Volume 1  Autumn 1997
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Table of Contents....
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The Making of Tamari and Shoyu (Courtesy of San-J International) |
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Tamari VS Other Soy Sauces When it comes to tamari, one of the most common questions we are asked is what is the difference between tamari and other soy sauces? It’s a good question because the ingredients of the two vary considerably as does the methods in which they are produced. Basically, there are three main categories of soy sauce available in North America: 1) Tamari 2) Shoyu 3) Non-brewed soy sauce When judging soy sauce, the characteristics you look for are aroma, appearance and most importantly taste. Tamari is naturally brewed and is made primarily from soybeans. It has a soft and rich aroma, feels smooth in the mouth and has a well-balanced taste. Tamari retains it’s full flavor after cooking traditionally and in the microwave and contains 37% more organic protein than ordinary Shoyu soy sauce. The complex combination of proteins and amino acids give Tamari unique flavor enhancing abilities. Tamari can be used instead of salt in prepared foods without compromising taste and can be used in several dishes including oriental cooking, meats, vegetables grains and even dairy foods. Shoyu sauce is also naturally brewed but it made with 50% soybeans and 50% wheat. Although modern brewed, this soy sauce has a balanced taste. It is sharper than Tamari due to the difference in raw materials and a stronger alcoholic fermentation. Non-brewed soy sauce is made from hydrolyzed vegetable protein and possesses a strong, unbalanced taste and salty aftertaste, It is completely unlike Tamari and modern brewed soy sauce. |
1. Whole soybeans are soaked in water and cooked inlarge cylindrical steam cookers. 
2. When making shoyu, cracked roasted whole wheat is added to the soybeans before forming nuggets.
3. The cooked beans are formed into nuggets and lightly dusted with ‘seed koji’ (aspergillus oryzae).
4. The nuggets are placed in a temperature and humidity controlled incubation chamber (’muro’).
5. During the two days in the muro, the nuggets develop fuzzy pale yellow mold.
6. The matured koji is put in fermentation tanks with salt and water.
7. The moromi ages for 6 to 8 months under careful monitoring.
8. The moromi is wrapped between layers of press cloth, stacked in a cage, and presssed to yield the raw soy sauce.
9. The raw tamari or shoyu is then pasteurized and filtered to produce the finish product.
10. The sauce is bottled, cased and sent to market.
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