Ishiimiso, Sannengura Three Years Miso, 300g
Three-year red miso, brewed in cedar barrels in Matsumoto.
Ishiimiso Sannengura Three-Year Miso is kioke miso (木桶味噌, barrel miso), fermented in cedar barrels and matured for three years, as the label states. It is an aka (red) miso: dark, deep and savoury, for soups and braises that need weight. 300g tub; keep it in the fridge.
More from Ishiimiso: Sannengura One-Year Miso and Ten-Year Aged Miso Sauce.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Three years in barrel: long maturation gives depth a young miso cannot match.
- Cedar barrels: brewed the traditional way in wooden barrels, as the maker describes it.
- Big flavour, small dose: a little goes a long way in soup and braises.
- Miso house since 1868: Ishiimiso's founding year is printed on the lid.
How to Use
- Aka miso soup: whisk into hot dashi for a dark, full-bodied miso soup.
- Braises: stir into simmered pork, beef or mackerel (saba misoni).
- Marinades: mix with mirin and sake to marinate fish or meat before grilling.
- Beyond Japan: a spoonful in gravy, stews or a ragù for savoury depth.
Miso (味噌) is fermented soybean paste, and its character comes from three things: the koji, the salt and time. Kioke (木桶) miso is fermented in wooden barrels, the traditional vessel before steel and plastic tanks took over. Ishiimiso (石井味噌) is a miso brewery in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, founded in 1868, which brews its three-year miso naturally in cedar barrels. Sannengura (三年蔵) means three-year storehouse. Long maturation turns miso darker and deeper, which is why three-year miso is classed as aka (赤, red) miso.
Learn more: What Is Miso?
What does three-year miso taste like?
Dark, dense and deeply savoury. Long maturation brings out roasted, almost soy-sauce-like notes, a gentle acidity and a long finish, with the sweetness of young miso mostly gone. It is saltier on the tongue than a white miso and much more complex. In soup it gives a full-bodied, rich broth; in braises it holds its own against fatty pork or oily fish. Use less than you would of a lighter miso and taste as you go.
| Type | Aka miso 赤味噌 (red miso), kioke 木桶 barrel-fermented |
| Brand | Ishiimiso 石井味噌 (since 1868) |
| Key Feature | Matured three years in cedar barrels |
| Origin | Japan (Matsumoto, Nagano) |
| Net Weight / Format | 300g tub |
| Best Used As | Miso soup, braises and marinades |
What is the difference between one-year and three-year miso?
Time. One-year miso is lighter in colour, sweeter and softer, with a fresher aroma. Three-year miso is darker, deeper and more savoury, with less sweetness and a longer finish. Use one-year miso for everyday soups and dressings where you want gentleness, and three-year miso where you want weight, such as hearty soups, braises and marinades for oily fish.
What is kioke miso?
Kioke (木桶) means wooden barrel. Kioke miso is fermented in large wooden barrels, the traditional method before steel and plastic tanks became standard. Ishiimiso uses cedar barrels for its natural, long-matured miso.
How should I store miso after opening?
In the fridge, as the label says. Smooth the surface flat and press a sheet of cling film or greaseproof paper onto it to limit air contact. Long-matured miso keeps well when stored this way; a little darkening on the surface is normal.
SKU : S0298