Tamari
Japanese: たまり
Liquid that accumulates on top of miso. Rich in umami, considered an origin of soy sauce.
When miso is weighted, a dark brown liquid eventually rises to the surface — this is tamari. It is a concentrated extract of miso with extremely intense umami.
Tamari also indicates good miso quality. It can be used directly like soy sauce or mixed back into the miso. Historically, this liquid evolved into tamari soy sauce, considered one origin of soy sauce itself. If tamari does not rise, fermentation may be insufficient. Review weight and temperature. The excitement of first seeing tamari in homemade miso is one of the great rewards.