Shōchū

[Belkov]

I'm not a big spirit drinker and I've never seen Shōchū sold in shops or served in Japanese restaurants here in the UK. I had did a search on Amazon and the cheapest brand of Shōchū is almost double the price of Vodka.

I might order a bottle as a one-off to try it but was wondering how popular is Shōchū in Japan? Is it drunk a lot on it's own or like Vodka where it is used here as a basis of cocktails?

 

[Grandpa Frank]

In the red bar at the top is a section on sake. It might give you some ideas about what to try.

 

[thomas]

Shōchū is distilled, while sake is fermented. It has a higher ABV than sake (~40-45% vs ~15-16%). The most common varieties are

• sweet potato (芋 imo)
• barley (麦 mugi)
• buckwheat (蕎麦 soba)
• brown sugar (黒糖 kokutō)

There are also sesame, shiso, and kuri (chestnuts), among other flavours.

It's a standard drink in restaurants and izakaya, consumed straight, on the rocks, or heated. It's also used for chūhai, mixed drinks or "shōchū highball" (焼酎ハイボール).

Personally, I prefer sake (hence the expanding sake section Uncle Frank mentioned), but I found this bottle in our shelves: Satsuma Shōchū, lovely in summer on the rocks.

 

[Belkov]

Thanks Uncle Frank and Thomas.

I do really enjoy Sake when going to Japanese restaurants over here. Shōchū does sound like what it is, a spirit which you drink when you go out in social settings outside of restaurants. I'll definitely give it a try for the experience and check out the Sake section for more information.

 

[mdchachi]

It's very common/popular in Japan. I'm not a big drinker either so typically I'd drink it in a mixed drink form such a grapefruit-sour, lemon-sour, oolong tea, etc.

Traditionally, shōchū is served in one of four ways:

• Mizuwari: Shōchū served with ice and water. The amount of water depends on preference, but is often a 6:4, 5:5 or 4:6 ratio of shōchū to water, which reduces the alcohol percentage to about 15%, 12.5% and 10% respectively.
• Oyuwari: Shōchū mixed with hot water (ideally about 40-45C). This method enhances the aroma and flavor of the shōchū and warms the body.
• On the rocks: Shōchū served over ice. This is a simple and refreshing way to enjoy the spirit, especially in summer.
• Straight: Shōchū served at room temperature without any dilution. This is the best way to appreciate the original taste and character of the shōchū.

Shōchū can also be mixed with various other drinks to create cocktails. Some popular examples are:

• Chuhai: Shōchū mixed with carbonated water and fruit juice or syrup. This is a light and fizzy drink that comes in many flavors.
• Oolong hai: Shōchū mixed with oolong tea. This is a popular drink at izakaya (Japanese pubs) that pairs well with many dishes.
• Umeshu soda: Shōchū mixed with plum wine and soda water. This is a sweet and sour drink that has a refreshing taste.
• Shochu sour: Shōchū mixed with lemon juice and simple syrup. This is a classic cocktail that showcases the citrus notes of the shōchū.

 

[Belkov]

It's very common/popular in Japan. I'm not a big drinker either so typically I'd drink it in a mixed drink form such a grapefruit-sour, lemon-sour, oolong tea, etc.

Traditionally, shōchū is served in one of four ways:

• Mizuwari: Shōchū served with ice and water. The amount of water depends on preference, but is often a 6:4, 5:5 or 4:6 ratio of shōchū to water, which reduces the alcohol percentage to about 15%, 12.5% and 10% respectively.
• Oyuwari: Shōchū mixed with hot water (ideally about 40-45C). This method enhances the aroma and flavor of the shōchū and warms the body.
• On the rocks: Shōchū served over ice. This is a simple and refreshing way to enjoy the spirit, especially in summer.
• Straight: Shōchū served at room temperature without any dilution. This is the best way to appreciate the original taste and character of the shōchū.

Shōchū can also be mixed with various other drinks to create cocktails. Some popular examples are:

• Chuhai: Shōchū mixed with carbonated water and fruit juice or syrup. This is a light and fizzy drink that comes in many flavors.
• Oolong hai: Shōchū mixed with oolong tea. This is a popular drink at izakaya (Japanese pubs) that pairs well with many dishes.
• Umeshu soda: Shōchū mixed with plum wine and soda water. This is a sweet and sour drink that has a refreshing taste.
• Shochu sour: Shōchū mixed with lemon juice and simple syrup. This is a classic cocktail that showcases the citrus notes of the shōchū.

It sounds like Shōchū is a versatile spirits and interesting that it can be drunk in different ways particularly with temperature.

I'm definitely going to give it a try for the experience