Artichoke shoyu – homemade by Andreas Herbst

In September and October, we receive artichokes from the Stechaubauer farm and the Marchfeld region. We preserve the hearts for winter and use them in our kitchen. Everything left over is collected to form the base of our shoyu, a fermented seasoning inspired by soy sauce.

When the artichoke season ends, the next stage begins. We cook down the collected trimmings in Grüner Veltliner wine from the Müller winery, creating an aromatic, slightly bitter base with delicate acidity and plenty of depth.

At the same time, we make koji, a fermentation culture, from spelt grown by Zieferbauer farm, using Aspergillus sojae. We mix it with the artichoke base and natural salt, then leave it to ferment at a steady 30°C for twelve months.

The real transformation happens during this long maturation. Enzymes break down the artichokes’ naturally bitter compounds. Flavours that can seem harsh and overpowering when raw develop into a balanced bitterness with complex umami depth.

That’s the power of fermentation: it transforms, mellows and refines.

After maturation, the mixture is filtered and clarified at a low temperature. It is then filled into special glass containers and treated in an autoclave at the university in Wieselburg, under controlled pressure and temperature.

This process concentrates the flavours, creating a taste comparable to several years of ageing. It gives the artichoke shoyu greater depth and stability, with an exceptionally rounded flavour.

This batch has also undergone microbiological analysis and testing at the Hygienicum in Graz.