A pair of scientists at The National University of Singapore have figured out how to turn “tofu whey,” the liquid byproduct of tofu that usually goes to waste, into a fermented alcoholic beverage they call “sachi” because of its similarity to sake. Sachi is made by pasteurizing the tofu whey and then adding wine yeast to it to activate the fermentation process.
After about two to three weeks, the sachi is ready. It has an ABV of seven to eight percent, which is comparable to a strong beer, like a high ABV IPA. The taste of the beverage is described as fruity and floral. Sachi is also said to be “healthy” due to the high amount of antioxidants and other soy nutrients. The zero-waste soy-booze is still in early development, though, and the scientists would like to extend the shelf life, which is now about four months, before bringing the product to market.