Shochu is a Japanese drink made with various ingredients, including sweet potatoes, barley, soba, rice, or brown sugar. It has an alcohol content of 25% and is popular among young women. Shochu can be consumed directly or mixed with fruit juice or sweetened green tea. There are two types of shochu, otusurui and korui, with otusurui being considered of a higher grade.
Shochu is a popular Japanese drink with an average alcohol content of 25%. It has been made since at least the 16th century in Japan and is mostly made on Kyushu, a small island. The drink can be made with a variety of ingredients, including sweet potatoes, barley, soba, rice, or brown sugar. Some other products such as sesame or chestnut can also form the basis of shochu or be added. By its alcohol content, this drink is stronger than beer or wine, but not as strong as most “strong” drinks like whisky, vodka or gin.
At one time, the drink was considered an “old man’s drink,” but careful marketing blew up the shochu market in 2004, with many young people, especially young women, buying in large quantities. Unlike many other soft drinks, it is much lower in calories, making it a popular drink. The shochu boom was not without its effects and drastically reduced the sweet potato crop because the demand for the drink was high.
Depending on the base, shochu can vary in taste. The brown sugar variants are not particularly sweet. Barley is considered mild in taste, buckwheat even milder. The sweet potato has a strong flavor, sometimes comparable to almonds. Many people really like or dislike the sweet potato variety because of its distinct flavor notes. Rice shochu is usually a favorite shape.
Shochu can be eaten in a variety of ways. It can be drunk directly or on the rocks. Many young adults who drink it, especially young women, mix the alcohol with fruit juice or sweetened green tea. Another popular drink is chuhai, which combines shochu with soda, flavoring, and ice.
Chuhai is somewhat comparable to the American wine cooler. It is quite sweet and is often sold in cans and convenience stores or in vending machines. Another drink called a hoppy is a mix of shochu and beer. Hoppy is also widely available in grocery stores.
Despite the many ingredients used to make shochu, there are essentially two types, called otusurui and korui. Korui differs from otusurui because it undergoes multiple distillations before being bottled. It is often best thought of in cocktails. Otusurui is produced through a single malt or single distillation process. This process often leaves the drink smelling and tasting similar to the base ingredients. It is usually eaten in shots or on ice and considered to be of a higher grade than korui shochu.
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