded temperatures in Japan,...

Sake of the Month – June, 2011: Fukucho “Moon on the Water” Junmai Ginjo Steve here: The world of sake brewing was traditionally a man’s world. Tell us about a sake made by a woman. John Gauntner: How about the Junmai Ginjo called Fukucho, “Moon on the Water?” This sake hails from...

Sake of the Month – May, 2011: Kanbara Bride of the Fox Steve here: Warm weather is back. The days are getting longer. What great sake do you have in mind for May, John? John: You will love this one, Steve: Kanbara Bride of the Fox. This Junmai Ginjo takes its name from the famous...

Sake of the Month, April, 2011: Ama no To–Heaven’s Door Steve here: John! What is your sake recommendation this month? John: For April, I suggest that you try Ama no To, from Akita Prefecture, snow country in the far north of Honshu Island. This sake takes its name from an ancient poem...

Sake of the Month: March, 2011: Mantensei Steve here: Okay, John. What is your sake suggestion for this month? John: Steve, you have to try Mantensei. A great sake with an interesting story. Steve: Tell me more. John: A few twists of fate brought this brewer, Touda-dan, to where he is now. A...