Acai Blueberry Vinegar Amazake (Non-Alcohol Sweet Sake)

Prefecture: Hyogo 
Producer: Tajima Jozojo
Ingredients: Rice (domestic), black rice (domestic), blueberry juice, isomalto-oligosaccharide syrup (sweetening agent), sugar, honey (domestic), brewed vinegar (domestic), acai extract, acidulant (citric acid), vitamin C
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free
Size: 150g

Amazake is a traditional, sweet drink made from fermented rice or sake lees. Using a process similar to making sake, koji (aspergillus oryzae mold) is combined with cooled whole grain rice to break down the carbohydrates, resulting in a naturally sweet drink. Many Shinto shrines in Japan offer amazake as part of the New Year celebrations, but it can also be enjoyed any time of year. 

This amazake is combined with Japan’s popular “beauty vinegar” made with a blend of acai and blueberry juices. The fruit vinegar’s tartness blends beautifully with the sweetness of the amazake to create a balanced sweet and sour taste. 

Since its founding in 2008, Tajima Jozojo has been building a positive connection with its community by hosting tasting events and providing its products to local restaurants. The company’s factory is based out of what was once a closed elementary school and has helped revitalize the town, turning what could have been an abandoned building into a thriving business

Suggested uses: Try enjoying it warmed in the winter or chilled in the fridge/poured over ice in the summer. Can also be served frozen.