The Japanese Sake Bible: A Fascinating New Book For All Sake Lovers

"This book, although it contains technical information, is not a technical guide. Its a dive into the drink's deep culture and long history peppered with vignettes that tell a larger story."

--Brian Ashcraft, The Japanese Sake Bible

There's only a small number of Sake books available in English, so there's ample room for more such books, especially if that book includes more than just the most basic information about Sake. A new Sake book was published last month and it will appeal to both Sake neophytes as well as more knowledgeable Sake lovers. I'd wager that any Sake lover will learn something from this fascinating new book. I received a media hard copy of this book, but also purchased the e-book version. 

I give my hearty recommendation to The Japanese Sake Bible: Everything You Need To Know About Great Sake (Tuttle Publishing, September 2020, $17.99) by Brian Ashcraft and Takashi Eguchi. Ashcraft is a writer, currently based in Japan, who has contributed to a variety of publications. He has also written a few other books, including Japanese Whisky,  Japanese Tattoos and Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential (all which I own, have read and enjoyed). Eguchi is based in Kyoto, curates the Japanese-language Sake Concierge Report, holds Sake seminars and workshops, and has a Sake Diploma from the Japan Sommeliers Association. 

The Japanese Sake Bible is a trade paperback book of 256 pages, divided into seven chapters, and there are ample photographs enhancing the text. Overall, the book provides all of the basic information you could desire about Sake in an easily understood, accurate and compelling manner. As such, someone new to Sake can learn everything they might want to begin their delve into this wonderful alcohol. Although this single volume provides a comprehensive introduction for neophytes, there is plenty more for existing Sake lovers too.

Throughout the book are various extra sections which touch on many fascinating topics, from historical stories to tales about various breweries, from interviews to articles on regionality. For example, the first chapter provides some basic information about the nature of Sake, including its comparisons to wine and beer. In addition, there are extra sections on topics such as The Scientist Who Made Barley Sake, The Master Cask Maker, and Sake to Whisky. These extra sections are compelling stories, and even knowledgeable Sake lovers will find something new there. The first chapter also includes intriguing information on Sake seasonality, who has been ignored in some other Sake books.

Chapter Two deals with the production methods of Sake, but includes side sections on topics such as The Rice-Polishing Revolution and an interview with Naohiko Noguchi, who has been brewing Sake for seven decades. Chapter Three delves into the ingredients that make Sake, including Rice, Water, Koji, Yeast, and Soil. There is also a discussion of regional yeasts and regional Sake, as well as descriptions of the Sake producing regions of Japan. Again, plenty of cool information for Sake lovers of all knowledge levels. 

Chapter Four discusses "How to Order and Enjoy Sake," including serving temperatures (hot vs cold Sake), How To Taste Sake, One Cup Sakes, and food pairings. One of my only issues with this book is that I believe the section on Pairing Sake & Food was too brief, providing only limited information, and not addressing the important role of umami in such pairings. More information in that section is devoted to Noma, a famed restaurant in Copenhagen, which has Sake on its tasting menu. 

The main reason for the limited information on food pairings was a lack of space, which is understandable, though I believe more information was still warranted, especially as I feel Sake pairings are a path to making Sake more mainstream. When consumers start drinking Sake with pizza and burgers, when more non-Asian restaurants embrace Sake, it will become more than just a niche beverage. 

Chapter Five is a history of Sake brewing in Japan and I, as a history lover, found it especially fascinating. It includes sections on Japan's Oldest Sake Brand and the eight oldest Sake breweries still in existence. Chapter Six continues with more history, though about Sake outside of Japan, including the first Sake breweries in the U.S. As I previously wrote the extensive A History of Sake Brewing in the U.S., I was especially glad to see this book got this history right, something that not all recent Sake books have done. This chapter also includes information on the status of modern Sake breweries in the U.S. The book clearly has its foots in the past, present and future, and its intensive research is more than clear.

The final chapter is a Buyer's Guide, written by Takashi Eguchi, with Reviews and Tasting Notes for Over 100 Sakes. Many of the Sakes can commonly be found outside Japan, so you might be able to find most of the Sakes in the U.S. Eguchi states, "My notes cover flavor, background on the sake or brewery, and food pairings. To describe a beverage, especially sake, I believe those are essential." He also scores each Sake on a five star system, although none of the Sakes in the book has less than three stars. This is because they wanted to present only Sakes they would recommend. 

The Sake Reviews are separated into three categories: Light Bodied, Medium Bodied, and Full Bodied. Interestingly, nine of the reviewed Sakes are from outside Japan, from countries including the U.S., New Zealand, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, and France. Did you even know they made Sake in France? There's a nice diversity to the reviewed Sakes, and each short review still packs in plenty of information about the Sake. The food pairing suggestions include diverse dishes like burgers, spaghetti, cheese, cheesecake, gumbo, fried chicken, bacon, and more, although pizza wasn't mentioned. 

Overall, The Japanese Sake Bible is certainly a compelling book, filled with mounds of information about all aspects of Sake. I would have liked to see more information devoted to Sake & Food Pairings, but that is a minor issue. I definitely learned a number of items about Sake from this books and I'm sure you will too. Ashcraft and Eguchi deserve kudos for their work on this book and its earns my hearty recommendation. Buy it for yourself, or buy it as a holiday gift for someone else.