木桶とは
木桶仕込みがおいしい理由
桶も生きている
木桶に使われることの多い杉の木材。その表面を拡大すると無数の小さな穴があり、発酵の主人公である微生物が住み着いています。そして、わずかに空気を通したり水分をため込んだりと、日々表情を変える姿は桶が呼吸をしていると表現されるほど。
Kioke is alive
Cedar wood is often used for the main body of the kioke barrel. If you place the cedar wood planks under a microscope, you will see a myriad of small pores on the surface. Microorganisms, the hero of fermentation, dwell and thrive in these pores. As the kioke barrels undergo varying air and moisture levels, it is said that the barrel is “breathing” because the appearance of the barrels is frequently changing.
その蔵元だけの生態系
そこに住み着く微生物は、その蔵元特有の生態系をつくります。研究機関に持ち込むと、新種の微生物であることもしばしば。百年を超える歴史の積み重ね。その蔵元にしか出せない味の理由がここにあります。
The brewery’s unique ecosystem
The microorganisms that live inside the kioke barrels will create an ecosystem unique to that brewery. When samples from the barrels are brought to a research institution, new microorganisms are always found. With these varying microorganisms, every soy sauce batch will have a slightly different taste from each other. This is attributed to using the same barrels, in the same warehouse for over 100 years.
時間がつくる味
桶仕込みの多くは春夏秋冬の温度変化に応じて発酵をする天然醸造。最低でも一年、長いものだと三年の時間を要します。時間がつくりあげる味わい。うま味成分のグルタミン酸の量が多くなるとの研究結果もあります。
Taste-testing time
Many kioke barrels are fermented according to the temperature change during the spring, summer, autumn and winter months. In addition, fermentation processes vary between one to four years. In regards to flavor, soy sauce is known to have an umami, or savory, taste. According to research, glutamic acid present in traditionally fermented soy is responsible for increasing the umami flavor.
