Hon Mirin

Hon Mirin is a high-quality Japanese sweet liqueur and one of the most important seasonings in Japanese cuisine, where it is used in many ways. The most famous example is probably teriyaki sauce. Hon Mirin means "real" mirin, which differs from the cheaper variants, the so-called "false" mirin or "mirin-style spices", which are not of such high quality in terms of ingredients and which only have a low alcohol content or are salted (shio mirin).
Hon Mirin consists of only natural ingredients, namely steamed glutinous rice, rice koji and rice shochu, and matures for at least 40 to 60 days. During this time, the enzymes in the rice koji break down the starch and protein of the glutinous rice to produce various sugars, amino acids and aroma components. The alcohol in the shochu interrupts further fermentation, similar to the production of port wine.