2005. Chimay Blue, Grand Reserve. Opened my eyes to the intense complexity and craft that is Belgian Beer.

Freaking awesome episode, GV! Beau is phenomenally radool! A truly GREAT guest. Boy, follow up the Sasha Show with the Sake guy – you continue to amaze me by pumping out the outstanding content time and time again. I am truly in awe. Keep it going, dude!

Props to Beau. O-H-I-O. I admire his passion and his knowledge. I didn’t give a rat’s ass about sake but now I want to try it because of his passion for the beverage. I’ve had sake a couple of times. I even had some at a Japanese reception in Geneva, Switzerland drank out of the cedar box from a barrel. But it wasn’t great, just an interesting experience. I doubt that it ws premium sake. So now I have to try a premium sake. Thanks!

QOTD: This episode was somewhat of an epiphany in that it got me interested in trying some premium sake. However, my real epiphany was in 1988 when I was first getting into red wine and tasted a Medoc Bordeaux. That’s when I began my passion for wine and my quest for wine knowledge.

As a beverage manager 3 years ago I was tasted on Reyka Vodka and Hendrick’s Gin and fell in love.

Gary: Loved the two episodes. Interesting how all the Golden Girls in the nation are kvetching over them. What happened to expanding your palate?

I’ve also wanted to learn more about good sake just as my experience and taste has evolved in wines.
Fortunately, my daughter is currently living in Japan. So, timing being what it is, I visited her for about two weeks and we did a little research when in Kyoto. I brought back several bottles and would love to know what I have – the kicker being that since I got them in Japan, there is no English on ’em.
Hard to pass up though as all I saw were 10 to 14 bones.

Loved Beau’s passion and the chemistry. Shout out to the Ohio boys!
I could see the wheels turning and am really looking forward to Social Sake TV with Beau. Bring it on and bring it hard!

Best… Guest… EVER! Gary, please make “Sake library TV” happen!

This was TERRIFIC! I’ve been a sake fan for several years now, but just went to my first actual Sake tasting here in Las Vegas at Little Buddha at The Palms this month, and had my eyes opened in a way I could never imagine. So seeing this episode on WLTV is just phenomenal. Gary, please keep it up. Sake is really the up and coming beverage that you alluded to at the end of this episode, and I think there is a tremendous opportunity here for you to help the increasing numbers who are gaining interest in this fabulous beverage. Arigato!

Qotd: in 2004 I had the 1999 carobbio chianti Classico riserva. Wine has never been the same since.

5th Anniversary in Burgundy, went there without having much of the wine, then I fell in love.

This guy rocks! Next time i’m in SFO on Biz, i’m going to look him up. Taking a custi for dinner tonight, i plan on ordering an expensive Sake, and start working on my palate…AMM

“The pursuit…”

After watching these 2 episodes, I am going to go buy my first bottle of sake and give a try. Thank you for sharing your passion and knowledge. I felt the Thunder!

QOTD: When I was young my father took me fishing, in the back of his old truck he brought a small hibachi style grill. On the tailgate of that truck we cleaned the fish we caught and cooked them over the wood we collected from near by. That moment I realized that things can be better because of what you put into it. I think I have been a foodie ever since, which continues for me with beer, wine, and hopefully sake.

Tremendous two part episode! Gary, bring Beau back! More sake education, please!

QOTD: Wine is the first beverage that inspired me to learn all about it. In my early education I read through the entire ?Wine Bible? twice. It?s so addictive. Anticlimactically, though, there was no one eye opening moment. Wine has been a steady progression.

Been watching for a long time and am finally making a comment!

Just wanted to say that I really liked the guest and the topic and hope you have him back. I had a lingering interesting in sake that I was waiting to act on someday, but now this jump-starts the urge. It’s explained in answering your QOTD.

QOTD: With wine, I actually hadn’t really paid much attention to it, but I heard of WLTV from Diggnation and when I finally checked it out, it was the way Gary would get into describing the experience and taste that got me intrigued with trying out wine whenever it comes up. With sake, I never tried it until this year and just got some random one off the shelf. I took a sip and was captivated by how clean it was. Over a couple weeks, I would drink it as a nightcap, and realized I really liked it as it didn’t give me any cruddy feeling once getting into it like beer or wine. Since then, I have wanted to experience more of sake.

QOTD – Blew 2 full days of per diem on one meal at Willi’s Wine Bar in Santa Rosa in ’03. Awesome small plates and several great wines but had the epiphany with an 02 Sonoma Pino Noir. It actually made me laugh out loud when I drank it, it was so perfect. Didn’t know enough then to even remember who made it. Never tasted a Pino since that I have liked, but it started me down the path. I’m glad you used the word because ‘epiphany’ is how I’ve always described that moment.

Best episode ever, hands down.

QOTD: Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout. I bought a sixer on a whim, back when I thought Stella was a great beer. When I drank the first bottle I thought, “too sweet.” When I drank the second bottle I thought, “too burnt.” When I drank the third bottle it just clicked.

A “Top Ten Episode” for sure.

QOTD: The first time I tasted truly good homebrew – it was at one of the first meetings of Idaquaffer Brew Club in Boise ID, circa ~1983. Prior to that, commercial beer was well, commercial beer, and homebrews had a yeasty/cider off taste. That Idaquaffer club brew was a malty, hoppy, wonder and set me off into the world of homebrewing and craft beers. My love of wine has been an evolution of that moment.

That may be the best episode that I have seen on WLTV to date.
There was the intrigue factor – a new beverage and an expert guest.
There was chemistry – although you cut him off at the end, there was a real good dialog.

QOTD – There are many epiphanies in life:
– Beverage – the first time I drank Bordeaux hooked me.
– Religion – all things came into focus when my father died.
– Love – meeting my wife!

Spectacular!!! It was neat to see Gary so excited that he couldn’t get out of the episodes (and Beau’s) way! Wonderfully informative. NE Ohio Represent!

QOTD: My first was probably BBQ. While nuances abound, that process was simple enough that I was able to learn about it quickly. My second was a dram of of Laphroaig at a local BBQ place (theme arising quickly here), which set my mouth ablaze in a whirl of flavors and textures (loved the oily character). Both beautiful moments in my life! I’ll forever be a peat-freak and a Q-head!!!

Great episode. He was tremendous guest. Really enjoyed it.

QOTD: Drinking a 2000 Terra Brune from Sardinia. Blew my mind. Spent more time smelling the wine than drinking it.
QOTD Subset- My first experience at a Steakhouse- Morton’s. Grew up eating overcooked steak. Had no idea that it could taste so good.

Hi Gary,

I really think this show’s idea is interesting and the two episodes were fantastic, but your interruptions were too much, especially on the Episode 1. Please let us listen to your guest!

I’m a SF resident and when I visited Beau’s store, I was blown away about the sake collection. I’m so glad to meet the owner through this show. I’m Japanese and I’ve never seen that good collection even considering the stores in Japan.

His knowledge of sake must be unbelievable and needs to be shared with English speaking audience. I’m very interested in more episodes between you two! (The Episode 2 was awesome!)

Lastly, I want people to try a sake called “HAKKAISAN” one day. That’s the sake which made me realize “sake is VERY tasty and truly real deal.”

Hiro

I live in Modesto, I will definitly be there for your book signing to get your books signed and to pick up some sake.

Great episode! Cool, down-to-earth peeps. Awesome show.

If I stand outside during the episode, can I get some of the stuff they were cleaning out of the fridge?

Beau had so much to share yet Gary—in Japan from where I write–silence is also valuable, your interruptions took so much away from this missed opportunity. Sake is, as you noted, a very under-appreciated and not yet understood beverage. I will disagree with Beau though–as a resident here since 1984–that sake is a workingman’s drink, in general. True to some extent, yet a gross exaggeration. And the vessel theme was not shown in the true way, sake is generally drunk from porcelain–such as Imari–or more often from stoneware–such a Bizen–and glass in the summer; I look forward to an episode looking at the history of sake vessels and how they too change the flavor profile. Hope to see you both here in Japan, let me take you to a great local sake pub. Kampai.

I never watched this show until I had another try at sake on the weekend.. it was served hot, in small white cups, and was terrible. I've only had it twice, but I knew there must be 'proper' sake out there and a 'proper' way to drink it.

This is one of the best shows there has been on Wine Library – an excellent guest and very informative.

Gary, I’ve never seen you gel with a guest that well! Good stuff! Oprah and Fonzie! =)

I would love to try a sake. I’ll see if I can get hold of a good one somewhere.

You guessed 500-1000 comments. I think I’m 496, so almost there…

QOTD: I’m still waiting for an epiphany in life.

Dynamite episode.
qotd: When to visit a buddy that moved to the west coast. I bought a bottle of wine while I was there that was just so much better than any wine I’d ever had, and that was it.

so much bro-mance. 🙂 awesome episode though!!!