Amazake - local
What is amazake? Essentially, I'd say it's 'probiotic rice mylk'. It's a fermented 'super food', gluten-free, alcohol-free health drink that's been enjoyed i...
What is amazake? Essentially, I'd say it's 'probiotic rice mylk'. It's a fermented 'super food', gluten-free, alcohol-free health drink that's been enjoyed in Japan for millenia and is said to fuel the brain, promote healthy skin, relieve fatigue and stress, support digestion, bring eternal youth, etc. It's made with the same ingredients as sake (rice, koji mold, water), but it's not alcoholic (0% abv) because it's only fermented for hours, not days/weeks.
Amazake has a soft texture (like cream of wheat or cream of rice) a soft sweetness, and a mild tartness similar to yogurt, and drinking it feels nourishing. You can drink it as is, which is thick like a smoothie, or you can dilute it with water. You can drink it warm or cold, or eat it like oatmeal for breakfast, add it to a smoothie, drink it instead of eating cookies or chips, pickle with it, bake with it, it does everything!
Sidebar: In Japan you drink it in small quantities, like 8 oz, so I don't really think you should chug it. Also, you can enjoy it like dessert, but you may want to add sweetener to it.
We have four flavors:
Black & White Rice: Plain amazake. The black rice adds a touch of texture.
Oats:
Japanese Sweet Potato: Not super sweet and just a touch earthy.
Kabocha & Coconut Cream: creamy and gently sweet
Black Sesame: The seeds are ground down smooth and impart a gentle earthy flavor
These are made by local Soy Beam, an awesome small company that brings traditional, high-standards Japanese craftsmanship to Portland. We are very proud to carry their products and hope to spread the word about the amazing work they do.
In Japan amazake is a staple at temples, cafes, and konbini convenience stores. They refer to it as '飲む点滴; nomu tenteki' or 'drinkable IV drip' because it's packed with vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, niacin, glucose, dietary fiber, 20 kinds of amino acids, oligosaccharides that promote growth of good bacteria in the intestines, etc... ie. everything that goes into an IV drip! Drink it in the morning to turn on your brain and kick start your metabolism, drink it in the afternoon as a little pick me up, or warm it up at night as a treat (add ginger and or sugar).
People often assume that amazake is made with sugar because it tastes sweet but there's actually no sugar added to it. The koji mold converts the rice's starch into a simple sugar (glucose), giving it that sweet taste. It's not sugar like sucrose or fructose though. Its a type of simple sugar our bodies produce so it's immediately digestible.
1 lb * Keep refrigerated/frozen
#supportjapaneseowned
Stored frozen. Once thawed, please consume within 7 days. You can thaw and refreeze it multiple times. Store in fridge or freezer.
Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, zero proof.