AKASAKÉ MIRIN, "sweet red saké" mirin
New Real Mirin!!
AKASAKÉ MIRIN, "sweet red saké" mirin
From Zuiyo Company
AKASAKÉ MIRIN is a rice wine which has an unusual, unique sweet flavor with a slight chocolate note and golden reddish brown color. This is not, however, a dessert wine for drinking. Today professional chefs in Japan have discovered that AKASAKÉ MIRIN is a wonderful substitute for traditional mirin, the sweet cooking wine used in so many preparations. Why is this so? Traditional mirin is made from glutinous rice, and properly brewed and distilled alcohol in a time consuming artisan process.
There is very small production of traditional mirin in today's Japan. So the price of traditional mirin is about 4 times higher than the more popular non-traditional, mass produced mirin product, which is made from rice, corn syrup and other materials. In general these products are much less flavorful than the rare traditional brew. AKASAKÉ MIRIN is a wonderful, flavorful, reasonably priced and readily available alternative to traditional mirin, and is distinctly superior to mass produced faux mirin.
The production of Akasaké, the base for making AKASAKÉ MIRIN, dates from ancient times in Japan. It is based on saképroduced following an older brewing method no longer used for making today's sakéfor drinking. Before Japanese sakébrewers discovered heat sterilization for the preservation of sakéin the 15th century (by the way, Dr. Pasteur in the West did not discover this process until the mid 19th century) the brewers treated the fermented brew still in the fermentation tank with wood ash.
The alkaline wood ash preserved the sakéby raising the pH to 7.2. This prevents the growth of spoilage bacteria. And also the brew acquired a beautiful red hue. Akasaké brewers in Kumamoto Prefecture still practice this ancient saképreservation technique to produce this unique type of sake.
AKASAKÉ MIRIN is derived from Akasaké. The demands of chefs persuaded the brewers to produce Akasaké with more sweetness and richer flavor for use as a high quality traditional mirin alternative, and thus AKASAKÉ MIRIN was born. AKASAKÉ MIRIN is perfect when there is a need for refined, flavorful sweetness in sauces, dressings and simmered and braised dishes.
A bonus is that the dishes acquire much umami - one of the flavor constituents of AKASAKÉ MIRIN. Every Japanese-style braised beef dish taste better with AKASAKÉ MIRIN. AKASAKÉ MIRIN is slightly alkaline, so it also helps to tenderize the beef. Creative chefs will find many more ways to enjoy AKASAKÉ MIRIN both in authentic Japanese preparations and nearly every other cuisine. The alcohol content of AKASAKÉ MIRIN is about 9%.
Ingredients: Akasaké (rice, koji rice, water), spring water, glucose
Shelf life: 1 year before opening; after opening preferably used in about 3 months for best flavor and nutritional value; store refrigerated or in a cool, dark place
The Company: Zuiyo Company, which was founded in 1867, is located in the heart of the Akasaké production region of Kumamoto Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu. During World War II the rice shortage forced all of the breweries in the region to halt the production of Akasaké. In 1949 Zuiyo began once more to produce Akasaké partly because of the nostalgic demand of local consumer, and partly due to an annual order from the local shrines and temples that used the brew as a ceremonial drink. Today the great-great-grandsons of the founder are managing the brewery and are pleased to see the expanded consumption of Akasaké, in the form of AKASAKÉ MIRIN.
Size: 60.9 FL. OZ. (1.8 liter)