Brand secrets

Water is God for the brewers. At Marusho we use spring water from Mount Nachi, the same source as Naichi Falls. The water is extremely mild, and its temperature measures at 16 ℃ all year around. The spring water supplied from the well situated in Marusho brewery has been running non-stop since the Edo period. Everyday we feel grateful being able to brew vinegar with the gift of abundant water.

Etymology of Kii-no-kuni or Wakayama prefecture is the land of trees, the host of rich forests marked by 3,600 Peaks of Kumano. You find 12 kioke lining up in Marusho brewery. They are made from the core parts of rare giant Kumano cedar. The core parts are finely pitched as well as rich in tannins making it highly water resistant. Kioke is alive and offers a friendly habitat for the beneficial bacteria that lives in the barrel’s wood grain, which is the key to the fermentation and aging process of the vinegar making.

Making of a traditional vinegar starts with mixing of rice mold, rice and water in the generations old kioke. The fermentation process begins with adding of the starter vinegar called tanezu. The temperature inside of the kioke during the fermentation rises up to 40℃ even in the winter time, the warmth close to the human body temperature. Over the period of 90 to 500 days, the microorganisms work on each and every ingredient to make the transformation of material into the traditional vinegar. We continue to work with nature that supports our traditional making of vinegar.