Koji & Fermentation
Clear Amazake
Clear Amazake examines how KOJI CLEAR achieves a transparent appearance while retaining rice, koji and water as the foundation of clear amazake.
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Koji & Fermentation
The science and craft of koji and fermentation – Japan’s foundational brewing technology.
Koji & Fermentation
Fermentation in 2026
While culinary media often highlight fleeting trends like plant-based dining, low-sugar alternatives, or non-alcoholic pairings, 2026 marks a moment when one practice has quietly transcended this cycle: fermentation.
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Bar
Why Kouji Is Emerging as a Key Ingredient in Cocktails
Beyond Sweetness and Acidity For a long time, cocktails have been built on a foundation of sweetness and acidity—the balance between sugary syrups, citrus tang, and the alcoholic backbone of spirits. These three elements have largely defined the structure of modern mixology. But in bars around the world in 2026, a new dimension is being embraced: umami. In a 2026 flavor trend survey conducted by U.S. beverage media outlet VinePair, which gathered insights from 30 prominent bartenders, koji-derived ingredients repeatedly surfaced. Amazake, miso, shio koji, yuzu kosho—these fermented elements are now being explored as foundational components in cocktail construction. Around the same time, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits highlighted the growing influence of Asian flavor profiles as a defining trend for the year.
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