Hey there,
As a Japanese drinks geek, I’ve been on a mission these past few years to learn as much about the industry as possible and certain books have been a valuable resource.
Reading about the stories and culture of sake brewers, shochu distillers and more has galvanised me to spread the good word about Japanese drinks. It inspired me to become a certified sake sommelier with the Sake Sommelier Association.
With that in mind, here are five essential books that need to be on the shelves of all Japanese drink nerds.
Best,
Jamie
1. The Japanese Sake Bible
Sake is the heart of Japan. It’s magical, mystical and historically rich. It tells of stories that are thousands of years old and the tireless efforts of master craftsmen brewing fantastic booze.
It’s a bridge between worlds, connecting western drinkers with a beverage that opens up a whole new world of drinking opportunities. It’s transformative, always changing, altering perceptions wherever it’s experienced.
Sake is all of these things and more. Brian Ashcraft’s The Japanese Sake Bible does an exceptional job of capturing all the qualities that make nihonshu one of the most diverse and exciting drinks in the world.
Chock full of detail from leading sake brewers and poetic tasting notes, The Japanese Sake Bible is perfect for anyone who wants to worship at the altar of nihonshu.
Diving deep into sake
There are loads of great books about sake out there. John Gaunter’s Sake Confidential and Stephen Lyman’s The Complete Guide To Japanese Drinks (which are also in this list) comes to mind.
But Ashcraft’s book may be the most comprehensive guide on sake to date. It stands out with fascinating anecdotes from different brewers and rare information from all corners of the globe.
A great example is a piece on master cask maker Takeshi Tamura and the process involved with making barrels for taruzake (cask sake). In the modern day, taruzake is an unconventional type of nihonshu. But prior to the 20th century, it was common across Japan and the Masamune Brewery are one of the few breweries to produce cask sake in bulk.
Tamura’s story and connection to taruzake is intriguing and the process behind making the barrels is well worth reading about.
Another example is the discovery of the legendary sake water miyamizu by a sake brewer called Tazaemon Yamura VI in 1840. Before this discovery, sake brewers believed water was simply water. But all this changed when Yamamura found that there was a noticeable difference in the sake produced at his brewery in Nishinomiya compared to his brewery in Uozaki.
At first, he swapped out the brewery workers, but found that the Nishinomiya nihonshu was still better. Then he moved onto using the same brewing process and the result was still the same.
Finally, Yamamura realised it was the water and transported it from Nishinomiya to Uozaki by oxcart. Nishinomiya no mizu (Nishinomiya water) became miyamizu for short and the rest is history.
It’s these kind of details that make the book pop with character and life. Readers can appreciate the backstories of individual breweries and the people who work in them.
This is shown by the stories of America’s first sake breweries, like the Japan Brewery Company in California, which ran from 1902 to 1906, to longer-lived businesses like the Honolulu sake brewery in Hawaii.
Tasting notes galore
In addition to the wealth of knowledge from Ashcraft, The Japanese Sake Bible features detailed tasting notes from Takashi Eguchi. With over 100 sake recommendations, it could be easy to get overwhelmed with so much choice.
Yet Eguchi’s writing is clear, crisp and poetic. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, nor does it get carried away with excessive detail.
Each review is written in a compact style, with an overview of a sake’s style, brewing location, temperature recommendation and food pairings. The tasting notes are highly accessible and can be enjoyed by enthusiasts and beginners alike.
2. Sake Confidential
Known as the ‘Sake Guy,’ John Gauntner is the world’s leading non-Japanese sake educator, and his book is an amazing guide to sake novices and experts. Filled with informative facts and witty anecdotes, this book should be read by anyone who has even a passing interest in Japan.
“To me, perhaps the coolest thing about sake is the way it combines simplicity and complexity. You need to know very little to enjoy it immediately. Yet should you be interested in learning more, the more you look into it, the deeper and deeper the rabbit hole goes.”
Breaking down the world of sake
I was introduced to the book through interviewing certified sake sommelier John Callow, and after reading a few pages, I knew I was hooked. Gauntner’s enthusiasm for sake is infectious and his conversational writing style helps to break down topics that sound complicated, such as the sake brewing process and the differences between junmai and non-junmai sake.
Each part of the book is split into helpful chapters that take readers through the sake basics and more specialised forms like tokubetsu (special sake) and nigorizake (cloudy sake). Gauntner covers the full history of the industry and gives his honest opinion on controversial subjects like the nihonshu-do, the Sake Meter Value that is used to denote the density of sake relative to water.
“Although the nihonshu-do is interesting and readily available information, it is best to not place too much importance on it. It is certainly not worth factoring into a decision on which sake to choose.
Sweet or dry may be something to consider, but to reiterate, the nihonshu-do alone will not tell you much about that except in its extreme manifestations.”
Gauntner’s candidness doesn’t stop there. He goes into depth about the complicated distribution system of how sake brewers get their rice and touches on why the sake world is extremely polarised, and how greater cooperation between large and small breweries can make a difference. His passion can be felt in every word.
Tackling technical concepts
While reading the book, I found myself learning about wider topics, such as food and sake pairings. Gauntner basically says there are no rules and the way forward is to experiment.
An interesting pairing that he does suggest is to combine Mizbasho ‘Early Bloom’ ginjo with a range of food that includes grilled white fish, lemon-drizzled grilled pork, baked salmon and lime sherbet.
“The most reliable way to know how to pair a sake is to taste it. Forget the label. Smell it and taste it, look at the aromas, flavours, acidity, intensity, texture, breadth, weight, and more. Then consider which aspects will dovetail or contrast in mutually complimentary ways with your food.”
“Most important, do not be afraid to violate perceived authenticity. Do not limit yourself by saying ‘I want to do it the way they do it in Japan.’ Violate away! And enjoy sake’s incredible pairing potential with food.”
Sake for vegans was another topic I found intriguing. Gauntner explains that although sake isn’t made with animal products, it’s filtered with charcoal and some breweries use an animal-based gelatin to remove the charcoal. Sake that hasn’t been filtered with charcoal is called muroka, meaning it is vegan friendly.
Throughout the book, Gauntner features different types of sake to try and describes their flavour and aroma in detail.
Want to know about the price of sake? Interested to know how sake is brewed? Do you want to learn about the different varieties of rice that are used? Fancy learning how to improve your sake tasting ability?
Gauntner has all the answers and more.
3. The Complete Guide To Japanese Drinks
The Complete Guide To Japanese Drinks, written by Stephen Lyman and Chris Bunting, is a comprehensive and engrossing text on Japanese alcohol.
Lyman takes readers on a journey through sake, shochu, awamori, umeshu and Japan’s interpretation of western drinks like whisky and gin. Compelling, informative and rich in detail, The Complete Guide To Japanese Drinks is a must-read book for anyone with an interest in Japanese culture.
An introduction to the wonderful world of sake
The opening chapters of the book provide an overview of sake and its importance in Japan. In addition to explaining the different types of sake, like honjozo, junmai and ginjo, Lyman supplements the information with native lore and stories.
There’s one intriguing story that goes into detail about the koji riot in 1440, which marked the transition from sake being seen as a religious drink to a commercial commodity.
The Kitano Shrine had a legal monopoly on Kyoto’s production of koji and many merchants complained that the prices of the koji were inflated. The koji makers locked themselves in the shrine and the shogan’s soldiers broke in to get them out. The temple was burnt to the ground and the religious aspects of sake were smashed to pieces.
It’s this kind of dramatic flair that makes The Complete Guide To Japanese Drinks more than just a drinking guide to Japan. Lyman and Bunting want to share the traditions of Japanese drinking with the wider world.
Other chapters focus on shochu and awamori, two exciting drinks that are becoming better known in the west. But unlike shochu, awamori is harder to find outside of Japan. Lyman provides an impressive amount of detail about both drinks and how they are created.
Umeshu insight and herbal remedies
While I was familiar with other types of Japanese alcohol, I didn’t know much about umeshu (plum alcohol). Lyman provides brilliant insight into how umeshu is made and the state of the market.
What’s interesting is that at the height of umeshu’s popularity between 2003 and 2011, a lot of producers cut corners by adding artificial flavouring to the drinks instead of using traditional ume plums. This discovery led to a new designation of umeshu called honkaku umeshu (authentic plum alcohol) in 2015.
Another fascinating part of the book looks into the role of yakushu (medicinal alcohol). The most famous, habushu, features a dead pit viper drowned in awamori. The snake’s venom is diluted in the alcohol, making it nonlethal, but still potent enough to act as a stimulant.
Japanese takes on western classics
Traditionally, Japan has taken practices from other cultures and perfected them to a high standard. The same applies to western alcohol making.
Lyman takes the reader on a journey through the history of Japanese whisky and the creation of Suntory and Nikka. He also lists the locations of all the breweries and makes recommendations on when to visit.
The same treatment is given to beer, which was brought over to Japan in the Edo period by Dutch merchants. Originally seen as a rare commodity, the Japanese started brewing beer that was highly toxic. In the modern day, Japanese beer has come a long way and a wide variety of craft beverages have started to appear, such as Mori 1984.
In the final chapters, Lyman focuses on Japanese wine and cocktail making. While I’m not a big wine guy, I can still appreciate its relevance to the alcohol industry.
Lyman tells a tragic story about the Japanese wine king Kanae Nagasawa, who created a wine empire in California, only to lose it all in later life.
The cocktail section is interesting as well because it provides a range of drink recipes that can be created at home. As Lyman recommends, if you’re looking for the best cocktails in the world check out the Ginza neighbourhood in Tokyo.
A celebration of Japanese culture
The Complete Guide To Japanese Drinks certainly lives up to its title. Lyman’s passion for Japanese booze isfelt in every word.
Every photo of a bar and drink has been captured with loving detail. Reading the book has added fuel to my fire for learning about and drinking more sake. It’s sure to do the same for you.
4. The Shochu Handbook
Christopher Pellegrini’s The Shochu Handbook: An Introduction To Japan’s Indigenous Distilled Drink is a must-read text for anyone interested in shochu.
An insightful look into the realm of shochu and awamori
From the beginning of the book, Pellegrini’s passion for sake is on full display. He introduces the reader to what makes shochu and its southern cousin awamori different to nihonshu.
“It’s a spirit, and most types of shochu neither smell nor taste anything like nihonshu. To be fair, shochu has a few modest ties to its more well-known cousin. For instance, rice is one of the most common base ingredients used to make shochu, and nihonshu lees are used to make one particular variety of shochu called katsutori. Awamori, the shochu made in Okinawa, is also made with rice.”
Pellegrini expands on this point by explaining how shochu and awamori are made with a much wider variety of ingredients, such as sweet potato, buckwheat, brown sugar, carrot, kelp, radish, chestnut and more. These ingredients are spread across three main categories of shochu.
Honkaku — Single-distilled and created from a plethora of sources.
Korui — Multi-distilled and made primarily from sugar cane and corn for mass-production purposes.
Konwa — A blend of the honkaku and korui categories.
In other chapters, Pellegrini highlights intriguing facts about the industry, such as the misconceptions between shochu and the Korean drink soju in the west.
“Due to a state-specific American liquor control tax loophole, many eating and drinking establishments in the US that carry shochu, particularly in California, serve it under the name soju, its Korean multi-distilled cousin. In many cases it actually says ‘soju’ right on the bottle. Obviously this has had the effect of confusing and misinforming consumers.”
“The reason for this is soju, due to its mid-level ABV and some heavy lobbying in the California state capitol, now skirts the parameters of a full-blown liquor license which can be prohibitively expensive for new business owners.
Many establishments opt for the less restrictive beer and wine license which currently accommodates some medium ABV drinks like soju (24% ABV and lower).”
It’s this kind of attention to detail that makes The Shochu Handbook a joy to dissect and allows the reader to feel Pellegrini’s passions and frustrations about how far shochu has come and what is stopping it from reaching the next level.
Serving styles and bottles to try
In later chapters, Pellegrini discusses the different serving methods of shochu, like the practice of mizuwari and oyuwari.
Mizuwari shochu is mixed with water before serving to enhance the flavour, while oyuwari shochu is cut with hot water and served at a temperature that is normally between 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. Both styles have their own specific techniques and enhancements, which adds to the flexibility of drinking shochu and awamori.
Pellegrini also lists a helpful guide on different types of shochu to try for beginners and sake masters. Then, he takes it a step further by offering suggestions on the best shochu-infused cocktails to drink.
My personal favourite is The Makarim, made with Bombay sapphire gin, brown sugar umenshu, Momo no Kuchidoke peace liqueur and lemon soda water. (This cocktail was inspired by a friend of Pellegrini’s and isn’t a drink to be trifled with apparently.)
Informative, inspirational and innovative
What I enjoy most about The Shochu Handbook is that the reader is never made to feel as if they are out of their depth. Pellegrini takes you down the rabbit hole a step at a time, revealing more and more details that add to the shochu tableau.
Whether you are new to the world of sake or have been a part of it for years, The Shochu Handbook is a must-read piece of literature. It’s inspired me to go out and try different types of shochu and it will do the same for you.
5. Japanese Whisky: The Ultimate Guide To The World’s Most Desirable Spirit
It’s no secret that Japanese whisky has taken the world by storm, regularly fetching high prices at auctions and earning award after award, captivating the hearts and bank accounts of whisky lovers from all walks of life. This wasn’t always the case.
There was a time not so long ago when Japanese whisky was looked down on as inferior to other whisky varieties like scotch and bourbon.
So, what changed? The answers can be found in Brian Ashcraft’s brilliant Japanese Whisky: The Ultimate Guide To The World’s Most Desirable Spirit.
Packed full of insight and history, this is a must-read book for anyone with even a passing interest in whisky and Japanese culture.
Telling the story of Japanese whisky
The book opens with a fascinating introduction to the beginning of whisky’s journey in Japan. Brought over from America in 1853, it didn’t take long for the Japanese to become enamoured with the elixir known as aqua-vitae. But it wasn’t until a young Japanese chemist called Masataka Taketsuru visited Scotland in 1918 that the true story of Japanese whisky began.
After returning to Japan, Taketsuru brought his insight to the spirits heavyweight Suntory and eventually set off on his own to form the rival Nikka.
It was this kind of competitive attitude that formed the modern-day whisky industry in Japan, with distillers choosing to forge their own paths, rather than working together like distilleries in Scotland.
While this mentality is changing as new whisky brands emerge in Japan, it’s intriguing to discover the characteristics of Japanese whisky and how it differs from other varieties.
The book also features an interesting analysis on the materials that Japanese distillers use and one of the most striking is mizunara wood for barrels. Mizunara is Japanese oak and imparts unique flavours when whisky is aged within it.
“According to joint research between Suntory and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, 27-year old whisky aged in mizunara casks has a slightly different flavour profile from whisky aged in American oak.
Japanese oak-aged whisky has fewer cereal, grassy and fresh fruit notes but is slightly fainter and has slightly more sulfury aromas that are described as a struck match.
This is perhaps explains why whisky aged in mizunara is compared to the scents found in a temple or shrine, such as incense or burning candles.”
Tasting notes that read like poetry
Throughout the book, there are a series of tasting notes dedicated to whisky from different Japanese distilleries, ranging from Suntory to Venture.
All of the tasting notes are detailed and beautifully written, coming across with the elegance of poetry. There’s a dream-like quality to Japanese whisky and that is hammered home by whisky writing savant Yuji Kawasaki.
Combine those reviews with a detailed tour of all the major distilleries and you’ll be eager to go on a whisky tour of Japan.
It’s the details that make the book so engrossing and it’s the details that will deepen your appreciation for Japanese whisky, make you want to pour yourself a glass and say kanpai to your friends.