Koji Rice Series 2

A Tropical Koji Expression. Koji Rice Series 2 is a sparkling blend produced by MURI, the Copenhagen-based label founded by Murray Paterson that builds complex non-alcoholic drinks through layered fermentation rather than de-alcoholization. Its foundation is a koji fermentation drawn from sake practice: steamed jasmine rice is inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae and left to develop over three days in a koji nursery, converting starches to sugars and building umami. According to MURI, its head of R&D Alejandro developed the blend and took it in a tropical direction, giving prominence to pineapple and green apple flavours. Murray Paterson considers Koji Rice Series 1 and Koji Rice Series 2 to be absolutely unique in profile, with nothing else like them available anywhere.^[1]

MURI describes Koji Rice Series 2 as a sparkling blend made with koji rice, shiso, and chamomile flowers, with prominent pineapple and green apple flavours.^[2]

Koji Rice — Fermented Base. The base is built from steamed jasmine rice inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae (koji spores) and fermented for three days in a koji nursery. This process converts the rice starches to sugars and develops the umami-driven character at the core of the blend.^[1]

Green Shiso — Aromatic Component. Green shiso leaves are fermented separately with Pichia yeast, followed by a final maceration of the fresh plant into the blend. The large quantity of shiso required is what limits the release, according to MURI, making the blend impossible to scale.^[1]

Specifications. MURI describes Koji Rice Series 2 as a luxurious sparkling blend, released as a limited edition of only 500 bottles. The limited volume is attributed to the large quantity of shiso used, which makes the blend impossible to scale.^[1]

Restaurant Koan, a two-Michelin-star Korean-Danish restaurant in Copenhagen for which the blend was developed as a special edition, pairs Koji Rice Series 2 with a milky oolong soufflé with kelp ice cream. More broadly, MURI recommends it with spicy, fatty roast meats such as babi guling, tempura vegetables, and ice cream.^[2]