102. Aiou Junmai Hon Mirin 100ml

The deep color is due to the three-year aging period.

This mirin is made using traditional methods and aged for three years. It is made using only glutinous rice, rice koji, and authentic rice shochu from Aichi Prefecture. Its deep brown color and rich, brown sugar-like sweetness are its defining features. Perfect for cooking and baking.

Mirin contains alcohol and cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 20.

Ingredients: glutinous rice (domestic), rice malt (domestic), authentic shochu

First-time visitors will be surprised by the depth of the color.

Most people who see Aiou Junmai Hon Mirin aged for three years for the first time are surprised by its deep color.

The mash, made only from rice koji made from Aichi Prefecture's "Hiyokumochi" glutinous rice and Aichi Prefecture's "Aichi no Kaori" non-glutinous rice, and domestically produced authentic rice shochu, is aged for approximately six months. This is approximately twice the time required for standard Junmai Hon Mirin. The squeezed mirin is then placed in a tank and aged for three years.

Matured mirin darkens in color due to the Maillard reaction (a change in sugars) and has a rich, umami-like and sweet flavor. It also blends well with other ingredients and seasonings, so it is recommended for a variety of cuisines, including not only Japanese cuisine but also Western and Chinese cuisine.

Commitment to squeezing

Rather than using modern methods, they use the old-fashioned Sase-style bag pressing method known as fune. The raw liquid is sent from the mash tank via a hose and carefully packed by hand into hemp bags called sake bags, which are folded and stacked to gradually compress the liquid that comes out, and is called mirin.

The squeezed mirin is then placed in a tank and stored for aging.

The mirin lees left over after squeezing mirin are called "koboreume." Koboreume can be eaten as is, used as a pickling bed for pickles, or used in sweets, so none of it is thrown away.

It has a strong umami and rich flavor, yet is easy to enjoy.

Mirin, an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine, fulfills many roles, such as preventing food from falling apart when cooked, adding a glossy finish, helping the flavor penetrate ingredients more easily, and deodorizing, but it would be a waste to use it only for Japanese cuisine! Aisakura, which is aged for three years, is especially useful in Chinese cuisine, where you want to bring out the umami, richness, and sweetness. Another key point of its ease of use is that it blends very well with ingredients and other seasonings. Some people also use it as a base for ramen.

Great for making sweets

Aisakura Junmai Hon Mirin, aged for three years, has a deep sweetness reminiscent of brown sugar and is perfect for making sweets. First, try it as a syrup by simply boiling the mirin down. The rich flavor of the mirin syrup can also be used as a caramel sauce for homemade pudding. It's also recommended for making fruit compote, a slightly luxurious adult dessert. The resulting color is quite dark, but the rich, full-bodied sweetness remains. It's delicious on its own, or spread on yogurt or ice cream.