Uncovering amazake: Japan’s ancient fermented 'superdrink' www.bbc.com

It was on that winding street that I first encountered amazake, an ancient, non-alcoholic, lightly fermented rice drink, which a helpful English sign noted could be served “hot or cold”.
Sales jumped 134.8% between 2016 and 2017, according to food and drink exhibition Foodex Japan, at the time that at-home fermentation became a trendy pastime.
Already a fan of fermenting miso and doburoku (a form of sake), he enjoyed introducing amazake, a drink from his childhood, to the group.
Bread and wine are two different things, even though they use the same yeast strain.”Currently, amazake is barely known outside of Asia.
“For me growing up [with Japanese and German parents in the United States], I enjoyed amazake and banana smoothies.