Fundokin Namazume Koji Mugi Miso (フンドーキン 生詰麹たっぷり無添加麦みそ)

The story behind it

Miso soup in Kyushu is faintly sweet. The reason is barley miso, brewed with barley koji (the fermentation culture Aspergillus oryzae) instead of rice koji.

Fundokin was founded in 1861 in the castle town of Usuki, and has kept this Kyushu flavor going for more than 160 years. The brew uses more barley koji than soybeans, which makes it sweet and lets a toasted barley aroma drift up out of the bowl.

This barley miso is not heat-sterilized. It is packed namazume, with the yeast still alive. Gentle, with no additives, it tastes like the memory of a Kyushu kitchen. A good first bowl for anyone new to barley miso.