【Mukashijyo Suiko】

Limited Awamori Brewed with a Traditional Method Discontinued Over 40 Years Ago

This awamori was brewed by reviving the traditional "Shi-jiru immersion method," a highly labor-intensive awamori brewing process that had fallen out of use in modern times.

It features a sweet, fragrant, and rich aroma, a mellow and smooth mouthfeel akin to aged awamori, and a uniquely elegant sweetness that fills the palate.
Please try this old yet new awamori, "Mukashijyo Suiko."

・What is the Shi-jiru immersion method?
Currently, the awamori brewing process involves washing the rice, soaking it in water, and then steaming it. However, in the Shi-jiru immersion method, the raw rice is soaked without washing for 15 to 24 hours. The soaking liquid becomes acidic due to the proliferation of microorganisms like lactic acid bacteria, forming a unique-smelling liquid called "Shi-jiru." What's even more distinctive is that this immersion liquid is not discarded but partially reserved and reused for subsequent immersions.
Incidentally, "Shi" in Shi-jiru means "sour" in Okinawan dialect. Okinawa's specialty, Shikuwasa (Hirami lemon), is very sour. This "Shi" (sour) has the same meaning as the "Shi" in Shikuwasa.

◆Specifications
Category: Awamori
Ingredients: Rice koji (Thai-grown rice)
Koji: Black koji
Distillation: Atmospheric distillation
Alcohol content: 30%
Producer: Chuko Shuzo (Okinawa Prefecture)