Mirin (Japanese Sweet Rice Wine)

Mirin is a sweet cooking rice wine widely used in Japanese cooking. Learn about the different types of mirin, what is mirin used for, recommended brands, where to buy, substitutions and more today!

What is Mirin?

Mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) is a sweet and syrupy liquid used as a seasoning and glazing agent. It is one of the most important condiments in Japanese cooking. Similar to sake, mirin is also a type of rice wine but with lower alcohol content (14% instead of 20%).

In general, there are 4 types of mirin: hon mirin (“real” mirin, 本みりん), mirin (みりん), mirin-like condiment (みりん風調味料), and mirin-type condiment (みりんタイプ調味料).

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1. Hon-Mirin

Hon mirin (本みりん) contains 14% alcohol and 0% salt. Steamed glutinous rice, rice koji mold, and shochu (distilled alcoholic beverage) are mixed and fermented for about 40 to 60 days. Enzymes in rice koji decompose starch and proteins of glutinous rice and various saccharides, amino acids, organic acids, and fragrance ingredients are produced to form Mirin.

Hon mirin has more alcohol; therefore, you can store it in a cool place up to 3 months. If you store it in the refrigerator, sugar may be crystallized.

In Japanese grocery stores, you can find imported hon mirin, which are pretty expensive (above, you can see two brands of hon mirin that are about $20 and $14).

Popular Hon Mirin in Japan

• Fuki Hon Mirin (Godo Shusei)
• Fukuraijun Hon Mirin (Hakusen Shuzo) – picture on the right
• Gyokusen Hakuryu Junmai Hon Mirin (Gyokusendo Shuzo)
• Hinode Hon Mirin (King Brewing Co)
• Isshisoden Hon Mirin (Ogasawara Mirin Jozo)
• Kankyo Mirin (Kankyo Shuzo)
• Kokonoe Sakura (Kokonoe Mirin)
• Mikawa Mirin (Sanshu Mikawa Mirin) – picture on the left
• Takaraboshi Hon Mirin (Honbo Shuzo)

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2. Mirin

The main difference between Mirin and Hon-Mirin is the usage of sake in Mirin instead of shochu.

You can purchase Takara Mirin which includes sake (made with rice, water, koji mold, and yeast), glucose, and corn syrup (No High Fructose Corn Syrup is used).

• Takara Mirin (Takara)
• Manjo Hon Mirin (Kikkoman) (white mirin)

For those who are looking for mirin without high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup, we recommend Eden Foods Mirin which contains only water, rice, koji and sea salt in the ingredient lists.

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3. Mirin-type Condiment

Mirin-type condiment (みりんタイプ調味料、みりんタイプ醸造調味料) contains 8-14% alcohol and 2 % salt. It’s made of starch syrup, water, alcohol, rice, and salt.

• Manjo Aji-Mirin (Kikkoman)

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4. Mirin-like or Mirin-fu Condiment

Mirin-like condiment (みりん風調味料) contains no alcohol or less than 1% alcohol and less than 1% salt. It is made of starch syrup, rice/cultured rice brewed seasoning, brewed vinegar, acidic components. Mirin-like condiment is cheaper because it avoids certain alcohol taxes.

It claims to have the same taste as hon mirin and can enhance the flavors and texture.

It needs to be refrigerated after opening and used within 3 months.

• Honteri (Mizkan) – NO ALCOHOL
• Kotteri Mirin (Kikkoman)
• Kotterin (Kikkoman)

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What is Mirin Used For

Mirin tenderizes and adds a mild sweetness to dishes. With a deeper body and umami, it also helps to mask the smell of fish and seafood and helps the flavors to “sink in” to the dish better. Because of the sugar and alcohol content, it also keeps the ingredients from disintegrating  Lastly, mirin adds luster to ingredients, which is why it is a key ingredient in teriyaki sauce.

You can purchase mirin from Japanese grocery stores, Asian supermarkets, or Amazon.

Substitute for Mirin

You can substitute mirin with sake and sugar, although it won’t be exactly the same. The ratio of sake and sugar is 3 to 1. For example, mix ¾ cup  (or 1 Tbsp) good quality drinking sake with ¼ cup (or 1 tsp) granulated sugar.

Halal Substitute for Mirin

For those who cannot consume alcohol in their cooking, you can look for Honteri Mirin by Mizkan which contains no alcohol.

Or you can substitute mirin with water and sugar.  The ratio of water and sugar should be 3 to 1.  For example, for 1 tbsp water, mix with 1 tsp of granulated sugar. Another alternative is to mix chicken broth with sugar. 

Can I Use Rice Vinegar instead of Mirin?

We don’t recommend substituting rice vinegar with mirin since both have completely different characteristics and uses. Rice vinegar has a stronger astringency and it adds acidity to your food. While mirin has a mild sweetness in flavor and it should add luster and a nice glaze to dishes.

How To Store Mirin

Storage: Hon mirin has more alcohol; therefore, you can store it in a cool place for up to 3 months. If you store it in the refrigerator, sugar may crystalized. Mirin-fu chomiryo (mirin-like condiment) has much less alcohol; therefore, make sure to store in the refrigerator and used within 3 months.

Differences Between Sake & Mirin

Sake & mirin are frequently used hand in hand in a recipe for Japanese cooking. Sake contains higher alcohol and lower sugar contents, while mirin has a higher sugar content and lower alcohol content. Mirin can be used untreated in a dish, whereas sake is often added earlier in the cooking process to allow some of the alcohol to evaporate.

To learn more about the difference between sake and mirin, click here.

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