So here’s the thing. I love cooking Japanese food at home but recently had to go gluten-free because of my doctor’s orders. That meant checking everything, even mirin – you know, that sweet rice wine? Well, I had no clue if it was safe.
Checking My Pantry Bottle First
Grabbed my cheap supermarket mirin bottle from the cupboard. Squinted at that tiny ingredients list forever. Saw “rice, koji, alcohol” – looked fine at first. Then boom, spotted “corn syrup and glucose syrup” way down. That made me wonder: could those contain gluten? Felt super confused.
Diving Down the Google Rabbit Hole
Typed like mad: “is mirin gluten free?”, “does corn syrup have gluten?” Learned most corn syrups are gluten-free BUT discovered something scary: cheaper mirin sometimes has barley malt or wheat-based additives for flavor! That’s a nightmare for celiacs like me. Felt pissed because nobody warns you about this.
Testing Brands at Whole Foods
Drove to Whole Foods determined to crack this. Grabbed three bottles off the shelf:
- Brand A: Front label screamed “GLUTEN FREE!” like it read my mind. Ingredients were just rice, water, koji culture. Felt like a win.
- Brand B: Label said “craft brewed” – sounded fancy. Tiny print showed “barley koji” though. Instant no-go.
- Brand C: Called itself “hon mirin” on the front. Back label listed “rice syrup and citric acid” with no allergens. Still felt sketchy so left it.
Reading Labels Like a Detective
Realized fancy terms mean nothing. “Hon mirin” should be pure, but sneaky brands cut corners. Made my own checklist:
- Look for actual “gluten-free” certification seals (not just claims)
- Ditch anything listing “barley”, “malt” or “wheat”
- Avoid vague crap like “natural flavors” without allergen info
Where I Actually Found Safe Stuff
Struck out at regular grocery stores – their mirin always had corn syrup or mystery additives. Ended up finding two trustworthy brands:
- My top pick now: Found this small producer at a local Asian market using ONLY rice and water. Label said “certified gluten-free” with a legit logo.
- Reliable backup: A big name brand (the one with the red label everyone knows). Called their customer service – got confirmation it’s brewed without barley or wheat. Saved it in my phone notes.
Took me weeks to feel confident about buying mirin. Now I triple-check labels like a paranoid maniac every time. Moral? Never trust front label claims – flip that bottle and scan every word unless you wanna get glutened.