西の海運を制した尾道の産業基盤
江戸時代までの伝統的なお酢づくりは、日本酒をベースにつくられる。酒に酢酸菌という微生物を増殖させてアルコールを酢に変える。魚などの保存食をつくるために日本全国で重用され、酢の生産の普及とともに和食の代表格である寿司が発展したと言っても過言ではない。北前船の停泊地であり、海の商人の土地だった尾道では、海路で東北から安い米を運んできて、尾道でお酢に加工して付加価値をつけ、西廻りの航路で日本海側に酢を出荷し、遠くは北海道にまで運んで利益を得てきた。
A product that built the industrial base in Onomichi City and controlled the marine transport business in West Japan
Up to the Edo Period, the traditional way of making vinegar was based on sake. A microorganism called acetic acid bacteria is grown in sake, which is capable of converting alcohol into vinegar. Vinegar was treasured in Japan from the olden days as a food preservative for, such as, fish. As it became more commonly used and its production spread nationwide, it is no exaggeration to say that its development simultaneously led to the establishment of sushi as the representative cuisine (if not the most) of washoku. Onomichi City was the anchorage of the Kitamae ships (cargo vessels) and dwelling place for sea merchants. Cheap rice would be brought in from the Tohoku region through the northeastern sea route and processed into vinegar as a value-added seasoning agent. Additional profit was obtained by shipping out vinegar to the Japan Sea side through the western route to as far as Hokkaido.
どう作って食べるか / HOW TO MAKE & EAT
❶日本酒を仕込む（一段仕込みから三段仕込みまで蔵によって仕込みが違う）❷酒を割り水して、酢酸菌のスターターを入れて40℃前後に温める。
❸瓶やタンクなどで2〜4ヶ月発酵（静置発酵）させそこからさらに1年ほど熟成させる。
★ 酒から仕込んで静置発酵させる伝統的な醸造法は現代では希少になっている。
★ 工業的に精製されたアルコール液を撹拌して酸素を送り込みながら 高速発酵させる醸造法が現代の主流。
❶Prepare the sake (from one-step preparation to three-step preparation depending on the style of a brewery).
❷Dilute sake with water and add acetic acid bacteria as the fermentation starter. Warm the liquid to around 40°C.
❸Ferment (stationary fermentation) for 2 to 4 months in a bottle, a tank or other types of container, and then let it age for about one more year.
★ Traditional brewing method where sake is aged through a stationary fermentation process is getting rare these days.
★ The mainstream brewing method these days involves adding oxygen while stirring industrially refined alcohol liquid to speed up the fermentation process.
・酢の物に
・調味料として
→As a soured (vinegar-seasoned) side dish
→As a seasoning agent
▶食べられている地域 / Regions where it is eaten
全国
Nationwide
▶微生物の種類 / Types of microorganisms
酢酸菌
Acetic acid bacteria
