Sake goes global: Japan's national drink finds new audience

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.Sake is Japan's iconic national beverage and it can be every bit as rich in heritage, sophistication and complexity as fine wine. It is a superior match for many cuisines.Cast aside any preconceptions you may have of that cheap and nasty stuff served scalding hot in Aussie-Japanese restaurants.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresIf you haven't yet discovered the delights of Japanese sake, now is the time to add it to your drinking repertoire.Australian visitation to Japan continues to increase and with that, growing numbers of us are looking to enjoy fine Japanese food and drink on our return.The increased interest in Japanese sake has driven the growth of exports to Australia, which is now the second fastest growing market for Japanese sake worldwide.Eighteen sake breweries recently participated in a sake showcase and masterclass in Sydney organised by Japanese trade authorities, attended by the local restaurant trade.Drinks Adventures attended to find out a bit more about what makes sake unique. We spoke with leading sake brewers and local champions of Japanese sake including Yukino Ochiai of De Ja Vu Sake, Melbourne restaurateur Andre Bishop and Sakeshop founder Leigh Hudson.Music credits:Rudists - SandboxCameo Culture - FrancoisHigh Highs - Glamorous Party (Cameo Culture Remix)Bad Snacks - MizukiAll other Drinks Adventures episodes, show notes, transcripts and many helpful links are available on the podcast website, DrinksAdventures.com.au, and you can email me at [email protected] James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Cameo Culture. You can listen to more from Cameo Culture at https://soundcloud.com/cameoculture.