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Okinawa moromisu blackmalt kamejikomiawamori
Nishihara Town, Okinawa Prefecture 
Ishikawa Distillery Co., Ltd.
Ishikawa, Nobuo(70)
President Nishihara Town, Okinawa Prefecture 
Ishikawa Distillery Co., Ltd.
Ishikawa, Nobuo(70)
President
Production Technology for Rice Malt Vinegar with Main Component of Citric Acid Generated from Black Aspergillus
In the midst of the recent health boom, the “Rice Malt Vinegar” produced in Okinawa has attracted widespread attention. This product is made from squeezed sake lees, a by-product of Awamori (distilled sake), which is a specialty of Okinawa. One characteristic of making Awamori is the use of black aspergillus, which is made from black rice malt containing citric acid, typically found in citrus fruits. Citric acid is commonly known for having the positive effects of (1) suppressing the generation of lactic acid that is associated with causing fatigue, and thus promoting alkaline bodily constitution, (2) efficiently burning off the body’s energy, and (3) strong bacteriocidal action. In addition to citric acid, rice malt vinegar is rich in amino acid and various vitamins.
The Ishikawa Distillery achieved an early success in establishing a method of producing rice malt vinegar, and then commercializing the product. They also have achieved zero waste production. Rather than patenting their production technology for rice malt vinegar, they are expecting this market to expand with the participation of other Awamori distilleries.
With rice malt vinegar, the “Treasure of Uchina (Okinawa),” the Awamori industry and Okinawan economy can surely be invigorated.
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Company Profile
Ishikawa Distillery Co., Ltd.
http://www.awamoriya.com/content/asako/ishikawa/
The Ishikawa family has been making sake since the days of the Ryukyu Dynasty. Masajiro Ishikawa, the father of Nobuo, current head of the family, originally established the Ishikawa Distillery in the town of Shuri Samukawa in 1949. Nobuo Ishikawa took over his father’s distillery in 1972, the year when the reversion of Okinawa from the United States to Japan was officially completed. The sales of “Rice Malt Vinegar” began in 1973. In 1990, the distillery was relocated to its current location in the town of Nishihara, where a new production facility for rice malt vinegar was also built. As the sole distillery today that adheres faithfully to the traditional Okinawan method of using the Kame (“earthen pot”) fermentation process, the distillery acquired international certification of “ISO9001” last June in recognition of their comprehensive measures taken to ensure sanitary management.
“Rice malt vinegar” stored in an earthen Kame pot tastes both sweet and sour.
“Rice malt vinegar” stored in an earthen Kame pot tastes both sweet and sour.
Direct fired distillation still that was used in the past with its top part made of wood
Direct fired distillation still that was used in the past with its top part made of wood
The “work” is done not by man but by black aspergillus.
“Would you like to taste it?” asked Mr. Ishikawa as he approached one of the earthen pots lined up in a straight row. He removed the cover from the pot, ‘tried it out’ himself, and then nodded a few times. Peering into the pot, you can see something like grains of rice covering the surface of a pot full of some kind of liquid. Upon skimming the surface with a finger and tasting it, you can feel a uniquely sour taste spreading in your mouth. The pot contains “rice malt,” which is made from black rice malt, a product of steamed rice and black aspergillus, with yeast and water added. Fermenting this mixture for a certain duration, and then distilling it produces Awamori, a specialty of Okinawa.
The “rice malt vinegar” for which the Ishikawa Distillery received the award this time might be thought to be produced through a process different from that used to make Awamori. The truth is just the opposite.
“All you have to do is simply squeeze the so-called ‘waste material’ produced from the making of Awamori. In other words, I’m not working at all. It’s the black aspergillus that does the job (laughingly).”
Though rice malt vinegar has become a hit product recently since being featured in a number of TV programs on health matters, its sales originally began in 1973. Mr. Ishikawa is the one who produced this drink.
“In fact, the problem of how to dispose of the waste material we call kashije resulting from Awamori production had long been a big headache for the Awamori industry. We had to pay for its disposal, and sometimes just fed it to pigs. However, we discovered that the pigs feeding on this kashije waste remained in good health and produced good quality meat. We then thought that it might be good for humans as well, which is why we began developing this product.”
The production and sales of rice malt vinegar, a product that is now commonly known, had to undergo a long-lasting “unsuccessful” period of trial and error.
“The production method is rather simple and not patented, so any Awamori distiller could make it if he wanted. Yet, no one did. Everyone thought such a product would never prove profitable. In actuality, we had very little sales (laughingly).”
Despite all this, they continued to make improvements in taste and quality, and held a number of promotion and sales campaigns in an effort to gain market exposure. In time, the number of regular drinkers of the product gradually increased in Okinawa. Convinced of future success, Mr. Ishikawa “renewed” the production facility along with relocating the distillery to a new site in 1990.
“However, sales still remained quite sluggish for a while. We didn’t have to use the newly installed equipment. The traditional work of manually squeezing with our own hands was sufficient to meet demand.”
Establishing a 100 billion yen market with Awamori plus Rice Malt Vinegar
It was in 1994 when Mr. Ishikawa began to see sure signs of success. The rice malt vinegar was gaining popularity in connection with the “citric acid boom” at that time. It finally became a smash hit in 1998. Major Awamori makers entered the market one after another. Mr. Ishikawa is not, however, optimistic about the future of this market.
“Of course, it is nice to see the market grow. But, what worries me is some exaggerated advertising unabashedly run by certain makers who are simply interested in achieving wider commercial success. This poses a serious problem indeed, since nurturing a trusting relationship with customers is particularly important for such a product. We should lose no time in establishing an officially approved association to regulate rice malt vinegar production and accurately define product specifications,” says Mr. Ishikawa with a sense of conviction.
“Health products” are a pillar of Okinawan industry along with “tourism.” For this reason, the local people have great expectations for this product.
“The present Awamori market is worth about 24 billion yen. Governor Inamine is urging us with a kick in the back ‘to aim at the 100 billion yen mark.’ Such a lofty goal may be impossible for Awamori alone to achieve, but when combined with rice malt vinegar, the 100-billion mark is surely within reach.”
Mr. Ishikawa calls the rice malt vinegar, which has great potential to significantly impact the Okinawan economy, the “Treasure of Uchina (Okinawa).” Thus, his dream of “cultivating rice malt vinegar to become the signature industry of Okinawa while participating in friendly competition in Awamori distiller circles” will surely become a reality before long.
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The contents are based on the information as of 2006/03/31. This project is subsidized by the Japan Keirin Association