What in the World is Shochu?

There isn’t a lot of information around about how to casually drink Japanese liquor, especially shochu. When aged in a barrel, Shochu is sometimes even known as rice whisky.

Now before you think, “wait, rice? Whisky? How would I go about drinking that?” Let’s go over some of the basics.

Shochu has actually been distilled in Japan for hundreds of years! While rarely known outside of Japan, shochu is a standard drink at most Japanese bars, or izakaya, and you would be hard pressed to find a bar where the spirit isn't available.

Shochu starts out just like sake does. It starts with freshly cooked rice and delicious water. The rice, generally Yamada Nishiki or other varieties that are not normal table rice, are chosen because of their high sugar content. The rice is then mixed with koji, the bacterial starter of the fermentation process, and yeast before it is left to ferment. The mash is called moromi in Japanese.

Barrels that House Moromi Mash During Fermentation

The moromi is left to ferment and bubble! If you have sweet potato shochu, you would add the potatoes at this second step for the second moromi and let it ferment again.

After this fermentation, the moromi is distilled and the alcohol content is usually anywhere between 37-45%.

Oak Barrel used to age Shochu

If you're going for a taste close to whisky, the last step sees the spirit aged in oak barrels for a certain amount of time. This is why shochu is often referred to as rice whisky!

However, not all shochu are aged in barrels, some are aged in pottery casks as they have been for hundreds of years, and some shochus are kept in stainless steel tanks to preserve their color and flavor.

After the aging process, the shochu is bottled and may be blended to keep the alcohol content more even.

So now you know a little bit more about shochu, here comes the next question!

How do I drink this stuff?

Shochu, neat

The distillers will all tell you to drink it neat. Of course they would! They want you to enjoy the flavors and the scents that come along with their rice whisky. While drinking whisky and enjoying not only the flavors and scents that are imparted along with your choice of beverage, you can enjoy the rich color that is in the cup.

In general, Japanese shochu is seen as sweeter and more ‘drinkable’ because the distillation process draws out the natural sweetness that is found in not only the water, but the rice.

Shochu, Oyu Wari

Oyu is the Japanese word for hot water.

In the winter especially, this way of drinking is a really great way to warm up on an icy day. Take equal parts hot water and shochu and pour them together. Give it a stir and you have a nice, warm drink that goes down easily. The hot water will enhance the scent of the shochu and you may find that this way is more aromatic.

One expert’s advice? Mix shochu with a fragrant black tea such as Earl Grey! The bergamot is citrusy enough to amplify and not hide any of the shochu’s natural sweetness.

Doctor Pepper

One of our portfolio shochus, Chugen, is a sweet potato spirit. The sweet potato scent is very strong and will often overpower other flavors. It’s a disappointment when you make a mixed drink only to lose the taste and scent of the alcohol completely!

That’s why we recommend mixing Chugen with Doctor Pepper. It’s one of the few sodas that will mix in without losing the aroma of the sweet potatoes. Warm Doctor Pepper used to be popular in the fifties, and we think that warm or hot would both work for this drink!

Shochu Spritzer, Shochu Sangria

Another one of our portfolio products, Moto Sakura, is a shochu that is distilled with the same strain of bacteria that the most expensive daiginjo sakes use. You’ll find Moto Sakura has a light, almost floral taste that makes it a little difficult to figure out what to mix in.

One idea is mixing Moto Sakura into drinks the same way you would mix in white wine in drinks. A White Wine Spritzer or even a 'Sangria' that mixes in your favorite fruits would work well with the floral scents in Moto Sakura.

While the alcohol content of wine may leave something to be desired, the 39% alcohol in Moto Sakura is sure to pack a punch any way that you enjoy it.

No matter how you mix it, shochu’s newness to the American market means that it is open to thousands of interpretations. Home-based mixologists or even professional bartenders, are sure to find a new and delicious way to enjoy this traditional Japanese spirit.

Lift your glass and kanpai!