INTRODUCTION OF SHOCHU,
THE JAPANESE DISTILLED SAKE

SHOCHU, pronounced "show-chew", is a colorless Japanese sprit made from high starch grains and vegetables such as barley, buckwheat, rice, millet, molasses, corn and select potatoes. When scripted in Chinese characters, its literal translation is "fiery-spirits", which indicates SHOCHU'S high level of potency as an alcohol beverage. SHOCHU is a distilled sprit. SHOCHU is to Sake, what Chinese Maotai is to the Laochu, and what brandy is to wine.

SHOCHU is widely served in Japan, Korea and in China, and SHOCHU is the number one selling spirit in the world today! It may just be the most healthy alcohol beverage in the world. While Sake is the national alcohol beverage of Japan, Korea regards SHOCHU, or SOJU as it's known there, as their national beverage. Similarly, in southern Japan, SHOCHU is the drink of choice where "Sake" is synonymous with "SHOCHU", and a person ordering Sake will automatically be served a glass of SHOCHU.

Here in the US, in 1999 signed into California State Legislation (SB1710), is a new law allowing foodservice establishments with on-premise beer & wine license to legally serve SOJU. The definition of SOJU is an alcoholic beverage containing no more that 24% alcohol by volume (48 proof), and is derived from agricultural products.

Sake & Shochu List

Sake List1 Sake List2 Sake List3 Shochu List

HISTORY

The origin of Japanese SHOCHU can be traced back to the 14th Century when Awamori, its primitive version, was produced in Okinawa using a recipe imported from Thailand. During the 17th and 18th Centuries, however, SHOCHU was primarily used as a disinfectant for medical purposes.

In more modern times, SHOCHU became known as the working man's booze, a downscale image attributed to its notoriety as a cheap and fast way of getting drunk. In post war Japan during the 1940's, When rice and barley became scarce only to be rationed for food, all production of beer and Sake came to a sudden stop. In order to meet the unceasing market demand for alcoholic beverages, inedible rice, barley, buckwheat and sweet potato were substituted as the main ingredients depending on the area and ingredient availability, however, with a compromising flavor.

The history closely correlates to the origin of Grappa in Italy. Long ago, while the well-to-do in Italy consumed the fine wines made from grapes, the poor collected the remaining ingredients, mostly outer skin, seeds, and stems, and concocted a palatable distilled drink which we know as Grappa, a fashionable fine drink today.

The image of low quality of SHOCHU still prevails especially among the older generations. Conversely, among the younger group of today, SHOCHU has risen in popularity to become one of their most favored drinks in Japan. Its appeal can be attributed greatly to manufactures' efforts in refining their brewing techniques to yield a product less expensive than whiskey, a great mixer product, and low calorie (around 35 to calories per 2 oz), along with a reputed hangover-free benefit for the over-indulger. Coupled with cool and hip images through savvy advertising, the very traditional SHOCHU has now repositioned itself as the most preferred alcohol drink by young, fashionable adults.

SHOCHU is a great mixer as Chu-Hai, a SHOCHU highball. But generally IICHIKO-SEIRIN is best served on the rocks to fully appreciate its delicate flavor nuances. And now, we're just discovering the many regional SHOCHU brews, all featuring unique characters of their geographic region, and the distinctive flavors from their signature ingredients.