The Sake Education Show – Part 2

The Sake Education Show – Part 2 – Episode #694

June 24, 2009

Beau Timken continues teaching Gary Vaynerchuk about Sake while they taste 3 different kinds.

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Comments on this episode(246) Leave a comment ›

“Beau had so much to share yet Gary—in Japan from where I write–sile…” by Hakuin
“Great episode! Cool, down-to-earth peeps. Awesome show.
If I stand …” by RabidRaja
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Wines tasted in this episode:

Joto Chikurin Fukamari JunmaiJapanese Sake
Tsukinokatsura Yanagi “Willow Tree”
Taiheizan Tenko “Heavenly Grace”

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

246 Responses

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June 25, 2009

Karl Laczko
Much better, Beau is a great communicator and ambassador for Sake. ROFL at the background announcements (you guys clean out the ‘fridge every day?).

I think you’re onto something with Orc ageing, it could open up a whole new market….. good for your ‘elf!

Did you really say Notre Damus?

QOTD – Epiphany moment was 3 years ago at my first wine tasting and realising that wines from similar areas and vintages didn’t taste the same, I had to know more…now see where that’s got me!

PS. I’m banned from drinking Sake at home, Sarah believes it turns me evil (long story).

PPS. Kell Brigan, nice rant, completely out of proportion and place. Grow up.
June 25, 2009

jwink
Facinating education, I’ve had limited exposure to sake before and now I feel like I understand it soooooo much better. Thanks again.

QOTD: Food related it would probably be cooking and many years ago when I had the most amazing steak that I’ve ever had with Detroit “Zip-sauce”; and some amazing seafood dishes and soups as well.

Non-food it would be motorsports of all kinds and also when I started flying planes. For me, there’s nothing like the rush of man and machine as one.
June 25, 2009

Pittsburgh Alex
at some point in the early 90’s when I had really excellent bread. It made all the difference.
June 25, 2009

David Dadekian
Tremendous learning experience on this one. I’m the same as Gary, I love drinking sake and don’t know nearly as much as I wish I did. Thanks so much.

QOTD: I’ve had a few of those. The first time I ate dinner at a real serious restaurant in NYC would be when I realized I just loved food so so much. That would be circa 1991. I am a huge tea drinker, maybe more than Gary, first loose leaf brew kicked that in for me. As for liquor it may have been a wonderful bottle of port I bought in Vegas on Fox’s dime when I worked for them in 1998. Thanks, Uncle Rupert!
June 25, 2009

k00k
Great episode.

QOTD: I think when I was drinking an Early Gray tea and I realized that there was Bergamot in Fruity Pebbles.
June 25, 2009

Angus
very excellent episode, Gary. Do more with this guy! I would also love to see you going around to wineries, sake breweries, etc. I’m surprised travel channel/food network hasnt asked you to do a travel show with them already (maybe they have.) Seconds on the tea episode. get some guy from Rishi-tea.com maybe. I drink their stuff and it’s REDONK. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! U R CRUSHIN IT.
June 25, 2009

Kevin K
Awesome episode.

QOTD: Black Tea, Guava, and fruity pebbles.
June 25, 2009

Jesse
Very cool episode – you guys made a great team. It was hilarious. QOTD: Astronomy – when I first started walking at night and learned the sky I wanted to know everything there was to know.
June 25, 2009

Chris Smith
QOTD – Epiphany Beverage first time I tasted a double IPA that tasted like Grapefruit Juice (I think it was Stone’s Ruination.) It turned me into a hophead and I wanted to learn everything about beer and now brew my own!
June 25, 2009

Harry
Big show, glad to start a better sake knowledge, although it would have been nice if Beau could have completed a few more thoughts…
I remember Richard Betts pouring me a 1er Cru Chablis and completely rocking my conception f what wine could be. I was a red wine fan before I realized the depth and nuance possible when you listen carefully.
I had a similar experience at Sushi Zen a couple years ago with sake. I’d only enjoyed a couple sakes before then, and am not a big fan in general, but they had a special brew that reminded me of delicate delicious melon, and brought the incredible meal to a new level.
June 25, 2009

Guy
Long time watcher, first time commenter…

QotD = Epiphany beverage – Yorkshire bitter.

Other comments: I’d love to see a WLTV episode about tea. As an Englishman I’ve grown up drinking tea, and can appreciate the different flavours from South African Rooibos (redbush), through Earl Grey to Chinese green tea. Hell, you could even try some cooking PG Tips.

Milk, no sugar.
June 25, 2009

bt86
Best. Show. Ever.
June 25, 2009

TommyVulgar
Great episode! Tuesdays episode got me so excited that I had to have some sake that same night! (Shirakabe Gura Tokubetsu Junmai)… just couldn’t wait to see the tastings today. I’m totally in the “I’ve had hot sake a million times and cold sake 2 or 3 times” club. I’m much more excited by the premium cold sake compared to the hot that I’ve had in the past.

The bottle last night didn’t say that it was a ginj?, but the menu did say that it was “polished to 60%”… Will they always say ginj? if they are one, or is the polish not the only distinction? Or, did they maybe just make that up on the menu?!
June 25, 2009

Gerald Tokem
Finally made me come to the web site and comment Gary (watch the show in iTunes usually). The Sake show was one of the best I have ever seen.

Please mute the iMac, kept thinking I was getting an email.

QOTD: Eye opening alcohol moment, first time I drank Bourbon I was hooked. But the thing that inspired passion was the “Devil’s Lettuce”.
June 25, 2009

Thomas Moore
What a GREAT episode!! Beau was awesome & I really learned a TON about sake. I am in San Fran at the moment and I must go see this man!! Thanks again for a very cool show.
June 25, 2009

Paryb
Wow Beau is kindof the man. You guys need to do a Sake show together about once a month or so.

QOTD: I’ve had a ton of awesome, “poetry in a glass” wines in my life…if I sit and think real hard I could probably remember a few of them. But the instance that sticks out in my mind was playing horseshoes at a buddies farm about twelve years ago or so, I’m just recently 21 and a corona/coors light drinker…but my buddy who is a New Mexico wine maker is there with a few bottles of Cabernet…I had tasted red wine before, but that was the first time I tasted a wine, that didn’t just taste like booze and grape juice…I mean the first time I said “Holy BALLS! This tastes like Strawberries and vanilla and pepper!” and being just flabbergasted that it didn’t have any of those things added to it. That moment forth, I started to become a wine nerd.
June 25, 2009

Pete
Wow! That was a fun fun fun episode! I am so motivated to go to the liquor store right now and try some good quality Sake. Thank you so much for this episode. I am incredibly fascinated by the history and science of Sake. I learned a lot. I was thinking about your question and although I am incredibly interested in Sake I would not quite call it a beverage epiphany. The only thing I can think of that I have really enveloped myself in would be Cannoli. I have never had such an experience with a beverage yet. Who knows maybe Sake will be my first! Thanks!
June 25, 2009

Phil G
That was fun, and definitely interesting! Thanks guys! I have almost no sake experience, but will try to change this!

QOTD:

1)I got into cooking when I took a class I high school. Holy cow, I can make food that tastes good – exactly the way I want. Also like the science experiment aspect of cooking.

2)I got into beer during a trip to Germany after college graduation. Never liked beer in college – but after trying some German offering, things started changing.

3)There wasn’t a real moment for wine. Took a course in school. Started tasting and learning more. Kept going at it…
June 25, 2009

Emily & James H.
Very glad to see saké back on the show…though wish Beau had been able to speak more about the subject. Sometimes you’ve got to step back and let a man (especially one with as much knowledge and passion about the subject)talk and say his piece. I highly recommend his True Saké newsletter to anyone wanting to learn more. QOTD: It was a rather humble beginning, but a sales rep brought me a Basque-country white to try in my early days of retail and I haven’t looked back since. How satisfying it is to find something that you can really devote yourself to.
June 25, 2009

James H
Awesome episode. I would love to see a Sake show full time!

QOTD:Hannover Germany, May 2008. I had my first real German bier and haven’t looked back since.
June 25, 2009

hasbeen
I was surprised to hear your guest say that sake is brewed to be at its best at 18 months. Everything I have read, and everything I have been told at all the sake tastings I have been to, is that sake is meant to be consumed as young as possible, except in the case of Koshu.

I have had some amazing sake, but still think, for the money, I can find a wine I prefer more.
June 25, 2009

Chef.c.lotz
Double whammy show! only had one sake before, sushi and that cold cloudy stuff. it was sweet and delicious, but only came in pint bottles. Qotd- glenlivet 18. i love scotch, scotchy scotch scotch. p.s. along with the squeaky chairs, you should also change the chalkboard Gary! I want i want some of that Vanernation-illustration.
June 25, 2009

Brian Chinn
Its a no brainer that Beau needs to do his own sake show in order to accelerate that sake adoption curve here in the US. He obviously has the passion and the personality to make it work. Vaynermedia – HOOK it up!!!!
June 25, 2009

D-Cos-And-It-Don't-Stop
Great show! The only experiences I’ve ever had with Sake, is being out for some late night sushi and drinking sake bombs.

QOTD – My epiphany with wine came about 5 years ago. I’m from Morris County, NJ (big ups to dirty Jerz) and my grandparents live outside San Luis Obispo, CA (Central Cali). They’re so close to some great wine regions within CA (Paso Robles, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Rita Hills, Edna Valley, etc.) When visiting my grandparents 5 years ago, and finally being old enough to drink legally, and having just watched Sideways , I did some research and decided to visit some wineries. After going to Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles, and doing over a dozen plus winery tastings, I was hooked. To see wine country, taste some great wines, meet the winemakers, see they’re passion for their product, I was hooked on wine. When I got home from my visit, I went out and bought every wine book I could find.I’ve been hooked ever since.
June 25, 2009

CrazyManAndy
EPIC SHOW! Wow! Great guest, great chemistry, lot of knowledge, and best of all a wonderful topic. Hands down one of my faves.

QOTD: I can’t really say I remember a particular moment. It’s more an evolution of things. As I began to experience a wider arrays of food and drink, my mind became much more open to new and different things. I began to think, “If there are so many people out here who love this stuff [whatever it is], there must be something enjoyable in it.” I’ve found that, with that mind set, there are very few things that I absolutely dislike. Some things may not greatly resonate with me, but I can usually find something to enjoy in most.

subset: I did have a epiphany moment in music. I wasn’t really music aficionado growing up. I usually just listened to whatever was on the radio. But when I first heard Pearl Jam’s No Code album, it was like a world opened up to me. I didn’t know music could do that, that it could affect me like that album did. Ever since then, music, of all styles and genres, has been a huge part of my life; not just listening, but playing as well.