What is shochu?

Honkaku (authentic) Shochu is Japan’s traditional distilled alcoholic beverage. It is multiple-fermented using koji (an indigenous mold), and then single-distilled without any additional additives or flavorings.

Shochu’s base ingredient is the most important contributor to its aroma, body and finish, but distillation pressure, aging and each distillery’s techniques play a huge part. About 98-99% of shochu by volume is made from, in descending order, Sweet Potato, Barley, Rice, Soba and Black Sugar. However there are over 50 other approved ingredients that can be made into shochu including chestnuts, tomatoes and matcha.

It outsells sake on a national basis, and it is most popular in, and originates from, Kyushu in Southern Japan.

Shochu isn’t Sake

Sake is a fermented alcohol using koji and rice, more similar to beer or wine than shochu. As a fermented beverage, Its ABV is typically lower than 15%, is relatively sensitive to temperature, and is optimally consumed within a year of its production. It shares many similarities in production pre-distillation with shochu.

Honkaku shochu (本格焼酎 AKA otsurui shochu) is a distilled beverage made from a range of ingredients. While it uses koji (麹 Aspergillus oryzae) as a fermentation base similar to sake, the final product is distilled in a pot/still similar to other liquors like vodka, whiskey and gin. Shochu is generally diluted before bottling to 25% ABV. Like sake, shochu can be consumed at a variety of temperatures, depending on preference and ingredient. As a distilled alcohol, its shelf life is indefinite and does not spoil in higher temperatures.

Shochu isn’t Soju

Soju (Korean) is an unaged multiple-distilled alcohol similar to vodka with a number of additives to make it palatable, including sweeteners. It can be drunk as is, but is often flavored or mixed with beer. It is relatively generic across brands, and the soju market is dominated by just a few companies. Premium soju has more in common with shochu but is not common.

Honkaku Shochu (本格焼酎 AKA otsurui shochu)) is single-distilled with its base ingredients’ natural aromas and oils intact, with no additives apart from water for dilution. It can be consumed a number of ways, but usually is not mixed with other flavorings. It has often aged (either in wood or clay pots), but most are not. Brands have long histories and there are thousands of varieties across Japan.

How is shochu made?

Koji

To understand how shochu is made, understanding the importance of koji is critical. Koji, a domestic mold used in, among other things, sake, mirin, miso, and soy production, serves two purposes in shochu production.

1) To breakdown/saccharify) the complicated sugars of the base ingredient (e.g. rice or barley) into simple sugars which can ferment into alcohol. In beer production, this is done by malting wheat or barley. Additionally, before distilleries were able to control production temperatures, koji (specifically black koji) was essential in creating an acidic enough environment during the fermentation process such that the mash wouldn’t spoil in hot and humid Kyushu

2) As it is added from the very beginning of its creation, koji gives shochu another complexity in flavor and aroma. Depending on the koji type used, it adds very distinct characteristics to each shochu – check out the chart below from MTC Sake. It’s interesting to try certain shochus from a distillery where the only differentiating factor is the koji used – if you’re interested, find the Tomino no Houzan family of shochu by Nishi Shuzo