What are the ingredients of Awamori? An explanation of the differences in ingredients such as shochu and sake
In this article, I would like to explain about the ingredients of Awamori.
Since it is related to the manufacturing process, there are some complicated and technical terms, but I have tried to summarize the points that you should remember at least.
Knowing the ingredients and processes involved in each type of sake will help you enjoy it even more, so please take a look at this page.
What are the ingredients of Awamori?
Awamori is made from rice.
In conclusion, Awamori is mainly made from rice. However, it is not enough to simply say that it is rice.
When explaining the ingredients of Awamori, it is necessary to keep the following three points in mind.
1. rice
2. Black rice malt
3. 100% of rice malt (all malt)
Key points of Awamori raw materials ① Rice (mainly Thai rice)
First of all, Awamori is classified as shochu under the Japanese Liquor Tax Law, and is made from rice, mainly Thai rice (indica rice).
It is mainly made from Thai rice (indica rice). The reason why Thai rice is mainly used has a lot to do with the past history and the climate of Okinawa, but we will not go into the origin here.
One point that can easily be mistaken is that it does not have to be Thai rice.
Nowadays, there is also Awamori made with Japanese rice, so it is not necessary to use Thai rice as an ingredient.
Key point of Awamori raw materials 2) Black rice malt
The second important point in explaining the ingredients used to make Awamori is that the rice malt used to make Awamori must be black malt.
Like Awamori, shochu, sake, and other alcoholic beverages that use rice, the rice is steamed and mixed with koji mold to make unrefined rice. In this process, Awamori always uses black koji mold to make the unrefined rice.
Shochu and sake use white or yellow koji as well as black koji, but Awamori uses none other than black koji.
Point 3) The percentage of rice malt is 100% (all malt).
The last point about the ingredients used in Awamori is that the percentage of rice malt (rice koji) is 100% (all koji).
As explained in the previous two points, rice is used as the raw material and black rice malt is used, but Awamori is made entirely from this rice malt.
In addition to rice malt, other ingredients such as potatoes and barley are added to make Imo Shochu or Barley Shochu, which is one of the points where Awamori differs from other ingredients.
Since Awamori is made from 100% rice malt, it does not have as much aroma as shochu with secondary ingredients, but it is said that the taste and production method specializes in the flavor.
Is there any Awamori made from sugarcane?
There is no such thing as Awamori that is made from sugar cane.
There is no such thing as Awamori made from sugar cane.
However, this is not true. "There is no Awamori made from sugar cane.
As I have explained, Awamori is also defined as being made from rice, so it cannot be called Awamori if it is made from sugarcane.
However, there are some alcoholic beverages that are made from sugarcane, such as the following
Liquor made from sugar cane (1) Rum
One of the most famous spirits made from sugar cane is rum.
Rum is used in baking sweets, and is also famous for soaked raisins (rum raisins).
Rum is made from the juice of sugar cane and molasses, an ingredient produced when sugar is made from sugar cane.
Liquor made from sugarcane (2) Brown sugar shochu
The brown sugar shochu is also made from sugar cane.
The brown sugar shochu is made only in the Amami islands in Kagoshima prefecture, and according to the liquor tax law, the brown sugar shochu is only made in the Amami islands.
Because it is a shochu, the brown sugar produced from sugar cane is mixed with the rice malt, and fermented and distilled to make the brown sugar shochu.
Explanation of the difference in ingredients between Awamori and shochu or Japanese sake
What is the difference between shochu and other ingredients?
Now that we have explained the ingredients used in Awamori, we can understand that Awamori and Shochu are made from the same rice, and that Shochu is made from potatoes and barley as well as rice malt.
In addition, the National Tax Agency specifies the following ingredients to be used for shochu.
Ashitaba, astragalus membranaceus, astragalus membranaceus, aloe, oolong tea, plum seeds, enokitake mushroom, otane carrot, pumpkin, milk, ginkgo nut, kuzu powder, kumazasa, kuri, green peas, kona nut, sesame, kelp, saffron, cactus, shiitake mushroom, shiso, radish, skimmed milk powder, onion, tsunomata, vine Green tea, tochinoki nuts, tomatoes, natsume palm nuts, carrots, leeks, seaweed, green peppers, castor beans, sunflower seeds, butterbur sugar, benibana, whey powder, hotei mallow, stray lily, matcha green tea, matebashii nuts, liliye, yomogi, peanuts, green tea, lotus root, wakame seaweed
(Source: National Tax Agency website)
Any grain or fruit that contains sugar or starch can be used as a raw material for shochu, which is why there are so many different types of shochu, so you can enjoy a variety of tastes and aromas.
What is the difference between sake and other ingredients?
Even if you are not familiar with sake, you probably know that sake is made from rice.
Sake, like shochu, does not use grains or fruits other than rice malt, so it is almost the same as awamori, which also uses rice.
However, there is a big difference in the manufacturing method, and under the Liquor Tax Law, sake is classified as "brewing liquor", the same category as beer and wine.
Rather than differences in the ingredients, as is the case with shochu, there are different types of sake depending on how the rice is cut and how it is made, such as junmai-shu, ginjo-shu, honjozo-shu, etc. Some types contain brewing alcohol as an ingredient.
There are many other types of alcoholic beverages made from various ingredients.
Whiskey Ingredients
In recent years, whiskey has become a major alcoholic beverage due to the popularity of highballs and the NHK TV drama "Massan.
Whiskey, which is a distilled spirit, is similar to shochu in terms of ingredients and production method, but the difference is that it is aged in wooden barrels.
The same whiskey has different names depending on the country of production, such as "Scotch" made in Scotland and "Bourbon" made from corn in the U.S. Each country has its own detailed definition of ingredients and production methods.
Tequila Ingredients
Tequila has a strong image of high alcohol content, but it is made from a plant called "agave," which is native to Mexico. Agave, also known as lily of the valley in Japan, is a plant that can be seen as an ornamental plant and is also used to make syrup.
It looks like a cactus or aloe, and is sometimes mistaken for a cactus in tequila, but cactus is not used as an ingredient.
The process of fermentation and distillation of agave is similar to that of other distilled spirits, but the agave must be grown in a specific place, and the number of places in Mexico where it can be distilled is limited, making tequila a finely defined drink.
