Minou Brown Rice Kurozu — Japanese Black Vinegar
Minou Brown Rice Kurozu — Japanese Black Vinegar
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Minou Brown Rice Kurozu — Japanese Black Vinegar

$37.60
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Brown rice kurozu from a Gifu vinegar maker founded in 1876 — clean, sharp, and precise, with a rounded body. Acidity 4.5%.

Kurozu is Japanese black vinegar. This one is brewed from brown rice rather than polished rice. It carries more depth and body than standard rice vinegar, and it is still uncommon in American kitchens.

Minou Jungenmai Black Vinegar is brewed by a house in Gifu Prefecture that has been making vinegar since 1876. Their working principle is that vinegar begins with sake. They mill the rice themselves, cultivate the koji, and build the rice mash in stages before acetic fermentation ever starts. That upstream work is where the character of the finished vinegar is set.

Jungenmai means pure brown rice. Brown rice is the only ingredient — no added alcohol, no colorant, no added sugar, nothing else. What reaches the bottle is rice, water, time, and the work of the house.

The result is a black vinegar that runs clean. The acidity sits at 4.5%, the body is rounded and controlled, and the finish is short enough to use raw in a vinaigrette without taking the plate over. It still holds up in braises and reductions.

Ayako, Umami Curator at The House of Umami, visited the brewery in the mountains of Gifu and toured the production floor. She found a facility far larger than she had pictured, run under quality controls she describes as uncompromising. She tasted through the line on site. In HOU-hosted tasting sessions with chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, this vinegar's clean, sharp profile has drawn especially positive feedback. This is the bottle she keeps for herself.

Brown rice. Nothing else. Made in Japan.

*Sediment from the rice may settle or cling to the glass. This is normal and does not affect quality.*

#Per 15ml (1 tbsp)
Calories: 7
Total Fat: 0g
Sodium: 0mg
Total Carbohydrate: 1.8g
Protein: 0.1g
Acidity: 4.5%

*Values are supplied by the producer. Items not listed have not been independently tested.*

12.2 fl oz (360ml) — Single bottle · 2-bottle set

Cases of 6 are available to professional buyers.

For orders larger than 6 bottles, please contact us.

Use it wherever you would reach for rice vinegar and want more body, or wherever you would reach for balsamic and want less sweetness.

#Applications by dish
・**Cold poached or steamed chicken:** cut with soy sauce and a little sesame oil, spoon over the sliced meat, serve with raw or blanched vegetables
・**Braised beef cheek or shank:** build the braising liquid on kurozu, with a small pour of balsamic behind it for depth
・**Chicken wings and spare ribs:** simmer in kurozu with soy, sugar, and aromatics until the liquid coats
・**Glazes:** reduce on its own or with soy until syrupy, then brush on at the end — the reduction is where the body and the gloss come up
・**Marinated eggs:** soft-boil, then refrigerate in kurozu, soy, and mirin overnight
・**Vinaigrettes:** start with three parts oil to one part kurozu and whisk well; its rounded profile usually needs little or no added sweetener
・**Pork belly kakuni:** replace part of the water with kurozu; its acidity cuts through the richness of the pork
・**Sushi rice:** season as usual, expecting a tan cast to the rice and a deeper finish than standard rice vinegar gives
・**Diluted as a drink:** dilute with cold or sparkling water to taste; add honey or apple juice if you want it rounder

*Timing note: raw applications show this vinegar at its cleanest. When you cook it, reduce it — that is when the body arrives.*

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Refrigerate after opening.

No preservatives are used.

**Best before:** 24 months from production date.

#Why is it darker than rice vinegar?
The color develops naturally from the brown rice during fermentation and maturation. Nothing is added to color it.

#How is this different from a long-aged kurozu?
Long-aged kurozu develops a heavier depth and a darker color as it matures. This one is brewed for clarity instead. If you want a vinegar that can recede into a dressing or a sauce rather than dominate it, this is the one.

#Can I substitute it one-for-one for rice vinegar?
Yes by volume, but taste as you go. It will darken pale dishes and bring more depth than standard rice vinegar.

#Can I use it in place of balsamic vinegar?
In dressings and pan sauces, yes — it gives you comparable depth without the sweetness of balsamic. It will not behave like an aged balsamic straight from the bottle, since it has no syrupy body of its own. Reduce it first if you want that texture.

#Does it contain any of the major allergens?
No. The only ingredient is brown rice. It contains no wheat, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, or sesame.