Fermentation is a technique that has been used to preserve foods and beverages long before refrigerators could do it for us. Through fermentation, microorganisms like yeast, bacteria, and fungi use organic compounds to produce alcohol and acids. Foods that undergo the fermentation process tend to take on added benefits, and fermented soy sauce is no exception.
Tamari is a type of Japanese soy sauce that is made using fermented soybeans. Tamari is typically darker in hue than typical soy sauces and has a strong umami flavor. Most Tamari is gluten-free, vegan and doesn’t contain wheat, making it an excellent ingredient in special diet recipes. Please check ingredients and certification seals on product labels to ensure if it suits your diet as some tamari brands can contain a small amount of wheat.
What Is the Tamari Fermentation Process Like?
As a Tamari brewer, we hold ourselves to high standards when it comes to the quality of our fermented Tamari soy sauces — that’s why we pay attention to every detail of our small-batch fermentation process.
San-J Tamari is made using only the highest-quality soybeans, which are soaked and cooked in large steam cookers. Once cooked, the soybeans are made into nuggets and coated with “seed koji,” a special type of mold imported from Japan that starts the fermentation process. The nuggets spend two days in a special temperature- and humidity-controlled chamber.
After two days, they develop a mold or koji, which is mixed with water and salt in fermentation tanks. At this stage, the koji is known as moromi. The moromi is carefully monitored and allowed to age for four to six months to reach its full flavor potential. It is then pressed and pasteurized before being bottled and shipped to your table.
How Tamari Fermentation Creates the Rich Taste of San-J Tamari
Understanding Tamari fermentation allows you to appreciate the rich taste Tamari has. During the fermentation process, soy proteins are broken down into amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. This gives Tamari Soy Sauce its rich and complex flavor, with hundreds of flavor components.
The amino acids produced during this Tamari fermentation process create a rich, carefully balanced and complex flavor. This process gives Tamari its flavor, which combines sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness and umami. Umami refers to the Japanese idea of a savory, pleasant flavor and it can be found in Tamari, seaweed and some aged cheeses and meats. Tamari has a pronounced umami experience because of its soybean content and careful fermentation. San-J Tamari contains 18 amino acids including 9 essential amino acids.
Why Choose San-J Tamari?
San-J Tamari is brewed with 100% soybeans, using a brewing method that has been in our family for eight generations. Since it has no wheat— unlike typical soy sauce on the market—our Tamari has a large balance of soy protein, creating a rich and smooth taste.
Only our unique Tamari fermentation process can create the prized taste of San-J Tamari. The slow and careful process is what transforms the product into something new, much like the process of creating a fine wine. There is no way to add flavoring or take other shortcuts to create the balanced taste of San-J Tamari. It is time and fermentation which allows the proteins to break down into amino acids and allow the flavor to become richer.
San-J Tamari is brewed with no additives and no artificial preservatives, which helps the fermented soybeans’ authentic taste to shine through. Our unique process and commitment to quality allow us to create a Tamari that you can trust and use to enhance your favorite dishes. San-J Tamari is certified gluten free, vegan, kosher, Fodmap friendly, and Non-GMO Project verified. We also have organic and less sodium varieties.
How Tamari Can Elevate Any Dish
We brew our Tamari Soy Sauce with 100% soybeans and no wheat to bring on the richest flavors. Because San-J Tamari has a higher concentration of soy protein than most typical soy sauces, it contains over 30% more umami and embraces a richer, smoother, less bitter taste. The complex, savory flavors of San-J Tamari Soy Sauce make it ideal to enhance natural flavors of any ingredients.
With an unbeatable taste and countless benefits, you can implement Tamari into nearly any dish, including special diet recipes.
Upgrade Your Next Meal With Fermented Soy Sauce
If you’re looking for a sauce that embraces fermented deliciousness, try San-J Tamari Soy Sauce. Our fermented soy sauce brand is brewed using methods that have been passed down for over two centuries so that you can enjoy timeless rich flavors in every meal.
Use our product locator today to find San-J Tamari Soy sauces near you!
