Mugi Cha

  • roasted barley tea

    • Roasted Barley Tea is a traditional drink that has been a favorite for centuries in Japan. Naturally caffeine-free

  • organic barley malt

    • Produced by enzymatically converting the barley grain into a dark flavorful syrup. Like molasses or honey, barley malt extract is a very old sweetener; malted barley was used by the Egyptians to make their alcohol beverages.

Fundokin miso

This Japanese company was established by Kinjiro Kotegawa as a small, family miso and shoyu (soy sauce) production business in 1861. The company has since expanded and now has been adding a line of bottled seasonings and sauces.

However, the company is famous for being the first to successfully produce and market miso on a relatively large commercial scale without artificial chemical preservatives. Since accomplishing this in 1968 their mission has been to expand production of traditional, additive-free products.

MUTENKA white MUGI MISO

Mutenka means additive-free, so this miso (additive-free white barley miso) is alive. Check the surface of the inside package lid which tightly seals the container. You will notice a tiny hole. It is designed, so that the miso can breathe! Since there are no additives, including preservatives, this barley miso continue to ferment and produce minute amounts of carbon dioxide even after being packaged in the container. It sounds a bit wild, but it is part of nature's living miracle.

We are sure that your first taste of MUTENKA MUGI MISO will introduce you to a totally new miso taste experience. It does not taste at all like ordinary rice miso. MUTENKA MUGI MISO is packed with umami from barley, has a slightly alcoholic aftertaste, and balanced mellow sweet and acid flavor from the short fermentation process. The color of MUTENKA MUGI MISO is beige and the texture is interesting and amusing. It is "chunky", due to the presence of whole fermented barley grains.

The finished product is packaged in a special "breathable" container in which the miso continues to change its flavor, texture and color as the fermentation process continues.

KIDARU JUKUSEI red mugi miso

Literally means "cider barrel fermented barley miso". This premium red barley miso comes from the historic castle town of Usuki City, Ohita Prefecture on Kyushu, the southern main island of Japan. Barley miso, unlike its more popular and widely distributed cousin, rice miso, has distinctive characteristics - a noticeable barley aroma, much more flavor and faint pleasant mellow sweet aftertaste. If you only know traditional rice miso, you will find this barley miso very tempting.

Most mugi miso (barley miso) comes from Kyushu Island. Ohita Prefecture ranks as the third highest barley production region of Japan. KIDARU JUKUSEI MUGI MISO is made from 45% soybeans and 55% barley. Steamed barley is inoculated with koji bacteria (starter) and mixed with steamed soybeans.

Salt and mineral water are added and the mixture left for fermentation for one year in large twenty year old cider barrels. The year-round mild climate encourages brisk fermentation, producing miso which has lots of umami. KIDARU JUKUSEI MUGI MISO is about 12 % sodium and at the end of the production process only a tiny amount of brewer's alcohol is added to stop further fermentation and retard spoilage.