The Insider's Guide to Sake

by Philip Harper

Anyone who has ever been to Japan has probably fallen under the spell of a soothing cup of sake at one time or another. An encounter with Japan's favorite libation is bound to be memorable, yet despite its growing popularity worldwide, information on this eminently drinkable beverage remains
scarce.

Written by a British expatriate who has spent more than seven years brewing sake in the exacting traditional method, The Insider's Guide to Sake is the consummate introductory handbook. It unravels the history and intricacies of this exotic drink, and provides an extensive list of restaurants and
retail outlets in Japan, the United States, and Europe where the beverage in all its variety can be found. In The Guide you will discover over 100 sakes for all tastes and pocketbooks, tips for beginners and connoisseurs alike, and a knowledgeable explanation of the brew-master's skills. Labels and
specs for each selected sake are displayed in a concise, easy-to-follow format.

Whether you are a gourmet, a wine lover, or just enjoy the occasional thirst-quencher, The Insider's Guide to Sake offers a fascinating, broad-ranging introduction to this compelling refreshment-in a refreshingly compelling manner.

Features
* firsthand, authoritative information
* slim, portable size (to use at restaurants or retailers)
* slips easily into bag, pack, or briefcase
* handy "cheat sheet" helps you select the best sake
* all types of sake discussed
* labels deciphered
* sake-tasting tips
* regional sake map
* sake sites on the Web

Genres: Food, Japan

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 1998

Reviews

[Ad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Philip Harper is an authority on Japanese sake, who as master brewer (toji) himself, knows the sake world and industry inside out. He is also the author of "The Book of Sake: A Connoisseurs Guide," which is a large, lavishly illustrated book. But in its concise format, as a small pocket-sized book which is easy to carry around, the present guide contains all the basic information.

But that is only for the first 70 pages. After that we get a long chapter (the bulk of the book) with tasting notes on individual sakes, and I have the same complaint here as in the case of "The Sake Handbook" by John Gauntner: rather than ultimately subjective tasting notes of just one product, I am more interested in the story and history of sake breweries, what their philosophy is, what techniques they use, and what that means for the taste of the final product. So in other words, I would have preferred a much fuller treatment.

And again, as in the case of Gauntner, the lists of restaurants and shops both in Japan and the U.S. are not very useful as such lists are usually outdated shortly after the publication of the book. The internet is a better source for this type of transient information.

[Trane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philip Harper has a lot of street cred as far as I'm concerned — he's the only (so far as he knows) non-Japanese head brewer of sake (or 'nihonshu,' as it's actually called in Japan) working in Japan. This book is very well organized and it's especially useful to people who are living in Japan and want to know more about nihonshu, as well as people living outside Japan who are real fanatics and simply want to learn all the Japanese terms involved with this amazing drink. Need to know all the different categories of nihonshu and how they're distinguished from each other? It's here. Need a sake sampler with a plentiful list of fantastic nihonshus? Here as well. Need to know the kanji on the bottle so you can figure out what to buy? It's here. It's also a nice, small size so you can carry it around with you. What this book doesn't have is a bunch of gorgeous color pictures of bottle labels, quaint traditional breweries, and the like. But that's for fantasists, and not for people who actually want to go out and drink the stuff. I've tried several of the sakes that Harper mentions and I think that his taste is spot on. I haven't been able to try his own brand yet, but I'm looking forward to it. The one thing this book really does lack — primarily because Harper is based in Japan, I think — is a good, comprehensive list of restaurants in the States that specialize in sake. His listing of restaurants for San Francisco is woefully small. Of course, he might have made his listing before the current Bay Area sake boom was in full flow, but it's just not really a very useful book when it comes to the restaurants. Better to use this book to figure out what you want to try, and then seek out restaurants with extensive sake lists on your own.

Incidentally, I've had the opportunity to sample some Ume no Yado, the nihonshu made by the company where Harper is the master brewer, and it's good stuff. If you ever have the chance, make sure to get your hands on some.

[Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wakariyasui! Clear, well laid out and written in a conversational style this is a really great introduction to sake.