Sometimes it is just not feasible to consume a whole bottle of wine or sake in one sitting or circumstances require moving said liquid from one location to another. Recorking and re-screwing are not ideal. The former is not necessarily the most effective way to prevent oxidation, and while re-screwing may do the trick, it … Continue reading 21st-Century Bota Bag: Vie-de Vin
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White Heat Night at JSS Information Center, Tokyo: Hot-Sake Science
There are several definitions for the term white heat. Two are relevant here. white heat The state or temperature at which matter emits white light. A state of intensive activity. [Wiktionary] Heated sake is a pleasure to consume, all year round, of course, but especially on those stygian winter nights. To some people, preparing this drink is simple. Pour some sake into a cup; put it … Continue reading White Heat Night at JSS Information Center, Tokyo: Hot-Sake Science
Tokyo Hachio Gin Elderflower from Tokyo Hachioji Distillery
Elderflowers, Elderberries More from FOODEX Japan 2025! It has become increasingly difficult to write about the gin market in Japan. This is not due to a dearth of quality products entering the market, however. From what I have experienced, the trend is in the opposite direction: there are many impressive craft gins from which the … Continue reading Tokyo Hachio Gin Elderflower from Tokyo Hachioji Distillery
JFEX Gems: Morita Kinshachi Brewery’s Matcha and Miso Brews
As is our custom, drinkingjapan.org was at JFEX 2025, which was held at Tokyo Big Sight from July 9-July 11. We encountered a number of noteworthy beverages and will report on some of them from time to time. The following is our evaluation of two brews from an Aichi-based brewery. Tea Ceremony, Mizuno Toshikata Last … Continue reading JFEX Gems: Morita Kinshachi Brewery’s Matcha and Miso Brews
Blowing My Horn
Boasting is definitely frowned upon in the circles in which we travel, but there are occasions when a blast, preferably from a Baroque era valveless trumpet, is not only appropriate but, shall we say, mandatory. Well, as Frank Zappa put it, “The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing.” So, here we go. As our regular readers should … Continue reading Blowing My Horn
Drinking Songs
In our last blog entry of 2024, we introduced our readers to the Backbeat Radio show, on which our website was mentioned and our choice for Backbeat’s best song of the year was played. It is a drinking song called “Nickel of Wine.” The music is quite appealing, but it was the lyrics that struck … Continue reading Drinking Songs
Good-bye, 2024; Hello, 2025
We recently passed this normally inarticulate guy hanging out in a doorway on a Tokyo street. His smile was frozen, yet he whispered to us, ever so softly, that the year was coming to a close. (Remind us to stop consuming those moldy-oldie leftovers at the back of the fridge, will you?) And so it … Continue reading Good-bye, 2024; Hello, 2025
