Amazake is a traditional Japanese nutritious food. It is a sweet drink unique to Japan made from rice and rice koji. Steamed rice is broken down by the amylase in the koji to produce glucose (amino acids), which is the source of sweetness, with the sugar content accounting for 20-30% of the nutritional composition. Additionally, Amazake contains various nutrients produced through fermentation and has been enjoyed since ancient times. In China, there is a similar beverage to Amazake called Jiuniang, which is made by saccharifying glutinous rice.
In Japan, there are two types of Amazake: one made by fermenting rice koji and the other made by dissolving sake kasu (sake lees) and adding sugar. Both are rich in nutrients, but the one made directly from rice koji is non-alcoholic, while the one made from sake kasu contains alcohol. The Amazake made from fermented rice koji undergoes only starch saccharification by koji, without yeast fermentation, making it non-alcoholic and bringing out a natural sweetness. Sake is made by mixing rice koji and steamed rice, then adding yeast to ferment alcohol, resulting in moromi (mash), which is then filtered to produce sake. The residue left after filtration is sake kasu, which inevitably retains alcohol. Sake kasu is often used in combination with other ingredients, such as in pickles. In cold Hokkaido, sake kasu is dissolved in miso soup to warm the body.
Thus, there are two types of Amazake: one made directly from rice koji and the other made from sake kasu, but both non-alcoholic Amazake and sake kasu Amazake fall into the process of making alcohol from fermented rice koji, so they are labeled as “sake.” Since the Edo period, when alcohol could only be made in winter, breweries have been making and selling Amazake in the summer. About Edo period Amazake
Non-alcoholic Amazake is an easy-to-drink health drink that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is recommended as the best drink to maintain your family’s health during gatherings at home. In particular, it is recommended for children who are prone to picky eating and for busy housewives who cannot add color to their dining table, from the perspective of protecting the life that is the basis of health, as it is called a “liquid drip.” Koji rice Koji rice Koji rice Types of Amazake Not all Amazake is made from koji. In other words, there are two types of Amazake: “rice koji” and “sake kasu.”
- Sake kasu Amazake: Flavored with sugar, retaining the alcohol contained in sake kasu. It retains the unique flavor of sake kasu.
- Rice koji Amazake: The sweetness of rice is brought out by the fermentation of koji. However, some are also added with salt and other additives to emphasize sweetness.”