Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Nov 30, 2007

Winter's the season for sake nouveau

by Philip Harper

Sake breweries are mostly dead quiet over the summer, and are just now getting into full swing as the chilly weather makes for more brewing-friendly conditions. The kanzukuri (cold brewing) pattern of concentrating production in the coldest months of the year became mainstream in ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Oct 12, 2007

Britain is finally waking up to the unmistakable smell of sake

by Philip Harper

I recently returned from Britain, where I took part in some events sponsored by the Japan Central Brewers’ Association and the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. I was impressed by the quality and the sheer variety of sake offered by Japanese brewers and enthusiastic local distributors ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Jun 29, 2007

Taste receptors bow to flavor god

by Philip Harper

It used to be said that the human tongue perceived flavor in the form of four basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Then a Japanese scientist, Ikeda Kikunae (1864-1936), detected a rich, satisfying taste common to meat, cheese and Japanese dashi (stock) — ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU May 11, 2007

Different regions, different sake

by Philip Harper

Sake has gone global in recent years and, as might be expected, drinkers new to Japan’s signature beverage often look for parallels with more familiar tipples when choosing what to imbibe. In particular, many wine drinkers who have strayed into the sake world try ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Oct 27, 2002

Before I go, these are a few of my favorite things

by John Gauntner

After precisely eight years, this is to be the final installment of the Nihonshu column. It has been extremely enjoyable write it over the years. The amount I have learned along the way has been nothing less than phenomenal — and it only got ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Oct 13, 2002

You think it's pure -- but is it really?

by John Gauntner

One of the great debates among sake fans with too much time on their hands is whether sake that has alcohol added to it is real sake. It is interesting to look at the history, technical facets and economics of this issue. First, a ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Sep 29, 2002

How to gain flavors and influence yeasts

by John Gauntner

When looking at what makes sake special, one thing that comes up often is koji mold. It is the heart of the sake-making process — no beverage in the world uses koji in its production the way that sake does. Of all factors involved ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Sep 15, 2002

Sake-shopping picks that really hit the spot

by John Gauntner

There exists, where you would least expect it, a marvelous oasis for sake shopping. Yoshiike department store, just outside Okachimachi Station and just across from the entrance to Ameyokocho, has a fantastic selection of sake and a plethora of sake utensils to go with ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Sep 1, 2002

How much do you really need to know?

by John Gauntner

The choice of yeast in sake brewing exerts marvelous leverage on the aroma and style of the final product. And, while creativity and diversity lead to better sake over time, things can indeed get out of hand. Today, there are so many different yeasts ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Aug 18, 2002

Drinking without thinking

by John Gauntner

Although more than half the fun at sake pubs is being an active participant in choosing what you drink, there are times when you don’t want to make that effort. There are times when what you want is simply to chat, or even — ...

Food & Drink | NIHONSHU Jul 21, 2002

Right down to the nitty-gritty grains

by John Gauntner

Rice is not, as most readers know, simply rice. Good sake is made from proper sake rice, and cheaper sake is made from much less expensive rice. In fact, most run-of-the-mill sake is made with rice bought from the local agricultural co-op, and often ...