Nihonshu: Japanese sake

A thousand leagues away from Chinese rice alcohols with which it is often mistakenly confused, Japanese sake, or nihonshu, is a delicate drink rich in aromas, whose production and tasting are reminiscent of those of wine. This book explains in detail the production methods of nihonshu. Drawing from the experience and research of its author (an agronomist and oenologist), it describes all the techniques necessary for making quality sake: raw materials (cultivation and polishing of rice, water, koji) - fermentation (yeasts, types of fermentation, aromas) - aging (addition, pasteurization, maturation, blending). The different aspects of tasting (choice and service, food/sake pairings, storage) are also covered, while numerous cultural side notes allow readers to discover the history of sake and its role in Japanese society. At the end of the book, a glossary summarizes the main technical terms encountered and a guide reveals a selection of emblematic sakes available in France.Sommaire of the book: * A brief history of sake. * Raw materials. * Rice. * Koji and water. * Transformation. * Sake fermentation (yeast, shubo or starter, aromas from fermentation...). * Aging of raw sake (addition, pressing, clarification, pasteurization, maturation, blending). * Sake tasting (types of sake, terroir, sake service...). * Some sakes to drink in France (and where to find them). * The different types of sake. * Sake and terroir. * Appendix. * Glossary. * Bibliography.