Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Kikkoman mirin is probably what's called mirin-fu chomiryo (literally mirin-like seasoning). It's certainly not hon mirin (true mirin). If you look at the ingredients list, you'll see a big give away: Rice, Water, **Corn Syrup**, Alcohol, Salt. I'm not even sure this is made with rice wine. It's got rice and (a very little) alcohol in it, but it's sweetened with corn syrup. That's not mirin. Real mirin is sweetened by rice that has been subjected to the Aspergillus oryzae fungus, which breaks down the rice starches into sugar. It's what's used in the production of sake. Mirin uses the same fungus to produce the unfermented sugars that sweeten this essential Japanese cooking wine. If you're looking for the real thing, go to an Asian market and check the labels. Anything with sugar or corn syrup in it isn't authentic. Eden Foods also makes a widely available and very good mirin made from organic brown rice, rice koji (Aspergillus oryzae), pure water and sea salt. (The salt in mirin sold in the US is not authentic either, it's added to calssify the wine as cooking wine, thereby avoiding alcohol taxes). Do yourself a favor, read the labels and opt for authenticity. You won't regret it.