Drink
Clear Amazake: Rice Koji, Rice, and Water—Nothing to Hide
Clear Amazake: Rice Koji, Rice, and Water—Nothing to Hide
When people hear “amazake,” they may picture a cloudy, thick, sweet drink. But when KOJI CLEAR is poured into a glass, it is transparent like water—and unmistakably amazake.
It was developed by Es Inc. in Daisen, Akita Prefecture. In a region known for sake production, the company chose to pursue a nonalcoholic koji-based drink instead. Production is handled by local sake maker Akita Seishu. After fermentation, an added filtration step turns the normally cloudy amazake clear. This clarification method is described as the first of its kind in Japan and has been patented.
Only Three Ingredients
The composition of KOJI CLEAR is a study in minimalism, requiring only rice koji, rice, and water. It tolerates no added sugars, preservatives, or artificial enhancers.
Its depth arises instead from the deliberate pairing of two distinct koji strains. The first, “Ame Koji” (CK33)｜a proprietary strain of Akita Prefecture｜patiently coaxes the starches within the rice into natural glucose, providing a gentle sweetness. The second is a white koji (AOK1598), traditionally reserved for shochu brewing, which generates clean citric acid.
Through this precise natural synergy, sweetness and tartness balance one another without a single grain of sugar or drop of citrus fruit. What appears weightless on the eye reveals a surprising structural complexity on the palate｜a rich, koji-derived umami countered by a crisp acidity. Embracing a philosophy of purity, KOJI CLEAR contains no animal-derived elements, earning official vegan certification from The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom in 2022.
Amazake Is Starting to Be Discussed as an Export Product
Descriptions of a drink considered an origin of amazake can be traced back to the Nara-period Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan). Since then, amazake has been enjoyed throughout the year, served chilled in summer and warmed in winter.
In recent years, amazake has begun to be designed with export in mind. For sake breweries, working with koji is central to their craft. Building on that expertise, some are exploring nonalcoholic koji-based drinks.
For context, sake exports in 2024 rose 5.8% in value and 6.4% in volume year on year, both reaching record highs (Japan Customs trade statistics and the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association). These figures do not represent the amazake market itself, but opportunities for Japanese fermented drinks to reach overseas shelves have increased.
What Transparency Means
In this liquid, transparency is more than a visual trait; it is an aesthetic and ethical choice. It signals an ethos where there is nothing to conceal.
With a formulation limited to three components, the narrative remains completely direct. The rice is nurtured in Akita; the koji is cultured in Akita. The clarity of the liquid mirrors the clarity of its origins, allowing the producer to define the beverage as much by what has been left out as by what has been put in.
Free from alcohol, this creation exists beautifully outside the boundaries of conventional sake, offering seamless versatility in international distribution and presentation. Today, KOJI CLEAR is already being embraced by discerning curators in Taiwan, Switzerland, and the United States.
Bangkok in Context
In the evolving culinary landscape of Bangkok, the modern diner increasingly seeks the narrative behind the glass. A transparent amazake, defined by an uncompromised ingredient list and a legible process, resonates deeply with this intellectual curiosity.
It provides an elegant conduit to Japan’s rich fermentation heritage for those who choose not to consume alcohol, bypassing the traditional medium of sake. For establishments dedicated to refining their non-alcoholic pairings, this koji-driven creation offers a compelling new departure point.
Traditionally white and cloudy, the drink is now being carried overseas in a clear form. Its ingredients are rice koji, rice, and water. It is a nonalcoholic soft drink, not an alcoholic beverage. Its clear appearance symbolizes the simplicity of explaining its contents in just a few words.
This article introduces KOJI CLEAR, a non-alcoholic fermented rice beverage (classified as a soft drink) developed by Es Inc., and the culture of koji fermentation, for informational purposes only. / บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อแนะนำ KOJI CLEAR เครื่องดื่มหมักจากข้าวที่ไม่มีแอลกอฮอล์ (จัดเป็นเครื่องดื่มไม่มีแอลกอฮอล์) ที่พัฒนาโดยบริษัท Es Inc. และวัฒนธรรมการหมักโคจิ เพื่อเป็นข้อมูลความรู้เท่านั้น
Discover the culture behind every bottle
We share brewery stories, tasting notes and the craft of koji & fermentation ｜ for educational and cultural purposes only.
เราถ่ายทอดเรื่องราวจากผู้ผลิต บันทึกรสชาติ และศาสตร์แห่งโคจิและการหมัก ｜ เพื่อการศึกษาและวัฒนธรรมเท่านั้น
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“The Art of Clear Amazake KOJI CLEAR” / “The Missing Depth in Non-Alcoholic Drinks｜and How Koji Rebuilds the Glass” / “No Explanation Needed” / “When Koji Returns”
Thinking of Non-Alcoholic Pairings as a Course of Their Own
