Sip Somm 'Ippodo Tea' Flight - March 6th, 2021

This week I took a break from booze and featured my favorite tea company called Ippodo Tea Co. They are located in the Nakagyo Ward, just south of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, Japan. They have been in business for over 300 years. Rihei Watanabe opened a tea shop called Omiya in 1717, which was then renamed Ippodo in 1846 by request of one of their Imperial family customers, Prince Yamashina. The meaning of the name is ‘preserve one’ and that’s exactly what the Prince hoped and intended. He wished that Ippodo would forever exist to bring fine teas to its customers. It is still owned by the Watanabe family today.

In this video, I focused on their One-Pot Teabag series. They were easily purchased through Ippodo’s USA and Canadian online store. Shipping is free over $39 which is a nice gesture.

I originally tasted Ippodo tea at an exquisite minimalist restaurant called Kajitsu in NYC. They feature vegan Shojin Ryori cuisine originally developed by Zen Buddhist monks in the 13th century. I have enjoyed many interesting beverages at this restaurant (their tasting menu changes with the seasons), but one of my favorite discoveries is the barley tea they offer cold brew style. I was already a big fan of mugicha since being introduced to it iced cold by a friend during a hot New York City summer. The one at Kajitsu was from Ippodo and it was otherworldy. Rich caramel and toasted barley aromas pair with a broad silky texture. The tea comes in their One-Pot style as well. Silly me didn’t buy a bag of it for this video because I wanted to check out all of their other offerings. Only a few years back I was unable to purchase Ippodo tea unless I visited Japan myself or went to their location in NYC. Now with their online store, I can have their products delivered anytime which is incredible!

The Kuki Sencha tea was all stems, but still gave off an elevated sophistication this type of tea is associated with. It was mellow, with subtle leafy vegetal notes. The Gyokuro is a green tea picked from plants that have been grown under shade which maximizes umami. It definitely had a more buttery texture than the sencha, but had less character overall. It was very pleasing and easy to drink. I made all of these teas both hot and cold brew to taste the differences. The Gyokuro was more powerful cold, but more pleasing warm.

Next was the Kuki Hojicha, all stems but roasted to perfection. Based on how the hot vs. cold brews tasted I think this tea shows much better warm. The roasted wild tea flavor with a strong earthiness matches so well to a higher temperature and is a pleasure to drink.

The last tea I tasted was Iribancha, a locally famous Kyoto tea. It is made in the large one-pot style due to high demand. Based on the instructions on the back of the back, it seemed as though it wasn’t recommended cold, which is incorrect. After reading more about this tea on Ippodo’s website, they do recommend it chilled, but you have to brew it with hot water first. When I opened the bag, I couldn’t believe the intensity of the aromas. It smells just like tobacco leaves! Anyone who has an aversion to cigarettes may have a hard time with this one. It was extremely smoky and bonfire-like. I much prefer this tea served hot! The cold rendition reminded me of watery ashtray. This is by no means a review of low quality though, quite the opposite actually! For someone who enjoys this type of tea, I can guarantee that this is one of the best of its type. It had tons of flavor and aroma, it just doesn’t suit my personal taste. I recommend trying this tea at least once to experience a historical beverage from Kyoto that’s practically unknown to foreigners!

Sip Somm 'CRAFT BEER' Flight - February 15-19, 2021

FROM THE LEFT: Kizakura Matcha IPA, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto Japan - Fieldwork ‘Sherbet Dip’ Kettle Sour Ale, Berkeley, California - Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen, Bamberg, Bavaria Germany

Beer #1: This brew is one of a kind! Kizakura’s KYOTO Matcha IPA from Fushimi Ward in Kyoto, Japan is super high quality, but is an acquired taste! Matcha is ground green tea leaves that are steeped in water as a powder and create a rich, frothy tea. Most people who try matcha for the first time pretty much despise it. Yet, for those of us who have a long relationship with it, there is nothing like it! It is a staple ingredient in many Japanese sweets and it’s exciting to see it featured in beer form. The matcha itself is from Uji, Kyoto, which has one of the greatest reputations for matcha production. Kizakura Shuzo also brews sake, which is how I first learned about the company. When I visited Fushimi last year, I made sure to stop at Kizakura’s gift shop and restaurant complex called Kizakura Kappa Country. Their mascot is a yōkai folklore monster called the ‘kappa.’ I found myself wandering into their closed kappa museum (the door was unlocked and I can’t read Japanese!) and learned a ton about this unusual, slightly perverted and masochistic creature. They are amphibious and have an indentation on the top of their heads called a ‘sara’ which has to be filled with liquid whenever the kappa wanders onto dry land. Kappas are known for causing havoc and occasionally drowning humans, but they have some redeeming qualities. What a strange and hilarious character to represent a sake brewery! I assume it’s due to his connection to water and agriculture (if you happen to befriend a kappa, they may agree to irrigate your land).

It’s me with some of my favorite kooky brews! :D

Beer #2: The next beer comes from my favorite local brewery called Fieldwork Brewing Co. Their first location was established in late 2014 and is a short bike ride from my house. They now have 7 locations after having been in operation only 5-6 years! They do a great job with their brews to say the least. They always have a classic stout, pilsner and the like, but their talent shines with their wide array of IPAs and sour beers. The one I featured today is called Sherbet Dip. It is a kettle sour ale brewed with raspberries, oranges, limes, pineapple, vanilla and milk sugar. It also clocks in at 9% abv! Pretty crazy, it’s almost unnoticeable. It has a powerful fruit-driven nose, almost exactly like sherbet. I’ll admit I haven’t had sherbet in almost 2 decades, but it smells just as I remember. This is a highly successful brew! The sour aspect really balances the fruit notes and helps to hide the alcohol content. I could only notice the high abv when really concentrating on the slight chalky, vitamin-esque taste on the palate. Otherwise, this beer is pure perfection!

Beer #3: Rauchbier aka ‘smoked beer’ has been on my top ten list for many years now. I remember the first time I tried it and thinking, ‘holy shit, this is beer?’ It tastes like liquified campfire and smoked sausage. Located in Bamberg, Bavaria Germany, Aecht Schlenkerla is one of only two breweries left in the country that make this style. It was a nice surprise to find out that Schlenkerla actually makes a bunch of different rauchbiers. They make a Märzen, Weizen, Urbock, Dopplebock, Fastenbier, Kräusen, Hansla (low-alcohol) and Pale Lager. They also distill their beers; making smoky interpretations of whiskey and schnapps. After doing some research on this brewery, I want to plan a trip to Germany asap! I have had this country on my travel list for a long time, but the idea of visiting historic Bamberg might turn this fantasy into a reality. One disclaimer from this week’s video: I mentioned the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516. I mistakenly mentioned the only ingredients allowed were malt, hops, water and eventually yeast. This is mostly true, but the malt has to be made of barley. Wheat and rye are not allowed. Believe it or not, this law seems archaic, but is still in existence! I hope this flight opened the eyes of non-beer drinkers and nerds alike! Prost!

Sip Somm 'NAMAZAKE' Flight - January 18-22, 2021

(from the left) Akishika Shuzo ‘Super Dry’ Okarakuchi Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu, Yucho Shuzo’s Kaze no Mori ‘Wind of the Woods’ Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu, Takenotsuyu Shuzo’s Hakurosuishu Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama Genshu. What a lineup! : )

Sake #1: Our second full week of Sip Somm videos started with the glorious Okarakuchi ‘Super Dry’ Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu by Akishika Shuzo from Osaka Prefecture. It is brewed with locally grown Yamada Nishiki, from contracted farmers that do not use any additives or chemical pesticides. The sake is unpasteurized (nama) which means live enzymes, microorganisms and some yeast still exist in the bottle and have not been subdued by heating. The brewery does not charcoal filter (muroka) and this sake is not diluted with brewing water (genshu), leaving the alcohol content at 18%. The Sake Meter Value (SMV or Nihonshu-do) clocks in at an epic +18! That is a super dry sake for sure! The flavor profile on this brew is so singular and unforgettable. Aromas of fresh dough, cacao nibs and vanilla frosting exhilarate the senses then combine with the crazy dry and acidic palate, that has those same flavors with a touch of sea salt. This sake is the ultimate food pairing partner! It can go with very flavorful, spicy, salty and even sweet dishes. Almost everyone says to never pair a dry beverage with a sweet dessert, but in this case I beg to differ!

Sake #2: Next up… Kaze no Mori ‘Wind of the Woods’ by Yucho Shuzo. This brewery is located in Nara Prefecture and utilizes locally grown rice and fresh brewing water. Their brand Takacho is made using the bodaimoto yeast starter sourced from Shoryakuji Temple where the technique originated. Very few breweries receive this moto, so quantities of Takacho sake are extremely limited. That’s where the brand Kaze no Mori steps in and provides a more modern and innovative take on sake production. This sake is a Junmai, with a 60% milling rate and only kome-koji, rice, yeast and water used during brewing. It is muroka, so it hasn’t been charcoal filtered and is considered nama genshu, just like Sake #1. One major difference is the SMV. This one is +2.5, so it’s still in the dry realm but it is much less dry than the previous. The acidity level is also lower at 1.8, so the viscosity as well as the perceived sweetness is a bit higher. That is a plus, because this sake is rich in tropical fruit and pear aromas, which continue onto the palate with flavors of fruit cocktail, papaya and light umami. It is medium bodied and has a quintessential spritz (some Co2 left after pressing). This brand is a cult classic and is sought after in Japan and beyond!

Sake #3: The last sake of the flight is truly one of my top 5 favorite sakes EVER! This nama is available year-round (as are all of these, while supplies last!) and hails from Yamagata Prefecture in Tohoku. It is a blend of Dewasansan and Miyamanishiki rice varieties. They use a blend of local yeast strains and are very proud of their soft water which flows down from the three Dewa mountains which surround the brewery. The SMV is +1 and acidity 1.4, so automatically there is more of a plump texture and perceived sweetness here. It is not like drinking a -3 sake where there is obvious sugar existing, more of just an essence of sweet, kind of like a light powdered sugar that gives life to the rest of the flavor profile. On the nose, there are candied cherries, lemon rind and fresh peach. On the palate, all of those flavors are present plus some orchard fruits and black sesame. I love the umami aspect and how the sake finishes dry. All of that power and intensity, but your palate is refreshed by the end and not weighed down. I could drink this sake all day! If you would like to try these cool brews, check out truesake.com for current availability. Kanpai!