Clearspring miso [1] is still made as slowly and authentically as possible, a rare practice in today's fast moving world.

Slow production and traditional fermentation create a rich and complex flavour and the best possible health benefits for miso.

Clearspring miso is made using organically grown ingredients, with handmade koji [2] that is full of potent digestive enzymes to break down the beans and grains, whole soya beans that undergo long, slow cooking, and natural ageing in seasoned cedarwood kegs over many months at ambient temperature.

Sadly, very little miso in Japan is still made this traditional way. Some may be naturally aged, but has koji prepared using an automated process which excludes the wild organisms that give personality to the miso and benefit digestion - think how traditional sourdough bread compares with quick yeast baked bread and you will get the picture. Moreover, it will be fermented in stainless steel or plastic tanks that fail to impart the subtle nuances of flavour that cedarwood provides. Such standardised miso has a uniform taste and unvarying texture.

Further down the quality scale is the majority of the miso made today. This is produced in just a few weeks using a rapid, high temperature automated process with no real ageing. Whilst it is cheap to produce, it has a dull, flat and lifeless quality when compared with traditionally made miso.

An example of process: