First developed around 250 to 538 AD during the Kofun period, amazake is a traditional Japanese beverage that is made with fermented rice. Translating to ‘sweet sake’ because of its natural sweetness, this sweet and low- or non-alcoholic drink was originally given to the emperor as a rejuvenating summer beverage. Amazake is easy to digest and known for its health benefits due to it containing vitamins B1, B2, B6, folic acid, dietary fiber, oligosaccharide, cysteine, arginine and glutamine. While amazake is great for drinking, it can also be enjoyed in many other ways.
There are two types of amazake: One, made with rice koji, is alcohol-free, and the other, made with sake lees, has low alcohol content. The alcoholic variety of amazake has a distinct sake flavor, while the non-alcoholic variety has a strong rice koji taste.
Rice koji is made using the koji mold Aspergillus oryzae which is also used in miso, soy sauce, and sake. Amazake made with rice koji has plenty of nutrients, is very high in nutritional value, and doesn’t contain any alcohol, making it great for all ages to enjoy. It tastes sweet and very aromatic without using any sugar and the calorie is low. The amazake made with sake lees has little alcohol that remains from the sake lees. This type of amazake is usually added with sugar as well so it has higher calories, and the sweetness might not be as aromatic as the one made with rice koji.
Amazake can range from a cloudy white to beige in color and has a thick porridge-like consistency due to the rice grains, but there is grain-less amazake, which is smoother. Amazake is very similar to rice syrup and can be used as a natural sweetener. While it might not be as sweet, amazake can replace sugar in a recipe for sweets or snacks and the richness of the koji rice will improve baking. Amazake is also a vegan dairy alternative and a great substitute for milk to help reduce the amount of sugar, even in a bowl of cereal.
Amazake is delicious when served as either a hot or cold beverage. However, the thick consistency of amazake makes it perfect to enjoy hot during the colder months. To make amazake even more flavorful, you can add other ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, or vanilla extract.
