Akazu（Red vinegar） | Sushiblog

A photo of Rice vinegar — The vinegar used for Vinegared rice is basically rice vinegar or red vinegar. Mizkan, which contributed greatly to the development of Edomae sushi, is still a famous vinegar manufacturer.

When we think of vinegar, a sour taste immediately comes to mind, but vinegar is not only sour, it also contains a variety of ingredients and has a mild taste. There are also many different types of vinegar, each with its unique flavor. Just as beer is made from barley and wine from grapes, vinegar has a variety of flavors, aromas, and richness depending on the ingredients.

Acetic acid is the predominant acidity, with other organic acids such as gluconic and citric acid also present. It also contains lactic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, and citric acid, each with a different taste. Lactic acid has an astringent taste, while citric acid has a refreshing sour taste. These mix to form a complex sour taste. Adding even more variety to the sourness are the ingredients that the raw materials originally contained, such as sweetness, umami, richness, and aroma. Rice vinegar is particularly rich in carbohydrates and proteins, while black vinegar is rich in amino acids and various organic acids. These diverse flavors combine to create the flavor of vinegar.

By the way, we believe that what is required of vinegar used for sushi rice (vinegared rice) are two contradictory characteristics: refreshing and full-bodied. When sushi chefs prioritize richness, they use red vinegar or black vinegar with high amino acid content. However, this is a far cry from the light and refreshing taste that was originally sought in nigiri sushi. Therefore, sushi chefs try to solve the contradictory problem by mixing kinds of vinegar.

Various studies have also found amino acids such as glutamic acid, peptides, fat, glycogen, and alliin as substances that strengthen the richness. To make delicious nigiri sushi, the ingredients of sushi toppings and condiments must also be taken into consideration. It is not enough to focus only on vinegar. Of course, sushi chefs are not food researchers, so they have never conducted a quantitative analysis of amino acid content.

According to papers on the taste of vinegar by Masao Fujimaki, professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, Ryuzo Ueda, associate professor at Osaka University, and Hiroshi Masai of Mizkan, amino acids exhibit a variety of flavors and are closely related to the unique taste of various foods. It is said that there are more than 20 kinds of amino acids that make up proteins, and 17 kinds of free amino acids exist in vinegar, which affects the taste of each vinegar.

The papers on the taste of vinegar

Rice vinegar is composed mainly of more than 10 amino acids, including glutamic acid, arginic acid, and aspartic acid. Among them, glutamic acid produces a delicious taste. Glutamic acid not only makes vinegar tasty but also works synergistically with the umami component to make nigiri sushi even tastier. Furthermore, the amino acid also acts on the slight sweetness of the vinegar and makes the overall taste milder and milder. In this respect, it can be said that the taste of rice vinegar is determined by the amount of amino acids present in the vinegar.

Although the amount of rice used as a raw material and the characteristics of the alcohol added during the production process are also important factors in increasing amino acids, at least standing fermentation (or static Fermentation) is a particularly important condition. Therefore, we surveyed Japanese vinegar manufacturers that use standing fermentation. Many sushi chefs use these vinegars. However, which vinegar is used as the main ingredient and what it is mixed with is, of course, a trade secret. And for fish preparation, vinegar made from brewing alcohol and containing almost no amino acids produced by fast fermentation is more refreshing. Again, it is not just a matter of focusing on the amount of amino acids.

List of Japanese Vinegar Manufacturers using Standing fermentation

Marusho vinegar (合名会社丸正酢醸造元)

Establishment: 1879

TEL: +81-735-52-0038

Address：271 Tenma, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama prefecture 〒649-5331

HP: Marusho vinegar

#standing fermentation

Kobara vinegar (合名会社河原酢造)

Establishment: 1823

TEL: +81-779-66-3275

Address：8-25 Yoshi, Ono-shi, Fukui prefecture 〒912-0401

HP: Kobara vinegar

Products: Yuuki Junmai vinegar Robai

#standing fermentation

Totsuka Vinegar Brewery (戸塚醸造店)

Establishment: 2005

TEL: +81-554-56-7431

Address：〒402-0035

253 Natsukari, Tsuru-shi, Yamanashi prefecture

HP: Totsuka Vinegar Brewery

#standing fermentation

Okuno zyouzou (株式会社奥野醸造)

Establishment: –

TEL: +81-224-51-8891

Address：44 Aza Hayashi, Oaza Irimada, Shibata-cho, Shibata-gun, Miyagi prefecture 〒989

HP: Okuno zyouzou

Products: Junmai vinegar

#standing fermentation

Tobaya vinegar (株式会社とば屋酢店)

Establishment: 1710

TEL: +81-770-56-1514

Address：6-2, Higashiichiba 34, Obama City, Fukui Prefecture 〒917-0232

HP: Tobaya vinegar

Contact: support@tobaya.com

Products: Junmai brewed vinegarTsubonosu

#standing fermentation

Takano vinegar (株式会社高野酢造)

Establishment: –

TEL: +81-76-273-1188

Address：103, Tsurugi Okuni-machi Ho, Hakusan City, Ishikawa prefecture 〒920-2133

HP: Takano vinegar

Contact: https://takano-su.co.jp/inquiry/inquiry.php

Products: Hakubai

#standing fermentation

Tankai vinegar (淡海酢有限会社)

Establishment: –

TEL: +81-740-36-0018

Address：1403 Katsuno, Takashima-shi, Shiga prefecture〒520-1121

HP: Tankai vinegar

Products: Rice vinegar Ginjo

#standing fermentation

Mikura vinegar (株式会社トーエー)

Establishment:

TEL: +81-5979-3-1660

Address: 2266 Atawa, Mihama-cho, Minamimuro-gun, Mie prefecture 〒519-5204

HP: Mikura vinegar

Contact: https://mikurasu.jp/en/contact

Products: White Vinegar Gekka, Red Vinegar Akane

#standing fermentation

Onomichi vinegar (尾道造酢株式会社)

Establishment: 1582

TEL: +81-848-37-4597

Address: 1-5-2 Kubo, Onomichi City, Hiroshima prefecture 〒722-0045

HP: Onomichi vinegar

Contact: https://kakuhoshisu-onomiti.com/contact.php

Products: Rice vinegar, Pure Red vineager

#standing fermentation

Imakawa vinegar (今川酢造)

Establishment: 1923

TEL: +81-76-241-4020

Address: 3-19-1 Nomachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa prefecture 〒921-8031

HP: Imakawa vinegar

Contact: https://www.imakawa.com/inquiry/

Products: Marusan Junmai vinegar

#standing fermentation

Iio Jozo (株式会社飯尾醸造)

Establishment: 1893

TEL: +81- 772-25-0015

Address: 373 Odasyukuno, Miyazu-shi, Kyoto-fu 〒626-0052

HP: Iio Jozo

Contact: fujisu@iio-jozo.co.jp

Products: Pure rice vinegar Fujisu, Pure rice vinegar Premium

#Stationary fermentation

Yokoi vinegar (横井醸造工業株式会社)

Establishment: 1937

TEL: +81- 3522-1111

Address: 4-2-17 Shinkiba, Koto-ku, Tokyo 〒136-0082

HP: Yokoi vinegar

Contact: https://yokoi-vinegar.com/contact-us

Products: Kinsho etc.

#standing fermentation

Kisaichi Brewing (私市醸造株式会社)

Establishment: 1922

TEL: +81- 47-443-2511

Address: 6-7-45 Higashi-Michinobe, Kamagaya-shi, Chiba prefecture 〒273-0115

HP: Kisaichi Brewing

Contact: https://kisa1.com/contact/

Products: THE EDOMAE Sushi vinegar

#standing fermentation

Murayama vinegar (村山造酢株式会社)

Establishment: about 1720

TEL: +81-75-761-3151

Address: 3-2, Ohashi Higashi-iru, Sanjo-dori, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 〒605-0005

HP: Murayama vinegar

Products: Chidori

#standing fermentation

Mizkan (株式会社 Mizkan)

Establishment: 1804

TEL: +81-569-21-3331

Address: 2-6 Nakamura-cho, Handa, Aichi prefecture 〒475-8585

HP: Mizkan

Contact: https://www.mizkanholdings.com/en/inquiry/

#standing fermentation

Kokonoesaika (株式会社九重雜賀)

Establishment: 1908

TEL: +81-736-66-3160

Address: 142-1, Momoyama-cho Moto, Kinokawa-shi, Wakayama prefecture 〒649-6122

HP: Kokonoesaika

Contact: https://kokonoesaika.co.jp/contacts/

Products: Saika Ginjo Red vinegar

#standing fermentation

Koutarou vinegar (有限会社林孝太郎造酢)

Establishment: –

TEL: +81-75-451-2071

Address: 455 Michimasa-cho, Higashi-iru, Teranouchi-agaru, Shinmachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 〒602-0004

HP: Koutarou vinegar

Products: Rice vinegar

#standing fermentation

Shoubun vinegar (株式会社庄分酢)

Establishment: 1711

TEL: +81-944-88-1535

Address: 548 Enokizu, Okawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture 〒831-0004

HP: Shoubun vinegar

Products: Shoubun Rice vinegar

#standing fermentation

Ishikawa Industory (石川工業株式会社)

Establishment: 1928

TEL: +81-985-74-0046

Address: 3792 Kamitashima, Sadowara-cho, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture 〒880-0301

HP: Ishikawa Industory

Products: Yamato vinegar

#standing fermentation

Related contents:

Types of vinegar

Instead of looking at the topping, take a moment to focus on the vinegared rice (shari). This shari is made of a blend of red and white vinegar.

When the Edo style sushi first appeared, red vinegar (made from fermented sake lees) was used for the sushi rice. Approximately 200 years ago Matazaemon Nakano, founder of Mizkan (a condiment manufacturer) invented red vinegar, which circulated and was used throughout Edo. At the time, red vinegar was used because it was more inexpensive than vinegar made from rice (white vinegar).

Instead of looking at the topping, take a moment to focus on the vinegared rice (shari). This shari is made using only white vinegar.

Nowadays the more fragrant rice vinegar (white vinegar) is used nearly exclusively but increasingly more shops have rediscovered the full-bodied but mild red vinegar and are using it in their dishes. Various restaurants have even come up with new ideas such as blending multiple vinegars or using different vinegar depending on the fish. Ultimately the sushi chef can exercise their own ingenuity in matching topping flavors with white or red vinegar.

Tag: Akazu（Red vinegar）

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