Introduction

On November 27th, 2022, we held our annual Eyes, JAPAN  Apply Picking Event in Aizu-Wakamatsu. We took this opportunity to conduct a drink testing event to try a new drink called “Rice Koji and Spices”. In the following article, we will introduce the drink, and the opinion about the drink from Eyes, JAPAN staffs and friends.

Rice Koji and Spices

The drink that we tested in this event is called REFRESH DRINK “Rice Koji and Spices” or “米麴とスパイス” in Japanese. It was made by Akifumi Yamada, a member of Hour Terrace’s Fermentation Department. This drink is a carbonated drink made from rice koji (rice malt), kabosu, and sansho (Japanese pepper), under the theme “tasty, strong, and honest”.

The inspiration to make this drink came from Akifumi’s own desire to have a drink that would be able to accompany her when she needs to work hard. In the past, she would have chosen to drink energy drink, however, she decided to not overdo it and she wanted something else that is delicious and would be good for her body. and that’s how she came up with the idea of creating a botanical energy drink.

The process of making this drink focuses on fermentation, which has been handed down as a tradition since ancient times in Japan. The process is inspired by the process of making amazake, but reconstructed, which results in a new taste, a refreshing drink without the distinctive sweetness of amazake.

Below is the main ingredients used to make this drink:

• Rice Koji

The rice malt is made from white koji (Aspergillus kawachii). Unlike yellow koji, which has long been used to brew sake, miso, and soy sauce, white koji is characterized by its ability to produce citric acid through fermentation. This gives it a refreshing taste and aroma not found in yellow koji fermentation.

• Kabosu

Kabosu juice is produced in Oita Prefecture, and the squeezed juice is used without being concentrated.

• Sansho

Sansho (Japanese pepper) is made directly from Japanese grape sansho powder, which has a unique, numbing aftertaste.

Drink Testing

We divided the drink testing into three parts. First is questionnaire before testing, second is testing the drink, and the last one is questionnaire after testing. We use Google Forms for the questionnaire and shared the link by using QR code so all participants can answer it comfortably from their smartphone.

The participants of this testing very diverse backgrounds. They came from different countries, which are Bangladesh, Slovakia, Burundi, China, Hongkong, Columbia, Germany, Indonesia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Spain, Tunisia, USA, and Japan.

Most of the participants are in their late 20s, but some of them are younger and some are older, as shown below.

And the majority of the participants are male, as shown below.

Before the participants try the drink, they have to answer some questions related to their thoughts about health and their knowledge about areas involving the drink, along with their first impression of the Rice Koji and Spices drink.

Firstly, participants were asked about what products do they usually buy to maintain their health. Everyone has their own preference, but the most common answer is vegetables. While other products are milk, fruit, protein, vitamin etc. They were also asked if they know about what is “fermentation”, and what idea do they have about it. Most people mentioned alcohol, some people doesn’t know, and some others answered a few products that were made by fermentation process, such as yogurt or kimchi.

Next, the participants were asked about what kind of image do they have when they hear the name “米麴とスパイス : Rice Koji and Spice”, and also what do they think about the design of the can. Regarding the name of the drink, some people have the idea that spice in the name means spicy, while some other opinions are it sounds healthy or it’s related to sake. There are also some who wonders what kind of spice will be in the drink. Regarding the question about the design of the can, the majority of the participant says that it’s very simple. Some says it’s simple and cool in a good way, but other says simple in a bad way because it is not attractive and it’s difficult to recognize the product because it lacks character.

After that, the participants answered questions about energy drink. The majority of the participants don’t usually drink energy drink, while around 3 – 4 out of 16 participants sometimes drink a certain brand, or drink it only after eating. From the answers, it is evident that most of the participants think that energy drinks are unhealthy, and therefore, consuming alternative drinks such as water, coffee, tea juice, etc. instead.

After finishing the first part of the questionnaire, the participants continue to try the drink and give their opinion after tasting the drink.

The opinion of the participants on the taste of the drink really varies. Some of the participants liked the drink while some others don’t, but the most common adjectives used were fresh, good, sour, and citric or lemon. It seems like the taste of the drink is really unique and has a strong aftertaste. It is different than what most participants expected from when they hear the name of the drink.

The participants, again, had different views on where they would like to drink this drink. Some participants mentioned that they would drink it in a gathering or party, some answered in the morning or when working, some answered no specific occasion, while some said they would never drink it again.

Regarding where this drink would have a favorable image, the most common answer was on YouTube, while others answered in nature shops or farmer’s market, etc. While regarding the place where they would like to buy this drink, most participants agree that they would like to buy in convenient store, supermarket, or vending machine, and they would like to pay around 100¥-200¥ for this drink.

Next, the last 2 questions were related to the future, whether the participants would like to drink this drink again and who would they recommend this drink to. Around half of the participants confessed that they do not want to incorporate the drink in their lives, but other gave positive answer. Some would like to drink it occasionally, maybe in the morning. While about who they would want to recommend this drink to, the participant’s answer are really diverse. Some would like to recommend it to family, friends or colleagues, some said maybe recommend it to older people, some said people who likes refreshing or sour drinks, and some said people who is adventurous in terms of food or in other words would like the unique taste of the drink, etc.

Conclusion

The participant’s opinion on the drink really varies. Some of them like it and would like to drink it occasionally, while some were not too fond of the taste and would rather not drink it again, but they would certainly recommend it for others to try.

In conclusion, it is evident that this Rice Koji and Spice drink has a very unique and refreshing taste. And due to the unique taste of the drink, everyone’s opinion on it is very diverse. How about you? Would you like to try it too?