The Izakaya Happy Hour

In Episode 17, hosts  Samuel Boulton and  Arline Lyons  sit down to talk all things  IWC Sake 2025 . 🍶 We take a deep dive into this year’s results, sharing our thoughts on the standout winners and trends shaping the sake scene. Arline gives us a rare peek behind the curtain at how the  International Wine Challenge (IWC)  sake judging process really works, from the tasting tables to the final dec...

Join hosts Samuel Boulton and guest Sam Chatterji for the second half of our special Moutai series. Following Sam C's recent win at the UKBG Moutai Expedition Cocktail Competition , we travelled to Moutai Town, China, with Joyce Linn of Jazz Trading, and Kweichow Moutai. In this episode, we go beyond the headlines and explore the fascinating world of sauce aroma baijiu, China’s most celebrated...

Episode 16: Samuel Boulton Chats with Brandon Doughan of Brooklyn Kura In this episode of  The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , host Samuel Boulton sits down with Brandon Doughan of Brooklyn Kura. Brandon shares his journey into the art of sake brewing, from learning the craft to helping shape Brooklyn Kura into the vibrant brewery it is today. Sam and Brandon also dive into the future of sake in Amer...

🎙️ Cam & Sam Talks — Episode 3 Grafting In this episode of Cam & Sam Talks, things get a little real and a little ridiculous as Cam and Sam dive into the world of working in a Japanese sake brewery 🍶🏭 Camilla shares stories from her time living and working at a brewery, including an unforgettable (and slightly dramatic) medical emergency that happened mid-brew 👀 Meanwhile, Sam reflects...

Join hosts Samuel Boulton and guest Sam Chatterji for a 2 part talk about something non-japanese! In this episode, we celebrate Sam’s recent win at the UKBG Moutai Expedition Cocktail Competition, where he secured 1st place. The cocktail and we discuss our recent travels to Moutai Town, China, to explore the home of sauce aroma baijiu. This trip was generally generously supported by Jazz Trading U...

In this episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , host Samuel Boulton sits down with sake translator and educator Arline Lyons, and sake importer and educator Erika Haigh, to explore the world of sake and shochu courses. Together, they share their must-do courses, what you can expect to learn, and their personal opinions on where to start if you’re considering formal education in sake or shochu....

In this tasty little episode of Cam & Sam Talks, Camilla gets her first spoonfuls of Gelato San, Sam’s brand new Japanese-inspired ice cream ! 🍨🇯🇵 Tune in as Cam blind-tastes a range of unique flavours, reacts in real-time, and the duo chats about: ​ What makes Gelato San different ​ Flavour inspiration from Japanese sweets and culture ​ The magic (and madness) of launching a new food brand S...

Episode 1 - Cam & Sam Talks Holidays! Welcome to the very first episode of Cam & Sam Talks a new mini-series from The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast. In these shorter, 20-ish minute episodes, your hosts Camilla Bonnannini and Samuel Boulton catch up on all things they love: Japanese food, drink, culture, travel, news… or just whatever’s on their minds. This time? It’s all about Japan travel pl...

In this episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , hosts Samuel Boulton and Camilla Bonnannini are joined by special guest Adam Smith-Hopesdale , a devoted fan of Japanese sake, though not a professional in the industry. Together, they dive into an insightful conversation about how Japanese sake is perceived, marketed, and ultimately sold outside Japan. With Sam and Camilla offering expertise fro...

The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast – Episode 13: Fun & Novelty Packaging in the Sake Industry Welcome back to The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast ! In this episode, hosts Samuel Boulton (@boultononbooze), Arline Lyons (@tastetranslation), and Sarah Stewart (@sakestudies) dive into the wild and wonderful world of fun and novelty packaging in the sake industry. From anime collaborations to seasonal relea...

Meet The Team with Samuel Boulton 🎙️🍸 In this special episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour podcast, we switch things up as Erika Haigh takes the hosting spot to interview our regular host, Samuel Boulton! 🍶✨ Samuel Boulton is one of the leading drinks developers, bartenders, and consultants in the UK. Himself and his bars have received multiple accolades from prestigious organisations such as CLAS...

🎙️ Breaking News Special! Join host Samuel Boulton as he sits down with expert Arline Lyons for a momentous episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour. Today, December 5, we celebrate the Traditional Knowledge and Skills of Sake-Making with Koji Mold being officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Together, Samuel and Arline explore what this mean...

🎙️🍶 Sparkling Sake? With Martin Litt 🇯🇵✨ In this episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast, host Samuel Boulton is joined by co-hosts Erika Haigh, Sarah Stewart, and Camilla Bonnannini for an exciting deep dive into the world of sparkling sake! We’re thrilled to welcome special guest Martin Litt, a wine specialist who’s new to sake, as he shares his unique perspective on the vibrant flavors and...

Meet the Team: Erika Haigh 🎙️🍶 In this episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour podcast, we’re delighted to introduce Erika Haigh, a key figure in the world of sake education and Japanese drinking culture. Born and raised in Japan, Erika’s love for sake has taken her across the globe, and she now calls London home. As an international kikisake-shi sommelier (SSI), Erika is dedicated to showcasing the be...

🎙️🍶 The State of Japanese Shochu with Special Guest Christopher Pellegrini Part 2 🇯🇵✨ In our latest episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , we’re thrilled to welcome industry expert and Shochu ambassador Christopher Pellegrini! 🌟 Christopher, the founder of Honkaku Spirits and a certified Shochu sommelier, joins us to dive deep into the current state of Japanese Shochu and explore its futur...

🎙️🍶 The State of Japanese Shochu with Special Guest Christopher Pellegrini 🇯🇵✨ In our latest episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , we’re thrilled to welcome industry expert and Shochu ambassador Christopher Pellegrini! 🌟 Christopher, the founder of Honkaku Spirits and a certified Shochu sommelier, joins us to dive deep into the current state of Japanese Shochu and explore its future in th...

Welcome to the next mini episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour podcast! In this episode, we’re excited to introduce Sarah Stewart, a key member of our team and a true expert in the world of all things Japanese drinks. With nearly 20 years of experience in Japanese tea, Sarah’s entry into the sake world in 2019 has quickly established her as one of the leading experts in Europe and she is now a WSET Ce...

🎙️🍶 Exploring Shochu in Mixed Drinks with Jane Nam 🇯🇵✨ In the latest episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , we’re excited to welcome special guest Jane Nam ! 🌟 Jane is a talented bartender from NYC with a background in cooking, now working at two top bars in the city. She’s on a mission to spread the word about Shochu, collaborating with Honkaku Spirits to introduce this amazing Japanese s...

🎙️🍶 Exploring Shochu in Mixed Drinks with Jane Nam 🇯🇵✨ In the latest episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , we’re excited to welcome special guest Jane Nam ! 🌟 Jane is a talented bartender from NYC with a background in cooking, now working at two top bars in the city. She’s on a mission to spread the word about Shochu, collaborating with Honkaku Spirits to introduce this amazing Japanese s...

Welcome to the next mini episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour podcast! In this episode, we introduce you to Arline Lyons, an integral member of our team. Originally from Ireland, Arline stumbled upon her passion for sake through her work as a Japanese to English translator. What began as translating wine texts soon evolved into a deep love for nihonshu, fueled by the passionate people she met in the...

In the second episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast , host Samuel Boulton explores sake tourism in the Hyogo and Osaka areas with regular host, Arline Lyons and special guest Andrew Russell. Andrew is a Kurabito at Kenbishi Brewery in Nada. Andrew, who also runs Sake Origin Tours, shares his insider knowledge on the region’s rich sake culture. Tune in to discover the unique experiences and hid...

Welcome to the first mini episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour podcast! In this episode, we introduce you to Camilla Bonnannini, a key member of our team. Originally from Italy and now residing in the UK, Camilla brings a rich background in fine dining and a passion for introducing the world of sake to new audiences. Join us as we dive into her journey from the vibrant culinary landscapes of Italy to...

In the premiere episode of The Izakaya Happy Hour Podcast, a conversational series hosted by Samuel Boulton, we dive into the fascinating world of sake sales with industry experts Arline Lyons, Sarah Stewart, and Camilla Bonnannini. Listeners will gain insights into how we see sake being sold alongside wine. The episode covers effective sales strategies, the importance of storytelling in engaging...