Mirin

Here comes a hard truth that almost no Dutch recipe site will tell you: that little bottle of “mirin” you buy at Albert Heijn is not real mirin. It is an alcohol-free imitation called mirin-fu. And that “just replace mirin with rice vinegar and sugar” tip you read on every food blog? That will absolutely ruin your teriyaki sauce. Guaranteed.

But alright, let’s not be overly dramatic. We are going to explain exactly what mirin is, why it matters so much, where you can find the real stuff in the Netherlands, and how to actually substitute it properly when your bottle runs dry.

What actually is mirin?

Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine with roughly 14% alcohol, originally brewed during the Edo period. It is made from just three ingredients: steamed glutinous rice (mochigome), rice inoculated with the Aspergillus oryzae mold culture (kome-koji), and distilled rice spirit (shochu).

The aging process takes 40 to 60 days—sometimes even years. During that time, the koji enzymes break down the rice starch into highly complex sugars. The result: a liquid that is 40 to 50% natural sugars, without a single grain of refined white sugar ever being added. It sounds a bit crazy, but it is very similar to how port or sherry develop their distinct sweetness.

The three types of mirin (and why it matters)

This is the biggest source of confusion in Western kitchens, and the direct cause of thousands of ruined sauces:

Hon Mirin (本みりん) — The real deal

• Alcohol: 13.5–14.5%
• Ingredients: Only glutinous rice, koji, shochu
• Taste: Naturally rich, golden colored, softly sweet, packed with amino acids
• Shelf life: Years (the alcohol preserves it)

Aji-Mirin (味みりん) — The budget version

• Alcohol: 8–10%
• Ingredients: Glucose syrup, corn syrup, water, alcohol, salt
• The trick: The added salt makes it undrinkable, which allows manufacturers to bypass heavy alcohol taxes in Japan.

Mirin-fu (みりん風調味料) — The imitation

• Alcohol: Less than 1%
• Ingredients: Glucose syrup, water, rice extract, citric acid
• What it is: Flavored sugar syrup. It is not wine.

And here is the punchline: That Saitaku bottle at Albert Heijn is mirin-fu. Why? The Dutch Liquor Act (Drank- en Horecawet) does not allow a standard supermarket to sell a 14% rice wine in the regular grocery aisle next to the pasta and soy sauce.

Is it usable? Yes, for simple everyday dishes, it works fine as a sweetener. But do not expect the brilliant gloss, depth, and texture-preserving magic of real Hon Mirin.

The five superpowers of real mirin

Mirin is not just liquid sugar. It performs five highly unique functions in the pan that you cannot replicate with any other sweetener:

1. Gloss and glaze (teri) — The complex sugars caramelize when heated and form a mirror-smooth, syrupy glaze. The teri in teriyaki literally refers to this gloss.

2. Odor masking (keshiaji) — When the alcohol evaporates, it binds to volatile amines in fish and meat, carrying those unpleasant smells out of the pan. This is exactly why mirin is indispensable in Japanese fish dishes.

3. Texture preservation — Alcohol reinforces the cell walls of fish, meat, and vegetables, preventing them from falling apart during long braises.

4. Deep flavor penetration — Alcohol molecules rapidly penetrate cell membranes, pulling soy sauce and dashi deep into the core of the ingredient.

5. Rounded sweetness — Softer and rounder than granulated sugar. It instantly balances sharp soy sauce and pungent miso.

Where to buy real mirin in the Netherlands?

At the toko or Japanese specialty stores:

• Amazing Oriental or Dun Yong: Hinode Hon Mirin, Takara Hon Mirin
• Meidi-Ya (Amsterdam): Direct import from Japan, the absolute real deal
• Shilla (Amsterdam/Amstelveen): Korean-Japanese supermarket
• Online: Oriental Webshop, Asian Food Lovers

At the supermarket you buy Saitaku (mirin-fu) or Kikkoman Kotteri Mirin (aji-mirin). Perfectly usable as a sweetener, but absolutely not a replacement for the real product in serious Japanese cooking.

How to substitute mirin

Substitute 1: Sake + sugar (The gold standard)

This replicates about 95% of the flavor and culinary function of real mirin. Sake provides the rice-fermented alcohol; sugar provides the necessary sweetness.

For 1 tablespoon of mirin:

• 1 tbsp Japanese cooking sake (or drinkable sake)
• 1 tsp white sugar (or honey for extra gloss)

Gently heat until the sugar is dissolved. Done.

Substitute 2: Dry sherry + sugar

Dry sherry (Fino or Manzanilla) is a fortified wine with a nutty depth that bears a surprising resemblance to aged mirin.

For 1 tablespoon of mirin:

• 1 tbsp dry sherry
• ½ to 1 tsp sugar or honey

Substitute 3: Dry white wine + sugar

This is sitting in almost every Dutch kitchen cabinet.

For 1 tablespoon of mirin:

• 1 tbsp dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc — avoid oaky Chardonnay)
• 1 tsp sugar

THE MASSIVE TRAP: Rice vinegar + sugar

Do not do this. We cannot stress this enough.

Virtually every Dutch recipe site cheerfully claims: “Replace mirin with 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar.” This is a culinary disaster for hot sauces. Mirin is a sweet cooking wine (pH 5-6). Rice vinegar is 4-5% pure acetic acid. If you replace mirin 1-to-1 with vinegar in a teriyaki sauce, you are making a sour vinaigrette instead of a glossy glaze.

When you CAN do this: Only in cold dressings or very quick marinades where acidity is actually desired. And even then:

• 1 tsp rice vinegar + 2 tsp water + 1 tbsp sugar (this drastically tempers the acidity)

Alcohol-free / Halal alternative

• Option A: White grape juice + 2 drops of lemon juice
• Option B: 1 tbsp warm water + 1 tsp honey + a single drop of soy sauce
• Option C: Just use the Saitaku brand from Albert Heijn — it is effectively already alcohol-free.

The comparison table

Substitute	Flavor Match	Gloss (teri)	Alcohol Function	Best Used For
Sake + sugar	★★★★★	★★★★☆	✅ Yes	Everything — teriyaki, stews, marinades
Dry sherry + sugar	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	✅ Yes	Sauces, glazes, stews
White wine + sugar	★★★☆☆	★★☆☆☆	✅ Yes	Emergency fix, light dishes
Rice vinegar + sugar	★★☆☆☆	❌ No	❌ No	Only cold dressings
Grape juice / honey	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	❌ No	Halal/alcohol-free cooking

Tips from the home cook

• Nikiri technique: In traditional Japanese cooking, you briefly flambé mirin to burn off the sharp alcohol vapor before using it in cold sauces. Just bring it to a boil in a small pan, light a match near it, and let it burn out. Sounds impressive, but it is pure functionality.
• Making teriyaki sauce? Equal parts. The classic formula: equal parts mirin, soy sauce, and sake, plus a bit of sugar. Period. No ketchup, no cornstarch, no fuss.
• Good forever. You store an opened bottle of Hon Mirin in a dark cupboard (not in the fridge — it is cooking wine). It stays perfectly good for years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is mirin the same as rice vinegar?

Absolutely not. Mirin is a sweet rice wine (14% alcohol, sweet, no acid). Rice vinegar is fermented rice vinegar (4-5% acetic acid, sour, sharp). They are polar opposites. Swapping them is the fastest way to ruin a Japanese dish.

Does mirin contain alcohol?

In real Hon Mirin: yes, 13.5-14.5%. In Saitaku from Albert Heijn (mirin-fu): no, less than 0.5%. If you cook with Hon Mirin, most of the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process.

Is mirin halal?

Hon Mirin contains 14% alcohol and is therefore haram. Mirin-fu (like Saitaku) contains less than 0.5% alcohol. Whether that is acceptable depends entirely on your own interpretation of halal rules. There are also certified halal mirin alternatives available online.

Why doesn’t Albert Heijn sell real mirin?

The Dutch Liquor Act. A supermarket is not legally allowed to sell a 14% rice wine in the regular grocery aisle without a specific liquor license. That is why they sell mirin-fu (alcohol-free). Want the real deal? Go to the toko or order online.

What does mirin do in teriyaki sauce?

Two crucial things: it provides the iconic gloss (the sugars caramelize into a mirroring glaze) and it balances the salty sharpness of the soy sauce. Without mirin, teriyaki is literally just salty soy sauce that burns in the pan.

Can I replace mirin with white wine vinegar?

No. White wine vinegar is even more acidic than rice vinegar. You are much better off using a dry white wine with a teaspoon of sugar. That gets you much closer to the right flavor profile.