Season 1, Episode 6. Who doesn’t love a potluck? Well, I think lots of people don’t if you end up with three different jello salads, but we lucked out with our potluck: Three fantastic sakes to taste and profile. How did we get so, em, lucky? It must be the good luck brought in by our very first sake interview guest! Today we’ll be talking with sake pro and talented sake brewer Mr. Ben Bell. Ben is well known in the sake industry for having worked for two years at Nanbu Bijin Sake Brewery in Iwate, Japan. Getting access to work at a Japanese sake brewery is a rare opportunity for foreigners, so we talk to Ben about how that came about and his overall path in the world of sake. Tasting three unique and vibrant sakes round out our episode.

Skip to: 00:22 Hosts Welcome and Introduction

Skip to: 01:39 Interview: Ben Bell

Ben Bell is a native of Arkansas and first discovered sake there while working in a wine shop. However, Ben took his interest in sake to a new level and through a sister city program, he was able to arrange a two year sake brewing internship at Nanbu Bijin sake Brewery in Iwate, Japan. While in Japan, Ben sharpened his Japanese language skills along with his knowledge of sake brewing.

Now based in NYC, Ben is working as a sake sales rep for Skurnik Wines.

Skip to: 14:32 Sake Tasting: Niizawa Atagonomatsu Tokubetsu Honjozo

Niizawa Atagonomatsu Tokubetsu Honjozo

Alcohol: 15.5%
Classification: Tokubetsu Honjozo
Prefecture: Miyagi
Rice Type: Yamadanishiki
Seimaibuai: 60%
SMV: +7.0
Brewery: Niizawa Jozoten
Acidity: 1.6
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Skip to: 12:26 Sake Tasting: Yuki No Bosha Yamahai Junmai

Yuki No Bosha Yamahai Junmai

Brewery: Asahi Shuzo (Niigata)
Classification: Ginjo
Acidity: 1.0
Alcohol: 15.5%
Prefecture: Niigata
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +6.0
Rice Type: Gohyakumangoku
Brand: Kubota (久保田)
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Skip to: 25:23 Sake Tasting: Otokoyama Shiboritate Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu

Otokoyama Shiboritate Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu

Brewery: Otokoyama Brewery
Alcohol: 17.0%
Acidity: 1.7
Classification: Tokubetsu Junmai Shiboritate Nama Genshu
Prefecture: Hokkaido
Seimaibuai: 55%
SMV: +2.0
Sake Rice: Ginpu

Skip to: 30:51 Show Closing

This is it! Join us next time for another episode of Sake Revolution!