emmer usukuchi shoyu

Naturally fermented, unfiltered, alive, gluten-free, vegan, handmade in Berlin

Our Emmer Usukuchi Shoyu impresses with its hearty flavour with roasted notes and delicate residual sweetness accompanied by an invigorating freshness. Usukuchi Shoyu is traditionally made in Japan with wheat and soybeans. We use organic black emmer and organic soybeans in our Usukuchi Shoyu. Emmer – also known as two-grain wheat – is particularly rich in nutrients and protein. Alongside einkorn, which we use in our Einkorn Koikuchi Shoyu, emmer is one of the oldest cultivated plants in existence.

Emmer gives our soy sauce a little more spice and fruitiness. The emmer is aged together with the soybeans for two years as a mash in bourbon barrels before being gently pressed and bottled as a deep red-brown Usukuchi Shoyu. Compared to our stronger Einkorn Koikuchi Shoyu, Emmer Usukuchi Shoyu is slightly lighter and sweeter in taste.

Gluten-free:
We had the gluten content of our sauce tested in a laboratory – no gluten was detectable. Although we use emmer for our Usukuchi Shoyu, the gluten content was below the measurement threshold of 5 ppm after the long maturation process.

Foods with a gluten content of no more than 20 ppm may be labelled as gluten-free in the European Union in accordance with EC Regulation 41/2009 and in the United States in accordance with FDA ruling 78 FR 47154.

Similar to white soy sauces (Shiro Shoyu), light soy sauce is very popular in dishes where the flavour of the ingredients used and their natural colours should be emphasised but not dominated. You can use Emmer Usukuchi Shoyu to enhance sashimi and sushi, for example. You can also use it to season stews, vegetables and soups. You can bring out the sweet taste of Kinu tofu with this soy sauce.

In Japan, Usukuchi Shoyu is the second most popular soy sauce after Koikuchi Shoyu. Usukuchi is slightly lighter in colour and milder and sweeter in taste than Koikuchi Shoyu, which is why it is referred to in Japan as light shoyu (although the difference in colour is only marginal). Originally developed in Hyogo Prefecture in the Kansai region, Usukuchi Shoyu has established itself as an important ingredient in local cuisine, bringing out the best in the flavour and colour of dishes. With the spread of Kansai cuisine, light soy sauce gained popularity throughout the country.

In contrast to the dark and strong koikuchi shoyu, usukuchi shoyu is a lighter, brighter variant. In addition to its colour intensity, this soy sauce also differs in its higher salt content compared to Koikuchi soy sauce. Both soy sauces are made from the same mixture of soybeans and grains. However, amazake is added to the lighter soy sauce before pressing. A high salt content suppresses the fermentation and browning of the soy sauce. The result is the characteristic lighter colour and mild, sweet taste for which Usukuchi Shoyu is known.

Our Emmer Usukuchi Shoyu has a significantly lower salt content than conventional Usukuchi soy sauces. mimi's light soy sauce contains only 13.8% salt, while traditional varieties usually contain around 19% salt.

Spring water (Rheinsberg), soybeans* 27% (Erding), emmer* 12% (Upper Franconia), sea salt (Algarve), rice* (Piedmont), A. oryzae

*certified organic

DE-ÖKO-070 (organic control body)

You can find out more about our raw materials here.

Our Emmer Usukuchi Shoyu has a best-before date of seven months from bottling, but it usually keeps for much longer. Warm storage temperatures can cause the sauce to darken and change its flavour. We therefore recommend storing Emmer Usukuchi Shoyu in the refrigerator to preserve its quality as much as possible.