Koji Rice Series 2

Made for Koan. MURI developed the second Koji Rice Series blend exclusively for the restaurant Koan, a two-Michelin-star Korean-Danish restaurant in Copenhagen, which was MURI's first ever customer in 2020. In a January 2025 podcast, MURI described the release as a special edition planned for release around Easter.^[1],[2]

MURI describes Koji Rice Series 2 as a sparkling blend made with koji rice, shiso, and chamomile flowers. It is built on a double-fermented amazake blended with a large amount of fermented shiso, with a touch of chamomile added for depth. MURI trialled over one hundred botanicals — including oolong, turmeric, ginger, and foraged cherry blossom — before selecting shiso for the blend.^{[1],[3],[4],[5]}

Green Shiso — Aromatic Driver. Green shiso is used both fermented and macerated fresh. MURI ferments the shiso leaves with Pichia yeast, followed by a final maceration of the fresh plant. The large quantity of shiso used is what MURI cites as the reason the blend cannot be scaled beyond 500 bottles.^[6]

Chamomile Flowers — Depth. A touch of chamomile flowers is added to the blend, which MURI says provides depth.^[4]

The blend rests on two separately produced ferments. For the rice base, steamed jasmine rice is inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae and left in a koji nursery for three days; MURI describes the result as a double-fermented amazake. The shiso is fermented separately with Pichia yeast, then followed by a final maceration of fresh shiso leaves, so the botanical enters the blend in both a fermented and a fresh form.^[1],[4],[6]

Restaurant Koan. At Koan, the Koji Rice Series blend is paired with the restaurant's signature milky oolong soufflé, kelp ice cream, and oscietra caviar.^[1]

General Pairings. MURI recommends the blend with spicy, fatty roast meats such as babi guling, tempura vegetables, and ice cream.^[3]

Specifications. Koji Rice Series 2 is a limited-edition sparkling blend, produced in a run of only 500 bottles.^[6]

• Style: sparkling koji-rice blend
• Production run: 500 bottles (limited edition)