Ways to enjoy shochu-Part 2

Shochu, a distilled alcohol beverage made with barley, rice or sweet potato. Often served neat, on the rocks or with soda, and is as versatile as vodka or whiskey, making shochu a great choice to create a simple mixed beverage or a refreshing cocktail!

Here are some recipes where we think shochu would shine and are easy to make with ingredients around your home!!

 

 

 

Shochu Cocktails:

Old Fashioned Samurai:

This recipe stays true the original 'Old Fashioned', yet adding a Japanese twist switching out the bourbon for shochu. 

• 90 ml shochu
• 4 dashes bitters
• 50ml Simple syrup* (2 parts sugar to 1 part water boil, reduce and let cool till you get a loose syrup consistency.)
• Ice
• Orange rind or orange slice (optional)
• Maraschino cherry (optional)

How to prepare: 

Stir all liquid ingredients in mixing glass or shaker, filled with ice. Gently strain in into a rock glass filled with large ice cubes. Garnish with orange rind or orange slice, and cherry.

Check out our recommended shochu, Yanagita Koma Mugi (Barley) Shochu 25°.

 

Tokyo Mule:

A variation on the ever-so-popular Moscow mule, this cocktail switches out vodka for sweet potato shochu, creating very distinct and delicious drink.

• 30ml sweet potato shochu
• 90-120ml ginger beer
• ½ lime, cut into wedges
• lime wheel garnish
• Ice

How to prepare: 

In a copper mug, or rock glass, fill with ice. Add sweet potato Shochu, fill with ginger beer, and squeeze lime juice. Garnish with lime wheel.

Check out our recommended sweet potato shochu, Yanagita Mochio Senbonzakura Imo (Sweet Potato) Shochu 25°.

 

Shochu Sours:

Izakaya Sour:

This recipe mirrors the way that Japanese Izakayas serve their shochu sours.

• 120ml shochu
• Fresh fruit juice (Lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, etc.)
• Ice 
• Soda, to top of

How to prepare:

In a glass add ice, pour in the shochu, add your preferred amount of fruit juice and top of your drink with soda water.

 

Shochu Greyhound:

Just as the name suggests, this recipe combines the distinct shochu flavor profile with the tartiness of the Greyhound cocktail, switching the gin for shochu and with the option of adding elder flower liqueur, the shochu greyhound will definitely get you coming back for more.

• 45ml shochu
• 90ml Grapefruit Juice
• 15ml Elderflower Liqueur (optional)
• 1 pinch Sea Salt
• Ice

How to prepare:

Combine the shochu, elderflower liqueur (optional) and grapefruit juice in a glass over ice. Sprinkle sea salt and stir. Garnish with grapefruit or a salt rimmed glass.

Check out our recommended shochu, Yanagita Koma Mugi (Barley) Shochu 25°.

 

Sweet Potato Shochu Sour:

For those who love whiskey, give this recipe a shot. A variation on the beloved whiskey sour, this recipe switches bourbon for sweet potato shochu. The distinct sweetness displayed by this sweet potato shochu brings a new perspective to the cocktail, making you fall in love with it all over again.

• 60ml shochu
• 20ml lemon juice
• 15ml Simple syrup* (2 parts sugar to 1 part water boil, reduce and let cool till you get a loose syrup consistency.)

• 15ml egg white (optional)
• Garnish: Angostura bitters, other bitters (optional)
• Ice

How to prepare: 

Chill the coupe glass. Add shochu, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white into a shaker then dry shake, then add ice and shake again. When shaker is frosted strain the mixture into the chilled coupe glass then garnish with angostura bitters.

Check out our recommended sweet potato shochu, Yanagita Mochio Senbonzakura Imo (Sweet Potato) Shochu 25°.

 

To check out our shochu, click here.