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Mirin

Mirin

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    <p>Over the past ten years, the number of small whisky producers has grown steadily in Japan. Their success is enormous, both on the domestic market and on all five continents. <br />In Japan, the first whisky still was created in 1924. Since then, the Japanese distilleries have gained their letters of nobility and their prestige has scoured the planet, insolently awarding themselves the finest awards in the most prestigious international competitions. <br />Japanese attention to detail, passion associated with competence, extreme quality, make Japanese whisky popular all over the world.</p> <p>EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS DANGEROUS FOR YOUR HEALTH. DRINK WITH MODERATION. CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY, EVEN IN SMALL QUANTITY, CAN HAVE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CHILD’S HEALTH. THE SALE OF ALCOHOL IS FORBIDDEN TO MINORS UNDER AGE 18</p>
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    <p>EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS DANGEROUS FOR YOUR HEALTH. DRINK WITH MODERATION. CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY, EVEN IN SMALL QUANTITY, CAN HAVE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CHILD’S HEALTH. THE SALE OF ALCOHOL IS FORBIDDEN TO MINORS UNDER AGE 18</p>
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    <p>Shōchū is a distilled alcohol that appeared in Japan around the 16th century, on Kyushu Island. There are records that Shōchū was produced in Kagoshima in the 16th century, so it is likely that it gradually spread throughout Japan via Miyazaki and the Kuma area, finding its way into various regions as a local specialty. It is now produced all over Japan. It can be made with rice, barley, buckwheat, sweet potato, herbs, black sugar, sake cake...</p> <p>Source : Japan Sake and Shōchū Maker Association</p>

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ALL ABOUT MIRIN

Your Japanese grocery store Nishikidôri tells you everything

 

The Mikawa area, located in the south of Achi Prefecture, has a warm climate and good water. The area has been enjoying the production of mirin (sweet rice wine) for over 200 years. The number of mirin producers in the Mikawa area is the largest in Japan.

 

Pure mirin made from rice only

The ingredients of Sumiya's hon'mirin are only glutinous rice, koji malted rice (steamed rice sown with a noble fungus called aspergillus oryzar) and distilled rice alcohol called shochu. The shochu used is also prepared and distilled by Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery, without any brewing alcohol or sweetener. All the elements of this hon'mirin, such as aroma, rich taste and sweetness are all natural rice essences.

 

An ancient natural brewing method

To produce their hon'mirin, Sumiya Master Craftsmen ferment steamed glutinous rice, koji malted rice and rice shochu (43% alcohol volume) in the cellar for over a year until the three ingredients harmonize and create a balanced natural flavor. This explains why their hon'mirin has a very mild flavor with a rich taste and elegant sweetness.

 

100% natural

Sumiya Bunjiro uses no additives, no preservatives, no sterilizers during and after brewing. There is also no heat sterilization as this could ruin the natural aroma and flavor. However, thanks to the special care and high technique passed on since the establishment of the workshop, the products are perfectly safe and there is no deterioration in quality.

 

A living hon'mirin in a bottle

As the product is neither heated nor sterilized, the mold of the malted rice in this hon'mirin is still alive. This explains the very deep flavor, the length in mouth that you cannot find in a sterilized mirin.

Hon'mirin is the integration of the delicacy that Japanese glutinous rice secretly has by using the traditional Japanese brewing technique. The strictly selected glutinous rice, the specific koji production technique (passed on in a long-established company dedicated solely to mirin), the perfect climate of the Mikawa region (which produces enormous power in the transition of the seasons), allow the elaboration of this very high-quality condiment.

 

Manufacturing of hon'mirin

Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery's hon'mirin is made exclusively by hand (1.8 kg of rice is used to make 1.8 liters of mirin) and is made with great care. The shochu (distilled rice alcohol) used, rich in fragrance, is also made in-house so that it blends perfectly with the mirin.

Mirin is a sweet rice wine, known as an essential seasoning in Japanese cuisine.

It is the essence of the sweetness and umami of rice, extracted by the power of cultivation.

 

Its added value

Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery uses only glutis rice (sweet rice), malted rice and distilled shochu rice alcohol of the highest quality to make its mirin. Almost all mirin on the market contains artificial alcohol and starch.

Unlike other mirin on the market, this hon'mirin has a minimum maturation of 12 months (one day to a few weeks for other mirin), and requires 1kg of rice to make one liter of mirin (150g to 300g on average for mirin sold on the market).

 

Where to find mirin?

Your Japanese grocery store Nishikidôri offers you several kinds of mirin, from the traditional mirin, to hon'mirin, or mirin sauces.

Among our selection, you will find mirin:

 

You will also find Kokonoe mirin sauces:

 

And finally, you will find hon'mirin, the best mirin:

 

What is the best mirin?

Mikawa mirin was established in 1911. For three generations, the traditional technique has been protected and nurtured by constantly brewing only hon' mirin (authentic mirin made exclusively from Japanese raw materials) for many years. Sumiya's Mikawa mirin has been used by professional Japanese chefs and other culinary professionals for many years and its quality has proven to be the best. It has also been awarded several times by the National Alcoholic Condiment Fair and even received the prestigious Diamond Award in 1975 in the Mirin category.

 

When to use mirin?

Mirin was enjoyed as a sweet rice wine 500 years ago. Today, it is used as a condiment for cooking and gives dishes a wonderful brightness and shine as well as an elegant and refreshing sweetness.

Mikawa mirin adds brightness and shine to products, tenderizes meats, adds sweetness, prevents products from falling apart during cooking, masks and counteracts strong odors (giblets, game), adds umami and a rich, savory taste.

 

What does mirin taste like?

Mirin has a taste quite similar to sake, quite sweet, with a lower alcohol content and quite smooth. Depending on the degree of maturation, there are pleasant notes of dark sugar, rum and grapes.