Best Shochu Podcasts (2024)

1
[Special Announcement] Sake & Shochu Events in October 2024 1:59

8d ago1:59

1:59

Happy Sake Day! Here is a list of events that are happening this month in Japan and around the world. Outside Japan (Sake Day Events) On October 1st in Melbourne, Australia. Tamura Sake Bar is celebrating World Sake Day 2024 from 6 to 9PM. https://www.tamurasakebar.com/ On October 4th from 4 to 10 pm, World Sake Day NYC 2024 will be happening at Th…

1
HAD 251 - Shochu 1:40:56

19d ago1:40:56

1:40:56

Okay, I know we are redoing episodes, but can we do without the typos. It’s even in the title. Oh, it’s actually Shochu, not Shoju. So we are going to Japan for our spirits instead of Korea this time. We’ll figure out the difference between those, and whatever else we can find about this. Kampai again, and join us as we Have a Drink. Hosted on Acas…

1
Episode 107: Reassessing the Vodka Martini with Keith Waldbauer, The Doctor’s Office (Rebroadcast) 15:57

8d ago15:57

15:57

[This episode originally debuted in May 2022.] In the May/June 2022 issue of Imbibe, we feature a Vodka Martini from The Doctor’s Office in Seattle, and for this episode, we visit the bar and find out about their approach to the cocktail. We chat with TDO bar director Keith Waldbauer about the blind-tasting process that resulted in their preferred …

1
Talking Koji Cocktails with Grant Lavrenz (ep. 82) 35:39

13d ago35:39

35:39

In episode 82 our host Stephen Lyman sits down at Khaluna Restaurant in Minneapolis with Grant Lavrenz who is doing amazing things with koji spirits in his cocktail program.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 106: Negroni Week 2024, with Livio Lauro 20:22

22d ago20:22

20:22

It’s Negroni Week! In celebration of this iconic cocktail, thousands of bars around the world are mixing Negronis and its relatives all week, while supporting this year’s giving partner, Slow Food. For this episode, we talk to Livio Lauro, an Italian-born bartender now working as the director of mixology and product education for Southern Glazer’s …

1
Nada: The Sleeping Giant 1:06:39

26d ago1:06:39

1:06:39

Nada is a well-known name in the world of sake. Almost a brand, it is associated with the area whose sake dominated the Edo (Tokyo) market in the later part of the Edo period (1603-1868), and it is still the largest sake production area in Japan. Despite this track record, “Nada sake” can sometimes be reduced to an association with “Industrial sake…

1
Episode 105: Sam Ross on the Penicillin, Attaboy, and Everything 29:49

1M ago29:49

29:49

Australian bartender Sam Ross first made his name in the New York City bar world at Milk & Honey, working under Sasha Petraske and alongside longtime business partner Michael McIlroy. Today, Ross is the co-owner of Attaboy, along with a growing list of bars and cafes. For this episode, we talk about the duo’s newest New York bar, Good Guy’s; the gr…

1
Nankai Shochu: a conversation with founder Paul Nakayama (ep. 81) 53:45

1M ago53:45

53:45

In episode 81 our host Stephen Lyman is joined by founder of Nankai Shochu, the first kokuto sugar shochu developed specifically for the US market.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Exploring Shochu in Kagoshima with Maya Aley 33:31

1M ago33:31

33:31

This week on our show, we’re heading to Kagoshima, the heart of Japan’s shochu production! Join us as one of our regular hosts, Chris Pellegrini, sits down with the incredible Maya Aley – a certified Shochu Meister and industry expert with over 6 years of experience. Maya is also the manager of Bar Roku, a must-visit destination for shochu lovers. …

1
HAD 250 - German Wheat Beer 1:44:43

1M ago1:44:43

1:44:43

Eins, Zwei, Weisen. Well maybe that isn’t how Germans count, but maybe it should be. We are talking about German Wheat Beers today. You shouldn’t be shocked that there is a long history of brewing this type of beer, but maybe we’ll find something that will surprise you. So get a nice refreshing hefeweizen, or maybe a good dark Dunklewizen, either w…

1
Natsuzake Revisited 54:20

2M ago54:20

54:20

Summer in Japan is hot! Too hot some might say. To help beat the heat, nihonshu producers sell a variety of sake called natsuzake or “summer sake.” But what is natsuzake really? It has no legal definition and no established taste or serving guidelines. Miho Ohta and John Gauntner have a conversation about the recent trends in natsuzake until Frank …

1
Episode 104: Slow Drinks, with Danny Childs 26:45

2M ago26:45

26:45

Danny Childs turned to bartending as a way to earn extra money between research work as an anthropologist and ethnobotanist. Over time, he merged his interests in the botanical world and bartending, culminating in the book Slow Drinks, which recently earned a James Beard Foundation Award. For this episode, we chat with Childs about his path from fi…

1
HAD 249 - Blind Tasting - Top vs Bottom Shelf Liquors 48:44

2M ago48:44

48:44

Blind tasting of top shelf vs. bottom shelf alcohol of various types. Please excuse some of the audio issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
The SG Shochu (ep. 80) 28:46

3M ago28:46

28:46

In episode 80, our hosts take a deeper look at The SG Shochu from The SG Group, lead by internationally recognized bartender, Shingo Gokan.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Finding Sake Seeker: Thai food and Sake 1:01:44

3M ago1:01:44

1:01:44

This week we are excited to welcome not just one, but two amazing guests to our table Yu Nakamura and Nattinee Sirirattanapol, aka Pam, who are changing the face of sake in Thailand with an array of amazing projects and collaborations! So join us as one of our regular hosts Chris Hughes sat down with them at our base the Japan Sake and Shochu Infor…

1
Episode 103: The Modern History of Tales of the Cocktail, with Neal Bodenheimer and Gary Solomon Jr. 24:14

3M ago24:14

24:14

The annual Tales of the Cocktail conference kicks off next week in New Orleans. Tales has gone through many changes over the past 22 years, and for this episode, we explore some of the recent history of the event, and its influence and philanthropic efforts around the globe, with Tales of the Cocktail Foundation co-chairs Neal Bodenheimer and Gary …

1
Selling Sake in Ginza with Maksim Polkin 1:00:24

3M ago1:00:24

1:00:24

We’re Back! This time we are talking to Maksim Polkin of Imadeya, one of the most well known sake distributors in Japan. He is usually at their Ginza Six location, but helps introduce people to the wonders of sake all around Tokyo. Sebastien Lemoine and Chris Hughes talk with Maksim about how he found himself in Japan and in Sake. Their conversatio…

1
Gateway Shochu + Simple Serves (ep. 79) 44:04

3M ago44:04

44:04

In episode 79 our hosts are back in the studio to talk about gateway shochu brands and simple service styles to help introduce these spirits to unfamiliar drinkers.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 102: For Samara Davis, Bourbon is Just the Beginning 23:09

3M ago23:09

23:09

Our July/August issue features a profile of Samara Davis, written by Gray Chapman. For this episode, Samara returns to Radio Imbibe to talk about her many projects in the spirits industry and in bourbon culture, including the Black Bourbon Society, Diversity Distilled, the Society Marketing Group, the Black-Owned Spirits Scholarship, and Bourbon Bo…

1
HAD 248 - Woodford Reserve 1:36:52

4M ago1:36:52

1:36:52

It’s our favorite time of the year, no not summer (God No!), it’s time for a bourbon episode. We will look at a distillery that we, somehow, never have before and talk about Woodford Reserve. This distillery has been working for over 2 centuries to make the water of life and holds a special place for some of our hosts. Why is that, well you’ll just…

1
Episode 101: The Great Daiquiri Discussion, with Joshua Ibañez, Shannon Mustipher, and Garret Richard 59:48

4M ago59:48

59:48

The Daiquiri is an undisputed champion of the cocktail world, and its simple formula not only offers the promise of a complex character, but it’s a great starting point for endless exploration. For this episode, we take a deep dive into all things Daiquiri with a roundtable discussion including some of today’s top Daiquiri practitioners: Joshua Iba…

1
The Bartender's Pantry: a chat with Jim Meehan (ep. 78) 54:17

4M ago54:17

54:17

In episode 78 our host Stephen Lyman is joined by co-author of The Bartender's Pantry, bartender, bar owner, introvert, and writer Jim Meehan.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 100: The Uncle Nearest Raise the Bar Mentorship Alliance, with Lucia Creed, Kate Gerwin, and Tiffanie Barriere 27:36

4M ago27:36

27:36

The Uncle Nearest Raise the Bar Mentorship Alliance is a new platform that aims to match veteran bartenders with upcoming talent for the betterment of the bar community. In addition to Lucia Creed, head of trade advocacy for Uncle Nearest, we're joined by two of the program’s inaugural mentors: Kate Gerwin, owner of Happy Accidents in Albuquerque, …

1
HAD 247 - Sangria 1:17:29

4M ago1:17:29

1:17:29

Are we trying to get day-drunk today? But we record these at night, can you even have a sangria when it’s not brunch? Well, today we look into that and see what this mixture has for us. So get some fruit and get ready to have some wine-mouth, as we Have a Drink. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
The Death of the Soju Label Rule: a chat with Chef turned Lobbyist John McCarthy (ep. 77) 50:53

5M ago50:53

50:53

In episode 77 our host Stephen Lyman sits down to chat with lawyer turned chef turned lobbyist John McCarthy to discuss the end of the soju label rule for NY and CA. Of course, they also talk shochu, hospitality, and plenty else.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 99: The Tequila Ambassador V.O., with Phil Bayly, Jesse Estes, and Mitch Wilson 23:22

5M ago23:22

23:22

With a career that started in the mid-1970s and that continued until his death in 2021, bar owner and Tequila Ocho co-founder Tomas Estes helped change the way we drink, and think about, tequila. The Tequila Ambassador V.O., a fully revised version of his book, was released this spring, and for this episode we talk to the team members who helped br…

1
Designing Your Own Sake with Nathaniel Hoy 51:00

5M ago51:00

51:00

This week Chris Hughes continues our discussion of contract brewing sake with a conversation with Nathaniel Hoy. We started this series with Episode-117: A Sake of Your Own: Contract Brewing Sake: in which Sebastien Lemoine, Chris and Justin Potts shared their opinions and expertise on the trend of sake companies brewing custom sakes for clients. W…

1
Episode 98: Understanding Shochu, with Stephen Lyman and Christopher Pellegrini 28:42

5M ago28:42

28:42

Shochu is Japan’s signature spirit, yet it’s not well known outside the country. As our May/June 2024 cover feature reveals, that’s starting to change, with a wider array of excellent shochu increasingly appearing in American bars. For this episode, we talk about all things shochu with Stephen Lyman and Christopher Pellegrini, the co-hosts of the J…

1
HAD 246 - Return of the (Non-Traditional) Sake 2:28:55

5M ago2:28:55

2:28:55

It’s time we return to Sake for one last go. At least until we find more things to talk about or decide to make a special edition episode where Brittany drinks first. We are going to try and make up for the fact our “Year of Sake” took a little more than a year to finish and give you a lot of info. So buckle up and shout Kampai as we Have a Drink (…

1
The First Australian Shochu: interview with Hamish Nugent of Reed & Co. Distillery 46:22

5M ago46:22

46:22

In episode 76 our host Stephen Lyman sits down with chef turned distiller Hamish Nugent of Reed & Co. Distillery to talk trial and error, success, and the very first Australian Shochu.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 97: The Mint Julep, with Joe Stinchcomb 19:41

6M ago19:41

19:41

Pick some mint from the garden (or the farmers market) and grab a bottle of bourbon, because peak springtime is the perfect season for mixing up Mint Juleps. With Derby Day just around the corner, we talk Juleps with Joe Stinchcomb, a veteran bartender and an owner of Bar Muse in Oxford, Mississippi. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazin…

1
Craft Sake Week with Rebekah Wilson Lye 1:00:44

6M ago1:00:44

1:00:44

In this week’s episode of Sake On Air Sebastien Lemoin and Cindy Bissig are talking about the World’s largest sake event, which just so happens to be a project that one of our other regular hosts; Rebekah Wilson Lye is deeply involved in. We are of course talking about Craft Sake Week in Tokyo! Japan’s most prominent sake event, which was founded b…

1
The Iconoclastic Chuko Distillery (ep. 75) 45:35

6M ago45:35

45:35

In episode 75 our hosts at long last profile the iconic and iconoclastic Chuko Distillery in Okinawa.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 96: Romeo’s East Village, with Evan Hawkins 13:38

6M ago13:38

13:38

Romeo’s opened in New York City this past December, promising to bring a new kind of cocktail experience to the East Village. For this episode, we talk to owner Evan Hawkins about the kind of bar he wanted to open with Romeo’s, and about how the bar combines his years of experience bartending in nightclubs with the lessons he learned at craft cockt…

1
Preserving the Flavors of Sake with Coravin & Toku 1:00:10

6M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

During the recording of Episode 115 “Should sake be promoted like wine?”, Sarah Stewart mentioned a research project between some members of the British Sake Association, and Coravin, the US firm selling a device aimed at preserving the flavors of wine in the bottle after indulging oneself with one glass or two. Intrigued, Sebastien Lemoine reached…

1
HAD 245 - Cider Revisit 1:41:15

6M ago1:41:15

1:41:15

I think this episode is out of season, it’s not the Fall, it’s not even Spring yet, why are we drinking Cider? Maybe we are just in the mood for something crisp today, or maybe we just want to rediscover this old style that has been around for centuries. Join us and we’ll see if a cider a day keeps the doctor away, as we Have a Drink. Hosted on Aca…

1
Whisky Rising: a chat with author Stefan VanEycken (ep. 74) 40:23

7M ago40:23

40:23

In episode 74 our host Stephen Lyman sits down with author of Whisky Rising, Stefan VanEycken in Tokyo. They discuss Stefan's whisky journey, his book, and the state of Japanese whisky in 2024.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 95: The Enduring Beauty of Vermouth, with Alf del Portillo, Marta Premoli, and Francesco Lafranconi 27:46

7M ago27:46

27:46

Vermouth is an essential cocktail ingredient, and it can also be spectacular when served on its own. For this episode, we talk to several bartenders about the many reasons vermouth fascinates them and factors into their work: Alf del Portillo and Marta Premoli, owners of Quattro Teste in Lisbon, Portugal, and Francesco Lafranconi, who helped establ…

1
A Sake of Your Own: Contract Brewing Sake 54:00

7M ago54:00

54:00

This week Justin Potts, Chris Hughes, and Sebastien Lemoine discuss the growing trend of sake companies making special sakes for clients and/or partners. The conversations covers the benefits to both established breweries and entrepreneurs trying out their ideas before having to create their own brewery. Their conversation also goes into the differ…

1
Award Winning Aloha Whisky Bar: a chat with David Tsujimoto (ep. 73) 29:36

7M ago29:36

29:36

In episode 73 our host Stephen Lyman visits Aloha Whisky Bar in the Ikebukuro neighborhood of Tokyo. He and owner David Tsujimoto talk whisky discovery, the journey to bar ownership, and the state of Japanese whisky in 2024.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 94: Viva Vermouth, with Francois Monti 25:33

7M ago25:33

25:33

François Monti is a Madrid-based journalist, educator, and Imbibe contributing writer, and the author of books including El Gran Libro del Vermut. For this episode, he joins us to talk about all things vermouth (the focus of our March/April issue), exploring vermouth’s rich history in cocktails, its culinary connection, and the future of this aperi…

1
Rebroadcast: Matured Sake, Aged Sake 1:07:36

7M ago1:07:36

1:07:36

This week we’re digging a classic from out of the cellar – our episode exploring the absolute magic of sake that’s been crafted to stand the test of time. While still a relatively niche category within sake, more and more producers are leaning into clearly communicating the amount of time – and in what form – their sake spends maturing prior to rel…

1
Shochu Trends 2024 (ep. 72) 37:30

7M ago37:30

37:30

In episode 72 our hosts reflect on a massive increase in awareness for shochu in awamori overseas and wonder about what 2024 has in store.By Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman

1
Episode 93: Victoria Eady Butler from Uncle Nearest 11:31

8M ago11:31

11:31

In 2021, we recognized Victoria Eady Butler as one of our Imbibe 75 People to Watch for her work as the master blender for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. For this episode, we catch up with her on her ongoing work at Uncle Nearest; get a glimpse into future plans for the brand as it looks toward Cognac; and talk about the Uncle Nearest HBCU Old Fash…

1
HAD 244 - Alsace Wine 1:41:49

8M ago1:41:49

1:41:49

Alsace is a region in France, or is it Germany? It’s on the border of the two so I assume there has never been any dispute about that. Is this a French wine with German influences, or a German wine disguised as French? I doubt we’ll answer that, but I’m sure we’ll learn something along the way, and I’m also sure we’ll Have a Drink. Hosted on Acast.…

1
Studying Sake with Michael Tremblay 1:12:33

8M ago1:12:33

1:12:33

It feels like only the very recent past when opportunities for more formal sake education and certifications were few and far between, and when they were available, they were often infrequent and hosted in only a handful of territories, which made learning from knowledgeable industry insiders and professionals relatively prohibitive for most of the…

1
Episode 92: Agave and Beyond, with Chava Peribán and Nacho Jimenez 31:36

8M ago31:36

31:36

Tequila and mezcal are booming in American bars, and other Mexican spirits are making their way to the mainstream. For this episode, we explore this growing part of the drinks world with Salvador “Chava” Peribán, host of the Heritage Mezcal podcast and one of this year’s Imbibe 75 People to Watch; and Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez, a partner and master o…

1
HAD 243 - Bottled Water 2:03:12

8M ago2:03:12

2:03:12

What’s this . . Vodka? Gin? Zima? No, it’s time to talk about water. I don’t know how I feel about drinking this. Do you know what fish do in this? Well, at least it’s in bottles, that’s bound to be better, right? Well probably not. We’ll get into that and why this took off like it did. So get ready to hydrate and join us as we Have a Drink Hosted …

1
Rebroadcast: Shochu 101 1:03:00

8M ago1:03:00

1:03:00

We’re getting back to basics this week in the world of shochu with one of our most popular shows from our back catalog: Shochu 101. Released back in December of 2018, Mr. Shochu himself, Christopher Pellegrini, walks us through the fundamentals that should help anyone new to the category better understand and enjoy Japan’s incredible indigenous spi…

1
Episode 91: Thad Vogler and the Single Village Fix 25:14

8M ago25:14

25:14

In the January/February 2024 issue, San Francisco bartender, bar owner, and author Thad Vogler shares his story of the Single Village Fix. Vogler first created this simple mix of mezcal, lime juice, and pineapple gum syrup for a bar menu in 2008, tying together his passions for agriculturally rooted spirits and simple, classic formulations. In the …

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