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''Awamori'' (泡盛) is an alcoholic beverage indigenous to and unique to Okinawa, Japan. It is made from long grain indica rice, and is not a direct product of brewing (like ''sake'') but of distillation (like ''shōchū''). All Awamori made today is from indica rice imported from Thailand, the local production not being sufficient enough to meet domestic demands. ''Awamori'' is typically 60–86 proof (30–43% alcohol), although "export" brands (including brands shipped to mainland Japan) are increasingly 50 proof (25% alcohol).〔http://kampai.us/shochu/shochu-reviews/awamori-scores〕 Some brands (notably ''hanazake'') are 120 proof (60%) and are flammable. ''Awamori'' is aged in traditional clay pots to improve its flavor and mellowness. The most popular way to drink ''Awamori'' is with water and ice. When served in a restaurant in Okinawa, it will nearly always be accompanied by a container of ice and carafe of water. ''Awamori'' can also be drunk straight, on the rocks, and in cocktails. Traditionally, ''awamori'' was served in a ''kara-kara'', a small earthen vessel with a small clay marble inside. The marble would make a distinctive "kara-kara" sound to let people know the vessel was empty, because it was considered rude to pour from an empty vessel for your drinking companions as ''Awamori'' was an expensive and treasured drink. These vessels are still found in Okinawa, but the clay marbles are often absent. Another name for ''Awamori'' used in Okinawa is , or ''shima'' for short. In general the price of ''Awamori'' increases with the beverage's age. ==History== ''Awamori'' owes its existence to Okinawa's trading history-it originates from the Thai drink ''Lao Khao''. The technique of distilling reached Okinawa from Thailand in the 15th century. All Awamori is made from Thai rice ("thai-mai"). The Okinawans refined the distillation process, incorporating techniques from nearby countries, making it more suitable for the subtropical climate and incorporating the unique local black koji mold.〔 From the 15th to 19th century, ''Awamori'' was sent as a tribute to Okinawa's powerful neighbors, China and Japan. Although ''Awamori'' is a distilled rice liquor, it differs from ''shochu'' in two ways: it uses Thai-style, long-grained Indica crushed rice rather than the short-grained Japonica usually used in ''shochu'' production; and instead of using white koji mold in fermentation (as in ''shochu'' production), black koji mold, indigenous to Okinawa, is used. Before April 1983, ''Awamori'' was labelled as a second class ''shochu''; it is now labelled as "authentic ''Awamori''. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Awamori」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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