Soy Sauce facts

Art of Natural Brewing

The natural brewing of soy sauce is accomplished in three distinct steps: koji-making, brine fermentation and refining.

1. Koji-making

To begin the process, carefully selected soybeans and wheat are blended under precisely controlled “conditions. Next, a proprietary seed mould is introduced, and the mixture is allowed to mature for three days in large, perforated vats through which air is circulated.

2. Brine Fermentation

The resulting culture, or koji, is then transferred to fermentation tanks, where it is mixed with saltwater to produce a mash called moromi. The next, and perhaps most critical step, is allowing the moromi to ferment for several months using osmophilic lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. During this time, the soybeans and wheat are transformed into a semi-liquid, reddish-brown “mature mash.” It is this fermentation process that creates the many distinct flavours and fragrance compounds that build the soy sauce flavour profile.

3. Refining

Following the months of moromi fermentation, the raw soy sauce is separated from the solids by pressing it through layers of filtration cloth. The liquid that emerges is then refined, pasteurized and packaged as finished soy sauce.