83. Sanshu Mikawa Mirin 100ml

A brewery that continues to make authentic mirin, producing one sho of mirin from one sho of rice

Many people may have seen this mirin before. It is a representative example of mirin made using traditional methods, and is sold in department stores and shops that are particular about their product lineup. The mirin that Kadoya Bunjiro Shoten has continued to make is based on the following principles: use plenty of high-quality ingredients, process as much as possible by hand, allow natural fermentation to take its time, and make one sho of mirin using one sho of rice.

They purchase specially grown glutinous rice from Saga, Hokkaido and Aichi in its brown rice form, polish it in-house and also distill their own shochu. 9 parts glutinous rice, 1 part rice malt and 5 parts shochu add up to 15 parts by weight, but when pressed it becomes a liquid weighing 10 parts. 10 parts rice makes 10 parts mirin. Kadoya's desire is to convey the full, rich sweetness and umami of rice through mirin. That's why he is particular about not only the quality of the rice but also the amount he uses.

Twice a year, in spring and autumn, three tons of glutinous rice is steamed and transported to the preparation tank together with rice koji and shochu. After aging the mash for two to three months, the pressed mirin is further aged in storage tanks, and finally becomes a product two years after preparation.

Bringing out the natural flavor of the ingredients

Mirin is made by bringing out the delicious flavor of glutinous rice using the traditional Japanese technique of brewing. It has an alcohol content of around 14% and is classified as an alcoholic beverage under the Liquor Tax Act. It is characterized by a mellow, deep sweetness, and mirin that is delicious to drink can be said to be true mirin that is also ideal as a seasoning.

One of the effects of mirin is to remove the fishy smell of meat or fish when cooking, but to make this effect even more noticeable, we create a more fragrant mirin. We work backwards from that to create the shochu, which elevates the level of your cooking with a clean umami flavor and sharp sweetness. If you've never used real mirin, try starting with this Mikawa mirin. You'll be amazed at the difference in the finished dish.

A noodle soup with an elegant sweetness

Mirin is indispensable in Japanese cuisine, so use it as is for dishes that are simmered for a long time. It fulfills many roles with just one bottle, such as preventing the food from falling apart, giving it a glossy shine, helping the food absorb flavors more easily, and deodorizing. It also has a refined, mellow sweetness that sugar does not have, so it doesn't leave a sweet aftertaste on your tongue.

Sanshu Mikawa Mirin in particular has a clean umami flavor and a sharp sweetness, so it is also recommended for making noodle soups such as somen noodle soup and chilled Chinese noodles sauce. In that case, try boiling it out first and then mixing it with other seasonings. It brings out the umami of soy sauce and dashi while bringing the whole dish together with a refined sweetness.