Japanese Yellow Koji

This Yellow Koji is produced with 70% milling ration rice (30% is milled off as flour).

Koji (Aspergillus oryzae) is a fungus that is grown on rice during the Sake making process. Koji is grown on rice which breaks down starch in the rice to a more fermentable sugar source. Yeast can then use these sugars during fermentation to produce sake.

Yellow koji should be used for sake brewing at a koji to grain ratio of 1:5 (20%).

Koji in Beverage Making
Koji, a unique mold, is the heart of many beloved Japanese beverages, transforming starches into the sugars necessary for fermentation. While traditionally barley malting achieves this in whisky, innovative distillers are embracing koji, particularly yellow and white varieties, to unlock new flavor profiles. In shochu, white and black koji are favored for their citric acid production, ensuring a clean and stable fermentation, while yellow koji adds a touch of sake-like complexity. And of course, yellow koji reigns supreme in sake, orchestrating the intricate parallel fermentation that defines its character.

This ancient ingredient, with its diverse strains, offers a remarkable tool for crafting distinctive spirits. Whether it's the bright acidity of white koji in shochu, the delicate sweetness of yellow koji in sake, or the novel depth it brings to whisky, koji's transformative power is undeniable. By harnessing the unique properties of different koji varieties, producers are pushing the boundaries of flavor, creating beverages that are both rooted in tradition and boldly innovative.