Miso Syrup recipe: level up your cocktails with the addition of umami

ADD A LITTLE UMAMI TO YOUR COCKTAIL WITH MISO SYRUP

If you haven’t ventured into the world of savory cocktails, then your are in for a treat! Cocktails historically have to leaned bitter, sour and sweet. But we are not leaving a whole taste on the table: enter umami! Umami has only recently been considered a taste along sour, sweet, salty, and bitter in the western world. Umami is categorized by pleasant savoriness caused by an amino acid glutamate. This rich taste is present in things like parmesan cheese, tomatoes, and mushrooms and some fermented foods. And miso syrup is a great way to add a little something something to your drinks.

I am definitely an Umami Mami, I love a savory cocktail! A long standing umami cocktail is the Bloody Mary. With tomatoes, pickles and brines it is a umami bomb of a drink. And I know it’s not for everyone. There is a whole world of savory cocktail options outside of the dense tomato juice brunch staple. And one of the best and easiest ways to working with umami and savory profiles for your cocktails is miso. Adding in a miso syrup into drinks to give it that little chefs kiss! Turning miso into a syrup makes it an easy form to mix into your cocktail and even coffee. A miso latte might just change your life or at least your morning.

WHAT IS MISO

Miso paste is fermented soybean paste made from soybeans, salt, and a mold called koji. This Japanese staple can be aged for weeks and even several years to give it its deep rich, umami flavor. During the fermentation process, the proteins in the soybeans are broken down and gives it its characteristic, creating a rich, savory flavor. Other beans can also be fermented to make a miso style condiment that will give it a different flavor profile. Experiment with the different styles to see which you like the best for different recipes.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MISO

Miso comes in a varying of flavors and intensities. Depending on the base ingredients -such as soybean, barley, chickpea- and length of fermentation the flavor will vary greatly. I typically use white sweet miso in my cocktails, but the yellow is a great option as well for a more bold fermented flavor.

• White Miso aka Shiro Miso– Undergoes short fermentation with more rice koji to soybean ratio. It has sweet, salty and nutty flavor
• Red Miso aka Aka Miso– fermented for a much longer period with much more soybeans to rice koji for a richer, earthier fuller flavor.
• yellow miso-yellow miso sits in between red and white miso giving it the best of both worlds. It has a shorter fermentation time and sometimes made with barley koji. Bold, nutty, and sweet.
• Mugi miso– made with barley koji instead of rice koji. It can range from sweet, with a light yellow color, to full bodied, with a red hue.

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