Creamy with a natural mild sweetness, Amazake or sweet sake is a lovely drink enjoyed during Japanese New Year and Hinamatsuri (Girl‘s Day). I‘ll show you how to make this traditional beverage two ways: Alcohol-free with rice koji or low-alcohol with sake lees.
When I was younger, I always associated amazake (甘酒) with the taste of alcoholic sake. It was that distinct aroma of sake in the drink that gave me the impression that it would be too strong, so I would always pass on the drink when someone offered it. I didn’t know there was a non-alcoholic version then.
What is Amazake?
Amazake (pronounced ah-mah-ZAH-kay) is a traditional Japanese drink made of fermented rice. Literally means “sweet” (甘) “sake” (酒), it has a creamy, thick consistency with a sweet flavor, served either chilled or warm/hot. Although it is commonly called sweet sake, Amazake can be made either with low-alcohol or non-alcohol.
The history of amazake goes back to the Kofun period (250 to 538 AD), mentioned in The Nihon Shoki (日本書紀) or The Chronicles of Japan – the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history.
There are 2 Types of Amazake. Alcoholic amazake made with sake lee (the one I didn’t like growing up), and the non-alcoholic amazake made with rice koji. I now enjoy both types of amazake and they have been my favorite winter comfort drink for many years.
By the way, if you are familiar with the Korean sweet rice drink (sikhye) that is served complimentary at the end of a meal at a Korean restaurant, you may think amazake is the same drink. It is not. Amazake is made with rice, water, and sake lees (酒粕) or rice koji (米麹), while sikhye is made of malted barley flour, rice, sugar, and water.
Non-Alcoholic Amazake Made with Rice Koji
- Non-alcoholic; can be enjoyed by everyone including small children and pregnant ladies
- Made with rice, rice koji, and water
- Can be time-consuming to make
- Temperature control is very important
Rice koji (kome koji 米麹) is rice that is covered with kōji mold (Aspergillus oryzae). As you may already know, kōji mold is used in making many Japanese fermented foods such as miso, soy sauce, mirin, and sake. It helps create some of the most important Japanese ingredients, and maybe one of the contributing reasons to Japanese longevity!
You can buy rice koji (including one above from Cold Mountain) at Japanese grocery stores (refrigerated section near miso), or Amazon.
To make amazake, ferment the rice with rice koji at 125-140 ºF (50-60 ºC) for 8 to 10 hours. This particular temperature range is the most suitable temperature for the enzyme to break down the starch into glucose/sugar.
Low-Alcohol Amazake Made with Sake Lees
- Alcoholic (8%)
- Made with sake lees, sugar, and water
- Easy method
Amazake made with lees left from sake production (sakekasu 酒粕) is a low-alcoholic drink (8% alcohol). Sake lees are dissolved in hot water and sugar is added to sweeten the lees.
Benefits of Drinking Amazake Made with Rice Koji
Amazake made with rice koji has more nutritional value than the one made with sake lees, and it’s called the “IV drip to drink”「飲む点滴」in Japan.
This fermented rice drink is packed with nutrients, including vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folic acid, ferulic acid, dietary fiber, glutamine, and a large amount of glucose – which are almost the same components as an IV drip, hence the catchy nickname for amazake.
Benefits of drinking amazake:
- anti-aging
- improved skin (prevent spots and freckles, skin lightening, moisturizing)
- increased metabolism
- fatigue recovery
- improved digestion
- strengthened immune system
Even though amazake is good for you, it is important to enjoy the sweet drink in moderation, especially if you’re diabetic. Just one cup (200-250 ml) of amazake in a day is enough to provide you with these health benefits.
Tips to Make Amazake at Home
Amazake with Rice Koji
- Temperature control is the key! You need to maintain the rice and rice koji mixture between 125 and 140 ºF (50-60 ºC) at all times (8 to 10 hours).
- If the temperature is too high, the enzyme of koji does not work sufficiently and won’t become sweet. Conversely, if the temperature is too low, the fermentation of lactic acid progresses too much and the bacteria propagate, causing the drink to become too sour.
- Use whatever device you like (a rice cooker, yogurt maker, thermos pot/jar, etc). To me, the rice cooker is the easiest option. Instant Pot Ultra has a “custom” temperature setting in the yogurt function so you can set the temperature to 125-140 ºF (50-60 ºC) throughout.
Amazake with Sake Lees
- Let the sake lees soften first and dissolved completely.
- Adjust the amount of sugar according to your preference.
- Get sake lees at Japanese grocery stores or sale manufacturers (usually they give it for free!).
Drinking Amazake in Japan
If you have traveled to Japan before, you might have had a chance to try complimentary amazake at your ryokan, or even some souvenir shops. It is a popular drink served during New Year’s in Japan as well. Many temples and shrines provide it free of charge to worshippers on New Year’s Day and sell it for visitors to bring home.
Amazake is also served during Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) held on March 3rd every year, as a non-alcoholic option to shirozake (白酒) – a sweet white sake with less alcohol, which is traditionally served on this day.
Amazake is the perfect winter drink. It’s healthy, comforting, sweet & creamy! Just what you need to keep warm and cozy until springtime.
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Amazake
Ingredients
For the Non-Alcohol Amazake with Rice Koji
- ¾ cup uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (1 rice cooker cup, 180 ml)
- water (for cooking the rice porridge)
- 1 cup water (for cooling the porridge; you may need more or less)
- 1 cup rice koji
For the Low-Alcohol Amazake with Sake Lees
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup sake lees (sake kasu) (packed tightly)
- ¼–⅓ cup sugar (start with less sugar, taste, and add more as needed)
- 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
★ To Cook Amazake with Rice Koji
- Gather all the ingredients. Rinse and drain ¾ cup uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice and add to the inner pot of a rice cooker. Add water up to the 1 cup porridge water line. If there is no porridge water line, add water to the regular white rice 4 cup line. Select the Porridge menu on your rice cooker and press Start, or cook the porridge according to your rice cooker’s instructions.
- Once the porridge is cooked, the temperature is around 175ºF (79ºC). Take out the inner pot with the porridge from the rice cooker.
- Gradually add 1 cup water, ⅛ cup at a time, to the porridge, stirring thoroughly after each addition. Measure the temperature of the porridge with an instant-read thermometer. The temperature must cool down to 140ºF (60ºC) as koji mold cannot live above that temperature.
- Once the porridge reaches 140ºF (60ºC), crumble and add 1 cup rice koji. Stir thoroughly to incorporate. Make sure there is enough water to cover the porridge and rice koji so they are sufficiently soaked. If not, add warm water so it maintains 140ºF (60ºC).
- Put the inner pot back into the rice cooker. Turn the rice cooker on to the Keep Warm (or Extended Keep Warm) setting and cover the opening with a cloth towel. Leave the rice cooker lid fully open so it does not get too hot. Allow the mixture to cook for 8–10 hours, stirring occasionally and checking the temperature every hour for the first 2–3 hours. Make sure it stays between 125ºF and 140ºF (50–60ºC) at ALL TIMES.
- Toward the end of 8 hours, the mixture will start to release a sweet fragrance. Once it’s done cooking, the mixture should smell sweet. Turn off the rice cooker and transfer the inner pot in a large bowl of ice water to let cool and stop the cooking. When cooled, transfer the Amazake to a large sterilized container.
To Serve
- Take out the portion you need, dilute with either hot or iced water to your preferred consistency (I like mine thicker and undiluted), and serve chilled or warm (reheated). If you heat the Amazake above 140ºF (60ºC), the koji enzyme will die, so reheat it to lukewarm to retain the live enzyme. You can add grated ginger, if you‘d like. My kids love smoothies made with amazake, banana, and soymilk.
★ To Make Amazake with Sake Lees (Sake Kasu)
- Gather all the ingredients. Tear ½ cup sake lees (sake kasu) into small pieces.
- Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Using a mesh sieve, dissolve the sake lees into the water. This step may take some time, but it‘s best to soften the lees first in the water so they will dissolve more easily. You don‘t want any chunks left in your amazake.
- Once dissolved, add ¼–⅓ cup sugar and 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Let it cook and reduce to your preferred consistency. I like a slightly thicker consistency, so I cook and reduce the amazake for 15 minutes or so. Serve hot/warm and enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep in the refrigerator up to one week, or in the freezer for up to a month.
Nutrition
Other Japanese Drinks You May Enjoy
- Plum Wine (Umeshu)
- Buckwheat Tea (Sobacha)
- Japanese Cream Soda
- How to Make Matcha (Japanese Green Tea)
- Japanese Iced Coffee
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 8, 2018. The post has been edited in February 2020.
hi {all!!!
making amazake {is very easy!!
we let it sit in our {OFF {oven
blending it with vanilla extract
{the PERFECT food
we use a {VITAMIX to blend it
comes out very creamy
{optional garish
cardamon
nutmeg
cinnamon
dried currants
{etc etc etc,,,,,,,,,
have FUN n ENJOY!
Hi Kim! Thank you for sharing your tip! xo
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[…] has been the key ingredient to make miso, soy sauce, sake, mirin, rice vinegar, amazake, shochu, and today’s star, shio […]
I saw another video online, suggested once the fermentation has done, you need to cook the Amasake upto 70degree to stop the enzyme continually fermenting even store it in fridge, otherwise the Amazake will turn to sour after few days. is this the correct way to do so?
Hi Jane! It’s step 5 and 6. 🙂
[…] thức làm Koji Amazake đơn giản và chuẩn xác của Justonecookbook, KAG xin chia sẻ cùng bạn cách làm như […]
[…] Amazake (pronounced ah-mah-ZAH-kay) translates to “sweet sake”. It is a creamy, thick, fermented rice drink with a rich, sweet flavor, served either chilled or warm/hot. […]
[…] based on your desired results. That’s pretty groundbreaking for a cooker. I can finally make Amazake (fermented Japanese rice drink) which requires temperature control between 125-140 ºF (50-60 ºC), scald milk at 180°F/82°C and […]
Would it work AT ALL with brown rice??
Hi Janelle! Yes you can use brown rice too. 🙂
How about sushi rice?
Hi Allison! Do you mean Japanese short grain rice as in “Sushi rice”? Then yes, that’s what we use. Some rice company call Japanese short grain rice as “Sushi Rice” (I guess it’s more catchy?), but in Japan sushi rice means steamed rice seasoned with vinegar mix (sushi-zu). This sushi rice is ONLY used for making sushi. We do not use simple steamed rice for making sushi and use only vinegared “sushi rice”. Anyway, if you’re talking about short grain rice, then yes that’s what I list on my ingredient list. 🙂
[…] Amazake (Hot Sweet Sake) […]
Hi, I’m intrigued by this drink as I just start learning about koji. Thanks for taking the time to publish your process! You describe this process as fermentation but doesn’t Koji-kin die above 115F? This seems more like a protein or saccharification rest like in brewing, which relies on enzymes, not living organisms. The enzymes may denature above 140F which would halt conversion/sugar formation.
Hi Nate! Thanks for pointing that out, and yes, what you said is 100% correct. I’ve edited my English. 🙂
[…] ★amazake 150 g (you can check the amazake is not sure) […]
I looked for rice koji at my local asian markets and couldn’t find it, so I ordered some online. Then, as my curse would have it, they started to have them at all of the local Asian markets cheaper than I had paid. Haha. I have a certain curse where whenever I buy something difficult to find, or something permanent (like a new kitchen appliance/utensil) I find the same thing cheaper or find a better version a few weeks later (or a newer better version is released by the company).
Okay, fast forward to almost a year later after I bought the rice koji (I kept getting too busy to make amazake), I finally made it! Your recipe worked very well. My tip for other people making this is that if it reaches the upper limit of the temperature and you don’t have it covered, try adding a bit of cool water to get it into the right temperature range again. This is what I had to do a few times because even just laying a paper towel over it, it kept getting too hot, but if it was uncovered it was not hot enough. I gradually fixed it by making a little tent with the paper towel and after that it stayed in the right temperature range.
I served some with grated ginger. My friend said “tastes like cereal!” Haha! It really does when you add ginger to it and serve it cold. We really enjoyed it.
Hi Lion! I would think that Asian grocery stores don’t carry rice koji too, so that’s surprising that they started to carry! Wonder who’s buying and for what. I think you have the special power. 😉 I would love you to travel around the US and purchase some Japanese ingredients online so local Asian grocery stores would start carrying them! xD
I’m so glad to hear you tried this recipe and THANK YOU for sharing your tip! Very useful!!! And I love the ginger addition. I still have rice koji left from making miso (next post!) so I’ll make amazake. 🙂
p.s. Will return your email soon. Sorry… I have 163 more comments to respond before working on email…
Hello, I recently have purchased instant pot with yogurt function. Do you know if you can make amazake with it? Thanks a million.
Hi Izumi! I talked about this in my blog post, but the short answer is that you can’t use it because the temp is still too high…
Hi Nami,
I would like to make amazake following your recipe. Can I use short grain rice from USA? Japanese short grain rice in my country is very expensive.
Hi Stephanie! Yes, as long as the rice is short-grain rice (typically grown in California). 🙂
I am wondering. My Tiger rice cooker has a ferment setting (for Bread), do you think that would work? Or should I just stick with monitoring the “Keep Warm” function?
Hi Ken! Oh that’s cool! Find out the exact temperature setting for that setting. The temperature for Amazake should be 125 and 140 ºF (50-60 ºC) at ALL TIMES. My oven has a proof setting for bread, but it’s around 100 ºF / 38 ºC, a bit too low for Amazake.
Could you please tell me if this would work in a multi cooker?
I’ve tried it and it doesn’t seem sweet, just rice porridge which I’m ok with but how to work it in a Multi cooker
Hi Nina! A multi cooker like Instant Pot? I checked the yogurt setting temperature (lowest temp you can set on IP) and it’s too high. When the temp is too high, it would kill the koji. I think yours didn’t get fermented (no sweet smell) and koji died. 🙁
Please check your multi cooker temperature in the manual guide and compare. I mentioned the specific temperature in the blog post under “Making a Perfect Cup of Amazake”. 🙂