Shochu is a traditional drink connected deeply with Japanese history, and has been enjoyed among the Japanese for centuries. In the last decade, domestic shochu consumption has drastically increased in Japan. Although the beverage is not really widespread in the US compared to its counterpart sake, it is gradually but surely gaining recognition outside of Japan. Here are some reasons why you should try shochu.
Its Production Process Makes Shochu Good For The Body
One of the features of shochu is its health benefits. Shochu is produced from fermenting and distilling ingredients, and during the process, minerals and extracts are removed except for the flavor and aroma; therefore, shochu's caloric value and sugar content remain lower than other types of alcohol. For this reason, doctors in Japan often recommend shochu to patients with obesity and gout if they like to drink alcohol. This appeals to people who want to keep fit and middle aged men with increased risk of metabolic syndrome.
Thanks to this distillation process, shochu's alcohol component becomes highly refined. This means the alcohol in shochu can be broken down by the human body more easily and faster compared to other types of alcoholic drinks. So, if you are a hang over sufferer, shochu might be the right beverage for you.
Different distillation styles and the rise of premium shochu, honkaku shochu
One of the reasons for the recent shochu boom in Japan is that recent technology made it easier to make better shochu, which resulted in the rise of premium shochu, which is called honkaku shochu. First of all, shochu is largely categorized into two different groups, "singly distilled shochu with less than 45% alcohol by volume" and "multiply distilled shochu with alcohol by volume less than 36%". The former type of shochu is what we call honkaku shochu. Honkaku shochu is heavier on the palate and retains the flavor of its base ingredients. Most of the time, honkaku shochu is limitedly produced in micro-distilleries. With the recent shochu boom, honkaku shochu was rediscovered in Japan and has become more appreciated among Japanese, so much so that shochu is now the more popular drink in Japan.
On the other hand, the multiply distilled shochu with 36% alcohol by volume is close to pure alcohol with a very clean taste. Because it has no strong smell or distinct flavor, it is favorable to use for cocktails and shochu drinks with mixers commonly known as chuhai. These shochu cocktails have become extremely popular among the mixologists in Japan.
Variety of ingredients and ways of drinking shochu
Unlike wine, sake, beer, and many other alcoholic drinks, shochu can be made from a vast variety of ingredients. The most commonly used base ingredients are imo(sweet potato), mugi(barely), kome(rice), soba(buckwheat), and kokutou(brown sugar), but some are made from aloe, carrots, dates, and even seaweed, among others. The characteristic of the shochu flavor largely comes from its base ingredient, giving shochu truly a world of infinite possibilities. As many types of distilled alcohol can be consumed in various ways, so can shochu. Most commonly enjoyed ways of drinking shochu are straight, on the rocks, mizuwari(diluting with cold water) and oyuwari (diluting with hot water), but there are countless other ways. Honkaku shochu is suited for drinking straight and on the rocks because of its distinct flavor and aroma, which is the heart of honkaku shochu, that many people prefer to enjoy it as it is. However, this is gradually changing as many new cocktails that maximize the unique flavors of honkaku shochu are now rapidly growing as a trend. The ways of enjoying shochu are limitless, so why don't you give it a shot!
